2016 Hyundai ELANTRA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2016 Hyundai ELANTRA has 386 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 4.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (28% of all complaints), specifically: wife was driving a new three week old 2016 elantra with appox. 500 miles on it. the car started to loose power and just died. she coasted to a stop on the side of the road. would not restart. no lights came on indicating any problem till the car quit running. then all the lights came on as they shou. ⚠️ 6 fire reports filed.

6 fire reports 21 crash reports 19 injuries

386

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

4.8x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

110 complaints

28%

• WIFE WAS DRIVING A NEW THREE WEEK OLD 2016 ELANTRA WITH APPOX. 500 MILES ON IT. THE CAR STARTED TO LOOSE POWER AND JUST DIED. SHE COASTED TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WOULD NOT RESTART. NO LIGHTS CAME ON INDICATING ANY PROBLEM TILL THE CAR QUIT RUNNING. THEN ALL THE LIGHTS CAME ON AS THEY SHOU
• ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. THIS OCCURRED TWICE ON THE FREEWAY AND ONCE ON A CITY STREET WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 1800 MILES. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR NUMEROUS TIMES. WHEN I PICK IT UP THEY SAY "ITS BEEN REPAIRED" BUT
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN AND THE MOTOR WERE OFF SYNC AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND STALLED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE TIMING BELT WAS LOOSE, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE NOT TO STA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“WIFE WAS DRIVING A NEW THREE WEEK OLD 2016 ELANTRA WITH APPOX. 500 MILES ON IT. THE CAR STARTED TO LOOSE POWER AND JUST DIED. SHE COASTED TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WOULD NOT RESTART. NO LIGHTS CAME ON INDICATING ANY PROBLEM TILL THE CAR QUIT RUNNING. THEN ALL THE LIGHTS CAME ON AS THEY SHOU”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

52 complaints

13%

• ON JULY 6, 2016 WE PURCHASED A 2016 ELANTRA LIMITED. WE DO LIKE THE CAR. HOWEVER, IN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS, JUST OVER 2400 MILES THE NEW 2016 HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS A 2013 ELANTRA THAT WE USED TO HAVE. WE WOULD PRESS THE BRAKE, THEN PRESS THE PUSH START BUTTON. NOTHING HAPPENED, IT DIDN?T EVEN
• WHEN PARKING OUR CAR, THE KEY GOT STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND COULD NOT BE REMOVED. OBVIOUSLY, WE COULD NOT LEAVE THE CAR IN A PARKING LOT WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. I LOOKED AT A VIDEO ON YOUTUBE: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=A4T6YDZKB5G AND THIS GUY'S VIDEO SAVED THE DAY. THIS OBVIOUSLY
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND RESUMED DRIVING. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THERE WAS A KNOCKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER W

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“ON JULY 6, 2016 WE PURCHASED A 2016 ELANTRA LIMITED. WE DO LIKE THE CAR. HOWEVER, IN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS, JUST OVER 2400 MILES THE NEW 2016 HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS A 2013 ELANTRA THAT WE USED TO HAVE. WE WOULD PRESS THE BRAKE, THEN PRESS THE PUSH START BUTTON. NOTHING HAPPENED, IT DIDN?T EVEN ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

28 complaints

• I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO 2 HYUNDAI DEALERSHIPS TO BE LOOKED AT. WHEN I DRIVE MY CAR GETS STUCK IN A HIGH GEAR & GIVES ME A HARD TIME DRIVING UNLESS I ACCELERATE DRAMATICALLY TO DROP THE RPMS & THE CAR WILL DROP GEARS. I LIVE ON A VERY STEEP HILL & CAME CLOSE TO A VERY DANGEROUS ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS IS
• I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET GOING APPROX. 30 MPH WHEN THE CAR FELT LIKE IT HAD DOWNSHIFTED INTO A LOW GEAR. THE TACHOMETER WA REVVING BETWEEN 4,000 AND 5,000 RPMS EVEN THOUGH I WAS SLOWING. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BUT WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AS THE GEAR SHIFT WAS STUCK IN DRIVE
• THIS 2016, HYUNDAI ELANTRA SPORT SUFFERS FROM DANGEROUS HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC THERE IS AN EXPECTATION OF HAVE ACCELERATION FROM A STOP. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. I CALLED THE DEALER AB

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO 2 HYUNDAI DEALERSHIPS TO BE LOOKED AT. WHEN I DRIVE MY CAR GETS STUCK IN A HIGH GEAR & GIVES ME A HARD TIME DRIVING UNLESS I ACCELERATE DRAMATICALLY TO DROP THE RPMS & THE CAR WILL DROP GEARS. I LIVE ON A VERY STEEP HILL & CAME CLOSE TO A VERY DANGEROUS ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS IS”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

26 complaints

• THE 2016 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WAS WRECKED AT 501 MILES . IT WAS BOUGHT BRAND-NEW IT STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE AT 45 MILES PER HOUR THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY HYUNDAI HAS A DEFECTIVE AIRBAG SYSTEM WHICH NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO I HAVE A CLAIM NUMBER AGAINST HYUNDAI THE CLAIM NUMBER IS 8922194. THE TELEPHONE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND EMITTED FIRE DURING THE DEPLOYMENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TO
• ON 10/15/16 I WAS IN A MULTI IMPACT ACCIDENT. AFTER HITTING A CURB, SMALL TREE, TOOK A STOP SIGN OUT, MY CAR LANDED INTO A TREE IN BETWEEN TWO 10 IN. BUSHES. AS THE CAR SEEMED TO SETTLE I IMMEDIATELY SMELLED A CHEMICAL ODOR. I THEN SAW A SMALL WHITE WHAT I THOUGHT WAS PAPER APPEAR ON THE INNER STEE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 15 crashes

“THE 2016 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WAS WRECKED AT 501 MILES . IT WAS BOUGHT BRAND-NEW IT STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE AT 45 MILES PER HOUR THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY HYUNDAI HAS A DEFECTIVE AIRBAG SYSTEM WHICH NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO I HAVE A CLAIM NUMBER AGAINST HYUNDAI THE CLAIM NUMBER IS 8922194. THE TELEPHONE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

22 complaints

• VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY IGNITED 4/5/2016 @ ~3:45PM (SEE PICTURES ATTACHED) WHILE PARKED IN A FENCED, GUARDED, PRIVATE CORPORATION EMPLOYEE PARKING LOT, DESTROYING ITSELF & BOTH VEHICLES PARKED ON EITHER SIDE OF IT. 5 MONTHS OLD, 11,000 MILES ON ODOMETER, ONLY PRIOR SERVICES WERE OIL CHANGES AT 3K & 10
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND RESUMED DRIVING. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THERE WAS A KNOCKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER W
• WHILE DRIVING THE CLOCK WILL START TO FLASH THEN THE HEADLIGHTS WILL FLASH AS THE RADIO/CLOCK FLASHES. IF HEAD LIGHTS ARE OFF THE LIGHT BY GAUGES WILL START FLASHING MAKING A CLICKING NOISE, THE BATTERY LIGHT WILL SOMETIMES COME ON AND FLASH ALSO. IF I TURN THE AIR ON THE FLASHING WILL STOP. THIS H

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY IGNITED 4/5/2016 @ ~3:45PM (SEE PICTURES ATTACHED) WHILE PARKED IN A FENCED, GUARDED, PRIVATE CORPORATION EMPLOYEE PARKING LOT, DESTROYING ITSELF & BOTH VEHICLES PARKED ON EITHER SIDE OF IT. 5 MONTHS OLD, 11,000 MILES ON ODOMETER, ONLY PRIOR SERVICES WERE OIL CHANGES AT 3K & 10”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 386 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: WIFE WAS DRIVING A NEW THREE WEEK OLD 2016 ELANTRA WITH APPOX. 500 MILES ON IT. THE CAR STARTED TO LOOSE POWER AND JUST DIED. SHE COASTED TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WOULD NOT RESTART. NO LIGHTS CAME ON INDICATING ANY PROBLEM TILL THE CAR QUIT RUNNING. THEN ALL THE LIGHTS CAME ON AS THEY SHOU
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: ON JULY 6, 2016 WE PURCHASED A 2016 ELANTRA LIMITED. WE DO LIKE THE CAR. HOWEVER, IN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS, JUST OVER 2400 MILES THE NEW 2016 HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS A 2013 ELANTRA THAT WE USED TO HAVE. WE WOULD PRESS THE BRAKE, THEN PRESS THE PUSH START BUTTON. NOTHING HAPPENED, IT DIDN?T EVEN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO 2 HYUNDAI DEALERSHIPS TO BE LOOKED AT. WHEN I DRIVE MY CAR GETS STUCK IN A HIGH GEAR & GIVES ME A HARD TIME DRIVING UNLESS I ACCELERATE DRAMATICALLY TO DROP THE RPMS & THE CAR WILL DROP GEARS. I LIVE ON A VERY STEEP HILL & CAME CLOSE TO A VERY DANGEROUS ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS IS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: THE 2016 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WAS WRECKED AT 501 MILES . IT WAS BOUGHT BRAND-NEW IT STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE AT 45 MILES PER HOUR THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY HYUNDAI HAS A DEFECTIVE AIRBAG SYSTEM WHICH NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO I HAVE A CLAIM NUMBER AGAINST HYUNDAI THE CLAIM NUMBER IS 8922194. THE TELEPHONE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)