Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 16 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2013 Hyundai Elantra Touring, most frequently naming the other / unspecified, tires & wheels and engine categories. 26 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.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2014 | 1 | 1 |
| Jun 2014 | 1 | 2 |
| Mar 2015 | 1 | 3 |
| Apr 2015 | 1 | 4 |
| Jun 2015 | 1 | 5 |
| Aug 2015 | 1 | 6 |
| Nov 2015 | 1 | 7 |
| Jan 2016 | 1 | 8 |
| Apr 2016 | 1 | 9 |
| Mar 2017 | 1 | 10 |
| Apr 2017 | 1 | 11 |
| Dec 2017 | 2 | 13 |
| Jan 2019 | 1 | 14 |
| Mar 2019 | 1 | 15 |
| Sep 2022 | 1 | 16 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
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.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
The brake light switch had to be replaced again. The brakes light was staying on while driving and barked. The same item was on a recall about 4 to 5 years ago. The part is still failing.
THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED YET, BUT IT WILL, AND TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER 1.8L ENGINES. WHY HAVE YOU NOT RECALLED THE HYUNDAI 1.8L NU ENGINES USED IN THE KIA FORTE AND HYUNDAI ELANTRA'S (ALL TRIMS AND LEVELS FROM 2011-2016). THIS ENGINE HAS THE SAME ISSUES AS THE 2.0L AND 2.4L ENGINES, AND MORE 1.8L ENGINES WERE SOLD THAN THE 2.0L AND 2.4L ENGINES COMBINED. MY ENGINE IS NOW EXPERIENCING 'ROD-KNOCK' AND SINCE I AM THE SECOND OWNER AND MY CAR ONLY HAS 80000 MILES, HYUNDAI WILL NOT REPAIR OR REPLACE THE ENGINE, EVEN THOUGH ITS A KNOWN MANUFACTURING DEFECT. YOU CAN FIND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS OF THIS ENGINE ON VARIOUS CAR FORUMS AND CONSUMER REPORT WEBSITES, YET YOU FAIL TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND MAKE IT PUBLIC.
TAKATA RECALL THE OPERATOR OF THE 2013 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN FROM THE RIGHT LANE AND STRUCK THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS HIT IN THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE AND FORCIBLY PUSHED INTO THE STREET CURB. THIS RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT FRONT END DAMAGE AND THE SUSPENSION OF ALL FOUR TIRES. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED AND REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION ON THE SCENE. THE DRIVER'S HEAD IMPACTED THE DRIVER'S WINDOW, DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE SIDE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY, RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT BRUISING AND A SERIOUS CONCUSSION. THE DRIVER REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM. DRIVER WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A CONCUSSION AND UPON FURTHER CARE A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. THE DRIVER HAS SUSTAINED VISION LOSS AND HEARING LOSS/TINNITUS REQUIRING HEARING AIDS. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON A CITY STREET WHILE THE HYUNDAI WAS IN MOTION HEADED STRAIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 20-25 MPH. THE AT FAULT VEHICLE, A FULL SIZE FORD SUV WAS DRIVING IN EXCESS OF THE SPEED LIMIT AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. THE ACCIDENT WAS WITNESSED BY THE CITY OF PORTLAND FIRE ENGINE COMPANY AND RESCUE TEAM. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. APPROXIMATELY $6,000 IN DAMAGES OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS AT A RATE OF $128 PER HOUR AND WAS QUOTED AT LEAST 2.5 HOURS TO ASSESS THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 44,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AS SCHEDULED.
FREQUENTLY TIRE SIDE WALLS BULGE AND CRACKS. CANNOT SEE AS THE PROBLEM FOUND INSIDE AND PROBLEM INDICATED BY LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING IN DASH BOARD. SERVICE DEALER CONCLUDED TIRE DAMAGES FROM POT HOLES. FIRST TWO DAMAGES OCCURRED AT 11557 AND 13116 MILES. THIRD AND FOURTH TIME DAMAGES TOOK PLACE AT42244 AND 45634 MILES. DURING FIRST TIME FAILURE, CONTACTED HYUNDAI CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ON THEIR ADVISE CONTACTED NEXEN TIRE MANUFACTURER. THEY INFORMED TIRE DAMAGE MIGHT BE FROM POT HOLES. SERVICE DEALER ALSO CONCLUDE THE SAME. ON 12-30-17 CONTACTED HYUNDAI CORPORATE SERVICE AND THEY SAID TO CONTACT NEXEN. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND NEED ATTENTION
THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT APPROX 62,000 MILES. I BELIEVE THIS VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED WITH THE LARGER HYUNDAI/KIA ENGINE RECALL. IT TOOK 2 MONTHS TO GET A NEW ENGINE SINCE THEY ARE ON BACK ORDER.
CPSC:PURCHASED SYLVANIA H11 SILVERSTAR BULB REPLACEMENT FOR CAR HEADLIGHT THAT SHORTLY AFTER TURNING HEADLIGHT ON EXPLODED IN MY FACE DURING INSTALLATION IN WALMART PARKING LOT LEAVING VERY PAINFUL BURNS STINGING AND BLEEDING FROM GLASS SHARD LACERATIONS TO EYE, FACE AND HAND THEN HAD INTENSE HEADACHE NOSEBLEED NOT WELL FEELING IN GENERAL....RINGING IN EARS AND BURNS CONTINUE TO BE EXTREMELY PAINFUL NEXT DAY THOUGH BLEEDING HAS STOPPED. *BF UPDATED 04/17/2017*JS
AFTER WATCHING A NEWS STORY ABOUT A WOMAN TRAPPED IN HER TRUNK BY A THIEF - SHE EVENTUALLY USED THE EMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASE PULL TO OPEN TRUNK AND JUMP FREE. LOOKING FOR THE TRUNK EMERGENCY UNLOCK LATCH AND CAN'T FIND ONE.... THOUGHT THIS WAS MANDATORY??
I RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE AN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRE BECAUSE OF A BULGE IN THE SIDEWALL. I HAD THE SERVICE DONE AT MY DEALERS, FROM WHOM I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IN NOVEMBER 2012. IT IS A 2013 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GT WITH LESS THAN 15,000 MILES. THE DEALER KINDLY CHECKED WITH YOU AND WAS TOLD THAT IT DID NOT QUALIFY FOR ANY REPLACEMENT CREDIT. THEY SHOWED ME THE CURRENT WARRANTY INFORMATION WHICH SPECIFICALLY LISTS 'BULGE' AS A ROAD HAZARD NOT COVERED. HOWEVER, I AM ATTACHING A COPY OF THE WARRANTY RECEIVED WITH THE CAR AND YOU WILL NOTE THAT 'BULGE' IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE EXCLUSIONS. IT APPEARS THAT THE FREQUENCY OF 'BULGES' BECAME SO GREAT THAT YOU FOUND IT NECESSARY TO INCLUDE THEM IN YOUR EXCLUSION LIST.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
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.
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.
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.
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.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Hyundai applies a Paint Protection Film (PPF) on new vehicles before delivery to dealerships. It provides a barrier between the paint and contaminants, such as rail dust, acid rain, and industrial fallout. In rare cases, the paint can become clouded under the PPF. These spots are the result of moisture trapped between the PPF and the paint.
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.
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.