The 2008 Hyundai Elantra has 9 recalls, the most serious being a moisture-related electrical short in the ABS module that can cause an engine compartment fire even when the vehicle is parked and turned off.
Several recalls involve the airbag system. The frontal airbags and seatbelt pretensioners can deploy unexpectedly while the car is stopped or moving slowly due to a miscalibrated airbag control unit. A separate issue with the front passenger seat's weight sensor can cause that airbag to deploy in crashes where it should stay inactive, raising the risk of injury to the passenger. On the driver's side, a seat track position sensor may not correctly read how far forward the seat is, causing the driver's airbag to deploy with more force than intended.
The electric power steering system can suddenly lose its assist while driving, requiring noticeably more effort to steer, particularly at low speeds. This issue appears across two overlapping recalls covering different production date ranges.
The fuel system also has concerns. The fuel pump can fail outright, causing the engine to stall and cutting propulsion. A related issue affects the fuel pump's ability to maintain adequate pressure, which can cause hard starting, hesitation, and other performance problems that raise the risk of a crash.
At a glance
What can fail
Moisture can enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and cause an electrical short.
What the fix does
A relay will be installed in the main junction box to prevent ABS short-circuit when the vehicle is off.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
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At a glance
What can fail
The airbag control unit may be incorrectly calibrated, causing front airbags and seatbelt pretensioners to deploy unexpectedly while stopped or driving slowly, which could startle you and lead to a crash.
What the fix does
Your dealer will reprogram the airbag control unit to correct the calibration.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The power steering system may suddenly stop working while driving if the electronic control detects a problem with torque sensing. The steering will switch to manual mode, requiring more effort to steer.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the power steering control unit software to fix the problem.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The electronic power steering control unit may detect conflicting steering input signals and shut off power assist to the steering.
What the fix does
Hyundai will check the power steering system and reprogram the control unit at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The electrical connector for the front passenger seat weight sensor can become contaminated and malfunction, causing the right frontal airbag to deploy even when the seat is unoccupied or occupied by a light-weight person.
What the fix does
Dealers will install a protective cover over the weight sensor connector to prevent contamination.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The seat position sensor may send an unstable electrical signal to the airbag control module. In a crash, the driver's airbag could deploy at higher pressure than intended when the seat is in a forward position.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the airbag control module at no charge to correct the electrical signal interpretation.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The fuel pump motor may have inconsistent internal electrical contact surfaces, causing it to produce insufficient pressure to properly supply fuel to the injection system.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the fuel pump subassembly.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The fuel pump motor may lack proper internal electrical surface contact, causing reduced fuel pressure to the fuel injection system.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the fuel pump subassembly at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The fuel pump can stop working, which cuts off fuel flow to the engine. This causes the engine to stall and the vehicle to lose power without warning.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly to restore proper fuel delivery to the engine.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
