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2017 Hyundai Elantra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Elantra years

Owner complaints for the 2017 Hyundai Elantra are substantially higher than the model-year median of 182.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

280 reports with mileage · 486 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 289 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 134 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 111 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

37 crash reports6 fire reports19 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

131 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jul 25, 2023
Unknown Or Other

Rear passenger door will not open inside or out. Driver door takes multiple times to open from the outside.very concerned that in an accident someone will not be able to exit.

NHTSA ODI #11534398

Mileage unknown · Apr 5, 2023
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

vehicle stolen.

NHTSA ODI #11515501

Mileage unknown · Apr 4, 2023
EngineUnknown Or Other

I bought my 17 Hyundai Elantra back in august 22 and noticed sometime after buying it that it smelled like coolant burning when it ran. So I kept my eye out to see if there where any leaks no leaks. Sometime this year I took the car to central Hyundai to get it looked at cause of the burning coolant smell and because after it ha…

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I bought my 17 Hyundai Elantra back in august 22 and noticed sometime after buying it that it smelled like coolant burning when it ran. So I kept my eye out to see if there where any leaks no leaks. Sometime this year I took the car to central Hyundai to get it looked at cause of the burning coolant smell and because after it had been running if I opened the engine oil area on the top of the engine smoke would come out and the oil was pitch black no coolant was mixing with the oil though. The service area there told me that the car was fine and that it was just burning oil because it was an old car. I went out of state for a few days after that so I got a rental instead of taking my car thankfully cause I drove the car for 2 days when I got back and the engine went completely. I was driving down the road and I spun a bearing then blew a piston through the engine block oil leaked all under the car. I called the dealership that looked at it to complain and they completely switched up what happened the day I got my car looked at and said that hd told me it would be best for him to keep the car to look at longer which is not true. I called Hyundai manufacture customer support and they didn’t care because of the mileage I have 116000 about and bought the car with about 98000

NHTSA ODI #11515331

Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2023
EngineUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

Originally I had gottem my oil changed at the Hyundai dealership 2 months before . The car was turning off on me while driving making slow turns or slowing down to 5mph or less. Then my car broke down on me and wouldnt turn on. Mechanic was saying there was no oil in and it created a sludge in the engine basically ruining the ca…

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Originally I had gottem my oil changed at the Hyundai dealership 2 months before . The car was turning off on me while driving making slow turns or slowing down to 5mph or less. Then my car broke down on me and wouldnt turn on. Mechanic was saying there was no oil in and it created a sludge in the engine basically ruining the car. My check oil light never came on, and the oil was just recently changed so this shouldve been apart of the recall where similar issues happened.

NHTSA ODI #11514262

Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2023
TiresUnknown Or OtherWheels

I got this used car from Hyundai Courtesy in late 2020. My issue with this used car is that there is no TPMS reset button to get the tires back to have the same tire pressure. Even with battery mode reset done, the tires are always out of sync after a few days or hours. I do go to the dealership to get the tpms fixed but after …

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I got this used car from Hyundai Courtesy in late 2020. My issue with this used car is that there is no TPMS reset button to get the tires back to have the same tire pressure. Even with battery mode reset done, the tires are always out of sync after a few days or hours. I do go to the dealership to get the tpms fixed but after a few days, it is back to out of sync. I am writing to the safety board to inform them and hopefully, Hyundai corporate can look into this electrical issue.

NHTSA ODI #11514230

Mileage unknown · Jan 26, 2023
Unknown Or Other

Right out of warranty sudden engine heat fluctuations, hot air stopped blowing and cold air is inconsistent. I changed relays and fuses to be safe . Very unhappy about dangerous unreliable products the engine warranty should be extended to this vehicle I have a heart condition. It seems they are trying to avoid addressing major …

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Right out of warranty sudden engine heat fluctuations, hot air stopped blowing and cold air is inconsistent. I changed relays and fuses to be safe . Very unhappy about dangerous unreliable products the engine warranty should be extended to this vehicle I have a heart condition. It seems they are trying to avoid addressing major engine reliability issues

NHTSA ODI #11503837

Mileage unknown · Jan 21, 2023
Unknown Or Other

Roadside assistance locke d keys inside car

NHTSA ODI #11502972

Mileage unknown · Dec 26, 2022
Unknown Or Other

Paint peeling on hood

NHTSA ODI #11498865

Mileage unknown · Dec 10, 2022
Unknown Or Other

Rear driver door won’t open inside or out. Unable to get to the child lock

NHTSA ODI #11496906

Mileage unknown · Nov 30, 2022
Unknown Or Other

The white paint on my 2017 Hyundai Elantra is peeling in large chunks. This may not be a safety issue, but it is a legitimate concern because the Hyundai Corporation is selling vehicles with faulty paint jobs with no recourse to the consumer. The problem is seen on numerous Hyundais driving down the road. Consumers need some …

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The white paint on my 2017 Hyundai Elantra is peeling in large chunks. This may not be a safety issue, but it is a legitimate concern because the Hyundai Corporation is selling vehicles with faulty paint jobs with no recourse to the consumer. The problem is seen on numerous Hyundais driving down the road. Consumers need some sort of intervention to recoup the loss that’s incurred from rust, corrosion or thousands of dollars spent repainting a vehicle. As you can see in my photos, the paint first bubbles then it flakes off. It’s just a matter of time before more paint flies off as I drive down the highway.

NHTSA ODI #11495528

Official recalls

4

17V213000 · Steering:electric Power Assist System

Mar 28, 2017

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Elantra vehicles. The affected vehicles may have a damaged Electronic Power Steering (MDPS) connector resulting in a loss of electric power steering assistance.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Loss of power steering assist would require higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EPS motor, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 28, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-243-7766. Hyundai's number for this recall 161.

17V063000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:hydraulic

Jan 26, 2017

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Elantra vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the brake booster may fail, resulting in a loss of power brake assist.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A loss of power brake assist can lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Hyundai has notified owners, and dealers will replace the brake system booster assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 6, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 157.

16V956000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Dec 30, 2016

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2017 Hyundai Elantra vehicles manufactured April 15, 2016, to September 13, 2016, and Sonata vehicles manufactured May 27, 2016 to September 16, 2016. In these vehicles, the end seal for the driver's frontal air bag inflator may not have been properly installed, possibly resulting in reduced inflation of the frontal air bag in the event of a crash.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate fully increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 156.

16V232000 · Air Bags:frontal

Apr 21, 2016

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured May 29, 2014 to February 11, 2016, 2017 Elantra vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016 to February 22, 2016, and one 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicle manufactured October 15, 2015. In these vehicles, the driver's frontal air bag may be missing a chemical enhancer required for the second stage air bag deployment, resulting in the second stage not deploying in certain crashes. The primary stage will deploy as intended.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An air bag that does not inflate increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on May 5,2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 144.

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

DP22003 · Loss Of Motive Power

Opened Sep 12, 2022 · Closed Dec 12, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are susceptible to cracking. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11481745. On September 12, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Defect Petition (DP22-003) to evaluate the Petitioners’ request. The Petitioners have provided additional complaints within four supplemental letters dated January 31, 2023, March 21, 2023, May 23, 2023, and August 4, 2023. ODI’s evaluation included the review and analysis of the complaints and supporting information submitted by the Petitioners, as well as additional complaints submitted directly to NHTSA which referenced either the oil drain plug or a crack in the oil pan. After reviewing the available data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support opening a defect investigation into the oil drain pan assemblies of the subject vehicles. Based on a review of the available information, a loss of motive power resulting from an oil drain plug back out has not occurred between the initial sale of a vehicle and the completion of its first oil change. If during an oil change service, a technician fails to remove the existing drain plug gasket before installing a new gasket, it is likely that a proper seal between the drain plug and the oil pan will not be made. An improper seal between the drain plug and oil pan could lead to the backing out on the drain plug, resulting in the sudden loss of oil while driving. Additionally, the provided examples of oil pan cracks were localized to the immediate vicinity of the oil drain plug and/or appeared to be the result of direct-contact with a tool during servicing.  There is no information to support that a vehicle-based defect exists relating to the oil pan assembly, and instead the documented incidents are related to the failure to follow the proper maintenance procedures during oil change service. In October 2023, Hyundai published a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that provided detailed instructions for oil change service on its gasoline powered vehicles, specifically highlighting the need to remove and replace the existing drain plug gasket prior to reinstalling the drain plug. After a thorough review of the material submitted by the petitioner, the information already in NHTSA's possession, and the potential risks to motor vehicle safety implicated by the petitioners' allegations, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. Therefore, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA’s reasons for denial of the petition will be published. The reference numbers for the complaints to NHTSA cited by the petitioner can be found in the petition submission documents in the public file for DP22-003. To review those complaints and the additional complaints ODI added to its evaluation which are cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

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