Hyundai Elantra Reliability
Quick answer
The Hyundai Elantra has 1.77 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold across the 2015–2022 model years. In CarWhere's ranking of 18 sedans by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022, serious complaints weighted double and adjusted for vehicle age), the Elantra places 10th: about average for the group. Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 6,624 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and steering, and NHTSA lists 39 recall campaigns. CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2010–2013, 2017 and 2020 as years to avoid. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
By CarWhere Research · Last reviewed 2026-11-10 · Source: NHTSA
1.77
Complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022)
6,624
NHTSA owner complaints (2008–2026)
39
Recall campaigns
6
Years to avoid
Most-reported Hyundai Elantra problems
NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, by the component owners named, filed 2007–2026. A complaint can name more than one component. The last three columns count complaints that report a crash, a fire or an injury.
| Component | Complaints | Share | Crash | Fire | Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1,661 | 25% | 42 | 77 | 25 |
| Steering | 1,089 | 16% | 57 | 7 | 24 |
| Electrical system | 912 | 14% | 33 | 56 | 18 |
| Service brakes | 843 | 13% | 110 | 38 | 43 |
| Air bags | 671 | 10% | 236 | 3 | 185 |
| Powertrain / transmission | 469 | 7% | 17 | 1 | 5 |
| Speed control / throttle | 340 | 5% | 70 | 6 | 26 |
| Body structure | 334 | 5% | 33 | 15 | 23 |
Of all 6,624 complaints, 490 (7%) report a crash, 157 (2%) a fire and 302 (5%) an injury.
For 2020-and-newer models (849 complaints), the most-reported areas are the engine (197), the electrical system (175), automatic emergency braking (121), the transmission (103).
Hyundai Elantra complaints by model year
Where problems concentrate. Year flags come from CarWhere's years-to-avoid analysis, which compares each Elantra model year with the model's other years. The full year-by-year verdicts are on the years-to-avoid page.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 316 | 7 | Steering | — |
| 2009 | 287 | 4 | Steering | — |
| 2010 | 455 | 3 | Steering | Avoid |
| 2011 | 461 | 5 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2012 | 676 | 4 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2013 | 1,332 | 4 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2014 | 387 | 2 | Engine | — |
| 2015 | 262 | 3 | Engine | — |
| 2016 | 293 | 2 | Engine | — |
| 2017 | 770 | 4 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2018 | 284 | 0 | Engine | — |
| 2019 | 252 | 1 | Engine | — |
| 2020 | 255 | 3 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2021 | 162 | 5 | Electrical system | — |
| 2022 | 159 | 7 | Electrical system | — |
| 2023 | 170 | 4 | Electrical system | — |
| 2024(new) | 63 | 1 | Electrical system | — |
| 2025(new) | 36 | 2 | Lane departure | — |
| 2026(new) | 4 | 3 | Air bags | — |
Raw counts are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, and older years have had longer to collect complaints. Years marked "new" have had less than three years on the road. — = not flagged either way.
Hyundai Elantra recalls
NHTSA lists 39 recall campaigns across Hyundai Elantra model years 2008–2026. The ones below cover the most model years (campaigns with a park advisory first). Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Model years | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23V651000Sep 22, 2023 | 2011–2015 | Service brakes — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip / control unit/module | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson…NHTSA advisory: park outside until repaired. |
| 23V526000Jul 27, 2023 | 2023 | Powertrain / transmission — automatic transmission / fluid/lubricant / pump | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Palisade Tucson, 2023 Sonata, Elantra, and Kona vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can…NHTSA advisory: park outside until repaired. |
| 20V061000Feb 5, 2020 | 2008–2010 | Service brakes — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip / control unit/module | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Elantra and 2009-2011 Elantra Touring vehicles. On February 21, 2020 Hyundai expanded the recall to include 46,425 model year 2007-2008 Entourage and 2007 Santa Fe vehicles.… |
| 15V100000Feb 23, 2015 | 2008–2010 | Steering — electric power assist system | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Elantra vehicles manufactured June 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010, and 2009-2010 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured November 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010. The… |
| 13V115000Apr 1, 2013 | 2011–2013 | Air bags — side/window | Hyundai Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Elantra vehicles manufactured from November 12, 2010, through March 5, 2013. A support bracket attached to the headliner may become displaced during a side curtain airbag… |
Best and worst Elantra years
- Years to avoid: 2010–2013, 2017 and 2020.
- No model year stands out as clearly better than the rest.
- 2024–2026: too new to judge fully; complaint counts are still building.
Hyundai Elantra years to avoid: the verdict for every model year →
What to inspect on a used Hyundai Elantra
Based on the components owners report most. None of these replaces an independent pre-purchase inspection.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Driver aids: ask about false automatic-braking events and check for warning messages on the dash.
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Recalls: check the VIN for open recalls; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any Hyundai Elantra can be better or worse than the model's record. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
Hyundai Elantra reliability FAQ
Is the Hyundai Elantra reliable?
The Hyundai Elantra has 1.77 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold across the 2015–2022 model years. In CarWhere's ranking of 18 sedans by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022, serious complaints weighted double and adjusted for vehicle age), the Elantra places 10th: about average for the group. Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 6,624 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and steering, and NHTSA lists 39 recall campaigns. CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2010–2013, 2017 and 2020 as years to avoid. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
What are the most common Hyundai Elantra problems?
In NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, the most-reported areas are the engine (1,661), steering (1,089), the electrical system (912) and the brakes (843). For 2020-and-newer models, the most-reported areas are the engine, the electrical system and automatic emergency braking. One complaint can name more than one component, and complaints are unverified owner reports.
What years of the Hyundai Elantra should you avoid?
CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2010–2013, 2017 and 2020 as years to avoid. Each model year is compared only with other Elantra years: complaints are adjusted for time on the road, and serious ones (engine, transmission, brakes, steering, fuel system, or a reported crash, fire or injury) count double, with a smaller adjustment for recall campaigns.
How long does a Hyundai Elantra last?
In CarWhere's lifespan study, 1% of 23,940 used Elantra listings in the US had passed 200,000 miles and 5.9% had passed 150,000. Among those 10+ years old, 4.5% are past 200,000 miles. Maintenance history matters more than the model average for any one car.
How many recalls does the Hyundai Elantra have?
NHTSA lists 39 recall campaigns covering Hyundai Elantra model years 2008–2026. The one covering the most model years is 23V651000 (service brakes, 2011–2015). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How do I check a specific used Hyundai Elantra?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
How we measure Elantra reliability
- Complaints are every NHTSA owner complaint filed for the Hyundai Elantra, model years 2008–2026, across all the body-style and trim names NHTSA files them under, de-duplicated by complaint number. They are unverified owner reports.
- Complaints per 1,000 sold divides the 2,437 complaints for the 2015–2022 model years by 1,373,756 vehicles sold in the US in those calendar years (published sales figures), times 1,000.
- The sedans ranking uses the same complaints and sales, weights serious complaints double and adjusts for vehicle age, then compares 18 models. See the full ranking.
- Year flags compare each Elantra model year only with other Elantra years, so they say which years to prefer, not how the Elantra compares with other models.
- This is federal complaint and recall data, not a survey and not comparable to Consumer Reports or J.D. Power ratings. It does not estimate repair costs.
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints and NHTSA recall campaigns (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-11-10; published U.S. sales figures; CarWhere years-to-avoid analysis.
More Hyundai Elantra research
Hyundai Elantra reliability by model year: