Hyundai Elantra Complaints

8,883 consumer complaints on file.

#11773810October 26, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FIRERELATED
The contact owned a 2008 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that upon pulling into the driveway, the power steering and ABS warning lights illuminated. After researching the warning lights online, the contact turned off and exited the vehicle. The contact became aware of smoke coming from underneath the hood. Upon opening the hood, the contact noticed that the under hood was on fire and called the Fire Department. The Fire Department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. The contact was informed that fire had originated under the dashboard nearby the computer. The vehicle was inspected, towed, and then deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired for an engine overheating failure two weeks prior to the fire. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11773576October 25, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Horn has failed 4 times since I bought the car new off the lot I go to honk my horn and nothing again this is my 4 time to take to the dealership and have had them replace it!! VERY DANGEROUS when you have NO HORN!!! Pls look into WHY the horn keeps randomly going out about every 12,000 miles I need a new horn!!!!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11773388October 24, 2026
ENGINE
Vehicle Information: Year/Make/Model: 2017 Hyundai Elantra Value Edition Mileage: ~135,000 miles Engine: 2.0L Nu 4-Cylinder VIN: [XXX] Incidence Summary: Engine internal failure, metallic debris/shavings found in oil, severe knocking noise, high risk of sudden engine stall/failure while driving. Detailed Description of the Incident: While driving home, the vehicle began producing a loud, severe metallic knocking noise from the engine compartment. The engine continued running, but the noise persisted throughout the trip. Upon inspecting the vehicle, a certified mechanic removed the engine oil and discovered a significant amount of metallic debris and metal shavings inside the oil pan, indicating severe internal engine component wear (connecting rod bearing / crankshaft failure). The mechanic advised that the engine is at immediate risk of seizing or experiencing complete catastrophic failure. Safety Risk: A sudden engine failure or seizure while driving on a highway or at high speeds creates a critical safety hazard, as it can cause an immediate loss of power, loss of power steering/braking assistance, and significantly increase the risk of a crash or rear-end collision for me and surrounding traffic. Current Status: The vehicle is no longer safe to drive and has been grounded to prevent complete engine lockup or serious road accidents. 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
#11772981October 22, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE
Approximately once every 500 - 2000 miles (maybe more frequently this year), my car suddenly begins to accelerate hard. This happens even if my foot is completely off the gas pedal. Usually, before the problem becomes severe, there are a few minutes in which I suspect the car is sometimes lurching forward, or losing some ability to accelerate. Then the problem worsens til the car is almost undriveable... it speeds up, I slow it down with the brakes, I release the brakes, the car speeds up, I slow it down with the brakes again, and so on. The problem goes away right away when I turn the car off and then back on. I brought the car to the the dealer to investigate this when the car was still pretty new, but they found nothing. I did have a recall repair (software update) done that I thought was related to this, but it made no difference. The check engine light does not illuminate, and neither do any other warnings. It's very scary when it happens. When it's bad and I don't have an opportunity to pull off the road, I can shift to neutral and let the car coast to a stop at the side of the road. Or I can turn the engine off and then back on, while the car is still moving.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11772755October 21, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I have a 2023 Hyundal Elantra SEL and my rear camera starts flickering and also goes blank frequently. In fact nowadays it is rarely working. I understand that there was a recall for 2021 and 2022 but not for 2023 yet. However it seems the issue continues with 2023 as well cause when I google I see I am not the only one having this issue. I called the dealership and because I am out of warranty they say they will charge as there is no recall for 2023.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11772106October 19, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
My 2017 Hyundai Elantra SE 2.0L (outside Recall 157/17V063 VIN range) has suffered 7 intermittent brake failures since 06/03/2026 (~118,563 mi), involving total loss of braking power, a rock-hard pedal, and/or resistance during pedal depression. The vehicle is at Temecula Hyundai and available for inspection. SAFETY RISK: Across 7 incidents (06/03, 06/17, 06/23, 08/29, 09/19, 10/09, 10/11), the brake pedal either met strong resistance halfway down with rapid metallic ticking from the front-left/under-hood area and reduced stopping power, or became completely rock-hard with total loss of braking power for 5-10 seconds (frequently while braking downhill). On 09/19, 1-2 seconds of pedal resistance/ticking transitioned directly into a rock-hard pedal and total brake loss. On 06/03, I had to jump a curb to avoid traffic. On 06/23, 09/19, and 10/11, I had to use the emergency brake to stop. On 10/11, total brake loss approaching a stoplight forced a hard e-brake pull, locking the rear tires and spinning the car sideways in front of cross-traffic before brakes returned 8-10 seconds later. REPRODUCTION & INSPECTIONS: Inspected by Temecula Hyundai across 5 visits (96+ cumulative days in shop) and an independent shop (both verified brake pads, rotors, and calipers are good). In June 2026, a dealer technician reproduced the stiff brake pedal on a road test and replaced the brake booster under warranty (06/16), without documenting on the work order if vacuum check valve/hose or ABS HECU causes were ruled out as the root cause. Failures recurred within the same week. On 10/13, a dealer advisor confirmed a front-left growling/chirping noise on a road test, yet the dealer only suggested customer-pay brake pads (with "high confidence" it would fix the total/complete brake failures). WARNING LAMPS: Zero warning lights or codes have ever appeared before, during, or after any incident. A near-daily front-left growling and chirping noise is present (not constant during all braking).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11771878October 18, 2026
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
A month ago my car started making a knocking noise very loudly at start up, and once driving for about 5 to 8 minutes it kind of stops, my speed doesn't accelerate as normal and if I go over 67 mph feels like I'll lose control. I see Hyundai have a knock sensor recall and from the video on the website my car makes same sound but my 2023 Elantra isn't list on the recall list. I'm the first Original owner of the vehicle only at 80,000 miles
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11771813October 17, 2026
ENGINE
It was no incident. Car died and mechanic says engine is locked. Got oils changed everytime in a timely manner and this is a fairly new car. Please help
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11771842October 17, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The “consider taking a break” alert comes on every few miles including in the first few miles of driving. It is distracting and I need it shut off!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11771561October 16, 2026
SUSPENSION, ENGINE
engine mounts have been replaced already twice and they keep going bad last time was over a year ago and now it's bad again making noises vibrate and this replacement was done by the dealership with parts from Hyundai apparently under warranty and now warranty is almost done worries me that in a year without warranty i have to replace them again something is really off with either the engine or the parts they are replacing
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11771737October 16, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from under the hood. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road, and the contact exited the vehicle. The contact noticed fire coming from the engine compartment. The fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. The contact had previously scheduled an appointment with the dealer; however, three months prior to the fire, the dealer informed the contact that the parts were unavailable. The dealer stated a follow-up call would occur to reschedule once parts became available. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The failure mileage was approximately 210,672.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11771753October 16, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My 2024 Hyundai Elantra limited keep slamming the breaks and Hyundai keep running me in circles and won’t fix it. I fear my vehicle will cause a collision. A case with Hyundai has been open for over 3 months.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11771334October 15, 2026
ENGINE
The car went into 'limp mode' after rpm fluxuation. It's in the shop. Blake, a service manager at Temecula Hyundai, tells me it has "piston slap," which AI says is related to a piston ring recall for this car. Blake went on to say it has 2 power train issues (and needs a catalytic converter). NHTSA shows no recall, but whether engine or transmission, my daughter was nearly rear-ended due to this mechanical failure occurring on a two-lane highway at 55 mph. RE: Transmission (copied from Facebook): "Summarized by Meta AI " "Several 2020 Elantra owners describe shuddering, hesitation, and complete transmission failure at low mileage. Some report the car won’t accelerate from a stop or surges in RPM while cruising. Hyundai issued a recall for shifting issues that a software update can fix, but not all owners have been notified." It seems to me that the incident could have been transmission and the the engine 'piston slap' is conincidentally simultaneously discovered by Temecula Hyundai. Naturally, I conferred with AI as to the possibilities and found both transmission software recalls and a piston ring recall both a matter of record, but somehow not fully reported or complied with by Hyundai. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11771253October 14, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
my car has 60,000 miles and the horns on the car have been replaced 3 times Hyundai issued an extended warranty for the horns on certain 2021-2025 model year ELANTRA, 2022-2025 model year ELANTRA N and 2021-2025 model year ELANTRA Hybrid vehicles' for the 10 years or 120,000 miles from the date of original retail delivery I don't know what world this is acceptable in but it's not acceptable too me after have 3 sets of horns replaced
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11770279October 10, 2026
SUSPENSION, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Vehicle is still in my possession and available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others was put at risk due to vibration when braking caused by warped rotors, a vehicle that pulls to one side with an off-center steering wheel, abnormal tire wear including a bald tire with a sidewall bubble, and a transmission that has twice failed and recently felt like it was going to stall while accelerating. The wheel bearing/suspension noise was confirmed by an independent repair shop (Firestone) using a listening device at highway speed; however, the dealership's own inspection gave a conflicting finding of no issue. The transmission issues have been reproduced by the dealership in the sense that two replacements were performed; however, the most recent stalling sensation has not yet been independently confirmed. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance. Warning lamps/symptoms included a horn malfunction (tied to Hyundai TSB 25-BE-005H-2) and headlight issues that coincided with transmission slipping on more than one occasion. These symptoms first appeared at approximately 10,000 miles with a wheel alignment flag, and have recurred and worsened over time, including three wheel alignments, two sets of front tires, and two rotor replacements.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11770046October 9, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 99,546, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the title mileage was 99,498. A Carfax report was obtained. During research the documents indicated that the mileage was 179,942. The dealer and title location were contacted.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11770049October 9, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Two Hyundai Dealerships said they are unable to perform the recall. EPS SYS SW UPDATE/REP (TSB#15-01-019-1) software expired and is no longer available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11769771October 8, 2026
AIR BAGS
My vehicle did not have any warning lights or issue lights on the dashboard at the time of crash. We were at a full stop on the highway when a car rear ended us going 50-70MPH. The driver had a broken left clavicle. No air bags deployed despite the severity of the crash.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11769808October 8, 2026
ENGINE, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owned a 2014 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and turned off with the contact seated inside the vehicle, there was an abnormal burning odor coming from the vehicle. The contact had previously been smoking a cigarette. The vehicle was idling high, and hesitating while accelerating with a weak battery. The battery warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the battery had melted. During a storm, there was a burst of wind followed by a cloud of smoke. The contact and a family member opened the hood and became aware that the engine compartment was on fire. The engine bay was engulfed in flames. The fire was extinguished with rainwater, a shower towel, and a fire extinguisher with assistance from bystanders. The fire department inspected the vehicle and determined that there was no evidence of foul play and that the fire originated from the engine compartment. A good Samaritan sustained burns while assisting. The contact and others reported inhaling toxic fumes or chemicals from the fire. The contact stated that the vehicle was a total loss, as there was no insurance coverage and the contact and her family were left without transportation and had to walk from the location of the fire. The contact referenced a thermal event involving the electrical system associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The local dealer had previously been made aware of the issue, but the claim was denied. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11769829October 8, 2026
ENGINE
I was sold this car in July of 2025, and I was sold an extended warranty. I didn’t know about the recall, the recall caused engine failure so the warranty company refuses to pay for the new engine and Hyundai refuses to pay for the new engine even though the recall caused it and the dealership that sold it to me refuses to pay for the new engine even though they sold it to me with the open recall please help!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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