Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
5
Latest May 29, 2024
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
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InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
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Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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Overview
Our database contains 5 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT, most frequently naming the airbags, brakes and driver assistance categories. 72 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
Monthly complaints peaked at 1 in May 2020. Most recent month: 1.View as table
Monthly owner complaints for the 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT
Month
Complaints filed
Cumulative
May 2020
1
1
Jul 2022
1
2
Sep 2023
1
3
Oct 2023
1
4
May 2024
1
5
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Airbags233.3%
Brakes116.7%
Driver assistance116.7%
Engine116.7%
Steering116.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed May 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the electronic traction stability warning light illuminated. The contact stated the vehicle was losing forward momentum. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle slowed to approximately 15 MPH and failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but was a recurring failure. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the electronic control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.
NHTSA ID
11591347
Incident
Apr 9, 2024
Mileage
94,000 mi
Steering
Filed Oct 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard an abnormal clicking sound coming from the steering wheel. The contact stated after doing research, he determined that the MDSP coupler vehicle was fractured. The contact was informed that the MDSP coupler needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
NHTSA ID
11552049
Incident
Jun 12, 2023
Mileage
75,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Sep 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the horn became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the clockspring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA ID
11544752
Incident
Sep 8, 2023
Brakes
Filed Jul 25, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT. The contact stated that after turning off the vehicle, she had to disconnect the battery cable to prevent the battery from being drained. The contact also stated that the brake lights were inoperable and she was concerned that other drivers might crash into her vehicle due to the brake lights not functioning as designed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V769000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
NHTSA ID
11475653
Incident
Jul 1, 2022
Mileage
89,000 mi
Airbags
Filed May 22, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RUSSELL WESTBROOK HYUNDAI OF GARDEN GROVE (9898 TRASK AVE, GARDEN GROVE, CA 92844, (714) 793-0035) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS FILED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.*DT*JB
NHTSA ID
11325549
Incident
Jan 1, 2020
Mileage
67,000 mi
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
26-GI-004H
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
Some Hyundai vehicles may be equipped with a parking distance warning (PDW) sensor(s) that may trigger various DTCs and display warning messages on the instrument cluster, resulting in the PDW sensor(s) failing to detect nearby objects or triggering multiple false alarms. This condition may be a result of external damage to the PDW sensor membrane or sensor cover from rock chips or road debris, a collision, or previous vehicle repairs or modifications.
26-EM-016H TSB
ENGINE
Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin outlines the combustion chamber cleaning procedure for vehicles diagnosed with this condition. All internal combustion engines consume some engine oil during normal operation, depending on driving conditions and mileage, and this procedure should only be performed when deemed necessary based on inspection and diagnosis of the vehicle as outlined in TSB 26-EM-015H, Engine Oil Consumption – Inspection & Repair Guidelines, or the latest revision.
26-EM-015H TSB
ENGINE
Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin provides the inspection and repair procedures for vehicles exhibiting this condition. All internal combustion engines consume engine oil as part of normal engine operation. Oil consumption rates may vary based on mileage, operating conditions, driving habits, and maintenance history. Hyundai recommends following the prescribed maintenance schedule and periodically checking the engine oil level using the dipstick to maintain proper engine oil level.
DTN DCS
AIR BAGS
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN), that have been identified in U.S. vehicles following prior crashes, theft, or non‑certified airbag replacements. These inflators are not approved for use, may rupture during deployment, and have caused serious injuries and fatalities. Please see attached announcement, provided by NHTSA, for more details.
DTN DL
AIR BAGS
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN). These inflators were not supplied, approved, or authorized by the vehicle manufacturers and have primarily been found in vehicles that previously experienced a crash and underwent airbag replacement using non-genuine parts. These dangerous inflators have ruptured during deployment, posing a serious risk of injury or death due to metal fragments entering the vehicle cabin. To date, Hyundai is aware of three people who have died while driving a Hyundai vehicle with one of these substandard replacement airbag inflators that deployed in what likely would have been a survivable crash. NHTSA has issued a public advisory urging vehicle owners and service professionals to have vehicles inspected if there is reason to believe that a non-genuine replacement airbag may have been installed. Vehicles with salvage or rebuilt titles, prior airbag deployments, or unknown repair histories may present a higher risk. NHTSA strongly cautions against self-inspection by vehicle owners and recommends inspection by trained technicians.
P33 OL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
In response to this trend, we engineered a software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method and made it available to owners of eligible models free of charge at authorized Hyundai dealers since early 2023. In addition to the anti-theft software, we’ve developed a new zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protector hardware upgrade that can be installed at the ignition cylinder location to provide additional protection against the social media theft method. Because your Hyundai vehicle with the VIN listed above (“Subject Vehicle”) was not factory-equipped with an engine immobilizer and was previously eligible for the software upgrade, you are now eligible until March 31, 2027 to have the ignition cylinder protector installed — if you request it — at no cost to you through an authorized Hyundai dealership.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.