HyundaiElantra2008Overview/hyundai/elantra/2008/base/

2008 Hyundai Elantra

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 Elantra.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2008 Hyundai Elantra is a passenger car that holds 4.2 qt of engine oil, specifies 5W‑20 or 5W‑30 API viscosity, and is equipped with a four‑speed automatic transmission. It delivers EPA‑rated fuel economy of 25 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, and 28 mpg combined, while accumulating 315 owner complaints—most frequently concerning steering—and has been subject to seven recalls. Compared with the Elantra’s complaint history from 1992 to 2026, this figure sits well below the 2013 peak of 1,325 complaints and above the 2025 low of 21, indicating a moderate reliability standing for the model year.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182008

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.2 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy25/33/28 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 121R · 550 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 121R · 550 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified
Tire sizeP195-60R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-J inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length177.6 in
Overall width70.1 in
Overall height58.3 in
Wheelbase104.3 in
Curb weight2895 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 59.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined25 / 33 / 28 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume98 cu ft
Cargo volume14 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Elantra of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.9–10.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.90 sec — 2007 SE Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2007SE Sedan 2.0L I-47.90 sec16.30 sec138 hpFWD
2007SE Sedan 2.0L I-410.00 sec17.50 sec138 hpFWD
2007SE Sedan 2.0L I-410.20 sec17.50 sec138 hpFWD
2009Touring Wagon 2.0L I-48.10 sec16.50 sec138 hpFWD
2009Touring Wagon 2.0L I-48.10 sec16.30 sec138 hpFWD
2010Touring SE Wagon 2.0L I-48.80 sec16.80 sec138 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.2 qt of 5W-20 / 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 25.0-33.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-20 · 5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.2 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts116-123 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts12-17 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts32-40 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug25.0-33.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub145-203 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)660 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.52-.64 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance7480-10,120 ohms

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.04-1.15 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.73-5.40 oz
Standard BCI Group Number121R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature177 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)49.0-50.5 psi
Engine Oil Pressure35.5 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM1500 rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket16-23 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle58-72 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket16-23 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle36-43 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0002 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. · M10 Bolts:

118.0 ft. lbs.18 ft. lbs
260 degrees60 degrees
360 degrees; M12 Bolts:60 degrees
122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
260 degrees60 degrees
360 degrees60 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 25,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 25,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Vacuum Line (inspect)
Every 10,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
At 15,000 miFuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Disc Brake Caliper (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect)
Every 25,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 30,000 miBrake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect)
Every 52,500 miFuel Filter (replace)
At 60,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Timing Belt Tensioner (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Timing Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

In the federal complaint record, the 2008 Elantra generated 315 complaints, 7 recalls and 2 investigations, placing it above the 2007 and 2009 figures of 266/6 and 279/4 respectively. This level of complaints exceeds the 2005‑2007 span (137‑155 complaints, 4‑6 recalls) but remains below the post‑2010 surge that peaked at 1,325 complaints in 2013. The dominant complaint categories for 2008 are steering (43), fuel system (30), air bags (27) and exterior lighting (16), accounting for the majority of reported issues that year. Compared with the surrounding years, the 2008 model sits at the high‑end of an upward complaint trend that began in the mid‑2000s and continued through 2013. Consequently, while it is not the worst‑year for complaints, the 2008 Elantra shows a higher‑than‑average problem burden and therefore may not be the optimal choice for a used‑car purchase.

7
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
44
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
315
Owner complaints
38 involved a crash · 23 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 315 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering43
Fuel System, Gasoline30
Air Bags27
Exterior Lighting16
Unknown Or Other14
Engine & Engine Cooling13
Power Train12
Service Brakes11

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 7 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V061000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/ModuleReported 04/02/2020

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Elantra and 2009-2011 Elantra Touring vehicles. On February 21, 2020 Hyundai expanded the recall to include 46,425 model year 2007-2008 Entourage and 2007… Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the vehicle's main junction box to prevent the risk of an ABS short-circuit while the car is turned off, free of…

15V100000Steering:Electric Power Assist SystemReported 23/02/2015

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Elantra vehicles manufactured June 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010, and 2009-2010 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured November 1, 2008, to April 30… Remedy: Hyundai will verify the proper operation of the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) and update the EPS control unit, free of charge. The recall began April 14, 2015. Owners may…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 44 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
DTN DL2026-04-10Air BagsThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of…
DTN DCS2026-04-10Air BagsThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety…
25-BD-012H TSB2025-11-05Exterior LightingThis bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated…
24-BD-001H2024-02-14VisibilityThis bulletin contains information about the proper removal of the windshield wiper blade…
23-EM-005H2023-10-13Engine And Engine CoolingThis bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Elantra. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 Elantra take?

4.2 qt of 5W-20 OR 5W-30 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 Elantra have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Elantra get?

EPA figures are 25 city / 33 highway / 28 combined mpg.