What breaks most · 2013 to 2020 model years
Hyundai Elantra GT problems by year
Owners have filed 115 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Hyundai Elantra GT across model years 2013 to 2020. Three years stand out: 2018 for engine complaints, 2017 for engine complaints and 2019 for engine complaints. The quietest years are 2015, 2013 and 2014.
- Years to check closely: 2018, 2017, 2019
- Fewest complaints: 2015, 2013, 2014
- Complaints on file
- 1152013 to 2020, all trims
- Worst year
- 201849 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 01 fires · 1 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 75kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 2Across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0 | 0 | Air bags (2) | |
| 8 | 0 | 0 | Engine (6) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Engine (1) | |
| 7 | 0 | 1 | Engine (5) | |
| 25 | 0 | 0 | Engine (21) | |
| 49 | 0 | 1 | Engine (28) | |
| 13 | 0 | 0 | Engine (9) | |
| 7 | 0 | 0 | Engine (5) |
What fails on the 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 57% |
28 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT |
| Unknown or other | 14% |
7 | 0 | — |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 10% |
5 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 8% |
4 | 0 | Shop brakes parts for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT |
| Forward collision systemRadar and camera sensors | 8% |
4 | 0 | Shop forward collision system parts for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 8% |
4 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 8% |
4 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 6% |
3 | 0 | Shop exterior lighting parts for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT |
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.
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The engine burns oil quickly which could lead to the engine blowing. I have to get more oil changes than average to the engine burning oil.
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Bought my vehicle used a few months ago. Engine started knocking. Hyundai dealership told me I had a engine recall but would not fix the problem due to sludge buildup causing the engine to knock. Sludge buildup is due to manufacturing problems but Hyundai is refusing to fix.
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At 87000 miles engine started knocking and stalling. Took it to the dealership and rod bearings went out and needs an entirely brand new engine over $6000. As I am the second owner. I wasn't notified. Hyundai refuses to fix the car due to the fact the i did not get the recall
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 GT years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2018, 2017, 2019 carry the most filings on the Hyundai Elantra GT. The 2018 alone has 49 complaints, led by engine.
What is the most common Hyundai Elantra GT problem?
On the 2018 model year, the most-reported component is engine with 28 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Hyundai Elantra GT problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Hyundai Elantra GT complaints that include mileage is about 75,000 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.