← New search

2006 Hyundai Elantra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2006 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

126 reports with mileage · 29 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 56 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

28 crash reports0 fire reports20 injury reports

Visibility complaints

7 reports
Clear category filter
40,000 miles · Sep 25, 2015
VisibilityInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND WAS STRUCK IN THE HEAD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR VIEW MIRROR ON THE PASSENGER DOOR EXPLODED, STRUCK HER ON THE HEAD, AND LANDED ON HER LAP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WA…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND WAS STRUCK IN THE HEAD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR VIEW MIRROR ON THE PASSENGER DOOR EXPLODED, STRUCK HER ON THE HEAD, AND LANDED ON HER LAP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ODI #10776921

126,000 miles · Jul 15, 2012
Visibility

I READ THE STRUCTURE REPORT ABOUT THE SUN ROOF EXPLODING AND WANT IT ON RECORD THAT STARTING THE PAST WEEK OR SO, I HEAR VERY LOUD POPS THAT I THINK ARE THE SUN ROOF OR THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE CAR. THE MOULDING ON THE RIGHT DRIVERS SIDE ALONG THE ROOF EDGE WILL NOT STAY LOCKED DOWN EITHER, I KEEP WAITING FOR THE SUN ROOF…

Read full complaint

I READ THE STRUCTURE REPORT ABOUT THE SUN ROOF EXPLODING AND WANT IT ON RECORD THAT STARTING THE PAST WEEK OR SO, I HEAR VERY LOUD POPS THAT I THINK ARE THE SUN ROOF OR THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE CAR. THE MOULDING ON THE RIGHT DRIVERS SIDE ALONG THE ROOF EDGE WILL NOT STAY LOCKED DOWN EITHER, I KEEP WAITING FOR THE SUN ROOF GLASS TO SHATTER ALL OVER ME, IT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HOT HERE BUT I HAVE NEVER HEARD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND IT IS ALARMING, I TRAVEL THE INTERSTATE ALONE QUITE OFTEN AND WORRY ABOUT THIS NOW THAT I READ ABOUT THIS HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE. THE DEALER IS BY MY WORK SO I THINK I WILL DROP IT OFF SO THAT IT IS ON THEIR RECORDS TOO IF THIS DOES EXPLODE ON ME AS WELL. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS ANOTHER 2006 ISSUE, IF THE ELANTRA I BOUGHT IN 2000 WAS LIKE THIS ONE, I WOULD HAVE NEVER BOUGHT ANOTHER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10465744

38,000 miles · Apr 6, 2012
Visibility

I AM 5' 1" TALL OR SHORT!! THE SUN WAS SHINING IN MY EYES AND I NEEDED THE DRIVER SIDE VISOR DOWN. IT WOULD NOT OPEN SO I HAD TO APPLY A LITTLE PRESSURE. THE TRIANGULAR CLAMP AND THE VISOR ROD BROKE. I READ THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS IN THIS REGARD BUT HYUNDAI REFUSES TO REPLACE IT FOR FREE. THE MILEAGE IS LESS THAN…

Read full complaint

I AM 5' 1" TALL OR SHORT!! THE SUN WAS SHINING IN MY EYES AND I NEEDED THE DRIVER SIDE VISOR DOWN. IT WOULD NOT OPEN SO I HAD TO APPLY A LITTLE PRESSURE. THE TRIANGULAR CLAMP AND THE VISOR ROD BROKE. I READ THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS IN THIS REGARD BUT HYUNDAI REFUSES TO REPLACE IT FOR FREE. THE MILEAGE IS LESS THAN 60,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10454366

Mileage unknown · Apr 8, 2010
Visibility

2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA VIN# [XXX] HAS HAD ERRATIC SIDE MIRROR CONTROL SINCE PURCHASED 9-06. MIRRORS MOVE 1/3 OF THE TIME IN UNPREDICTABLE DIRECTIONS, NOT ACCORDING TO UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT ARROWS ON CONTROL. IN ORDER TO RESET CONTROL TO BEHAVE AS DESIGNED, ONE MUST HOLD CONTROL DOWN SO MIRROR MOVES TO FULL EXTENT OF RANGE AND ROCKS…

Read full complaint

2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA VIN# [XXX] HAS HAD ERRATIC SIDE MIRROR CONTROL SINCE PURCHASED 9-06. MIRRORS MOVE 1/3 OF THE TIME IN UNPREDICTABLE DIRECTIONS, NOT ACCORDING TO UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT ARROWS ON CONTROL. IN ORDER TO RESET CONTROL TO BEHAVE AS DESIGNED, ONE MUST HOLD CONTROL DOWN SO MIRROR MOVES TO FULL EXTENT OF RANGE AND ROCKS BACK AND FORTH, WHICH CANNOT BE DONE EASILY IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT BLOCKING THE VIEW OF TRAFFIC. TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND IT CONTINUES. REAR VIEW MIRROR ALSO IS A PROBLEM IN THAT IT FOGS WHEN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES DIFFER AND MUST BE WIPED WITH A CLOTH. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10324607

24,000 miles · Jun 30, 2009
Visibility

HYUNDAI ELANTRA 2006 HAS A VERY STRANGE PROBLEM WITH INSIDE MIRROR. MIRRORS GETS DARK BY ITSELF FOR SOME REASON AND WHEN YOU TOUCH IT AND MOVE A LITTLE BIT MIRROR COMES BACK ON. DARK MEANS IT GETS BLACK AND TURNS DARKER SUCH THAT YOU CAN'T SEE FROM THAT MIRROR. ALSO HYUNDAI'S MIRROR AUTOMATED-SWITCHES ARE FAULTY. THEY DON'T WORK…

Read full complaint

HYUNDAI ELANTRA 2006 HAS A VERY STRANGE PROBLEM WITH INSIDE MIRROR. MIRRORS GETS DARK BY ITSELF FOR SOME REASON AND WHEN YOU TOUCH IT AND MOVE A LITTLE BIT MIRROR COMES BACK ON. DARK MEANS IT GETS BLACK AND TURNS DARKER SUCH THAT YOU CAN'T SEE FROM THAT MIRROR. ALSO HYUNDAI'S MIRROR AUTOMATED-SWITCHES ARE FAULTY. THEY DON'T WORK SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES THEY DO ONLY FOR UP-DOWN BUT NOT LEFT-RIGHT. SWITCH CHANGED BY DEALER BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10275393

36,000 miles · Jan 26, 2009
Visibility

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAT WILL BLOW ONLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. SHE IS UNABLE TO DEFROST THE WINDOWS IN THE MORNINGS BECAUSE THE HEAT DOES NOT BLOW THROUGH THE DEFROSTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR AT LEAST FOUR TIMES, BUT THEY STATED THAT THE…

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAT WILL BLOW ONLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. SHE IS UNABLE TO DEFROST THE WINDOWS IN THE MORNINGS BECAUSE THE HEAT DOES NOT BLOW THROUGH THE DEFROSTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR AT LEAST FOUR TIMES, BUT THEY STATED THAT THE ISSUES WERE A NORMAL OCCURRENCE FOR HER VEHICLE. THE DEALER CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY ARRIVED FROM CALIFORNIA TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CASE WOULD BE CLOSED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TO FUNCTION IN THAT MANNER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000. UPDATED 02-26-09 *BF UPDATED 02/26/09. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10256327

400 miles · Jan 13, 2007
Visibility

WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10178626

Official recalls

1

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.

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