2004 Hyundai Tiburon: Is It Reliable?
Problems, Recalls & Buyer Verdict
Shopping for a used 2004 Hyundai Tiburon? This page highlights owner-reported complaint patterns and recall history so you can inspect the right systems before buying. Current data includes 82 complaints, with Transmission / Drivetrain as the top reported area.
2004 Hyundai Tiburon Fuel Economy
✓ EPA Official DataEPA-rated fuel economy across 5 2004 Hyundai Tiburon trim configurations. The median figure is shown; range reflects all available trims.
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov. Figures reflect EPA lab testing; real-world results vary by driving style, load, and conditions. 5 trims analysed.
2004 Hyundai Tiburon Safety Ratings
NHTSA 5-Star ProgramOfficial crash test results from the NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings program. Stars reflect government-conducted tests; higher is safer.
Overall
Not RatedFrontal Crash
Not RatedSide Crash
Not RatedRollover
Not RatedSource: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Ratings are based on government crash tests and may not reflect all trim levels.
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the 2004 Hyundai Tiburon has 82 owner complaints, 11 crash-related complaints, and 0 recall campaigns on record. The most frequently reported component is Transmission / Drivetrain. NHTSA reliability signal: Severe Issues.
- Make
- Hyundai
- Model
- Tiburon
- Model year
- 2004
- NHTSA owner complaints
- 82
- Crash-related complaints
- 11
- Safety recall campaigns
- 0
- Top reported component
- Transmission / Drivetrain
- Reliability signal
- Severe Issues
- EPA MPG combined
- 20
- EPA MPG city / highway
- 17 / 24
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Electronic stability control
- No
Most Common 2004 Hyundai Tiburon Problems
Top owner-reported complaint areas and where they often appear.
Transmission / Drivetrain
Airbag Malfunctions
Electrical Faults
Complaint patterns center on Transmission / Drivetrain, Airbag Malfunctions, Electrical Faults. Use these as a pre-purchase inspection guide, then verify recall and damage history on the specific VIN.
Should You Buy a Used 2004 Hyundai Tiburon?
The 2004 Hyundai Tiburon shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase.
Use the model-year trend to shortlist candidates, then confirm the exact vehicle condition with service records, recall status, and a VIN history report.
What to Check Before Buying a Used 2004 Hyundai Tiburon
Inspection Focus
- Inspect transmission and drivetrain for signs of failure or unusual behavior.
- Verify all open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Request service records for transmission, airbag, and electrical repairs.
- Have a mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase.
Before You Close the Deal
- Inspect transmission and drivetrain for signs of failure or unusual behavior.
- Verify all open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Request service records for transmission, airbag, and electrical repairs.
- Have a mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase.
Shortlist with model-year data. Decide with the exact VIN.
Before buying a used 2004 Hyundai Tiburon, run a VIN history report to verify accidents, title brands, odometer records, theft checks, and open recalls for the exact vehicle.
What the Complaint Data Suggests
Editorial interpretation of NHTSA public complaint data. Source: nhtsa.gov. Complaints are owner-submitted and do not confirm a defect. Methodology
Complaints for the 2004 Hyundai Tiburon are concentrated in the transmission/drivetrain and airbag systems, with a smaller number of electrical and lighting issues. Crash-related complaints are present but limited. The data is based on a single model year with low confidence.
- Transmission/drivetrain complaints account for the largest share of reported issues.
- Airbag malfunctions are the second most common complaint category.
- Electrical faults and headlight/taillight failures are also reported but less frequently.
- Transmission / Drivetrain
- Airbag Malfunctions
- Electrical Faults
All 2004 Hyundai Tiburon Complaints by Category
Every owner-reported complaint category filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Hyundai Tiburon. Use this as a pre-purchase inspection checklist.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 39 | — | — | — | |
| Airbag Malfunctions | 21 | 10 | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 8 | — | — | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 7 | — | — | — | |
| Steering Defects | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Brake System | 3 | 1 | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Door Lock Issues | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Visibility | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Hydraulic | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Uncategorized Issues | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Engine Problems | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Tire Issues | 1 | — | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Real Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2004 Hyundai Tiburon. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
CLUTCH RECALL, POWERTRAIN RECALL, MASTER CYLINDER RECALL, SLAVE CYLINDER RECALL. WHEN DRIVING MY CAR AFTER A WEEK OF PURCHASING THE CAR I PUSHED THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO THE FLOOR TO SHIFT, AND THE PEDAL DID NOT COME BACK UP. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO BRING IT BACK UP TO SHIFT IT …
MY CAR TURN ON THE AIR BAG, ALL THE TIME, I TAKE TO THE DEALER UNTIL THE WARRANTY WAS ACTIVE, AFTER THE THIRD YEAR THEY SAID THAT THIS DON'T HAVE NO MORE WARRANTY, THE AIR BAG LIGHT STEEL ON ALL THE TIME.
MY WIFE WAS IN A REAR END ACCIDENT AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON. MY WIFE GOT WHIPLASH FROM THE ACCIDENT. READING SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, I'M ALMOST GLAD THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY BECAUSE HER INJURY COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE. HYUNDAI NEEDS TO FIX…
STEERING WILL NOT STAY IN NO MORE THEN 6 MOUTHS AND ALMOST INSTEAD THEY GO OUT .ON ALIGNMENTS . IT HAS BEEN GOING ON SEENS THIS CAR
TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI TIBURON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THAT THE CLUTCH AND FLY WHEEL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER W…
THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. SEATBELTS AND AIRBAGS WILL NOT PROPERLY WORK OR WORK AT ALL WHEN THIS LIGHT IS ON. WHY SHOULDN'T THE 2004 MODEL BE INCLUDED IN THE SAFETY RECALL SINCE ALL OTHER TIBURON YEARS EXCEPT FOR 2004 WERE RECALLED? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI TIBURON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH DID NOT FUNCTION WHEN THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL WAS TURNED ON. THE BATTERY FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY AS LONG AS THE TURN SIGNAL FUSE WAS IN THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE …
THE LOWER CONTROL ARM COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. HAVE PICTURES. SON DRIVING CAR ON OUR DRIVEWAY AND CAR STARTED MAKING NOISE AND STARTED PULLING HARD TO THE LEFT. DROVE BACK TO HOUSE TO INSPECT AND LOWER CONTROL ARM ON DRIVERS SIDE HAD RUSTED APART ALLOWING TIRE TO BE UNCONTROLLA…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI TIBURON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE HEARD WHEN…
AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE REMAINING ON; SEATBELT AND BUCKLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE REPLACED. EIGHT MONTHS LATER THE SAME PROCESS OCCURRED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI TIBURON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE FUEL TANK REACHED HALF FULL, THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD DISPLAY AN INACCURATE READING OF EMPTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. FIVE MONTHS LATER, THE CONTACT NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE VEH…
THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I HAVE HAD A BRAKE LINE REPLACED BECAUSE ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC, THE POOR DESIGN ALLOWS FOR THE BRAKE LINE TO RUB AGAINST THE SHOCK WHICH EVENTUALLY WEARS A HOLE THROUGH THE BRAKE LINE. I'VE HAD THREE SEPARATE INCIDENTS WHERE MY BRAKE PEDAL HAS GONE COMPL…
THIS MAKE AND MODEL HAS DEFECTIVE SEATBELT SENSORS. THESE SEATBELT SENSORS ARE WIRED INTO THE AIRBAG SYSTEM AND IN THE EVENT OF A SEATBELT SENSOR SHORTING OUT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR'S AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
INTERIOR POWER DOOR LOCKS DO NOT FUNCTION. UNABLE TO UNLOCK DOORS FROM INSIDE CAR. LOCKS OCCUPANTS IN CAR!! *TR
HYUNDAI KNOW ABOUT AN ISSUE WITH THEIR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AFFECTING THE AIR CONDITIONING ON THEIR TIBURONS, BUT HAVE DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. IT IS WHEN YOU SELECT HIGHER SPEEDS OF A/C, THE CONNECTOR BEHIND THE DASHBOARD HEATS UP SO MUCH, IT MELTS THE CONNECTOR AND CAUSES THE A/C TO…
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON - WON'T GO OFF DEALER REPLACED DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASEMBLY - LIGHT CAME BACK ON AT 70,000. *TR
I AM ALMOST SCARED TO DRIVE MY TIBURON. I HAVE READ MANY STORIES ABOUT AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING WHEN THE LIGHT HAD BEEN SHOWING. BOTH MY TIBURON, AND MY MOTHER'S SONATA HAD THE AIRBAG LIGHT STEADILY ON. I WAS ABLE TO FIX HERS BY ADJUSTING A FEW CORDS, MINE TO NO AVAIL. I HAVE BEEN T…
ALMOST RIGHT AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, I STARTED EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE ALARM SYSTEM WOULD RANDOMLY GO OFF AND SOMETIMES EVEN LOCK THE DOORS OF THE CAR ON IT'S OWN. WHETHER THE CAR WAS RUNNING OR NOT, WINDOWS OPEN OR SHUT, DID NOT MATTER. LATER THE WINDSHIEL…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI TIBURON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN A VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND SHE SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION AND WHIPLASH. THE POLICE WERE CALLED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS T…
RIGHT TURN SIGNAL STAYS CONSTANTLY GLOWING OUT OF NO WHERE. TURNED THE LEFT SIGNAL ON AND THE RIGHT SIGNAL CAME ON AS WELL AND STAYS ON EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS OFF. IT DOESN'T BLINK IT JUST STAYS GLOWING. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS REPORTS FROM MECHANICS AND OTHER DRIVER WITH THE SAME VEH…
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2004 Hyundai Tiburon.
2004 Hyundai Tiburon Recalls
0 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2004 Hyundai Tiburon. No recall campaigns are currently listed for this model year in the dataset, but VIN-level recall checks are still essential. Recalls are free to fix at authorized dealers, but completion status must be verified on the exact VIN.
No recall campaigns found for this model year in the current data. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls directly for the latest information.
2004 Hyundai Tiburon Buying FAQ
Buyer-focused answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this model year.
Is the 2004 Hyundai Tiburon reliable?▾
Severe Issues. NHTSA currently shows 82 owner complaints, 11 crash-related complaints, and 0 recall campaigns for this model year. The 2004 Hyundai Tiburon shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase. Treat this as a model-year signal, then verify the exact vehicle's condition and history before purchase.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Hyundai Tiburon?▾
#1: Transmission / Drivetrain (39 complaints). #2: Airbag Malfunctions (21 complaints). #3: Electrical Faults (8 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2004 Hyundai Tiburon?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2004 Hyundai Tiburon?▾
Complaint data is not the same as crash-test scoring, but it does highlight possible risk patterns. For the 2004 Hyundai Tiburon, NHTSA complaints include 11 crash-related reports and 0 fire reports out of 82 total complaints. 7 injury reports are also on file. For controlled crash-test ratings, check nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2004 Hyundai Tiburon have any recalls?▾
No NHTSA recall campaigns were found for the 2004 Hyundai Tiburon in the current data. Always verify with a VIN check as recalls can be added at any time.
Should I buy a 2004 Hyundai Tiburon?▾
The 2004 Hyundai Tiburon shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase. Use the model-year trend to shortlist candidates, then confirm the exact vehicle condition with service records, recall status, and a VIN history report. Pay extra attention to Transmission / Drivetrain during inspection. Before committing, run a VIN history report to verify accidents, title brands, odometer records, and recall completion for the exact car.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Hyundai Tiburon reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Owner Reliability Rating
Rate the 2004 Hyundai Tiburon based on your ownership experience.
Add your rating:
Ratings are based on owner experience and are separate from NHTSA data shown above.
Check the Exact Vehicle History Before You Buy
Model-year complaints and recalls reveal patterns. A VIN report confirms whether the exact car has accident history, title brands, mileage issues, or open recalls.