2008 Hyundai Elantra: hesitation when accelerating

Filed Dec 31, 2022 · Engine, Transmission · NY

2008 Elantra should be added to the crankshaft Theta II recall. 2098 Elantra has the 2.0L engine unlike its prior years where they are made with a 1.6L engine. Last week my 2008 Elantra exhibited all the signs of this malfunction (A knocking noise from the engine that increases in frequency as the engine rpm increases. Reduced power and/or hesitation and vibration. Illumination of the “check engine” light in the instrument cluster. Illumination of the “engine oil pressure” warning lamp.) When this occured i had taken it to Auto Zone and had the computer scanned for error codes. (See attached report). Based on the report a tune up was done, ignition coil replaced and sensor replaced. Car would still not start. When my mechanic furthe diagnosed it (he could not find the issue until he used his scope camera)he found the issue was that there is damage to the "trigger wheel" inside the crank shaft. He also said this almost never happens in a car and does not know what could have made this happen. Please investigate this issue further, this is a dangerous situation of engine seizing and should be investigated immediately and thoroughly.

Filed Jun 27, 2018 · 91,000 miles · NY

When my vehicle is on park gear it keeps moving forward down a hill or any slope, I'm forced to apply parking brake to stop it from moving. When this occurs, cranking the engine to start does not help; the vehicle starter becomes disabled. Im then forced to put it on neutral for the vehicle to start. Now, placing the gear on drive to move the car: often and often, the vehicle does not move and acts as it is on neutral; and by turning the engine off, the key can't be removed from the ignition. Moreover, when the vehicle happens to move and is being driven, on a highway accelerating on normal traffic speed, it tends to slow the speed as to loosing contact with the drive gear. All these cause me not to use the car frequently. If I must drive it, I hesitate doing so and limit it from using any highway to avoid potential of being crashed by another vehicle; since my vehicle does not always maintain the normal ongoing traffic speed. I'm urging your agency to please address my situation. Because I strongly believe other hyundai vehicles of this make, model and year may have experienced similar problem of this kind. I hesitate contacting hyundai for now, fearing they may connect my situation with a need for repair and seize the occasion to bill me for their own manufacturer's defects. I thank you well ahead of time for your input on this problem. Respectfully yours, vehicle owner

Filed Oct 29, 2008 · Fuel system · 8,400 miles · MD

I have a 2008 elantra that continues to stall and hesitate. This occurred on two separate occasions and I was almost hit from behind. The dealership has failed twice to diagnosis the problem and I have filed a complaint with hyundai. Now they want me to take the car back to the dealership and leave it overnight. They don't currently have a loaner car. My car was not a part of the recall, why? I don't know. Clearly there is something wrong with the fuel line and I am afraid I am going to hurt in a car accident.

Filed Aug 14, 2008 · Fuel system · 1,789 miles · NY

Took a 375 mile/ 8 hour trip. New 2008 hyundai elantra w/less than 1800 miles. Upon exiting expressway, engine struggled, as if trying to shift to next gear, but bucked & hesitated. After stopped at a red light, proceeded to cross busy intersection. Car sputtered and stalled .check engine light came on and stayed on. 5 failed attempts to restart but did after 9 minutes. Made it to destination. Local hyundai service center closed. Forced to attempt trip back next day. Had to drive through very heavy traffic - including the george washington bridge, and winding mountain roads in pa. Car acted up 3-4 times, each time losing speed, sputtering & bucking. While never actually stalled, could have been catastrophic. Acted worse while accelerating - sounded like engine cutting out. Dropped it off to dealership where purchased 8/10/08. Next day, informed of broken fuel pump. Being replaced with a new one - ready today, 8/14/08. After reading so many similar stories on-line, I felt I had to inform you of my incident. I believe there needs to be a recall - especially as there are so many 2008 elantras on the road. Had we needed to make an emergency escape of our stalled car, in ny traffic, we would have likely been killed trying to exit, and probably been run over by a tractor trailer had we stayed in the car. We certainly would not have been able to get our crated puppy out of the back seat, as a parent would not be able to rescue a baby in an infant seat. This is a series of tragedies waiting to happen!!!! I will still not feel confident driving my 3 1/2 month old car, as many people continue to have trouble even with replaced parts. I implore you to probe deeper in to this matter and have hyundai correct this problem...before many people become a fatality statistic!

Filed Aug 14, 2008 · Fuel system · 7,303 miles · IL

6/26/08 - car looses power on expressway, check engine light comes on. Dealer fixes faulty "downstream oxygen sensor" 7/10/08 - car looses power, engine hesitation and racing RPM's in speeds of 20-40 MPH. Check engine light comes on. Dealer replaces fuel pump 8/14/08- car hesitating and RPM's racing in speeds of 20-40 MPH. Will take back to dealer when check engine light comes on.

Filed Aug 9, 2008 · Fuel system · 25 miles · RI

Purchased a new 2008 hyundai elantra. Left the dealership with the new car and after driving about 10 miles, noticed that the car was hesitating and could not increase speed and shift to the next higher gear. The car finally shifted to the final gear and all was well for about 10 more miles; then the car started to slow down to the point where feeding gas was not helping. The car crawled to a stop at a freeway exit (fortunately) and I contacted the dealer. They arranged towing and delivered me a loaner. The fuel pump failed after only 20 miles of driving the new car.

Filed Aug 5, 2008 · Fuel system · 1,432 miles · OR

My 2008 elantra se which I bought in may has had two "episodes" of stalling. The first (od 1100 mi) on july 14 occurred on the freeway and began as a slight hesitation that got progressively worse such that we took the next exit and limped home on back roads. The check engine light came on and the car stalled twice before we finally made it home. The next day I was able to drive it to the dealer about 5 miles away. Their diagnosis was a bad oxygen sensor which they didn't have in stock. They said it would be ok to drive the car until the new sensor arrived. It ran fine and 3 days later I took it in to have the sensor replaced. They ran diagnostics again and said the sensor was ok and needn't be replaced. They said maybe it was bad gas or vapor lock and sent me on my way. The car ran fine until this afternoon (aug 5) when it began hesitating (od 1432 mi) on the freeway and once again I took the first exit and limped home, unable to exceed 25 MPH, bucking all the way. My wife followed me to the dealer and for the last mile were unable to go over 5 MPH (emergency flashers on). We never made it as the elantra shut down completely in rush hour traffic and I had to get out and push into a nearby parking lot. I called hyundai roadside assistance and had the car trucked to the dealer, only about 4 blocks away. I understand the federal safety agency is investigating 07-08 elantra stalling complaints and wanted to add another data point for your consideration.

Filed Jul 22, 2008 · Fuel system · 1,000 miles · AL

Our hyundai elantra, with approx. 1000 miles on it, stalled not far from our home. We left home and within two miles the car begin to hesitate. After a mile of several hesitating instances, we turned around but could not make it home. The engine died and we had to park in a neighbor's driveway. The fuel pump had gone out.

Filed Jul 16, 2008 · Fuel system · 2,061 miles · VA

I had an issue in early june regarding my 2008 hyundai elantra. Car began to hesitate and stalled out. It was told back to dealership, which could not recreate the problem and informed me it was a fuel injection misfire, rebooted computer and said it would not happen again. On july 3rd, I had the exact same situation occur on my trip while driving on I-95 to visit family in delaware. Dealership in delaware on july 7th informed me I had a defective fuel pump and replaced it on july 8th. Leads me to believe that was problem in june and dealership I purchased car from did not investigate the problem properly.