IllustrationIF THEY TURN OFF VEHICLE IT WOULD BE HARD TO START IT BACK UP. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
1996 Hyundai Elantra
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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: 9 of 100 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
14 reportsCONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THE PROBLEM IS RECCURRING. *JB OXYGEN SENSOR AND COIL PACK WERE REPLACED. FUEL INJECTORS WERE CLEANED, THROTTLE BODY REPLACED. BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTED UNTIL DEALER FOUND BATTE…
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CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THE PROBLEM IS RECCURRING. *JB OXYGEN SENSOR AND COIL PACK WERE REPLACED. FUEL INJECTORS WERE CLEANED, THROTTLE BODY REPLACED. BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTED UNTIL DEALER FOUND BATTERY HAD DEAD CELL. *TT
DASH HAS BEEN RETURNED TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES TO REPAIR. FIRST IT WAS SAID TO BE A SPEEDOMETER CABLE THAT WAS REPLACED. THE NOISE CONTINUES TO GET LOUDER AND LOUDER. *AK
THE CAR HAS BEEN CUTTING OFF ON ME SINCE PURCHASE/GOING IN REVERSE ON ITS OWN. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON.
COMPUTER ASSEMBLEY ADD/SCAN TOOL. *AK
ENGINE LIGHTS COMES ON,SURGES,MISSES,JERKS,DIES,TAPPING NOISE,LOSES POWER,THESE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED REPEATEDLY. OTHER REPAIRS 9-26-98 ALTERNATOR,GENERATOR MILEAGE 24662: 10-29-98 MISSING AND ROUGH IDLE COULDN'T FIND PROBLEM, MILEAGE 25350; 3-22-99 PLUG AND CABLE SET CHANGED AGAIN, MILEAGE 29167; 4-12-99 REPLACED TRANSMISSI…
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ENGINE LIGHTS COMES ON,SURGES,MISSES,JERKS,DIES,TAPPING NOISE,LOSES POWER,THESE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED REPEATEDLY. OTHER REPAIRS 9-26-98 ALTERNATOR,GENERATOR MILEAGE 24662: 10-29-98 MISSING AND ROUGH IDLE COULDN'T FIND PROBLEM, MILEAGE 25350; 3-22-99 PLUG AND CABLE SET CHANGED AGAIN, MILEAGE 29167; 4-12-99 REPLACED TRANSMISSION PART, MILEAGE 29760; HAVE TALKED TO CONSUMER ASSISTANT CENTER,THE DM,ALL I AM TOLD IS TO KEEP TAKING IT IN . AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH THIS CAR AND AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT ON THE HIGHWAYS BECAUSE IT LOST ALL POWER WHEN DRIVING ON I- 65.WAS TOWED IN 2 TIMES BECAUSE OF NO POWER.THEY OFFERED FOR ME TO TRADE IT IN ON A NEW CAR, THAT WOULD MEAN ANOTHER 5 YR. LOAN AND ANOTHER $50.00 A MONTH PAYMENT.I DID NOT FEEL THIS WAS A VERY GOOD SOLUTION .SERVICE DEPT.HAS BEEN GOOD AS TRYING TO FIND THE PROBLEMS, BUT I AM NOT HAPPY THAT THEY HAVE NOT REPLACED THIS CAR AT NO COST TO ME, FOR ALL THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD. *AK
ENGINE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON 8 TIMES/SEATBELTS WON'T LATCH/TRANSMISSION SLIPS/POOR ACCELERATION/EXHAUST SMELLS LIKE "ROTTEN EGGS"--
CONSUMER IS HAVING AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM UNDER THE HOOD THAT IS CAUSING MELTDOWN OF WIRES UNDER THE HOOD/DRAINAGE OF THE BATTERY AND THE ALTENATOR, AND THE RADIO TO SWITCH ITSELF ON AND OFF. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
I REPORTED THIS INFORMATION GIVEN TO YOU TO THE MAIN COMPANY IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS; HOWEVER, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS TOTALLY UNFAIR BECAUSE I AM MAKING PAYMENTS ON AN AUTOMOBILE THAT IS LITERALLY FALLING APART. I FEEL THAT IT HYUNDAI MOTOR FINANCE COMPANY SHOULD HAVE MADE SO…
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I REPORTED THIS INFORMATION GIVEN TO YOU TO THE MAIN COMPANY IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS; HOWEVER, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS TOTALLY UNFAIR BECAUSE I AM MAKING PAYMENTS ON AN AUTOMOBILE THAT IS LITERALLY FALLING APART. I FEEL THAT IT HYUNDAI MOTOR FINANCE COMPANY SHOULD HAVE MADE SOME PREPARATION TO SATISFY THEIR CUSTOMER,ONE WHO HAS AN EXCELLENT PAYING HISTORY. I AM VERY DISSATIFIED WITH THIS PRODUCT AND WOULD LIKE A BETTER AUTOMOBILE, ONE IN WHICH I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING AND PAYING FOR IN THE REMAINDER YEARS. PLEASE HELP! THANKS, CAROLYN B. THOMAS. NOT AIR BAG COMPLAINT (E.G., SEAT BELT, TRAILER SUSPENSION AIR BAG, ETC.) ADDED ON 09-07-1999. *AK
VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR INDICATION AT ALL WILL STOP. WHILE DRIVING IT STOPS ABRUPTLY AND STARTS BACK UP. DEALER CONTACTED, AND MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. BOTH AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, ECM WAS REPLACED, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
Official recalls
300V095002 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Jul 21, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS CAN APPLY EXCESSIVE VACUUM TO THE FUEL TANKS DURING THE CANISTER PURGE CYCLE. IF EXCESSIVE VACUUM IS APPLIED, MINOR FUEL TANK DISTORTION CAN RESULT. A SMALL CRACK COULD DEVELOP ON THE UPPER FUEL TANK SURFACE. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WOULD THEN ILLUMINATE AND, IN SOME CASES, THE VEHICLE DRIVER MAY NOTICE A GASOLINE ODOR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL PRESSURE CHECK THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK TO DETERMINE IF IT HAS CRACKED. IF THE FUEL TANK HAS CRACKED, IT WILL BE REPLACED.
00V095001 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Mar 28, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS CAN APPLY EXCESSIVE VACUUM TO THE FUEL TANKS DURING THE CANISTER PURGE CYCLE. IF EXCESSIVE VACUUM IS APPLIED, MINOR FUEL TANK DISTORTION CAN RESULT. A SMALL CRACK COULD DEVELOP ON THE UPPER FUEL TANK SURFACE. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WOULD THEN ILLUMINATE AND, IN SOME CASES, THE VEHICLE DRIVER MAY NOTICE A GASOLINE ODOR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL PRESSURE CHECK THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK TO DETERMINE IF IT HAS CRACKED. IF THE FUEL TANK HAS CRACKED, IT WILL BE REPLACED.
97V026000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
Feb 26, 1997
THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WERE CONTAMINATED DURING ASSEMBLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONTAMINATION INTERFERES WITH THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CONTINUITY AND PREVENTS THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FROM OPERATING. INOPERATIVE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO REDUCED VISIBILITY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE CONTAMINANTS FROM THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER CONTACTS.
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
2SQ00003 · Fuel Cap Replacement Campaign 36
Opened Feb 2, 2000 · No close date supplied
Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
There is no summary currently available
Additional source detail variants (2)
Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
There is no summary currently available
Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
There is no summary currently available
PE97002 · Windshield Wiper Failure
Opened Jan 17, 1997 · Closed Feb 27, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility
IN ITS LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 14, 1997, HYUNDAI STATED THAT APPROXIMATELY 75,000 HYUNDAI VEHICLES (CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1996-97 ELANTRA, ACCENT, SONATA AND TIBURON MODELS BUILT THROUGH OCTOBER 18, 1996 -- SEE NHTSA RECALL NO. 97V-026 FOR DETAILS) WILL BE RECALLED FOR A DEFECT IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR.HYUNDAI STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY NOT OPERATE IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS DUE TO CONTAMINATION OF THE MOTOR'S CIRCUIT BREAKER ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WITH SOLDERING FLUX DURING MANUFACTURING PROCESS.HYUNDAI WILL REMEDY THE DEFECT BY CLEANING THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS TO REMOVE THE CONTAMINANTS.