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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 →
55Owner complaints

Model-year median: 182

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
112
1995100
1996115
199755
1998128
1999197
2000315
2001
Compare all Elantra years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Power Train
13Engine And Engine Cooling
12Air Bags
7Unknown Or Other
7Fuel System, Gasoline
4
All reported categories
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
4Latches/locks/linkages
3Suspension
3Tires
3Electrical System
2Seat Belts
2Vehicle Speed Control
2Visibility
2Equipment
1Service Brakes, Air
1Steering
1Structure
1

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

Power Train complaints

13 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Jun 25, 1999
Power Train

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHUDDERED WHEN ACCELERATING OUT OF A CORNER, EVENTUALLY STARTED SLIPPING OUT OF DRIVE; ONCE, CAME TO A STOP, TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF DRIVE, COULD NOT GET BACK INTO GEAR. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT DEALERSHIP ON THREE OCCASIONS. REPLACEMENT #1 ON 1/8/1999, #2 ON 1/29/1999, AND REPLACEMENT #3 ON 6/23/1…

Read full complaint

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHUDDERED WHEN ACCELERATING OUT OF A CORNER, EVENTUALLY STARTED SLIPPING OUT OF DRIVE; ONCE, CAME TO A STOP, TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF DRIVE, COULD NOT GET BACK INTO GEAR. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT DEALERSHIP ON THREE OCCASIONS. REPLACEMENT #1 ON 1/8/1999, #2 ON 1/29/1999, AND REPLACEMENT #3 ON 6/23/1999. ALSO TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHEN SHUDDERING OCCURRED AFTER FIRST REPLACEMENT, PROBLEM WAS DUPLICATED, BUT DIAGNOSTICS COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #707905

Mileage unknown · Mar 30, 1999
Power Train

CONSUMER IS REVVING AND THE ENGINE BEGINS TO ROAR. VEHICLE SEEMS TO BE STUCK, SOMETIMES JERKING, THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE. PLEASE ADD VIN.#---

NHTSA ODI #836297

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILED. YH

NHTSA ODI #609058

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

Hyundai Elantra electrical problems →Hyundai Elantra transmission problems →