What breaks most · 1992 to 2026 model years
Hyundai Elantra problems by year
Owners have filed 8,686 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Hyundai Elantra across model years 1992 to 2026. Three years stand out: 2013 for steering complaints, 2017 for engine complaints and 2012 for engine complaints. The quietest years are 1993, 1992 and 2024.
- Years to check closely: 2013, 2017, 2012
- Fewest complaints: 1993, 1992, 2024
- Complaints on file
- 86861992 to 2026, all trims
- Worst year
- 20131312 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 885191 fires · 722 injuries · 14 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 61kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 102Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 1 | 0 | Electrical system (9) | |
| 24 | 1 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (5) | |
| 76 | 22 | 2 | Air bags (31) | |
| 112 | 26 | 1 | Air bags (35) | |
| 100 | 11 | 3 | Engine and cooling (20) | |
| 115 | 20 | 3 | Powertrain and transmission (31) | |
| 55 | 9 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (13) | |
| 128 | 22 | 2 | Powertrain and transmission (41) | |
| 197 | 36 | 1 | Engine and cooling (43) | |
| 315 | 71 | 6 | Air bags (118) | |
| 342 | 58 | 6 | Suspension (95) | |
| 234 | 42 | 5 | Suspension (61) | |
| 182 | 24 | 5 | Air bags (114) | |
| 137 | 30 | 4 | Air bags (71) | |
| 155 | 28 | 1 | Air bags (56) | |
| 266 | 21 | 6 | Air bags (46) | |
| 314 | 38 | 7 | Steering (55) | |
| 252 | 28 | 4 | Steering (132) | |
| 379 | 45 | 3 | Steering (195) | |
| 432 | 17 | 5 | Engine (92) | |
| 652 | 47 | 4 | Engine (139) | |
| 1312 | 93 | 4 | Steering (271) | |
| 382 | 35 | 2 | Engine (163) | |
| 261 | 27 | 3 | Engine (91) | |
| 292 | 22 | 2 | Engine (111) | |
| 764 | 37 | 4 | Engine (288) | |
| 281 | 12 | 0 | Engine (140) | |
| 249 | 12 | 1 | Engine (131) | |
| 248 | 20 | 3 | Engine (103) | |
| 129 | 8 | 6 | Forward collision system (32) | |
| 100 | 6 | 5 | Seat belts (23) | |
| 97 | 8 | 2 | Electrical system (23) | |
| 52 | 5 | 1 | Unknown or other (17) | |
| 21 | 3 | 0 | Unknown or other (5) | |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | Air bags (1) |
What fails on the 2013 Hyundai Elantra
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 21% |
271 | 8 | Shop steering parts for the 2013 Hyundai Elantra |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 18% |
233 | 7 | Shop engine parts for the 2013 Hyundai Elantra |
| Air bags | 13% |
167 | 41 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 13% |
164 | 27 | Shop brakes parts for the 2013 Hyundai Elantra |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 12% |
155 | 7 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2013 Hyundai Elantra |
| Unknown or other | 9% |
123 | 3 | — |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 9% |
115 | 1 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 2013 Hyundai Elantra |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 8% |
99 | 3 | Shop suspension parts for the 2013 Hyundai Elantra |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Steering has become loose and unsafe due to coupler malfunction. Unable to control wheels while driving and clicking noise while turning.
-
Car wouldn't start. Makes clicking sound. Mechanic diagnosed it and said timing chain is broken, valves are bent and pistons broken.
-
Car check engine light illuminated and car began shaking and stalled at 79284 miles. Local mechanic said engine was dry and would need full replacement, no dashboard lights indicating oil level or engine issues prior to this point.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Hyundai Elantra years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2013, 2017, 2012 carry the most filings on the Hyundai Elantra. The 2013 alone has 1312 complaints, led by steering.
What is the most common Hyundai Elantra problem?
On the 2013 model year, the most-reported component is steering with 271 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Hyundai Elantra problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Hyundai Elantra complaints that include mileage is about 61,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.