IllustrationSEEKING TO ACCELERATE AS I MERGED ONTO A HIGHWAY, VEHICLE RPM EXCEEDED 6,000 WITHOUT ACCELERATION. DEPRESSED ACCELERATOR, TRIED AGAIN AND THE ENGINE BACKFIRED. RESULT: BLOWN HEAD GASKET ON VEHICLE WITH ONLY 62,000 KM. I CHANGED THE OIL EVERY 8,500 KM AND HYUNDAI IS DEBATING THE WARRANTY.
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.
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
310–25K
2725–50K
2650–75K
1975–100K
19100–150K
5150K+
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
What owners actually said
261 reportsI WAS IN MOTION ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND CITY STREETS AND THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE AN AWFUL TICKING AND GRINDING NOISE AND THEN STALL. I LOSE STEERING AND BRAKES AND HAVE BEEN IN TOO MANY CLOSE ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS. I HAVE KIDS AND THIS IS NOT SAFE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND THEY C…
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I WAS IN MOTION ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND CITY STREETS AND THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE AN AWFUL TICKING AND GRINDING NOISE AND THEN STALL. I LOSE STEERING AND BRAKES AND HAVE BEEN IN TOO MANY CLOSE ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS. I HAVE KIDS AND THIS IS NOT SAFE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THERE ARE NO DASH INDICATORS ON NOR ANY CODES COMING UP WHEN SCANNED. I READ ABOUT THIS FROM OTHER PEOPLE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. THE SCARIEST TIME WAS WHEN I WAS GOING DOWN A STEEP HILL, CARS IN FRONT AND BACK OF ME. MY CAR STALLED AND WITH NO POWER STEERING AND NO BRAKES I BARELY MANAGED TO SWERVE AROUND THE CAR IN FRONT, DODGE THE ONCOMING CAR IN OTHER LANE, I THEN HAD TO GO INTO AN INTERSECTION PRAYING TO GOD THAT NO OTHER CARS WERE COMING THRU AT THE SAME TIME AND THEN MANAGED TO PULL OVER. DID I MENTION MY KIDS WERE IN THE CAR!!!! PLEASE RECALL THESE CARS FOR STALLING BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED! IT IS VERY DANGEROUS.
ITS A LOUD CRACKLING TICKING NOISE THAT COMES FROM MY 2015 HYUNDAI ELANTRAS ENGINE. WHEN I DRIVE THE THE TICKING TURNS INTO KNOCKING AND THE CAR SHUTS OFF COMPLETELY IN MOTION. I HAVE LOOKED ONLINE TO SEE WHAT THIS ISSUE COULD BE. I'VE READ COUNTLESS STATEMENTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. HYUNDAI NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND ACKNOWLE…
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ITS A LOUD CRACKLING TICKING NOISE THAT COMES FROM MY 2015 HYUNDAI ELANTRAS ENGINE. WHEN I DRIVE THE THE TICKING TURNS INTO KNOCKING AND THE CAR SHUTS OFF COMPLETELY IN MOTION. I HAVE LOOKED ONLINE TO SEE WHAT THIS ISSUE COULD BE. I'VE READ COUNTLESS STATEMENTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. HYUNDAI NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THIS IS A URGENT MANUFACTURING ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO FIXED IMMEDIATELY.
CAR IS STALLING AND ENGINE TURNS OFF WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS HEAVY TRAFFIC. HAVE TO PUT CAR IN PARK AND RESTART. ALL INDICATORS ON DASH TURN ON SUDDENLY AND ENGINE SHUTS OFF. THIS HAS OCCURRED REPEATIDLY WHENEVER I AM IN TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY
I BOUGHT MY 2015 HYUNDAI ELANTRA FROM THE CARMAX IN OAK LAWN ILLINOIS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2018 AND SINCE THEN I'VE EXPERIENCED A FEW PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE AND CARMAX IS ONLY TELLING ME THAT IT WAS A PLASTIC BAG ON THE EXHAUST PIPE AND THAT IT WILL BURN OFF ON ITS OWN. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THEM ON APRIL 17, 2019 AND TODAY IS MAY 1…
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I BOUGHT MY 2015 HYUNDAI ELANTRA FROM THE CARMAX IN OAK LAWN ILLINOIS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2018 AND SINCE THEN I'VE EXPERIENCED A FEW PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE AND CARMAX IS ONLY TELLING ME THAT IT WAS A PLASTIC BAG ON THE EXHAUST PIPE AND THAT IT WILL BURN OFF ON ITS OWN. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THEM ON APRIL 17, 2019 AND TODAY IS MAY 14, 2019 AND I'M ALMOST POSITIVE THAT IT DOESN'T TAKE A WHOLE MONTH FOR A BAG TO BURN OFF AN EXHAUST PIPE. ALSO I HAVE A COMPLAINT ABOUT MY BRAKE SYSTEM, WHEN I BRAKE THE CAR ACTS LIKE IT'S STALLING AND IT MAKES A CLICKING NOISE AS IF THE CAR IS ON ICE AND THE EXTRA BRAKE IS HELPING THE VEHICLE TO STOP. I KNOW THIS ISN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN THIS WAY. I HAVE 3 CHILDREN THAT TRAVEL IN THIS VEHICLE EVERYDAY AND I CAN'T DRIVE A FAULTY VEHICLE AND SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THEM WHILE DRIVING IT.
I WAS ON THE WAY TO TAKE MY DAUGHTER TO HER SISTER'S HOUSE, AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE WE WERE STOPPED BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY. SO, I HAD TO PUT IT IN PARK OR NEUTRAL, AND TURNOVER THE CAR ONCE I TURNED IT OFF FOR A MOMENT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START INTERMITTENTLY AND WOULD STALL. THE FAILURE LEFT THE CONTACT STRANDED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. WALSER HYUNDAI (8100 LAKELAND AVE N, BROOKLYN PARK, MN 55445, (651) 705-0151) WAS NOTIFIED AND REPLACED THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY, BUT THE FAILURE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START INTERMITTENTLY AND WOULD STALL. THE FAILURE LEFT THE CONTACT STRANDED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. WALSER HYUNDAI (8100 LAKELAND AVE N, BROOKLYN PARK, MN 55445, (651) 705-0151) WAS NOTIFIED AND REPLACED THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE ASSEMBLIES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ASKED FOR THE MANUFACTURER TO BUY BACK THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.
THE ISSUE IS RELATED TO AIR VENTILATION IN THE CAR IF I SET THE OPTIONS CORRECTLY TO GET OUTSIDE FRESH AIR WITH NO A/C RUNNING, AFTER SOME TIME I FEEL LIKE I AM INHALING ENGINE EXHAUST. MADE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS BUT EACH TIME I WAS TOLD THAT IT'S WORKING AS DESIGNED. AIR VENTS HAVE SOME ISSUE WHICH LETS THE ENGINE EXHAUST G…
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THE ISSUE IS RELATED TO AIR VENTILATION IN THE CAR IF I SET THE OPTIONS CORRECTLY TO GET OUTSIDE FRESH AIR WITH NO A/C RUNNING, AFTER SOME TIME I FEEL LIKE I AM INHALING ENGINE EXHAUST. MADE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS BUT EACH TIME I WAS TOLD THAT IT'S WORKING AS DESIGNED. AIR VENTS HAVE SOME ISSUE WHICH LETS THE ENGINE EXHAUST GET INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN.
VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP WITH FOOT STILL DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDDLE. BRAKES RELEASED AND CAR SURGED FORWARD HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY STOPPED BEFORE LUNGING FORWARD ON SOUTHBOUD EXIT 185 OF I95 IN BANGOR MAINE04401
VERY LOUD TICKING NOISE FROM ENGINE. WOULD NOT STOP WHEN CAR WAS WARMED UP AS I WAS ORIGINALLY TOLD BY THE DEALER IN THE FALL OR 2018. CONTINUALLY GOT LOUDER AND LOUDER AND I KNEW IT WAS NOT RIGHT. TOOK TO DEALER HAVE BEEN TOLD NEEDS A BRAND NEW ENGINE. FAULTY PISTONS.
Official recalls
326V307000 · 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
2AQ23002 · 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.