IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT 40MPH ON A DOWNWARD INCLINE AND WITH NO WARNING AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON, DISTRACTING CONSUMER'S VIEW, AND CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
1994 Hyundai Elantra
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1994 Hyundai Elantra do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 182.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Elantra years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 76 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
21 crash reports2 fire reports13 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
31 reportsDRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON DASHBOARD. CONSUMER TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, AND HE HAD TO RESET MODULAR . DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. THERE WAS A CAMPAIGN BULLETIN FOR AIR BAGS; BUT, THIS VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN.*AK
DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK WHEN USING THE KEY. *MJS
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 95V101000 DUE TO VIN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND WON'T GO OFF. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS, AND THE DEALER CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. *YC WHILE HOOKED UP TO THE COMPUTER, FOUND HIGH VOLTAGE AND ALSO FOUND ALTERNATOR WAS OVERHCHARGING - REPLACED ALTERNATOR. *SLC
WAS DRIVING 35MPH USED FRONT SIGNAL TO TURN ONE THEN SUDDENLY TURNED THE OTHER. WAS REARENDED BY ELANTRA. UPON IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. ENTIRE FRONT END HAD CRUMBLED & WAS PUSHED BACK. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO BODY SHOP. INSURANCE INSPECTOR TOOK PICTURES. *AK
NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DURING A COLLISION, RESULTED IN INJURIES. ALSO VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 15 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY,CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, ACCIDENT OCCURRED. FRONTAL IMPACT INTO THE REAR OF A UTILITY VEHICLE, SPEED 35MPH, ONE INJURY, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, VAND EHICLE DAMAGE BEING ESTIMATED. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
UPON STARTING VEHICLE THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG EXPLODED FOR NO REASON, CAUSING THE SYSTEM TO SHUT DOWN. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
Official recalls
295V101000 · Air Bags:frontal
May 24, 1995
THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG WAS IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED AND COULD CAUSE THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE FROM INCREASED ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: AN INCREASE IN THE ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE MIGHT PREVENT THE AIR BAG FROM ACTIVATING DURING A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR TO DETERMINE IF IT CONTAINS A TERMINAL HOLDER. IF IT DOES NOT, ONE WILL BE INSTALLED.
94V090000 · Electrical System:alternator/generator/regulator
May 11, 1994
IN SOME VEHICLES, THE MANUFACTURER'S PROTECTIVE INTERNAL COATING OF THE ELECTRONIC CRANK ANGLE SENSOR DOES NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS, WHICH CAN CAUSE AN OPEN CIRCUIT AT HIGH OPERATING TEMPERATURES. THIS CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STALL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: ENGINE STALLING HAS THE POTENTIAL TO RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH IF IT OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE SENSOR IS INVOLVED IN THE RECALL, AND REPLACE ANY SENSOR FOUND WITH THE DEFECTIVE INTERNAL COATING.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2SQ96017 · Rear Suspension Failure
Opened Nov 22, 1996 · No close date supplied
Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Structure
ODI HAS RECEIVED COMPLAINTS PERTAINING TO REAR SUSPENSION PROBLEMS.ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NEEDED TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE NATURE AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CANADIAN RECALL.FURTHERMORE, THIS INVESTIGATION IS OPENED TO EVALUATE HYUNDAI'S RATIONAL FOR NOT CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN TO INCLUDE THE UNITE STATES POPULATION.
PE95060 · Scissor Jack Failure
Opened Dec 9, 1995 · Closed Mar 21, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment:mechanical:accessory Scissor/screw/bottle Jack/lift
There is no summary currently available