Hyundai Elantra Complaints

8,883 consumer complaints on file.

#11746085June 23, 2026
ENGINE
The engine in my 2018 Hyundai Elantra suffered a sudden internal failure at 118,444 miles. The vehicle began knocking, losing power, and running roughly. A dealership inspection confirmed heavy scoring on cylinders 1, 3, and 4, oil intrusion into the cylinders, and piston top slapping. The engine is not repairable and requires full replacement. This failure matches the known defect pattern of Hyundai’s Nu 2.0L MPI engine, which has widespread issues with piston ring wear, oil consumption, cylinder scoring, and internal mechanical failure. The failure occurred without warning/messages and created a safety hazard due to loss of power while driving. My VIN is not included in any recall, but the defect is identical to other Hyundai engine failures that have resulted in recalls and investigations. I am reporting this because the engine failure appears to be part of a larger safety‑related defect affecting this engine family.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11745832June 23, 2026
POWER TRAIN, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Federal Safety Recall Fraud and Vehicle Endangerment Report Vehicle: 2022 Hyundai Elantra Blue Hybrid | Involved Dealerships: Earnhardt Hyundai North Scottsdale & Larry H. Miller Hyundai Peoria This complaint documents severe federal safety recall fraud and mechanical endangerment by authorized manufacturer franchise dealerships. In April 2025, Earnhardt Hyundai took physical possession of my vehicle for a federally mandated Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HCU) braking/cruise control safety recall. Staff verbally verified the recall was complete, but the physical invoice and subsequent written email admission from Service Drive Manager [XXX] confirmed the safety repair was completely omitted with "no excuse."To resolve this braking risk, on April 22, 2026, I brought the vehicle to Larry H. Miller Hyundai Peoria to have the uncompleted HCU safety recall corrected. Subsequently, on June 17, 2026, I returned to the Peoria facility for a warranty deck lid repair and a scheduled oil change.Upon releasing the vehicle on June 17, the Peoria service department actively jeopardized my hybrid engine integrity by installing an incorrect, out-of-spec oil fluid weight (5W30) and releasing the vehicle with a completely loose, unsealed engine oil cap. This gross negligence forced me into a dangerous 140-mile high-altitude mountain highway transit ([XXX] to Flagstaff) with a compromised engine bay, creating an immediate engine fire hazard and risk of sudden highway power failure. The loose cap and incorrect fluid were independently verified and caught on video by Milestone Auto Repair in Flagstaff.The manufacturer's franchise network is falsifying federally mandated safety recall records and releasing vehicles in life-threatening, non-compliant conditions. I'm requesting an immediate NHTSA investigation on both dealerships. 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
#11745530June 22, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Door Lock Actuator, the door latch is stuck on unlock and it won’t close or lock when the lock button is pressed on key fob.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11745326June 19, 2026
AIR BAGS
My car was hit from the rear by another vehicle while I was traveling with my [XXX] daughter. The impact was very strong, and one of the tires came off. None of the airbags deployed, and I feel there may have been an issue with the airbag system. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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
#11743948June 14, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STRUCTURE:BODY, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The vehicle's security system malfunctioned immediately after service at Parks Hyundai of Gainesville on 05/27/26 for Recall 256 & Campaign P33. The alarm blares & emergency lights flash while I am driving on public roads. This defect first presented in the dealership parking lot upon pickup. This creates a severe safety risk: the high-decibel alarm is a major distraction, the flashing lights confuse other motorists, & the malfunction prevents me from using turn signals, violating safety protocols. I demonstrated this to the service manager on 06/10/26. While the technician acknowledged the defect during a road test & performed a 'cap reset' (documented on the repair order), this attempt failed to resolve the issue. Despite this, the service manager refuses to acknowledge the defect, claiming it is an 'intended feature' of a 2023 recall at a different facility (993). This contradicts the technician's findings & my years of incident-free driving until the work on 05/27/26. The dealership initially omitted my return visit from their records, only acknowledging it after I confronted them in writing. An independent shop confirmed this electrical failure likely stems from P33, but requires proprietary dealer tools to diagnose. Attached video proves the vehicle runs while the alarm blares, confirming no relation to old Campaign 993 logic. Attached Repair Order proves the technician acknowledged the defect & attempted a repair. Despite this, the service manager ignores the documentation, his own technician's findings, & my demonstrations, blaming my locking habits while refusing a deep diagnostic. After 16 days in their possession, neither the dealer nor manufacturer has provided a remedy. If this malfunction were an intended feature, it would be an ongoing hazard; it creates a distraction, causes a panic response, & prevents the adequate use of turn signals while in operation. The vehicle is unsafe, & the dealership & manufacturer have failed to provide a valid repair.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744058June 14, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The car turns off while driving it without warning or anything. Place where I got it don’t want to fix it
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11743760June 12, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Reporting on 2020 Hyundai Elantra. I have owned since 2023, my car is currently at a Hyundai certified dealership for it's 3rd transmission in the three years I have owned it. All 3 transmission were inspected and then replaced by Hyundai certified technicians. The Safety aspect is the inability to get you vehicle off the highway.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11743413June 11, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ENGINE
My daughter was in a parking lot and put her car in park, removed her keys and exited the vehicle. She walked around the vehicle and was removing her school bag and the car came out of park and rolled into another vehicle.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11743488June 11, 2026
AIR BAGS, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I was going down the bridge on settlers landing road the yellow school bus was in the right turning lane with right turning signal on .as I approached the light in the middle straight lane to keep toward the landing (hotel) on settlers landing Hampton va the bus some what merged back towards the middle lane and that when the bus crashed into the car it went under the bus it’s totaled the windshield and my sunroof collided the airbags did not deploy something needs to be done about that that was dangerous.I got glass in my face my right hand had glass my head hit the steering wheel my body jerked. I hit my legs my whole body is hurting and very sore all over I can’t hardly walk my hand is swollen. Liability suit of airbag default needs to happen
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
5
Deaths:
0
#11743363June 10, 2026
ENGINE
I was wondering if you can help me. I have a Hyundai Elantra that had a recall for my engine to get fixed by the dealership. I’ve never got it fixed because I was unaware of a Hyundai letter that i just found on the internet that was issued by them but I never received it. I went to a mechanic the other day and he informed me that they had a recall for my engine. The problem is now that Hyundai gave a date that expired on the recall. I was wondering if you can send them a demand letter or something because I was never contacted about this. I also had a brain tumor operation and Hyundai should grant me with a medical exemption. Here’s the Hyundai notice that they never gave me,
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11742932June 9, 2026
POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ENGINE
Currently, there are 30,564 miles on my vehicle and I am the original owner of the vehicle since early 2021. This is a continuous intermittent problem that can occur at any time when trying to accelerate the vehicle. The vehicle could be moving down the road and you go to accelerate and the RPM's drop dramatically, giving you no power. The same thing has happened when trying to accelerate from a stop. The vehicle would start to accelerate and then all of a sudden the RPM's drop, giving you no power. I have had the vehicle to the dealership for this problem and I am being told that they can't do anything about it because they can't duplicate it. If this happened when it was necessary for me to get out of the way of a vehicle, an accident could occur, resulting in sirius injury or death. Also, there were no warning lights or check engine light that came on at any time when the problem presented itself.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11742999June 9, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Alarming rate of oil consumption causes sudden loss of power / acceleration which definitely increases probably of causing an accident. Local repair shop confirmed extremely low oil level with no evidence of where oil went shortly after oil change and annual safety inspection. All the dashboard warning lights came on when it happened but low oil warning light came on prior to event. No warning whatsoever, just sudden loss of power and completely lit up dashboard.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11742737June 8, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the tachometer, the odometer, and the power steering became inoperable, nearly causing the contact to drive off the road. Additionally, the turn signal lights were not functioning. All the warning lights were illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure after a 100-mile test drive and returned the vehicle unrepaired. The failure persisted, requiring an AAA tow back to the dealer, who again failed to duplicate the failure during a 3-mile test drive. An independent mechanic informed the contact that the diagnostic trouble codes needed to be reset with a vehicle scanner. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11742526June 7, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
Vehicle: 2022 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Safety Complaint: While driving on the highway, my 2022 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid displayed a warning message stating “Check Hybrid System. Stop Safely.” Immediately after the warning appeared, the vehicle lost power and acceleration. The car entered a reduced-power mode, making it difficult and unsafe to maintain traffic speed. The warning instructed me to stop the vehicle immediately. This occurred while I was traveling at highway speeds, creating a dangerous situation for myself, my passengers, and other drivers. The sudden loss of power could easily result in a rear-end collision or other serious accident because the vehicle is unable to accelerate normally and traffic may not have enough time to react. My vehicle currently has approximately 69,000 miles and is within Hyundai’s hybrid system warranty period. I believe this issue represents a significant safety risk and should be investigated, as other Hyundai Elantra Hybrid owners have reported similar failures. I am requesting that this issue be reviewed due to the potential danger it poses to drivers and the public. Mileage at failure: Approximately 69,000 miles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11741872June 3, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
1. The engine architecture suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure. Specifically, severe, systemic internal oil consumption/vaporization starved the hydraulic timing chain tensioner of critical hydrostatic pressure. This caused the tensioner to collapse, creating slack in the steel timing chain, which then "jumped time" (skipped a tooth on the camshaft sprockets), causing the engine to instantly seize and lose all motive power. The vehicle and engine are fully intact and available for inspection at Pohanka Hyundai of Fredericksburg. 2. The vehicle suffered a sudden, complete loss of motive power and engine seizure while being driven at night on an unlit, dark secondary roadway. The driver (my daughter) was left suddenly stranded without power in a highly vulnerable, pitch-black location with passing traffic, presenting an immediate collision hazard and a severe personal safety risk before emergency assistance could arrive. 3. Yes. The vehicle was towed to an authorized Hyundai dealership (Pohanka Hyundai of Fredericksburg), where service technicians officially diagnosed that the engine had "jumped timing" and suffered a complete failure of the timing system, alongside a noted lack of engine oil volume due to vaporization. 4. The vehicle has been formally inspected and diagnosed by the authorized Hyundai dealership service department under Hyundai Motor America Corporate Case #[XXX]. No police or insurance inspections were required as no collision occurred. 5. No dash lights or warnings before failure. However, for a year prior, the engine exhibited severe internal oil vaporization, requiring constant top-offs between scheduled oil changes to maintain safe levels. There were zero external fluid leaks on the engine or ground; oil burned entirely internally. This chronic volumetric oil loss directly caused the sudden drop in pressure, hydraulic tensioner collapse, and catastrophic engine seizure. 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
#11741490June 2, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving, check engine light illuminated, with a loss of power when accelerating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with power train failure and received diagnostic code P040100. The vehicle was repaired; however, the issue persisted. The vehicle was returned to the dealer multiple times but still continued The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 43,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11741232June 1, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
*Wife litely drives this car avg 4k miles a year* She left the house for the grocery store the other day and after the first stop light, noticed the brakes were engaging on their own. Luckily she called me before going any further and damaging the pads and rotors, or worse - causing a fire or having an accident. I slowly drove it home and inspected fuses, brake fluid and checked online resources for anyone with similar issue. Turns out this is common? Very dangerous. Have never experienced this issue with any other car make. I had the car towed to HQ Hyundai (local dealer in Sanford FL) to address 2 open recall bulletins on this car. They immediately forced me to accept a $200 inspection fee (key ransom) just to do the recalls - siting safety of staff!?! They were informed that the brakes were remaining engaged and that they needed to disconnect the battery, but they left it in the tow yard over the weekend. I am sure they will try to sell us a battery now. Very upset with the response to this extremely unsafe issue, that we didn't cause from excessive, hard driving.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11741300June 1, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
Both passenger-side doors won't open without tugging on the handle when unlocking them. The front seat passenger door opens from the inside but has trouble opening from the outside. The backseat passenger does not open from the inside at all and has a hard time opening from the outside. Once we get the door open and the car remains unlocked, the doors open fine (except for the back seat door). But once we lock and unlock the car, we get the same issue. I'm also experiencing paint chippng and rust on the roof of my car and the creases of the trunk.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11741204June 1, 2026
BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
Backup camera shows only black screen with dark gray guidelines with display moving across the screen then resetting to start moving again. No availability visible for backing up.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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