Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 43 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1988 Hyundai Excel, most frequently naming the engine, seat belts and electrical categories. 4 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 12 NHTSA investigations name it; and 8 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1995 | 4 | 4 |
| Feb 1995 | 2 | 6 |
| Mar 1995 | 5 | 11 |
| Apr 1995 | 2 | 13 |
| May 1995 | 2 | 15 |
| Oct 1995 | 3 | 18 |
| Nov 1995 | 1 | 19 |
| Jan 1996 | 4 | 23 |
| Mar 1996 | 1 | 24 |
| Apr 1996 | 1 | 25 |
| May 1996 | 2 | 27 |
| Jun 1996 | 2 | 29 |
| Aug 1996 | 1 | 30 |
| Sep 1996 | 1 | 31 |
| May 1997 | 1 | 32 |
| Jan 1998 | 2 | 34 |
| Mar 1998 | 1 | 35 |
| Jun 1998 | 1 | 36 |
| Oct 1998 | 1 | 37 |
| Jan 1999 | 1 | 38 |
| Feb 1999 | 1 | 39 |
| Apr 1999 | 1 | 40 |
| Aug 2000 | 1 | 41 |
| Sep 2003 | 1 | 42 |
| Jul 2005 | 1 | 43 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
4 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govVISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
CHARGING SYSTEM FAILURES
There is no summary currently available
HEATER CORE FAILURE
There is no summary currently available
TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION
There is no summary currently available
AUTO SHOULDER BELT FAILURE
There is no summary currently available
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
PROBLEMS WITH BROKEN MOTOR MOUNT, RACK AND PINION LEAKAGE, BENT CROSSMEMBER IN THE SUBFRAME, ETC. (NAR) *PH *CB THE CONSUMER SENT ANOTHER COMPLAINT REFERENCING 10040082,10022196,10011711, & 10003824 ALL OF WHICH WENT UN-ANSWERED. *TC
RACK AND PINION IS LEAKING, BROKEN MOTOR MOUNT AND UPPER TIE BAR IS BENT.*MR THE VEHICLE WAS POORLY WELDED ON ONE SIDE OF THE SUBFRAME *TS THE CROSS MEMEBER WAS BENT. *JB
DRIVING OUT OF DRIVEWAY HEARD A NOISE LIKE THE TIRE WAS FLAT OR SOMETHING DRAGGING BENEATH MY VEHICLE. EXITED FOUND NOTHING. DROVE TO NEXT STOP SIGN, NOISE CONTINUED. EXITED A SECOND TIME AND OBSERVED TRED FROM TIRE EXTENDING ABOUT SIX INCHES TO THE REAR OF TIRE. TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED BUT THE TRED TRAILED BEHIND THE TIRE. DROVE IN REVERSE TO ALLOW TRED TO WRAP AROUND TIRE AND PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. CHANGED TIRE TWO DAYS LATER. COUPLE WEEKS PASSED. NOTIFIED FIRESTONE BY CALLING THEIR EIGHT HUNDRED NUMBER TODAY 8-22-2000 AND WAS TOLD ONLY THE TIRES SPECIFIED IN THE RECALL WOULD BE EXCHANGED FOR FREE. I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A NEW TIRE. I EXPRESSED TO THEM THAT MY SERIES TIRE HAD TRED SEPERATION AS THE OTHER RECALLED TIRES HAVE HAD OCCUR. THEY DID NOT TAKE MY NAME, NUMBER OR EVEN TELL ME WHERE TO TAKE IT FOR INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD TO GO TO NEAREST DEALER AND BUY ANOTHER ONE, MINE WAS NOT COVERED. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS INVESTIGATED SINCE I AM A POLICE OFFICER BY PROFESSION, NOT TO MENTION I OR A FAMILY MEMBER MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT A FASTER RATE OF SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY RATHER THAN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I STILL HAVE THE TIRE IF PICTURES ARE NEEDED OR IF AN INSPECTOR NEEDS TO RESPOND TO VIEW THE TIRE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE MAY BE OTHER SERIES OF FAULTY FIRESTONE BRAND TIRES OUT THERE JEOPARDISING MORE INNOCENT LIVES. PLEASE ADVISE ME ON THE NEXT STEP I NEED TO TAKE TO RESOLVE THE MATTER. FIRESTONE SEEMED UNCOOPERATIVE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER. SINCERELY, STEVEN W. GORDON.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: I75/70R138 )
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
TRANSMISSION COOLANT LINE BROKE CAUSING CAR TO LOOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING.
VEHICLE SOLD WITHOUT PRIOR HISTORY INFORMATION STATING VEHICLE WAS SALVAGED.
WINDOW CRANKS FALL OFF.
PRE-CAT AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD REPLACED DUE TO COMPONENTS OVERHEATING, CAUSING CRACKING AND DISINTEGRATING.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
VISIBILITY
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of condensation inside the lamp assembly. Lamp assembly replacement is NOT necessary in most cases. This condition can be eliminated by turning on the lamps with the engine running for several minutes or during normal driving operation.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; EQUIPMENT
This bulletin provides the inspection procedure and repair guidelines for certain vehicles listed below.
SERVICE BRAKES
This bulletin describes the procedure to inspect and identify fluid which may appear around the brake caliper area.
TIRES; WHEELS
This bulletin provides tire vibration service procedures, including how to optimize vehicle vibration performance. For all wheel/tire balance claims, the âTire Balance Data Sheetâ must be fully completed including imbalance and Road Force Variation (RFV) data. The Data Sheet can be found at the end of this bulletin.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT
This bulletin provides information on identifying dealer stock vehicles with either: ⢠A Battery SOC alert - low Battery State of Charge (SOC) at or below 50%. ⢠A 30 Day alert - vehicle has not started and reported an SOC in 30 days.
BACK OVER PREVENTION; LANE DEPARTURE
The Blind Spot Detection (BSD) or Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW) is a system that measures the speed of and distance from the following vehicles by using two magnetic wave radar sensors attached in the rear bumper. The BSD/BCW detects vehicles within the blind spot zone and gives off an alarm (visual and audible). The two magnetic radar sensors provide these functions for BSD/BCW: ? Senses other vehicles in the BSD/BCW zone and turns on the BSD/BCW warning lamp for the driver. The warning lamp starts blinking, along with an audible sound, when the driver turns on the turn signal lamp to enter the lane where another vehicle is driving.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.