RoadVitals

1996 Hyundai Elantra Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
100
Latest Jun 26, 2008
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.
14
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Oct 7, 1996

What this page shows

Our database holds 100 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Hyundai Elantra. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 100 · page 1 of 4

Tires & wheels
Filed Jun 26, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE VALVE STEMS ON THE VEHICLE CONSTANTLY FAIL AND CAUSE THE TIRES TO FLATTEN. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VALVE STEM FAILED AND FLATTENED THE TIRE. ON MAY 22, 2008, WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VALVE STEM FAILED AGAIN, THE TIRE LOST AIR, AND THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN WOBBLING. WHEN THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE TIRES, THEY WERE FINE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE VALVE STEM. THE STORE FROM WHERE THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED STATED THAT THE RIM WAS BENT AND THE TIRE WAS HIS RESPONSIBILITY. FOUR VALVE STEMS WERE LOST IN FIVE WEEKS. THE CONTACT WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRES, ONLY THE VALVE STEMS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000. UPDATED 07/22/08 *BF UPDATED 07/29/08 *BF

NHTSA ID
10232398
Incident
Apr 29, 2008
Mileage
98,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Apr 5, 2008

WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM - LOCATION POINT THAT CONNECTS TO THE LINKAGE STRIPPED CAUSING IT IN WET WEATHER TO SEND THE WIPERS TO GO COMPLETELY GO OUT PASS THE END OF WINDSHIELD. *TR

NHTSA ID
10223452
Incident
Mar 31, 2008
Mileage
98,500 mi
Fuel system
Filed Feb 11, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND NO FAILURES. FOUR YEARS LATER, THE DEALER REPLACED THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V095002 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY). TWO YEARS LATER, THE CONTACT WAS ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR GASOLINE POISONING. AFTER BEING DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL, SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT HER FUEL TANK WAS CRACKED AND SHE WOULD HAVE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT HER OWN EXPENSE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPAIRED ACCORDING TO THE RECALL IN 2004. SHE FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. SHE HAS A COPY OF ALL THE WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE IN REFERENCE TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 04/18/08 *BF

NHTSA ID
10217674
Incident
May 16, 1998
Mileage
36,000 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Nov 2, 2004

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE AND WINDOW HANDLE(MANUAL WINDOWS) BROKE. THERE WAS NO ABNORMAL USAGE--JUST NORMAL WEAR. HOWEVER, THE INTERIOR PLASTIC HANDLES ARE POORLY MADE. WHAT IF I HAVE TO EXIT THE CAR QUICKLY IN AN EMERGENCY???*AK

NHTSA ID
10098160
Incident
Sep 1, 2004
Mileage
77,500 mi
Fuel system
Filed Apr 20, 2004

CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 00V09002 CONCERNING FUEL TANKS, BUT NEVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS. SIX MONTHS LATER CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS, AND MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT RECALL REPAIRS HAD BEEN DONE ALREADY. CONSUMER CLAIMED THAT RECALL REPAIRS WAS NEVER PERFORMED BECAUSE HE NEVER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID
10067530
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Feb 24, 2004

AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT AN IMPACT OR COLLISION. *LA THE CONSUMER STATED THE DOOR HANDLE BROKE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10061171
Suspension
Filed Jan 13, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH VEHICLE SHOOK HEAVILY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OUT OF THE ROAD, AND NOTICED THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WHEEL FELL OFF. DEALER INDICATED ONE OF THE SCREWS WHICH HELD THE STRUT FELL OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID
10053907
Incident
Jan 13, 2004
Mileage
100,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 5, 2004

WHEN STARTING THE IGNITION TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CUT OFF. IT WOULD BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO RESTART VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP/MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10053366
Incident
Dec 26, 2003
Mileage
70,000 mi
Body & structureSuspension
Filed Nov 6, 2003

I OWN A 1996 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. MY EX PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FROM A USED CAR LOT. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR OVER 3 YEARS. ON MONDAY MORNING I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE DENTIST AND NOTICED A VERY LOUD "LOOSE BUMPING" SOUND..I KNOW THAT PROBABLY DOESN'T MAKE SENSE....UPON MY QUICK RETURN HOME I NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER REAR TIRE (THE ENTIRE THING) SEEMED TO BE LOOSE AND WOBBLY...I HAD A FRIEND COME AND TAKE A LOOK TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. AFTER JACKING THE CAR UP, WITH THE CAR IN THE AIR AND THE TIRE STILL ON THE GROUND HE THOUGHT THAT THE STRUT WAS BROKEN. SO AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE STRUT MOUNTING T THE FRAME HAD FALLEN THRU A RUSTED HOLE IN THE FRAME OF MY CAR. DISTRAUGHT AS I WAS, AND WITH NO HELP FROM THE HYUNDAI DEALER IN THE LOUISVILLE AREA, I WAS OUT OF LUCK ON HOW TO RECTIFY THIS SITUATION. NOW I AM STILL PAYING FOR A CAR THAT I CAN NEVER DRIVE. I AM WANTING TO KNOW IF ANY OTHER HYUNDAI OWNERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I MEAN THE CAR IS NOT EVEN 10 YEARS OLD...AND THE FRAME IS RUSTING OUT ON ME.....THERE ARE NO OTHER RUST SPOTS ON THE CAR ANYWHERE....I AM JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY MY CAR IS BROKE AND NO ONE IS ABLE TO HELP ME FIX IT.*AK

NHTSA ID
10045580
Incident
Nov 3, 2003
Fuel system
Filed Sep 29, 2003

VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL #00V095000. THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST AS FAR AS SMELLING FUEL INSIDE VEHICLE. HAVE CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND INFORMED WILL REPAIR BUT NOT FREE. PETERSBURG HYUNDAI 804 862 1000 IN VA. *AK

NHTSA ID
10041818
Incident
Sep 19, 2003
Mileage
9,000 mi
Transmission
Filed May 22, 2003

TRANS. SLIPS. WHEN YOU RELEASE GAS PEDAL AT HIGH SPEEDS AND ATTEMPT TO REGAIN ACCELERATION TRANSMISSION DOES NOT RESPOND IMMEDIATELY,THERE IS AT LEAST A 5 SEC. PAUSE. I AM NOW GOING IN TO A SHOP FOR A DIAGNOSES DUE TO THE LOSS OF POWER AND NO REVERSE GEAR PRESENT. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10019099
Incident
May 21, 2002
Mileage
92,000 mi
Interior & seats
Filed May 8, 2003

HOOD LATCH RELEASED WHILE I WAS DRIVING CAUSING HOOD TO SLAM BACK AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD AND TOTALLY OBSTRUCTING VISION WHILE ON MAIN ROAD. CAR NEEDED TO BE TOWED AND HOOD REPLACED. AUTO BODY OWNER FOUND LATCH, BOLTS, NUTS WERE ALL RUSTED. IN RECENTLY SPEAKING WITH HIM AGAIN HE MENTIONED THAT SHORTLY AFTER I HAD MY HOOD REPLACED HE HAD ANOTHER HYUNDAI ELANTRA COME IN THAT ALSO HAD RUSTED NUTS/BOLTS/LATCH. MY CAR IS A 1996 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10018409
Incident
Aug 26, 2002
Mileage
154,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Sep 27, 2002

THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND THE HANDLE IS STILL NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. *JG

NHTSA ID
567653
Engine
Filed Sep 26, 2002

VEHICLE STALLS WHEN TURNING , SLOWING OR STOPPING. NLM

NHTSA ID
767789
Electrical
Filed Aug 7, 2002

IF THEY TURN OFF VEHICLE IT WOULD BE HARD TO START IT BACK UP. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID
8015709
Incident
Jul 25, 2002
Electrical
Filed Jul 3, 2002

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THE PROBLEM IS RECCURRING. *JB OXYGEN SENSOR AND COIL PACK WERE REPLACED. FUEL INJECTORS WERE CLEANED, THROTTLE BODY REPLACED. BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTED UNTIL DEALER FOUND BATTERY HAD DEAD CELL. *TT

NHTSA ID
8013238
Incident
Jun 15, 2002
Fuel system
Filed Sep 10, 2001

CONSUMER TRIED TO CONTACT THE HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE RECALL FOLLOW-UP ABOUT THE EVAPORATING EMISSION SYSTEM (00V-095), BUT HE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REACH ANYONE TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE TO REPAIRS MADE.

NHTSA ID
563085
Transmission
Filed Jul 10, 2001

VEHICLE LOST ALL DRIVE GEARS WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DEALER SERVICE REPORTS TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. OCCURED WIHOUT WARNING , NO NOTICABLE CHANGE IN TRANSMISSION FLUID, AND AT ONLY 69,975 MILES (MOSTLY IN-TOWN 20 MILE WORK COMMUTE). DEALER CLAIMS NO WARRANTY COVERAGE. *AK

NHTSA ID
748230
Incident
Jul 6, 2001
Brakes
Filed Jul 9, 2001

RIGHT FRONT BRAKE PAD SEPARATED FROM BACKING PAD WHILE DRIVING. SITUATION RESULTED IN REDUCED BRAKING CAPABILITY WHEN BRAKES WHERE UTILIZED. BRAKE PADS HAD APPROX 25 - 35% LIFE REMAINING.*AK

NHTSA ID
748116
Incident
Jul 7, 2001
Airbags
Filed Jun 6, 2001

AS CONSUMER WAS DRIVING HE HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER CAR. VEHICLE WENT UP ON A CURB, CAUSING BOTH AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED BY AIRBAGS/ FRONT END WAS PUSHED BACK. PLEASE ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
889904
Incident
Jun 5, 2001
Brakes
Filed May 29, 2001

BOTH FRONT ROTORS HAVE MULTIPLE HAIRLINE CRACKS -NEVER BEEN CUT WITH PLENTY OF BRAKE LINING LEFT -- ALL HIGHWAY DRIVING NOT STOP AND GO . *AK

NHTSA ID
746056
Incident
May 1, 2001
Airbags
Filed Feb 8, 2001
Crash reported

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH AND CROSSING A GREEN LIGHT ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS ONCOMING TRAFFIC TRYING TO MAKE A TURN IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, BUT CONSUMER COULD NOT AVOID CRASHING INTO IT. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID
880169
Incident
Dec 18, 2000
Engine
Filed Jan 17, 2001

WHENEVER DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD DIE OUT. TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS 5 TIMES. EACH TIME MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. CHECKED COILS/AIR/ OIL FILTERS/ ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AND FUEL SYSTEM. NOTHING RESOLVED STALLING. *AK

NHTSA ID
878314
Interior & seats
Filed Dec 23, 2000

DASH HAS BEEN RETURNED TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES TO REPAIR. FIRST IT WAS SAID TO BE A SPEEDOMETER CABLE THAT WAS REPLACED. THE NOISE CONTINUES TO GET LOUDER AND LOUDER. *AK

NHTSA ID
738175
Incident
Aug 12, 2000
Fuel system
Filed Oct 17, 2000

CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER IN REFERENCE TO RECALL NUMBER 00V095001, MANUFCTURER'S NUMBER NOT AVAILABLE. DEALER REFUSED TO CORRECT THE RECALL PROBLEM, CAP WAS ONLY REPLACED. CONSUMER NOTE WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLS AND CUT OFF WITHOUT NO PRIOR WARNING. *AK

NHTSA ID
873189

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.

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