Photo: OSX / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons
2008 Hyundai Tucson: common problems and reliability
One of the better Tucson years.
43 owner complaints, most about service brakes. 1 recall.
Should I buy a 2008 Tucson?The 2008 Hyundai Tucson has 43 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 1 recall on record. The most-reported areas are service brakes and vehicle speed control.
Safety record for the 2008 model year
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2008 Hyundai Tucson vehicles (US, public record).
The Year Score compares this year with other Tucson years only. How we score it
Is 2008 a good year for the Tucson?
Across the 22 Tucson model years we track, complaint volume runs from 18 (2009) to 3,155 (2016). With 43 complaints, the 2008 Tucson sits below the model's median of 185.
These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.
Where owners report problems
Recalls affecting the 2008 Tucson
exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Campaign 13V113000Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
What owners say across generations
Sentiment is mixed and varies significantly by model year and powertrain.
Owner insights cover all generations of the Tucson. See the full Tucson owner picture and every model year.
Typical used price
Used Tucson listings typically run $14,189–$22,499.
Other Tucson model years
Compare every Tucson year side by side to see how 2008 ranks against the rest.
Compare the Tucson against its rivals
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