RoadVitals

2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring

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.
29
Latest Jun 6, 2019
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.
3
Latest Feb 4, 2020
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.
1
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.
5
3 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 29 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring, most frequently naming the driver assistance, engine and airbags categories. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 43 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.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Engine513.2%
  • Airbags410.5%
  • Brakes410.5%
  • Powertrain (other)410.5%
  • Steering37.9%
  • Other / unspecified25.3%
  • Interior & seats12.6%

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

3 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

Feb 4, 2020
476,111 units potentially affected
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Elantra and 2009-2011 Elantra Touring vehicles. On February 21, 2020 Hyundai expanded the recall to include 46,425 model year 2007-2008 Entourage and 2007 Santa Fe vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.
The risk: An electrical short within the ABS Module may cause an engine compartment fire, even when the car is turned off, increasing the risk of an injury.
The remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the vehicle's main junction box to prevent the risk of an ABS short-circuit while the car is turned off, free of charge. The recall began April 2, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 188.
Hyundai Motor AmericaManufacturer number 188View on NHTSA.gov

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

Jun 10, 2014
35,000 units potentially affected
The defect: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured December 15, 2009, through May 7, 2012. The affected vehicles have a support bracket attached to the headliner that may become displaced during a side curtain airbag deployment.
The risk: If the headliner support bracket makes contact with an occupant during a crash, it may cause a laceration injury.
The remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will apply adhesive strips to the headliner, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2014. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 117.
Hyundai Motor CompanyManufacturer number 117View on NHTSA.gov

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

Apr 1, 2013
1,712,336 units potentially affected
The defect: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
The risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.
Hyundai Motor CompanyManufacturer number 110View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

RQ13004ClosedRecall Query

Headliner Bracket Detachment

Opened Dec 4, 2013
Closed Jun 24, 2014

Hyundai is conducting a safety recall to reinforce the attachment of the metal support bracket to the headliner assembly in approximately 35,000 model year (MY) 2010-2012 Hyundai Elantra Touring vehicles built from December 15, 2009 through May 7, 2012 (see NHTSA recall 14V-310 for more information).These Elantra Touring vehicles have a common headliner bracket design while the earlier MY 2009-2010 Elantra Touring vehicles have a headliner bracket design that utilizes a shorter length bracket which, should it become separated from the headliner, is unlikely to be displaced into the path of the driver or any occupant.During this investigation, ODI identified a MY 2010 subject vehicle in a salvage yard with a deployed driver-side curtain air bag that showed the headliner bracket displaced downward into the driver's window area.Also, during a static side curtain air bag deployment test conducted by Hyundai, the headliner bracket almost completely separated from the headliner.The headliner tested came out of a MY 2010 subject vehicle.Finally, ODI identified two warranty claims on the subject vehicles that indicate potential headliner bracket issues.Warranty records for these claims indicate vehicle owners complaining of noise or rattling coming from the headliner area and Hyundai dealer technicians reported finding brackets that came loose or unglued from the headliner.ODI is not aware of any related injury allegations.This investigation was opened to evaluate the scope of NHTSA Recall (13V115) influenced by an earlier ODI investigation (EA12-008).EA12-008 involved the same defect issue on MY 2011-2013 Elantra models, and a similar remedy approach was utilized in the 13V115 recall action.Based on the recall action taken by Hyundai, this investigation is closed.

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOWLed to recall 14V310000

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Filed Jun 6, 2019
Fire reported

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN GARAGE. VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING AND HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR OVER 5 HOURS. FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

NHTSA ID
11218387
Incident
Jul 12, 2017
Mileage
127,000 mi
Engine
Filed May 16, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA TOURING. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, AN ABNORMAL TICKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE NOISE WAS PERSISTENT. LUTHER BURNSVILLE HYUNDAI (14700 BUCK HILL RD, BURNSVILLE, MN 55306, (612) 424-7923) INFORMED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE PISTONS WERE CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 45,000. *BF *JB

NHTSA ID
11208035
Incident
Feb 1, 2019
Mileage
45,000 mi
Driver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 14, 2018

AFTER GETTING ON THE ON-RAMP ON THE HIGHWAY I SHIFTED MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION FROM 4TH TO 5TH GEAR TO ACCELERATE TO 50 MPH BUT THE GEAR DIDN'T SHIFT TO 5TH AND THE ENGINE WAS INADVERTENTLY REVVED UP TO 4 ON THE TACHOMETER WITHOUT ANY INCREASE IN SPEED; IT FELT AS IF I STEPPED DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL WHILE IN NEUTRAL. I DROVE THE NEXT 25 MILES HOME IN 4TH GEAR AT 45 TO 50 MPH.

NHTSA ID
11161404
Incident
Dec 14, 2018
Mileage
754,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Nov 2, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA TOURING. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE RPMS REVVED WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS BEING DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HERB CHAMBERS HYUNDAI OF AUBURN (LOCATED AT 735 SOUTHBRIDGE ST, AUBURN, MA 01501, (508) 832-9990) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. ADDITIONALLY, THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. *TT*JB

NHTSA ID
11144887
Incident
Nov 1, 2018
Mileage
75,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 26, 2018

MY DAUGHTER BOUGHT THE CAR USED FROM CARMAX WITH 88,000 MILES AND 2 WEEKS LATER HAD A KNOCKING AND CLICKING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. SHE TOOK IT BACK TO CARMAX AND THEY REPAIRED IT NOTING THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE CAM SHAFT. 2 YEARS LATER AND 110,000 MILES, THE SAME NOISE OCCURRED WITH REGULAR OIL CHANGES. WHEN WE HAD THE CAR ENGINE DIAGNOSED, THIS TIME SHE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE.

NHTSA ID
11113864
Incident
Jul 5, 2018
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed May 21, 2018

INITIAL ISSUE WAS AUTOMATIC SPEED CONTROL (CRUISE CNTRL), WILL NOT STAY ENGAGED. CRUISE NO LONGER WORKS IN ANY WAY OTHER THAN TO TURN IT ON. THIS ISSUE BEGAN AROUND JAN 2017. NEXT ISSUE IS ESC OFF LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON AND WILL NOT RESET WITHOUT RESTART. LATEST ISSUE IS THE 3RD BRAKE LIGHT IS THE ONLY BRAKE LIGHT WORKING. THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND ESC ISSUE BEGAN AROUND MARCH 2018.

NHTSA ID
11097135
Incident
Jan 1, 2017
Mileage
85,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Nov 15, 2017

WHILE DRIVING OR STATIONARY AND PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY AND UNPREDICTABLY INCREASE IN ACCELERATION OR RPMS, RESPECTIVELY, WAY MORE THAN INTENDED EVEN AFTER RELEASING THE GAS PEDAL. A COUPLE POINTS TO NOTE: 1) THE CAR IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND DURING THE DESCRIBED EPISODE IF YOU PRESS THE CLUTCH AND PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL THE RPMS WILL SUDDENLY JUMP TO BETWEEN 6000-8000 RPMS WHERE THEY WILL STAY SOMETIMES FOR A 1 MINUTE BEFORE RETURNING TO NORMAL; 2) DURING THIS UNPREDICTABLE INCREASE IN ACCELERATION OR RPMS (IF WHILE IN NEUTRAL), THE GAS PEDAL FEELS STUCK AS THOUGH IT DOES NOT RETURN TO ITS NORMAL STATE; 3) WHILE IN GEAR AND DRIVING, TAKING FOOT OFF GAS PEDAL DOES NOT REALIZE A DECREASE IN ACCELERATION OR RPMS, RATHER THE CAR CONTINUES TO INCREASE AT A FAST SPEED AS THOUGH THE CAR WAS BEING PULLED; 4) TURNING THE CAR OFF ALONE SOMETIMES DOES NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE AS UPON NEXT START OF THE ENGINE THE RPMS WILL IMMEDIATELY JUMP TO 6000-8000; 5) THIS ISSUE OCCURS WITH AND WITHOUT THE FLOORMATS; 6) THE ISSUE OCCURS MOST FREQUENTLY AT START UP AND OFTEN RESOLVES ITSELF AFTER A COUPLE DANGEROUS AND SCARY MINUTES OF MONITORING THE ACCELERATION AND RPMS IN RESPONSE YOUR TOGGLING OF THE GAS PEDAL; 7) THE ISSUE WAS NOTICED INITIALLY AT ROUGHLY 90,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND OCCURS ABOUT 3-5 TIMES A MONTH; 8) I LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

NHTSA ID
11046280
Incident
Nov 15, 2017
Engine
Filed Feb 21, 2017

OIL LEAKED FROM THE CRANKCASE SEAL WHILE DRIVING. A MECHANIC REPLACED THE SEAL, WHICH FAILED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. THERE ARE METAL FRAGMENTS IN THE FRESH OIL.

NHTSA ID
10956083
Incident
Feb 4, 2017
Mileage
76,755 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

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.

25-BD-012H TSB

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of condensation inside the lamp assembly. Lamp assembly replacement is NOT necessary in most cases. This condition can be eliminated by turning on the lamps with the engine running for several minutes or during normal driving operation.

24-01-009H-1

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

A class settlement against Hyundai Motor America (“HMA”) that had alleged that certain 2011 – 2022 model year Hyundai vehicles that were not equipped with an engine immobilizer (called the “Class Vehicles”) contain design flaws, including the failure to manufacture the Class Vehicles with an anti-theft device called an engine immobilizer, that make them susceptible to theft and damage. Class Vehicles manufactured without an engine immobilizer have traditional “turn-key-to-start” ignition systems.

24-01-009H-1

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

A class settlement against Hyundai Motor America (“HMA”) that had alleged that certain 2011 – 2022 model year Hyundai vehicles that were not equipped with an engine immobilizer (called the “Class Vehicles”) contain design flaws, including the failure to manufacture the Class Vehicles with an anti-theft device called an engine immobilizer, that make them susceptible to theft and damage. Class Vehicles manufactured without an engine immobilizer have traditional “turn-key-to-start” ignition systems.

24-BD-001H

VISIBILITY; VISIBILITY/WIPER

This bulletin contains information about the proper removal of the windshield wiper blade protective cover on all models. If the protective cover is not removed correctly, there is a possibility of the rubber insert and rail spring becoming partially separated on the inner side of the wiper blade, which could lead to poor wiping performance and/or possible scratching of the windshield glass. Follow the procedure in this bulletin to properly remove the windshield wiper blade protective cover on all new wiper blades.

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

Hyundai Elantra Touring by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2013160040.5
2012221145.9
2011Viewing293156.3
2010744161.5
2009323144.9
2008100
2007000

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.