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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

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

15 reports
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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 · Jan 29, 2025
Fuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed ControlCrash

On [XXX] I was parking in my parking spot outside my house, went to pull up 3 more inches in my parking spot when the vehicle accelerated at an extremely rapid speed, went over the high curb, up my front lawn into the tree in my front yard. It was a battle between the brake and the gas acceleration event. Then I put it gently in…

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On [XXX] I was parking in my parking spot outside my house, went to pull up 3 more inches in my parking spot when the vehicle accelerated at an extremely rapid speed, went over the high curb, up my front lawn into the tree in my front yard. It was a battle between the brake and the gas acceleration event. Then I put it gently in reverse, my car fled rapidly down into the parking lot at such a high rate of speed, I turned the wheel, my car hit 3 cars across the parking lot, shot across the parking lot, popped over that curb, went down an extremely steep hill, hit the cross street, went still in reverse over an island, wiped out two signs and crashed into a car in the middle of the 4 way stop and stopped. My insurance is blaming it on driver error like they are blaming thousands of drivers over the same experience, stating that I mistook the gas pedal instead of the brake and also stating that I did not attempt to brake, that is so far from the truth, you can look at the track marks on the ground and tell I was standing on the brake. What is being done about these awful scenerios. My car is currently in copart being assessed. My car was serviced at the hyundai dealership ever since I purchased it, all the records are there and in my possession, I had low mileage, less than 48,000 miles and planned on holding onto the vehicle for at least 6 more years. Now my car is sabotaged, being blamed like 1,000 of other drivers over the car malfunctioning. There is a sensor for the Throttle, a sensor for the Gas Accelerator that the Computer Control Unit brain waits for the analytical data from both sensors and adds additional throttle to the situation. Once the car is turned off the entire system resets itself, so there is no evidence of high throttle, gas accelerators sticking and the driver is blamed. Since the insurance companies have insured these vehicles there is a lot at stake for these cases to be proven and for the Hyundai manufacturer as well. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA),

NHTSA ODI #11639306

Mileage unknown · Sep 9, 2024
Vehicle Speed Control

Car will accelerate and get stuck in a high gear rpm gauge will not work as well You will come to a stop not knowing you are stuck in a high gear car will not downshift. I tried to cross the intersection from a stop and almost got hit because I could barely accelerate. I was stuck in 5th gear. Car will also stall while stuck in …

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Car will accelerate and get stuck in a high gear rpm gauge will not work as well You will come to a stop not knowing you are stuck in a high gear car will not downshift. I tried to cross the intersection from a stop and almost got hit because I could barely accelerate. I was stuck in 5th gear. Car will also stall while stuck in in a high gear at a stop I can turn off the vehicle and start it and it will reset the car to normal. It will drive fine for a while. Randomly this will happen. From my research I found this is a common problem with many different model years of Hyundai's . Most people say the solution is a new crankshaft sensor . When I ran a diagnostics There are no error codes for this problem. Many other individuals with this problem have said the same from many different online forums I have read. Other individuals I've said they were also stuck in the high gear at a stop and did not know until they accelerated. Some have been in accidents because of this issue. I would assume Hyundai would be aware of this. If there's not a recall on this, I believe there should be.

NHTSA ODI #11613621

Mileage unknown · Apr 16, 2024
Electrical SystemEngineVehicle Speed Control

Reporting my previous VIN in case it helps the new vehicle owner since I am sure they are facing similar defects that I am with my "brand new 2016 Hyundai Elantra". I previously owned a brand new 2015 Hyundai Elantra and had to file a claim after flooding occurred in Kyle, Texas. The 2015 Elantra title was transferred to USAA a…

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Reporting my previous VIN in case it helps the new vehicle owner since I am sure they are facing similar defects that I am with my "brand new 2016 Hyundai Elantra". I previously owned a brand new 2015 Hyundai Elantra and had to file a claim after flooding occurred in Kyle, Texas. The 2015 Elantra title was transferred to USAA after filing a claim for TOTAL LOSS due to engine flooding on [XXX]. Odometer reading on date of total loss is 7,673 miles. Vehicle appears to be sold again with same odometer reading January 2016. Both of my Hyundai Elantra's were purchased at Ron Carter Hyundai Dealership in Texas (Dealer number P113588). This dealership is now called Big Star Hyundai after DCG Acquisitions represented the sale in 2021 - just in time to deny and delay warranty covered defects to consumers who thought they purchased a brand new car. Hope this helps the current vehicle owner in case they are also over spending on dealership recommended "repairs" for their LEMON. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11583354

Mileage unknown · Mar 19, 2024
EngineVehicle Speed Control

The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. Additionally, the vehicle jerked and hesitated. The contact stated that an unknown warning light illuminated with a message not to drive …

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The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. Additionally, the vehicle jerked and hesitated. The contact stated that an unknown warning light illuminated with a message not to drive the vehicle until the vehicle was serviced. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed transmission and 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 unknown.

NHTSA ODI #11578250

Mileage unknown · Nov 28, 2023
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed ControlCrashFireInjury

The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while pulling out of a parking spot, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she depressed the brake pedal several times, but the vehicle failed to respond and crashed into a building. The driver's side …

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The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while pulling out of a parking spot, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she depressed the brake pedal several times, but the vehicle failed to respond and crashed into a building. The driver's side air bag deployed; however, there was flame in the air bag upon deployment. The contact stated that the fire went out on his own. The contact sustained chest pain, and bruises on the chest, stomach, and legs. The contact did not seek medical assistance and was recovering at home. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) that she related to the brake failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI #11557229

Mileage unknown · Apr 9, 2023
EngineUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

Unwanted sudden engine speeding up,No warning or messages.

NHTSA ODI #11516207

Mileage unknown · Jan 10, 2023
Electrical SystemEngineVehicle Speed Control

At any given time without warning the car dies. There is a red light that is sometimes visible on the dash but flashes too quickly and tell which light it may be (due to location of light owner’s manual showing possible oil light/battery). The car has had regular scheduled maintenance. This happens when driving in everyday traff…

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At any given time without warning the car dies. There is a red light that is sometimes visible on the dash but flashes too quickly and tell which light it may be (due to location of light owner’s manual showing possible oil light/battery). The car has had regular scheduled maintenance. This happens when driving in everyday traffic and sometimes when going from stopped to accelerating. This happens when going in reverse or ahead. I have almost been in several different accidents due to it dying in the middle of intersections. Code reader has not been able to locate the problem because there’s no indication of a problem on the check engine light. This is a very serious problem that needs to be taken seriously before it gets someone badly injured or killed.

NHTSA ODI #11500974

51,100 miles · Apr 29, 2020
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control

WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY, ESPECIALLY IF THE ENGINE IS STILL COLD, I WILL SUDDENLY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCELERATE EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE AND VEHICLE IS STILL RUNNING. THEN WHEN I SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO SHAKE LIKE IT'S ALMOST GOING TO DIE ALTOGETHER. THEN IF I TRY TO ACCELERATE AGAIN, IT'S ALMOST LIKE THERE IS NO POWER…

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WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY, ESPECIALLY IF THE ENGINE IS STILL COLD, I WILL SUDDENLY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCELERATE EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE AND VEHICLE IS STILL RUNNING. THEN WHEN I SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO SHAKE LIKE IT'S ALMOST GOING TO DIE ALTOGETHER. THEN IF I TRY TO ACCELERATE AGAIN, IT'S ALMOST LIKE THERE IS NO POWER TO DRIVE,OR THE ENGINE COMPLETELY STALLS, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGINS TO FLASH AND THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT COMES ON. THE ONLY WAY THEN TO BE ABLE TO KEEP DRIVING IS IF I COMPLETELY STOP THE VEHICLE AND TURN THE IGNITION COMPLETELY OFF AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES AND THEN IT WILL USUALLY TAKE 3-5 TRIES TO GET THE CAR TO START AGAIN. THIS HAPPENS NEARLY 1-3 TIMES A WEEK, AND THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT IT'S NOT RELATED TO THE ENGINE RECALL THAT THEY ISSUED, EVEN THOUGH IT APPEARS TO BE THE SAME EXACT ISSUES THAT IS AFFECTING THE OTHER VEHICLES. THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 20 OCCASIONS WHERE I WAS TRYING TO MERGE ONTO A HIGHWAY AND THEN MY VEHICLE DIES OR LOSES POWER AND THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN OF MINE.

NHTSA ODI #11322738

82,000 miles · Jul 14, 2018
Vehicle Speed Control

THE CAR STALLS WHEN YOU COME TO A STOP AFTER THE ENGINE HAS WARMED UP FROM DRIVING. STALLS EVERY TIME THE CAR IDLES AFTER WARM UP. CAR IS DRIVE BY WIRE WITH ALL ELECTRONIC GAS PEDAL AND THROTTLE BODY. NO MEANS OF INCREASING THE IDLE SETTING. STALLING CAN BE AVERTED BY KEEPING RIGHT FOOT ON THE GAS AND BRAKING WITH LEFT FOOT. NOT…

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THE CAR STALLS WHEN YOU COME TO A STOP AFTER THE ENGINE HAS WARMED UP FROM DRIVING. STALLS EVERY TIME THE CAR IDLES AFTER WARM UP. CAR IS DRIVE BY WIRE WITH ALL ELECTRONIC GAS PEDAL AND THROTTLE BODY. NO MEANS OF INCREASING THE IDLE SETTING. STALLING CAN BE AVERTED BY KEEPING RIGHT FOOT ON THE GAS AND BRAKING WITH LEFT FOOT. NOT A SAFE WAY TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ODI #11111349

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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