← New search

2005 Hyundai Elantra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Hyundai Elantra do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 182.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

107 reports with mileage · 30 unknown

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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 71 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

30 crash reports3 fire reports19 injury reports

Visibility complaints

4 reports
Clear category filter
24,000 miles · Apr 25, 2007
Visibility

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS COVERED IN TINY HOLES. A NEWS BROADCAST MENTIONED THIS PROBLEM AND IT SERVED AS CONFIRMATION FOR THE CONTACT THAT IT WAS A SERIOUS FAILURE. THE HOLES MADE VISIBILITY DIFFICULT WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT OR IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE FA…

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS COVERED IN TINY HOLES. A NEWS BROADCAST MENTIONED THIS PROBLEM AND IT SERVED AS CONFIRMATION FOR THE CONTACT THAT IT WAS A SERIOUS FAILURE. THE HOLES MADE VISIBILITY DIFFICULT WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT OR IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE FAILURE WAS ONLY ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD IN A UNIFORMED, STRAIGHT PATTERN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 30,600, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.*AK UPDATED 05/23/07. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10188821

6,544 miles · Mar 2, 2007
StructureVisibility

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEV 2005 HYUNDAI ELECTRA'S ROOF HAD A WATER LEAK. SHE HAD REPAIRS ON THE VEHICLE ON FOUR OCCASIONS. THE DEALERSHIP CONTINUED TO INFORM THE CONTACT THAT THE WATER WAS COMING FROM THE WINDSHIELD. THIS WATER LEAKED INTO THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS RAINING. SHE STATED THAT THE DEALERSHIP CONTINUED …

Read full complaint

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEV 2005 HYUNDAI ELECTRA'S ROOF HAD A WATER LEAK. SHE HAD REPAIRS ON THE VEHICLE ON FOUR OCCASIONS. THE DEALERSHIP CONTINUED TO INFORM THE CONTACT THAT THE WATER WAS COMING FROM THE WINDSHIELD. THIS WATER LEAKED INTO THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS RAINING. SHE STATED THAT THE DEALERSHIP CONTINUED TO REPLACE AND RESEAL THE WINDSHIELD. SHE STATED THAT THE DEALERSHIP TOOK TO VEHICLE TO AUTO CONCEPT, AND THE COMPANY CALLED THE WATER DOCTOR. THEY INFORMED HER THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THE RIVETS H POPPED IN THE ROOF . THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS A SAFETY PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING, SHE COULD SEE WITH THE WATER COMING INTO THE VEHICLE. SHE FELT THAT THERE MAY BE MOLD FORMING IN THE VEHICLE. THE WATER CAME DOWN ON HER FEET, AND CAME IN ON THE GEAR SHIFT. THE CONTACT WILL BE CALLING THE MANUFACTURER TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6544, AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 8576.*AK UPDATED 03/30/07. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10184046

11,000 miles · Feb 2, 2007
Air BagsVisibility

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, HATCHBACK, GT. THERE IS A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE AIR BAGS. THE CONTACT DOESN'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AFTER THE DEALER CONTINUES TO RESET THE AIR BAG SENSOR. THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. THE LIGHT CONTINUES TO TURN ON, AND …

Read full complaint

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, HATCHBACK, GT. THERE IS A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE AIR BAGS. THE CONTACT DOESN'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AFTER THE DEALER CONTINUES TO RESET THE AIR BAG SENSOR. THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. THE LIGHT CONTINUES TO TURN ON, AND THE CONTACT HAS ANOTHER APPOINTMENT TO RESET IT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CAR SEAT MAY HAVE TO BE REPLACED TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED 15 TIMES. UPDATED 2/22/2007 - POWER MIRROR COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED. DEALER REPLACED POWER MIRROR SWITCH. *NM UPDATED 02/22/07. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10181455

40 miles · Sep 26, 2006
VisibilityCrashInjury

SON WAS OPERATING A 2005 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GL AND SIDE SWIPED A 10 WHEEL DUMP TRUCK. DRIVERS SIDE OUTSIDE DOOR MIRROR DETACHED AND WENT THROUGH PASSENGER COMPARTMENT SHATTERING DRIVERS WINDOW AND PASSENGER WINDOW. GLASS CAUSED PHYSICAL INJURY. IF OPERATOR WAS SITTING CLOSER TO STEERING WHEEL OR THERE WAS A PASSENGER, SERIOUS PERSO…

Read full complaint

SON WAS OPERATING A 2005 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GL AND SIDE SWIPED A 10 WHEEL DUMP TRUCK. DRIVERS SIDE OUTSIDE DOOR MIRROR DETACHED AND WENT THROUGH PASSENGER COMPARTMENT SHATTERING DRIVERS WINDOW AND PASSENGER WINDOW. GLASS CAUSED PHYSICAL INJURY. IF OPERATOR WAS SITTING CLOSER TO STEERING WHEEL OR THERE WAS A PASSENGER, SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH COULD HAVE OCCURRED. REPAIR FACILITY STATED IT WAS ONE OF MULTIPLE CASES THEY HAD SEEN OF THIS SAME OCCURRENCE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10169366

Official recalls

4

09V280000 · Exterior Lighting

Jul 21, 2009

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 3,011 MODEL YEAR 2005-2007 ELANTRA, TUCSON, SONATA, AZERA AND ACCENT VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A DEFECTIVE STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFT OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-787-999-4310.

05V479000 · Air Bags

Oct 17, 2005

CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) INSTALLED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY A CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT (CRS) AS AN ADULT. THIS MAY OCCUR IF THE CRS IS INSTALLED AFTER AN ADULT HAS BEEN SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. IF THERE HAS NOT BEEN A 'KEY ON' ' KEY OFF' CYCLE WITH THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT EMPTY PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF THE CRS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF A CRS AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG OR SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A CRASH AND COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT OCCUPANT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE'S OCS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) TO REMOVE THE FEATURE THAT MAY CAUSE THE CRS TO BE RECOGNIZED AS AN ADULT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 15, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO AT 1-800-981-0188.

05V395000 · Air Bags

Sep 12, 2005

CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) INSTALLED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY A CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT (CRS) AS AN ADULT. THIS MAY OCCUR IF THE CRS IS INSTALLED AFTER AN ADULT HAS BEEN SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. IF THERE HAS NOT BEEN A 'KEY ON' ' KEY OFF' CYCLE WITH THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT EMPTY PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF THE CRS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF A CRS AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG OR SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A CRASH AND COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT OCCUPANT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE'S OCS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) TO REMOVE THE FEATURE THAT MAY CAUSE THE CRS TO BE RECOGNIZED AS AN ADULT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 31, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

05V187000 · Steering:linkages:tie Rod Assembly

Apr 28, 2005

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH THREADED PORTIONS OF THE STEERING GEARBOX ASSEMBLY'S LEFT AND RIGHT INNER BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES THAT CONTAIN INTERNAL CRACKS IN THE MATERIAL STRUCTURE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE INNER BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY WAS TO BREAK AS A RESULT OF THE INTERNAL CRACK, THE TIE ROD END ASSEMBLY WOULD NOT LONGER BE ATTACHED TO THE STEERING GEAR BOX. THIS WOULD PREVENT STEERING CONTROL OF THAT FRONT WHEEL BY THE SEPARATED TIE ROD WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING GEARBOX ASSEMBLIES ON THESE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS WERE CONTACTED BY TELEPHONE BEGINNING ON APRIL 8, 2005, AND INSTRUCTED NOT TO DRIVE THEIR VEHICLES. HYUNDAI WILL ARRANGE TO PICK UP AND RETURN THEIR VEHICLES AFTER REPAIR. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

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