Hyundai Elantra Complaints (2025)

27 consumer complaints on file.

#11764142September 14, 2026
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
My 2026 Hyundai Elantra at 3,300 miles experienced a severe frontal impact with 6g logitudinal deceleration due to uncommanded acceleration and complete brake blindness. Depiste this severe impact, neither airbags nor seatbelt pretensioners deployed. At -2.5 sec. prior to impact, the Forward Collision Avoidance Assist data drops off and goes completely silent. There were no warnings or alerts on the vehicle instrument cluster. This proves catastrophic CAN-bus network crash. Because the network crashes, the engine control unit (ECU) became digitally blind and incapable of registering the driver's physical brake applications. EDR telemetry captured erractic signal cascade from -1 sec to 0 sec impact. The accelerator pedal jumped to 70%, dropped to 0% at -0.5sec and teleported to 100% at 0 sec while the engine RPM increases from 2100 to 2400. No human foot can physically strobe a pedal from 70% to 0% and back to 100% in 0.5 sec while the engine RPM steadily increases. Hyundai deceptively using data generated by a glitched, crashed system to blame driver error and evade product liability. Hyundai even claimed non-deployment of airbag system was "appropriate" at 6g longitudinal deceleration for a frontal impact. Damages to the vehicle was estimated at $10,254.67 by State Farm Ins. Police report confirmed via traffic camera footage that my car stopped at a solid red light behind another vehicle, then it suddenly moved forward, just as the driver described. The driver's foot was phyically on the brake pedal, the engine revved up, the car moved foward on its own and crashed into the vehicle in front despite the brake pedal was depressed throughout the entire episode.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11749730July 11, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
The control panel /radio panel has had a glitch or blacked out screen where it wouldn't come back on for a few hours and I could smell electrical or plastic burning after it did come back on after that the radio started changing channel on its own while screen glitched on and of with saturated static wrench on my dash comes on periodically. The tires pressure unit never has the same amount of air in it according to the gauge. Even though I have made it so that they were all equal several different times. The car feels like it misfires when that it's 9500° outside and you go for any sort of extended drive past 10-15, mi. When the air conditioner is on high, the fuel economy doesn't seem to match the way it's supposed to and some of the programming is missing since the last time it was serviced out of the control panel. Some options that we're supposed to have been there aren't there anymore and I'm pretty sure that when I use the remote to roll down my windows they're all supposed to roll down. Well only one of them does and it doesn't roll it back up the way it's supposed to when that it is foggy out. My camera system says that I'm about to get into a crash and starts blinking at me and beeping and flashing saying that I'm about to crash because my forward safety system or my rear safety system is not working properly. And yes I've let them know about these things My car has less than 25,000 mi on it and the problem started probably 3 months after I got it. When I first got it there was a bunch of little pits in the glass or I want to say hairline bubbles. I don't know what else to call them but they replaced my windshield. They didn't replace the back window that still has them
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11748578July 6, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
A warning about Hyundai😡😡😡: I have learned that Hyundai recalled almost half of а million vehicles for phantom braking. This is exactly what I have being complaining about for a year and a half, starting one month after purchase, concerning my 2025 Hybrid Elantra. It would suddenly drop the speed to 20mph, creating extremely dangerous situations. I have been bumped off by the dealership, Hyundai America, and Hyundai Worldwide. They did not know what the problem was and blamed it on me. Now, when the cause is known and I inquired, I was told that my car is not listed for this fix. This is outrageous. Previously they could not find what was wrong. Now they know, but Elantra is not being fixed. This is a break of warranty and should be either fixed, or covered by the lemon law, as I have asked since month after the purchase. It was my family's fourth Hyundai car (mostly due to the long warranty, and they were also decent cars), but I will NEVER ever buy any of these after the way we are treated.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11748350July 5, 2026
SEAT BELTS
The rear driver‑side seat belt in my 2025 Hyundai Elantra will not extend or retract. The seat belt was used under normal conditions, with no excessive force, misuse, or accident that would cause damage. It suddenly stopped functioning and is now completely inoperable. A non‑functioning seat belt is a serious safety hazard because passengers cannot be properly restrained. I brought the vehicle to the dealership, but they refused to repair or replace the seat belt under warranty. They claimed the belt was “overextended,” despite the fact that it was only used normally and has never been involved in any incident that would cause such damage. The dealer’s refusal to address a critical safety component leaves the vehicle unsafe for passengers. I am reporting this issue because seat belt failure should not occur under normal use, and the manufacturer/dealer is declining to correct the defect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11747113June 29, 2026
AIR BAGS, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while stopped at a red light with the precise pressure on the brake pedal, the RPM became elevated, the brake pedal was released, and as a result, the vehicle increased in speed and crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The contact's entire front side impacted the rear of another vehicle. No property damage was reported. The contact stated the vehicle came to a complete stop upon impact and shut off. The contact stated the air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that no warning illuminated before and after the incident. A Police report was filed. The contact sustained an injured knee, neck, and back and has experienced emotional distress. Medical attention was not received. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 3,300.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11744652June 16, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The vehicle splash safety shield has been a big problem . A few times it has made bump noises while slowly driving through speed bumps slowly or on street where there is a low crossway. Today it started making noise and I did not realize that it had loosen . While parking it made a grinding noise underneath the front. While angling to park it jammed underneath the car and would not allow the car to move forward or back. I’m lucky it didn’t happened while driving in the street or fwy. A friend help me to remove it from underneath. The safety shield is not strong nor sturdy I have the damaged splash safety shield in my possession.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11733295April 23, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While driving to work my engine of my Hyundai Elantra Hybrid caught fire. The fire was able to be put out but there are no active recalls currently on my vehicle. All of the safety sensors turned on and off and my car locked and would not move. I couldn't go anywhere it was stopped. I started seeing smoke coming out of the front and opened my hood to find a flame burning to the lower right-hand side of my engine. The flame was small, but I moved away and called 911. The flame grew and went through the hood toward the windshield. The interior was not damaged just the engine. The fire dept was able to neutralize the fire.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11731402April 15, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While being driven on a residential street, the vehicle suddenly displayed a 'Stop Safely' warning on the dashboard. Upon an attempted restart, the vehicle suffered a total electrical blackout and complete loss of propulsion power while in the middle of a live roadway. All internal and external lights, steering assistance, and power systems failed simultaneously. The vehicle was manufactured in 2025 and has been out of service since March 16th. The dealership (Napleton Downtown Hyundai) is attributing this total system collapse to 'bad fuel' to deny warranty coverage, despite the failure being a catastrophic high-voltage electrical shutdown. This incident created an immediate safety hazard for the driver and other motorists, leaving the vehicle stranded and unresponsive in traffic
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730256April 9, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL:SOFTWARE
The contact rented a 2025 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH with the cruise control activated, the braking system failed to engage, causing the contact to manually depress the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The failure had occurred three times. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 10,308.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726510March 23, 2026
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Elantra from a loaner vehicle program. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact started to choke. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact’s hands became very sticky. While continuing to drive, the contact developed a severe headache, and the contact’s hands started swelling, and there were yellow marks on the fingers, bumps on the forehead, and swollen lips. Due to the symptoms, the contact sought medical attention at an emergency room. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the health-related complications experienced. The contact believed that the vehicle might have been improperly provided with a failing chemical, Xenon gas, which caused the health issues. The contact stated that using the heater caused a chemical reaction, resulting in fumes that were inhaled. The failure mileage was not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11717631February 12, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
HYBRID SYSTEM FAILURE ----- 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid (blue trim) The instrument panel showed Hybrid System Failure, and the ENGINE DIED on the freeway at 70 mph. Luckily, I was able to pull to the right shoulder on a busy freeway. I tried restarting the car, but the instrument panel turned off after one second for the first two tries, and then nothing would turn on. I had it towed to Lithia Hyundai of Fresno on February 11, 2025. The car is still at the dealer being diagnosed and repaired for Hybrid System Failure with Total Power Loss. Extremely dangerous to have the engine cut out at 70 mph on a busy freeway.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11715057February 2, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
Anytime vehicle is over 35mph brakes fail, vehicle has to coast to a lower speed before you can engage braking. When you attempt to brake at the higher speeds, it click click clicks repeatedly while depressed fully, a mild grind and force against foot from pedal once you coast enough it suddenly will make the sounds less then all the sudden brakes work. Called one dealer (Hyundai sherman oaks CA) and as soon as we said brakes don't work over 35mph were hung up on, twice. The exact same words. Then downtown LA Hyundai basically said we don't accept tow one right now which obviously a non braking car won't drive. Hyundai of America is the ones that called downtown and connected us to them aware of the issues and time frame as we had just purchased the car from carvana and it was this way on delivery. Now returning vehicle to carvana since we can't seem to get a dealer to repair even though it has warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714912February 2, 2026
AIR BAGS
Dear NHTSA, I am writing to formally report a safety concern regarding my vehicle involved in a car accident on December 19, 2025. Details of the incident: Vehicle Make/Model/Year:Elantra SEL Sport 2025 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): [XXX] Date of Accident: December 19, 2025 Location of Accident: Dec 16,2025. Silver Spring, MD the Takoma Park. City of Takoma Park Police 7500 Maple ave Takoma 20912 Nature of Accident: Rear-end collision; the back of my vehicle was pushed in. Airbags: Did not deploy during the collision. Injuries Sustained: Significant back injury requiring medical attention. Despite the collision, the vehicle’s airbags failed to deploy, which I believe is a safety defect. I am concerned that this poses a serious risk to myself and other passengers. I am requesting that NHTSA: Investigate the potential airbag defect in my vehicle. Determine if there are recalls, safety notices, or manufacturer defects associated with this make and model. Provide guidance on any additional actions I should take regarding safety and potential claims. Attachments: Photos of vehicle damage Accident report / police report XXX Medical documentation of injuries I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter. Please let me know if you require any additional information. Sincerely, INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714772February 1, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ENGINE
Car was operating fine, then when we got on the highway, we noticed the check engine light had come on but were unable to get off the highway. The vehicle then began slowing down despite pressing down on the gas pedal. Vehicle continued to slow to about 15mph and we were hit by another car.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11714407January 30, 2026
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
The “consider taking a break” is extremely distracting and this feature is unable to be disabled. Spurious alarms create a distracting, unsafe driving condition, contrary to what it is aiming for.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713138January 24, 2026
SUSPENSION, WHEELS, STEERING
Excessive vibration starting at 50 MPH. Its so bad that you hand becomes numb after one hour of driving. The vibration and shake gets so bad over 65 MPH that it becomes unless for a long trip. Vibration is happening on a 2025 Hyundai Elantra hybrid blue trim after 2,000 milles on a brand new vehicle purcahsed 2 months ago from Platinum Hyundai in Tracy, CA. Took it back to the same dealer twice for repairs. First they did wheel balance, and second time they did alignment. After both repair they said issue was fixed, but nothing changed, as it continues the same level of vibration over 50 MPH. Issue still presist and now Platinum Hyundai dealership in Tracy, CA says that is normal. If you are having same issue, please file complaints with NHTSA, so maybe they can do a recall on the vehicles. Hyundai Corporation of America is useless, as selling defective vehicles! THIS IS PERFECT EXAMPLE WHY I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT AMERICAN QUALITY MADE VEHICLES, instead of JUNK FROM HYUNDAI!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707177December 26, 2025
SEATS
Component/System Involved: Driver-side rear seat back latch / locking mechanism. The rear seat back would not latch or lock in the upright position. The vehicle and seat are available for inspection upon request. Description of the Incident: During normal use of the vehicle, the driver-side rear seat back unexpectedly moved forward because it was not latched. At the time of the incident, we were not aware that the seat back would not latch or could not be secured in the upright position. The condition was discovered only after the incident occurred. Safety Risk: Because the driver-side rear seat back was not latched, the seat back or attached child seat moved forward and struck a child passenger seated in the rear. This created a serious risk of injury and represents a failure of a safety-related interior component. Confirmation / Reproduction: After the incident, attempts were made to secure the driver-side rear seat back. The seat could not be latched under any condition. A Hyundai dealership later inspected the vehicle, confirmed there was an issue, and ordered parts. A dealer representative stated on video that a component appeared to be missing. Inspections: The vehicle has been inspected by a Hyundai dealership. No collision occurred. The vehicle has not been modified. Warnings or Prior Symptoms: There were no warning lights, messages, or indicators. No prior warning or indication of the seat latch failure was known before the incident. Cause (Best Assessment): UNKNOWN. Based on post-incident inspection and dealer findings, the condition appears consistent with a defective, improperly installed, or missing rear seat latch component from the factory.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11700904November 21, 2025
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
The “Consider Taking a Break” notification while driving is incredibly loud and distracting even when on the lowest setting and can repeat up to every 20’ while driving. While it is helpful to take a break on extended trips, it is not reasonable to stop that frequently. On long drives, this alert becomes nothing more than an irritant and distraction. There is no option to disable or silence this warning outside of turning off ALL safety notification sounds.I will probably do that just to avoid this notification, which compromises all of the other safety notification sounds that are far more important (ex. Lane departure, forward collision, and blind spot detection).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700405November 19, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
RE: 2025 HYUNDAI ELANTRA LIMITED AUTOMATIC BRAKE CONTROL On a recent road trip, the automatic brake system activated twice in a manner that could have put our lives at risk. The list below applies to both incidents: On a four lane interstate highway at approximately 70 mph. Wide, level median. Full daylight. Dry pavement. Unlimited visibility. Flat landscape. No objects in the median or anywhere abutting the lanes. No wind. No car for at least a mile ahead of us, none next to us. Brakes were suddenly applied by the “assist.” Brakes so violent we were pushed forward in our seatbelts. Second incident so violent and persistent I started to pull off to the side of the lane for fear of being struck from behind. In both incidents, the “assist” eventually quit. Had this happened with a semi behind us unable to slow down fast enough we could have been severely injured or killed. Apparently, the “assist” cannot be turned off for good. Since the above incidents, we did try to shut off the’”assist" but it was back in operation the next time we started the car. This situation needs to be addressed. The “assist” seemed to want to assist us into an early grave.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699608November 15, 2025
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
The car has a "take a coffee break"warning light that dings when it comes on. It will randomly go off even if you don't leave your lane or cross a line. It's distracting and sometimes will go off if you have to veer around an object in the road making you think there's some other issue that you have missed, like a car beside you or something. Other times it will go off if you're just driving down the middle of the lane but wind is shaking the car, distracting you making you think there's an actual issue. There appears to be no way to turn this "feature" off and in traffic is very distracting and could cause an accident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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