IllustrationWHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY DUE TO A DEFECTIVE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *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
What owners actually said
55 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
CAR STALLS WHEN GOING BETWEEN 35MPH AND 45MPH, HAPPENS PERIODICALLY. *AK
COMPLAINED NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT ENGINE LIGHTS COMING ON, ENGINE ALMOST STALLED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. BROUGHT TO DEALER AND SUPPOSEDLY FIXED. STILL GET SLOW DOWNS IN ENGINE FROM TIME TO TIME. SECOND BIG PROBLEM WAS NOT BEING ABLE TO FILL GAS TANK. HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT CAR. FIRST TIME 02/99.*AK
WHILE USING CRUISE CONTROL AND GOING UP A HILL, THE OVERDRIVE GOES OFF LIKE IT IS SUPPOSED TO. AFTER CRESTING THE HILL, THE OVERDRIVE DOES NOT RE-ENGAGE UNTIL SOMETIMES 1/2 MILE (EVEN GOING DOWN HILL). THIS LEAVES THE ENGINE RUNNING AT 4000RPM (NORMAL IS ABOUT 2500RPM). DANGEROUS? PROBABLY TO SOMEONE NOT EXPECTING IT.
NO SUMMARY
SEAT BELT TIGHTENS ON PASSENGER AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. *AK WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTS TO MOVE, THE BELT LOCKS. IF THE BELT DOES NOT UNLOCK, IT KEEPS TIGHTENING AND PINNING THE PASSENGER TO SEAT. *YH
POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE IS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JERK AND STALL AT ALL RATES OF SPEED. NLM
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
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 40-60 MPH. DRIVER MUST PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD AND RESTART VEHICLE. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT DEFECT 4 TIMES, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *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.