IllustrationCONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED.TS *JB
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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
4 reportsWHILE 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
WHILE DRIVING BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
I HAVE TERRIBLE MILEAGE ON THIS CAR AND DEALER GAVE ME INCORRECT WARRANTY INFORMATION. I WAS TOLD THAT WITH MY MODEL I WOULD GET A 10 YEAR TRANSMISSION WARRANTY. TODAY, I WAS TOLD BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT I AM ONLY ENTITLED TO A 5 YEAR WARRANTY ON THE 98 ELANTRAS.
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.