IllustrationVEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 15-20 MPH IMPACT, AND BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE US WITH ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
1998 Hyundai Elantra
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Fewer warning signs than most model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Hyundai Elantra are lower than 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 55 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.
- Power Train. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports0 fire reports4 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
7 reportsWAS TRAVELING 35-40MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE WENT THROUGH STOP SIGN, AND HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. THEN, ELANTRA REAR ENDED FIRST VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. DRIVER RECEIVED EMERGENCY TREATMENT. VEHICLE TOTALED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY TRAVELING 75 MPH CONSUMER, ATTEMPTING TO AVOID HITTING VEHICLE IN FRONT, APPLIED BRAKES SUDDENLY AND VEHICLE SWERVED, HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE OTHER LANE. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK
AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON/OFF. *AK
OWNER REAR ENDED A TRUCK AT 20 TO 30MPH, AND NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AIRBAGS DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR IMPACT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
DRIVER HIT THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE AGAINST A GUARDRAIL AT ABOUT 50MPH, AND NEITHER DRIVER'S NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.