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2016 Hyundai Elantra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2016 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

123 reports with mileage · 169 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 111 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. 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.

22 crash reports5 fire reports16 injury reports

What owners actually said

292 reports
Mileage unknown · Oct 17, 2018
Engine And Engine CoolingInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL EXHAUST LEAK AND A STRONG FUEL ODOR WAS PRESENT IN THE CABIN AND TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT BECAME ILL AND NAUSEOUS DUE TO THE FAILURE. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. THE DEALER (ABC HYUNDAI, 6825 REDWOOD ST, LAS VEGAS, NV 8911…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL EXHAUST LEAK AND A STRONG FUEL ODOR WAS PRESENT IN THE CABIN AND TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT BECAME ILL AND NAUSEOUS DUE TO THE FAILURE. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. THE DEALER (ABC HYUNDAI, 6825 REDWOOD ST, LAS VEGAS, NV 89118, (702) 475-8698) WAS NOTIFIED WITHIN TWO DAYS OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT IT WAS A NORMAL CONDITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, CLOSED THE CASE, AND DID NOT PROVIDE AN EXPLANATION FOR THE ODOR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #11140832

34,000 miles · Sep 28, 2018
Service Brakes

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH AND WAS PREPARING TO COME TO A NORMAL STOP FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHEN I BRAKED, A LOG CRUNCHING SOUND CAME FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND IT PULLED HARD TO THE LEFT. I RELEASED THE BRAKES SLIGHTLY AND BRAKED AGAIN. THE CAR CAME TO A SUCCESSFUL STOP. THE SOUND WAS SO LOUD AND VIOLENT, I THOUGHT THE BR…

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I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH AND WAS PREPARING TO COME TO A NORMAL STOP FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHEN I BRAKED, A LOG CRUNCHING SOUND CAME FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND IT PULLED HARD TO THE LEFT. I RELEASED THE BRAKES SLIGHTLY AND BRAKED AGAIN. THE CAR CAME TO A SUCCESSFUL STOP. THE SOUND WAS SO LOUD AND VIOLENT, I THOUGHT THE BRAKE CALIPER OF WHEEL ITSELF HAD BROKEN LOOSE. WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED, I MOVED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AND PULLED OVER FOR A VISUAL INSPECTION. I COULD SEE NO SIGN OF ANY ISSUE AND THE CAR WAS BRAKING FINE. I HAD SEEN A PREVIOUS REPORT ABOUT A SIMILAR ISSUE WHEN ANOTHER DRIVER HAD FINISHED A 360 DEGREE HARD CORNERING EXIT FROM THE FREEWAY. I HAD DONE THE SAME THING BUT HAD DRIVEN ABOUT A MILE AFTER THE EXIT. THE CAR HAS ABOUT 34,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS REGULAR MAINTENANCE BY THE DEALERSHIP. I WILL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH A VISIT FOR A CHECKUP. THE TIRES ARE STILL ORIGINAL AND HAVE ABOUT 5K MILES WEAR LEFT ON THEM. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 3 DAYS SINCE AND HAVE HAD NO ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11132192

33,900 miles · Sep 11, 2018
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Unknown Or Other

I PURCHASE A BRAND NEW HYUNDAI ELANTRA END OF JANUARY 2016. WHEN I START DRIVING IT THE CAR STARTED GIVING ME PROBLEMS FOR 2 AND 7 MONTHS I'VE BEEN HAVING SO MUCH PROBLEM WITH MY CAR WHEN GOING TO DEALER CONSTANTLY SINCE I HAD IT NOW I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER ON TUESDAY AND THE DEALER CALLED ME ON WEDNESDAY WITH THE MECHA…

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I PURCHASE A BRAND NEW HYUNDAI ELANTRA END OF JANUARY 2016. WHEN I START DRIVING IT THE CAR STARTED GIVING ME PROBLEMS FOR 2 AND 7 MONTHS I'VE BEEN HAVING SO MUCH PROBLEM WITH MY CAR WHEN GOING TO DEALER CONSTANTLY SINCE I HAD IT NOW I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER ON TUESDAY AND THE DEALER CALLED ME ON WEDNESDAY WITH THE MECHANIC EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CAR ON THURSDAY THE DEALER CALLED ME BACK SAYING THE CORPORATE COMPANY CAME OUT THEY HAVE TO REPLACE MY WHOLE ENGINE ON MY CAR I AM REALLY NOT HAPPY WITH MY CAR I DON'T WANT IT I WANT THEM TO TAKE THE CAR BACK I AM SO DONE AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS SO BAD THERE. THEY GAVE ME THE RUN-AROUND NORM REEVES HYUNDAI IN CERRITOS AND ALSO THE HENRY INN IN GARDEN GROVE ALSO.

NHTSA ODI #11128713

19,000 miles · Aug 20, 2018
Wheels

WE WERE DRIVING ON 1-95 HIGHWAY WHEN THE FRONT TIRE DISINTEGRATED AND CAUSED CAR DAMAGE TO FRONT BUMPER, LEFT QUARTER PANEL, RIM, WHEEL COVER, AND DRIVER SIDE WINDOW ASSEMBLY. THE TIRE NAME IS HANKOOK TIRES OPTIMA H-428. THE HYUNDAI ELANTTRA BOUGHT IN 2016 HAD ONLY APPROX. 19,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11121151

64,700 miles · Aug 8, 2018
Steering

WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD YESTERDAY, THE STEERING PULLED TO THE RIGHT VERY ABRUPTLY AND 2 LIGHTS CAME ON, ON THE DASH. AT THAT POINT THE STEERING WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THEN I AM TOLD IT'S NOT COVERED UNDER WARRENTY. I KNOW IN RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE THAT THEY HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM IN THE PAST WITH THE SAME ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI #11118547

Mileage unknown · Jul 16, 2018
StructureUnknown Or OtherCrashInjury

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT ON A FREEWAY. THE ACCIDENT INVOLVED MY HYUNDAI, A PICK UP, AND A KIA. THE PERSON DRIVING THE KIA WAS AT FAULT. THE LANE WE WERE IN CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP DUE TO TRAFFIC AND THE PERSON IN THE KIA REAR ENDED ME WHICH CAUSE MY CAR TO HIT THE PICK UP. THE PICK UP HAD MINOR SCRATCHES AND DENTS, THE KIA HAD MINOR…

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I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT ON A FREEWAY. THE ACCIDENT INVOLVED MY HYUNDAI, A PICK UP, AND A KIA. THE PERSON DRIVING THE KIA WAS AT FAULT. THE LANE WE WERE IN CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP DUE TO TRAFFIC AND THE PERSON IN THE KIA REAR ENDED ME WHICH CAUSE MY CAR TO HIT THE PICK UP. THE PICK UP HAD MINOR SCRATCHES AND DENTS, THE KIA HAD MINOR SCRATCHES WHERE AS MY HYUNDAI CRUSHED LIKE A CAN. MY BACK DOORS WOULDNT OPEN AFTER THE IMPACT AND MY CAR IS CONSIDERED TOTALED.

NHTSA ODI #11111755

72,000 miles · Jun 6, 2018
Electrical SystemStructureFire

STARTED ASCENDING OVER A BRIDGE WHEN CAR STARTED TO PUTTER. THEN SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE TAILPIPE. POWER FLICKERED THEN WENT OFF. WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. TURNED OFF THE CAR AND IT WAS SMOKING. LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND SAW DRIPPING FLUID THEN A SPARK. THAT IS WHEN THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE.

NHTSA ODI #11100294

30,000 miles · Jun 6, 2018
EngineFuel/propulsion System

MY 17 YEAR OLD WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AFTER JUST COMPLETING A TURN, WHEN THE WARNING LIGHTS FOR BATTERY, ENGINE, AND OIL CAME ON, THE CAR SLOWED AND STOPPED RUNNING. SHE TRIED TO RESTART, NOTHING. 5 MINS LATER, A FRIENDS DAD STARTED IT WITH NO PROBLEMS. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. TOOK IT TO SERVICE PLACE AN…

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MY 17 YEAR OLD WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AFTER JUST COMPLETING A TURN, WHEN THE WARNING LIGHTS FOR BATTERY, ENGINE, AND OIL CAME ON, THE CAR SLOWED AND STOPPED RUNNING. SHE TRIED TO RESTART, NOTHING. 5 MINS LATER, A FRIENDS DAD STARTED IT WITH NO PROBLEMS. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. TOOK IT TO SERVICE PLACE AND WAS TOLD THEY HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE IN HYUNDAI ELANTRA, WE WERE TOLD IT IS A "FLOODING" PROBLEM THAT HYUNDAI IS LOOKING INTO. THIS SHOULD BE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL TO FIX. I CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER CAR FOR HER AND SHE IS STUCK DRIVING THIS BACK AND FORTH TO COLLEGE THIS FALL. IMAGINE DRIVING A CAR THAT TURNS OFF AT ANYTIME.

NHTSA ODI #11100207

57,000 miles · May 17, 2018
Vehicle Speed Control

WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED MY CAR, I WAS GIVEN A DIFFERENT CAR THAN THE ONE WRITTEN DOWN ON MY PAPERWORK. I HAD TO COME BACK IN TO GET THE CAR THAT MATCHED MY PAPERWORK. SINCE RECEIVING THIS CAR, I NOTICED A SLIGHT HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING. RECENTLY, IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE TO THE POINT WHERE IT WILL JERK REPEATEDLY WHEN I HAVE TO C…

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WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED MY CAR, I WAS GIVEN A DIFFERENT CAR THAN THE ONE WRITTEN DOWN ON MY PAPERWORK. I HAD TO COME BACK IN TO GET THE CAR THAT MATCHED MY PAPERWORK. SINCE RECEIVING THIS CAR, I NOTICED A SLIGHT HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING. RECENTLY, IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE TO THE POINT WHERE IT WILL JERK REPEATEDLY WHEN I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY ACCELERATE AND THEN BREAK WHEN THERE IS TRAFFIC. WHEN I AM JUST DRIVING FREELY ON THE HIGHWAY OR SIDE STREETS, IT SEEMS TO GET STUCK IN ONE GEAR AND NO MATTER HOW HARD I PUSH ON THE GAS PEDAL, IT WILL NOT GO ANY FASTER. I HAVE TO PRESS EXTREMELY HARD ON THE GAS TO MAKE IT GO AND THEN IT WILL JERK FORWARD AND MAKE A REALLY LOUD ACCELERATING SOUND AS IF I'M A MONSTER TRUCK. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE ON THE ROAD AND IT MAKES ME NERVOUS TO DRIVE IT. THIS CAR IS MY ONLY VEHICLE SO I CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO DRIVE IT, BUT I REALLY NEED SOMETHING DONE WITH THIS.

NHTSA ODI #11096642

Mileage unknown · May 4, 2018
Power Train

THIS 2016, HYUNDAI ELANTRA SPORT SUFFERS FROM DANGEROUS HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC THERE IS AN EXPECTATION OF HAVE ACCELERATION FROM A STOP. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. I CALLED THE DEALER ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND ASKED IF TH…

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THIS 2016, HYUNDAI ELANTRA SPORT SUFFERS FROM DANGEROUS HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC THERE IS AN EXPECTATION OF HAVE ACCELERATION FROM A STOP. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. I CALLED THE DEALER ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY TRANSMISSION REPROGRAMMING OR ANYTHING ELSE THE FACTORY HAD DEVELOPED TO CURE THIS PROBLEM THEY SAID NO. TODAY IT WAS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS WHEN I PULLED OUT AND IT JUST WOULD NOT GO FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. BARELY MISSED BEING INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. I BELIEVE IT IS TIME THIS GETS REPORTED AS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY DEFICIENCY. WE HAD BOUGHT THE "SPORT" VERSION OF THE CAR TO GET BETTER ACCELERATION FROM ITS LARGER ENGINE, BECAUSE SOME OWNERS HAD COMPLAINED THAT IT WAS WEAK OF ACCELERATION, BUT THIS DID NOT CURE THE PROBLEM. IT IS ONLY A PROBLEM ON ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. MOVING ACCELERATION IS PRETTY GOOD.

NHTSA ODI #11091911

Official recalls

2

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.

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

1

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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