Hyundai Elantra: Owner Complaints and Recalls by Model Year
This is the Hyundai Elantra complaint and recall record by model year (1993–2025). 8,737 owner reports are on file across 33 years. 2013 has the highest count (1,298) — often because that year has had longer to collect reports, not because this page ranked it. Open a year to see what owners named, the recall list, and the filings themselves.
Hyundai Elantra filings that NHTSA splits across body-style names are combined here. Related weight classes stay separate.
Across these years, owners named Engine more often than any other part of the truck. Unclassified leftovers from NHTSA are not a diagnosis.
In plain English
Across 33 years of the Hyundai Elantra, owners named Engine more often than any other system. That is a pattern in the file, not a diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
2013 has the most reports (1,298). Older years collect more filings just by being around longer. Open the year you are actually buying — not the peak year unless that is the one in the listing.
Each row is a model year. The system column is what owners named most that year. Click the year for the inspect list, the recall campaigns, and the owner text.
NHTSA Consumer Complaints · Oct 14, 2026 NHTSA Safety Recalls · Oct 15, 2026
Owner reports by model year
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall campaigns | System named most often | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 Hyundai Elantra | 24 | 0 | Engine (ENGINE) · 4 (16.7%) | not reported |
| 1994 Hyundai Elantra | 76 | 2 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 27 (35.5%) | not reported |
| 1995 Hyundai Elantra | 111 | 1 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 30 (27.0%) | not reported |
| 1996 Hyundai Elantra | 99 | 3 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 18 (18.2%) | not reported |
| 1997 Hyundai Elantra | 114 | 3 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 23 (20.2%) | not reported |
| 1998 Hyundai Elantra | 55 | 0 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 13 (23.6%) | not reported |
| 1999 Hyundai Elantra | 127 | 2 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 34 (26.8%) | not reported |
| 2000 Hyundai Elantra | 190 | 1 | Engine (ENGINE) · 40 (21.1%) | not reported |
| 2001 Hyundai Elantra | 308 | 6 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 91 (29.6%) | not reported |
| 2002 Hyundai Elantra | 334 | 6 | Suspension (SUSPENSION) · 81 (24.3%) | not reported |
| 2003 Hyundai Elantra | 231 | 5 | Suspension (SUSPENSION) · 51 (22.1%) | not reported |
| 2004 Hyundai Elantra | 180 | 5 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 110 (61.1%) | not reported |
| 2005 Hyundai Elantra | 135 | 4 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 65 (48.2%) | not reported |
| 2006 Hyundai Elantra | 154 | 1 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 46 (29.9%) | not reported |
| 2007 Hyundai Elantra | 266 | 6 | Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) · 55 (20.7%) | not reported |
| 2008 Hyundai Elantra | 307 | 7 | Steering (STEERING) · 49 (16.0%) | not reported |
| 2009 Hyundai Elantra | 250 | 4 | Steering (STEERING) · 127 (50.8%) | not reported |
| 2010 Hyundai Elantra | 378 | 3 | Steering (STEERING) · 177 (46.8%) | not reported |
| 2011 Hyundai Elantra | 431 | 5 | Engine (ENGINE) · 66 (15.3%) | not reported |
| 2012 Hyundai Elantra | 645 | 4 | Engine (ENGINE) · 95 (14.7%) | not reported |
| 2013 Hyundai Elantra | 1,298 | 4 | Steering (STEERING) · 219 (16.9%) | not reported |
| 2014 Hyundai Elantra | 384 | 2 | Engine (ENGINE) · 119 (31.0%) | not reported |
| 2015 Hyundai Elantra | 262 | 3 | Engine (ENGINE) · 69 (26.3%) | not reported |
| 2016 Hyundai Elantra | 292 | 2 | Engine (ENGINE) · 83 (28.4%) | not reported |
| 2017 Hyundai Elantra | 766 | 4 | Engine (ENGINE) · 196 (25.6%) | not reported |
| 2018 Hyundai Elantra | 281 | 0 | Engine (ENGINE) · 103 (36.7%) | not reported |
| 2019 Hyundai Elantra | 249 | 1 | Engine (ENGINE) · 106 (42.6%) | not reported |
| 2020 Hyundai Elantra | 251 | 3 | Engine (ENGINE) · 86 (34.3%) | not reported |
| 2021 Hyundai Elantra | 160 | 7 | Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) · 32 (20.0%) | not reported |
| 2022 Hyundai Elantra | 142 | 6 | Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) · 26 (18.3%) | not reported |
| 2023 Hyundai Elantra | 151 | 2 | Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) · 24 (15.9%) | not reported |
| 2024 Hyundai Elantra | 59 | 2 | Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) · 8 (13.6%) | not reported |
| 2025 Hyundai Elantra | 27 | 1 | Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) · 5 (18.5%) | not reported |
Frequently asked questions
Which Hyundai Elantra year has the most NHTSA complaints?
2013 has the highest owner-report count in this snapshot (1,298). That is not a recommendation to avoid the year.
What do Hyundai Elantra owners complain about most?
Across published years, owners named Engine more often than any other system. Open the year you are buying for the mix, the recall list and the inspect steps.
How should I use this Hyundai Elantra page before I buy?
Open the model year in the listing — not the peak year unless that is the one you are shopping. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov, inspect the system owners named most, then read a few owner filings.
Do these counts mean the Hyundai Elantra is unreliable?
No. Counts are self-selected and not normalised for sales volume. YearTell does not publish reliability scores.
Are Hyundai Elantra body styles merged?
Where NHTSA splits the same consumer vehicle across cab or body-style names, YearTell combines those filings. Distinct weight classes stay separate.