← New search

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

Other model years Selected 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

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

12 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Jan 8, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingSuspension

THIS IS A 1998 VEHICLE THAT IS GIVING CONSUMER PROBLEMS WITH STALLING. ALSO THE FRONT END SHAKES VERY HARD WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #833207

Mileage unknown · Oct 30, 1998
Engine And Engine CoolingUnknown Or Other

I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER 8 TIMES. THE ENGINE CUTS OUT AT ALL RATES OF SPEED. CAUSING LOSS OF POWER AND POWER STEERING. THE DEALER REPLACED SEVERAL PARTS BUT THE CAR IS STILL NOT WORKING PROPERLY. WHEN PUMPING GAS, WHEN THE TANK IS FULL, THE PUMP DOESN'T SHUT OFF. GAS THEN POURS OUT OF MY CAR AND DOWN THE SI…

Read full complaint

I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER 8 TIMES. THE ENGINE CUTS OUT AT ALL RATES OF SPEED. CAUSING LOSS OF POWER AND POWER STEERING. THE DEALER REPLACED SEVERAL PARTS BUT THE CAR IS STILL NOT WORKING PROPERLY. WHEN PUMPING GAS, WHEN THE TANK IS FULL, THE PUMP DOESN'T SHUT OFF. GAS THEN POURS OUT OF MY CAR AND DOWN THE SIDE OF THE CAR. HYUNDAI HAS TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE A PART THAT CAN FIX IT BUT THEY HAVEN'T MADE ANY ATTEMPT TO FIX IT AT THIS TIME.

NHTSA ODI #700210

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Hyundai Elantra problems