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2015 Hyundai Elantra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2015 Hyundai Elantra do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 182.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

127 reports with mileage · 134 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.

  • Engine. Review the 91 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

27 crash reports8 fire reports16 injury reports

Power Train complaints

18 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 11, 2026
EnginePower Train

Failed engine due to class action recall

NHTSA ODI #11756134

Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2026
Power Train

I was at a red light waiting to go an when it was time to go my car would not go. It was on it would not go into gear. It will reverse. It just won't go forward in auto or manual. Im the 1st owner of this car. I bought it new. I need Hyundai to take care of this problem. Asap please. It happened the car only has 133,718 miles …

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I was at a red light waiting to go an when it was time to go my car would not go. It was on it would not go into gear. It will reverse. It just won't go forward in auto or manual. Im the 1st owner of this car. I bought it new. I need Hyundai to take care of this problem. Asap please. It happened the car only has 133,718 miles on it and been serviced regularly since I bought it.

NHTSA ODI #11711176

Mileage unknown · Feb 19, 2025
Fuel/propulsion SystemPower TrainVehicle Speed ControlCrash

Drove my 2015 Hyundai Elantra on the coldest day of the year to an appointment. Car was fully warmed up. Pulled into a gas station to park and was going less than 3 mph, making a left hand turn into the space. Elantra suddenly accelerated hard and the car hit a cement pole, causing extensive front end damage. If car had full…

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Drove my 2015 Hyundai Elantra on the coldest day of the year to an appointment. Car was fully warmed up. Pulled into a gas station to park and was going less than 3 mph, making a left hand turn into the space. Elantra suddenly accelerated hard and the car hit a cement pole, causing extensive front end damage. If car had full insurance coverage, it would have been a write off. Hood crumpled, radiator damaged, front grill broken, bent the engine bar in half. Significant damage but the air bag did not deploy. Had to have it towed home 35 miles. Damage was in the middle of the front of the car, so I was already in the parking space. No warning lights of any sort before this happened. Very dangerous and I would never buy another Hyundai. I bought this car brand new in 2015 and have had recalls taken care of (anti theft software one). Over the course of owning this car, other odd things have occurred as well, such as white smoke coming out of the engine upon acceleration, accelerated wear on the tires due to the back end, and engine will suddenly stop for no reason while driving (this happened twice) Inferior product!

NHTSA ODI #11643595

Mileage unknown · Feb 18, 2025
Power Train

The engine blew once at 38,000 miles and now the new engine blew at 85,000 miles (47,000 on this engine). The car was driving fine, 5 minutes into driving i heard a slight knocking noise, 10 minutes after that I was stranded on the side of the road.

NHTSA ODI #11643437

Mileage unknown · Aug 1, 2024
Power Train

The transmission failed as I was driving and the vehicle is available for inspection. My safety was put at risk as the car failed suddenly and I was stuck on the side of the road with my children. The problem has been confirmed by my mechanic. It has not been confirmed by the manufacturer, police, or insurance No lights were on…

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The transmission failed as I was driving and the vehicle is available for inspection. My safety was put at risk as the car failed suddenly and I was stuck on the side of the road with my children. The problem has been confirmed by my mechanic. It has not been confirmed by the manufacturer, police, or insurance No lights were on previous and the car seemed to be just fine.

NHTSA ODI #11605980

Mileage unknown · Jun 28, 2024
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

Due to CDK Global cyberattack, I cannot complete my safety recall of my Hyundai Elantra 2015 (ABS Fuse that can cause engine to explode, according to Hyundai safety recall report). Hyundai does not allow dealerships to keep safety recall parts on hand (or a very small amount). I have to walk into the dealership to order the pa…

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Due to CDK Global cyberattack, I cannot complete my safety recall of my Hyundai Elantra 2015 (ABS Fuse that can cause engine to explode, according to Hyundai safety recall report). Hyundai does not allow dealerships to keep safety recall parts on hand (or a very small amount). I have to walk into the dealership to order the part. I cannot call to order the part. I have to constantly drive to place of work, home, sit in traffic, with a defective fuse that HyundaiUSA refuses to keep safety recall parts on hand. Please create a NATIONAL policy against manufacturers to have a minimum units (1000 units of fuses, parts, etc) as the safety recall occurs. Because dealerships cannot order parts due to this cyberattack. My mental anguish of driving a vehicle that cannot have a safety recall repaired due to parts not being able to order (especially if they can keep large amounts of units on hand at dealers), is through the roof! I cannot take time off, I have to drive to not be evicted, anything repossessed, etc. and where I live has limited transportation options, (and told to use ride share like Lyft or Uber). Insurance companies is unhelpful. If manufacturers say they cannot keep parts on hand, then how do they ship the parts so quickly, under normal operations? 3rd party mechanic shops cannot order these parts as the manufacturer has to complete the recall repair.

NHTSA ODI #11597515

100,100 miles · Sep 15, 2023
Power Train

The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the dealer to be diagnosed and the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was in…

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The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the dealer to be diagnosed and the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,100.

NHTSA ODI #11544733

Mileage unknown · Jun 24, 2023
EnginePower Train

When stopped at a red light or in traffic, (on many occasions), my car will suddenly surge and accelerate. It's leads no many near rear end collisions. Sometimes it leads up to my engine stalling. Also have shuddering (like it wants to die) when driving on freeway. The re has been to many incidents to keep track of.

NHTSA ODI #11528672

Mileage unknown · Apr 13, 2023
Power Train

Purchased car used with 60k mileage. Within 3 months notice car making a metal scrubbing noise and excessive shaking in in mornings when first started and cold but if car was warm no scrubbing sound and minor shaking. Took it to hyundai dealer to have checked was told they didnt hear the scrubbing and vibrating, I assumed they …

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Purchased car used with 60k mileage. Within 3 months notice car making a metal scrubbing noise and excessive shaking in in mornings when first started and cold but if car was warm no scrubbing sound and minor shaking. Took it to hyundai dealer to have checked was told they didnt hear the scrubbing and vibrating, I assumed they checked while car was warm. Continue to have same problem for about 2 years as well as car acceleration rapidly declining and skipping on acceleration.Suspected piston slap after reading description of many others having same problem as issue identical to mine, I recieved notification in mail however it stated I must be located in cold weather state and although my state does have cold winters, it wasnt included on the list so assumed I couldnt take part in the investigation or extended warranty. Now car is having a lot more acceleration decline and yesterday, was traveling about 60mph on interstate and without warning, car just cut off and steering wheel became stiff, I through gear into neutral and turn ignition and car cranked right back up and continued driving for another 20 min, then car rested for about an hour. Then I was returning home and was going about 35 to 40 mph and it done the exact same thing again, engine cut off without warning steering wheel went stiff and I had to put in neutral and car crunk right back up. I'm almost 100% certain my engine is one of the defective engines and I'm going to auto store to have codes read now but I dont know how to have hyundai fix my defective engine and I fear I could end up injured because of it

NHTSA ODI #11516874

Mileage unknown · Mar 23, 2023
EnginePower Train

Transmission completely went out at 86k miles with no warning. No lights on the dash, no slow build of issues. Has always had regular maintenance since I bought the car at the dealership. Second owner, and car is paid off. Drove it one day with absolutely no issues, and the very next day, all gears were slipping and was not saf…

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Transmission completely went out at 86k miles with no warning. No lights on the dash, no slow build of issues. Has always had regular maintenance since I bought the car at the dealership. Second owner, and car is paid off. Drove it one day with absolutely no issues, and the very next day, all gears were slipping and was not safely drivable. Was stopped at a stop light turning into work and when I put my foot on the accelerator, it went nowhere and I was stuck at intersection. Got it towed that day to a local repair shop since I was told my warranty for power train was expired, and have been waiting on a new transmission for 2 months now. The repair shop still doesn’t know when they’ll get it in, and will cost $4k to install. Mine is one of many they’ve said have come through with the same problem.

NHTSA ODI #11513340

Official recalls

3

26V307000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

May 14, 2026

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra and 2016 Elantra GT vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may rupture during deployment.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An air bag inflator that ruptures may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or passengers, increasing the risk of injury or death.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the air bag inflator, as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 3, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated August, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 300. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 16, 2026.

24V146000 · Latches/locks/linkages:trunk Lid:latch

Feb 23, 2024

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the trunk latch base sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 5, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 256.

23V651000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module

Sep 22, 2023

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.

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

2

AQ23002 · Hyundai And Kia Abs Module Fires

Opened Nov 17, 2023 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by Mando. Safety recalls included in this Audit Query (AQ) review include: Hyundai recalls 20V-520, 20V-543, 21V-161, 21V-160, 21V-303, 22V-056, 22V-810, and 23V-651. Kia recalls 16V-815, 20V-518, 20V-519, 21V-137, 21V-331, 22V-051, 22V-800, and 23V-652 The purpose of this AQ is to evaluate the timeliness and scoping of Hyundai and Kia’s defect decision making and adherence with reporting requirements; and understand the varying defect descriptions and remedies between these recalls.

DP21003 · Throttle Control System Vulnerabilities

Opened Nov 12, 2021 · Closed Jun 20, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:throttle

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a petition letter dated October 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (ETC) system on certain Kia vehicles resulting in the opening of DP21-003. Accordingly, Model Year (MY) 2005-2016 Kia Optima/K5, MY 2006-2015 Kia Sorento, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Elantra, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Santa Fe, MY 2006-2015 Hyundai Sonatas are all part of the subject population. The petition was originally filed as a Vehicle Owner Questionnaire that can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under reference (ODI) number 11439675.On November 12, 2021, ODI opened Defect Petition DP21-003 to evaluate the petitioner?s request. ODI performed trend analyses of the VOQs related to vehicle speed control issues for all the subject vehicles and found that none of the 52 Model/Model Year Hyundai/Kia vehicles demonstrated any actionable trend that warranted an investigation.Petitioners submitted 1119 VOQs and non-VOQ cases in which sudden uncommanded acceleration (SUA) or loss of motive power (LOMP) incidents were alleged.For the 1119 reports, 220 were incidents involving crashes, from which 69 subject Hyundai-Kia vehicles were inspected by Hyundai/Kia dealer technicians, Hyundai/Kia engineers, and/or third-party representatives.ODI found the inspections identified no vehicle defects related to the ETC system.Of the 220 crash-involved reports, 13 Event Data Recorder (EDR) records were downloaded successfully and 11 of those indicated driver error: (i.e.) pedal misapplication.A condition where the accelerator pedal is mistakenly applied instead of the brake pedal when the driver wants to stop the vehicle.In addition, ODI reviewed a scientific journal paper published in Forensic Science International in 2016 by Mr. Park et al ., as well as related test videos. ODI does not believe there is any evidence of uncontrollable SUA occurrences in any of the tests reviewed. NHTSA's Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (OVSC) reviewed the allegations regarding the potential noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 124.Based on the information provided, the Agency concludes there is insufficient information for us to determine if a possible non-compliance exists.Finally, both Hyundai and Kia informed ODI that all their vehicles manufactured after 2012 were equipped with an ETC management system, in which the engine speed will go to idle when the system sees signals from both the brake pedal and accelerator pedal at the same time; this is commonly known as the brake-throttle override system.After thoroughly assessing the material submitted by the petitioner, information already in NHTSA's possession, information submitted by Hyundai and Kia in response to an Information Request letter, and the potential risks to safety implicated by the petitioner's allegation, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. After full consideration of appropriate factors, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA?s reasons for denial of the petition will be published.

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