RoadVitals

2006 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.
155
Latest Aug 5, 2021
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.
28
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 Jul 3, 2006

What this page shows

Our database holds 155 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2006 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 155 · page 1 of 7

Airbags
Filed Aug 5, 2021
Crash reported

My son was driving our 2006 Hyundai Elantra and crashed into the end of a guardrail. The air bag did not deploy. The car was declared a total loss by the insurance company. I am concerned that the airbag did not deploy with the severity of the crash. I have uploaded three pictures of the car and one of the end of the guardrail that was impacted. The estimate for speed at impact was 35 mph. The weather was sunny, dry and above 80 degrees. about 6:30PM Eastern time.

NHTSA ID
11427933
Incident
Jul 23, 2021
Body & structure
Filed May 3, 2021

WENT FOR AN INSPECTION AND WAS TOLD MY FRONT SUB FRAME WAS RUSTED AND ROTTED. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS UNDER RECALL, BUT UPON FURTHER RESEARCH I FOUND THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS ON THIS SAME PART FOR OTHER YEARS OF THIS CAR BUT APPARANTLY THE 2006 WAS NOT INCLUDED, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE THE SAME ISSUES, AND THEY CHARGED ME FOR OTHER REPAIRS UNDER THE PRETENSE THAT THE SUB FRAME WOULD BE FIXED BY A DEALERSHIP FOR FREE DUE TO THE RECALL.

NHTSA ID
11414951
Incident
Apr 26, 2021
Mileage
130,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Apr 18, 2021

EXTENSIVE RUST ON THE LOWER ENGINE SUBFRAME CROSSMEMBER: THE SUBFRAME HAS ROTTED LOOSE AND THE FRONT SUSPENSION CONTROL ARMS RATTLE THE SUBFRAME FROM WHERE THEY ARE ATTACHED. THIS ELANTRA WAS PURCHASED NEW AND ONLY HAS 44000 MILES. THE CONTROL ARMS WILL TEAR AWAY FROM THE LOOSE SUBFRAME AND CAUSE A LOOS OF CONTROL ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
11412757
Incident
Aug 12, 2016
Airbags
Filed Nov 11, 2020

I NOTICED THAT MY AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON NEAR MY DASHBOARD WHERE ARE THE SPEEDOMETER IS AND WHEN I HAVE PASSENGERS IN MY CAR THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT IS OFF I DON'T BELIEVE MY SENSORS WORK FOR MY AIRBAGS

NHTSA ID
11374158
Incident
Mar 20, 2010
Mileage
65,000 mi
BrakesExterior lighting
Filed Oct 13, 2020

MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE STUCK ON BUT MY FUSES ARE NOT BLOWN.

NHTSA ID
11364051
Incident
Oct 13, 2020
Mileage
103,072 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 7, 2020

AFTER OWNING TWO '06 ELANTRAS, I'VE COME TO REALIZE A RECURRING ISSUE WITH THE DASHBOARD ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. WHEN THE TURNER INDICATOR IS ENGAGED, THE REST OF THE DASHBOARD HAS A TENDENCY TO SHORT OUT FOR A SECOND OR TWO BEFORE RETURNING TO NORMAL.

NHTSA ID
11307675
Incident
Feb 6, 2020
Mileage
140,000 mi
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Nov 6, 2019

AIR BAG LIGHT ON BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON AFTER CAR OFF AND FOOT NOT PUSHING THEM ON

NHTSA ID
11278401
Incident
Sep 2, 2019
Airbags
Filed Oct 18, 2019
1 injury reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT AND SMOKE WAS DETECTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BURNS AND INJURIES TO THE EYES, CHEST, AND CHIN. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

NHTSA ID
11269346
Incident
Oct 18, 2019
Mileage
135,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Aug 5, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POLICE INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V280000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,676.

NHTSA ID
11241761
Incident
Jul 24, 2019
Mileage
133,676 mi
Airbags
Filed Apr 25, 2019
Crash reported

I REAR-ENDED SOMEONE AT AROUND 30-35 MPH. THE VEHICLE I HIT WAS STATIONARY. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY BUT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS LEFT ON. NO ONE WAS INJURED.

NHTSA ID
11203805
Incident
Mar 18, 2019
Mileage
95,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Dec 10, 2018

MY 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE STOPPED FUNCTIONING ALL OF A SUDDEN. I REPLACED BOTH BULBS AND NOTHING CHANGED. THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS MODEL VEHICLE FOR A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MALFUNCTION AND DESCRIBES IN DETAIL THE EXACT PROBLEM WITH MY CAR BUT MY VIN DOES NOT APPEAR TO QUALIFY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN.

NHTSA ID
11160620
Incident
Dec 9, 2018
Mileage
89,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 23, 2018

THE CAR AIRBAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE RELATED TO ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR. A MECHANIC READ CODE B1448 FOR A DEFECTIVE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR. IT SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH HYUNDAI'S AND THE ACCENT'S WERE RECALLED BUT NOT THE ELANTRA. I SUSPECT THE SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEM IS HAPPENING WITH THE 2016 HYUNDAI ELANTRA OCCUPANT SENSOR.

NHTSA ID
11153447
Incident
Oct 1, 2018
Mileage
170,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Sep 20, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, WHICH WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000.

NHTSA ID
11130470
Incident
Sep 19, 2018
Mileage
140,000 mi
AirbagsElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Sep 13, 2018

PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT IN THE CENTER HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY SINCE I'VE GOTTEN THE CAR, THE LIGHT NEVER USED TO GO OFF WHEN AN ADULT WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WHICH MEANS THE AIRBAGS WERE DISABLED. NOW THE DASHBOARD AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AND DOES NOT EVER GO OFF, MEANING ALL AIRBAGS ARE DISABLED. IT CAME ON UPON STARTING UP MY VEHICLE AND HAS NOT GONE OFF SINCE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR, BUT IS NOT REPORTED PROPERLY VIA NHTSA, INSTEAD MANY COMPLAINTS ARE MADE VIA FORUMS. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AND MY HEADLIGHTS ARE ON, TURNING THE WHEEL AND USING THE BLINKER CAUSES ALL DASH LIGHTS AS WELL AS MY HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS TO FLICKER BRIEFLY. REAR WINDOWS ARE NOT ABLE TO BE ROLLED DOWN VIA THE MAIN CONTROL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, ONLY CAN BE ROLLED UP.

NHTSA ID
11129314
Incident
Mar 1, 2018
Mileage
103,000 mi
AirbagsInterior & seats
Filed Sep 2, 2018

THIS SAFETY COMPLAINT HAS TO DO WITH THE B1448 OC SENSOR MAT DEFECT, I HAVE AN AIR BAG LIGHT ON AND HAVE USED A SCAN TOOL AND GOT THE CODE FOR THE B1448 OC SENSOR MAT DEFECT. THIS ISSUE WAS GIVEN A RECALL FOR THE HYUNDAI SONATA BUT I HAVE A HYUNDAI ELANTRA AND THERE IS NO RECALL BUT MY CAR FACES THE SAME ISSUE. I'VE READ THAT DEALERS TRY TO CHARGE AS MUCH AS $1,000 TO FIX THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
11124060
Incident
Jun 6, 2018
Mileage
68,000 mi
Airbags
Filed May 21, 2018

AIRBAG LIGHT ON DASH ILLUMINATED FOR 10+ YEARS, WILL NOT SHUT OFF. PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF LIGHT IN CENTER CONSOLE WILL NOT ILLUMINATE REGARDLESS OF EVEN WHEN A SMALL STATURED PASSENGER IS PRESENT OR THERE IS NO PASSENGER AT ALL.

NHTSA ID
11097040
Incident
Jan 1, 2008
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Feb 24, 2018

MY PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR NO LONGER DETECTS THE PRESENCE OF A PASSENGER, SO MY PASSENGER AIRBAG IS ALWAYS ON, WHEN THE SEAT IS BOTH OCCUPIED OR UNOCCUPIED. ALSO, MY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH NO LONGER WORKS, SO MY BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT TURN ON WHEN I DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. BOTH OF THESE ISSUES OCCUR INCESSANTLY.

NHTSA ID
11074662
Incident
Nov 20, 2017
Mileage
155,000 mi
BrakesExterior lighting
Filed Jul 25, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED EVEN WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT DEPRESSED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. UPON CONDUCTING RESEARCH, THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V113000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, EXTERIOR LIGHTING) AS A POSSIBLE EXPLANATION FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 118,000.

NHTSA ID
11010562
Incident
Jul 23, 2017
Mileage
118,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jun 28, 2017

ANNUAL SAFETY CHECK TODAY REVEALED ALL OF THE BREAK LIGHTING WAS NOT WORKING ON OUR 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. CHECKED FUSE AND BULB AND ALL ARE WORKING. SEARCHED THIS WEBSITE AND FOUND RECALLS FOR MANY MODELS AND YEARS OF HYUNDAI, BUT NOT THIS PARTICULAR YEAR AND MODEL. I NOTICED ALSO THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS WOULD OPERATE WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THESE ISSUES WERE RESOLVED WITH THE INSTALATION OF A NEW SWITCH

NHTSA ID
11002024
Incident
Jun 27, 2017
Mileage
85,558 mi
AirbagsBrakesElectrical
Filed May 24, 2017

MY CAR HAS HAD ENGINE LIGHTS GO ON AND OFF FOR YEARS ON THEIR OWN, WINDOWS THAT YOU USE ONE SWITCH FOR THAT MAKE A DIFFERENT WINDOW GO DOWN AND THEN SOMETIMES THEY DON'T GO UP, MY BRAKES HAVEN'T RELEASED THE CRUISE CONTROL AT TIMES AND NOW MY PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT WON'T GO OFF SO I CAN'T PASS INSPECTION. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH AND WANT IT FIXED, IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE

NHTSA ID
10991428
Incident
Jan 1, 2011
Airbags
Filed Jan 13, 2017
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOWING FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10945000
Incident
Jan 11, 2017
Airbags
Filed Dec 5, 2016

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON 2 WEEKS AGO, TECHNICIAN SAID THE CODE IS B1448 PASSENGER SEAT MAT CUSHION SENSOR. I AM TOLD THAT ALL AIR BAGS ARE NOW DISABLED AND THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. I SEE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE IN JUST THE LATEST INCIDENT REPORTS. THIS SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY HYUNDAI AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER.

NHTSA ID
10930027
Incident
Nov 18, 2016
Mileage
155,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 25, 2016

AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASH IS LIT ALL THE TIME. DEALER HAS RESET THE LIGHT ON TWO OCCASIONS, BUT IT KEEPS COMING BACK AFTER A FEW DRIVES IN THE CAR. DEALER SAYS THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT SENSOR IS SHORTED OUT. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT WHILE THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS LIT, THE AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED AND WILL NOT DEPLOY, EVEN IF IN AN ACCIDENT. NOW I OWN A CAR THAT WILL NOT PROTECT ME IN A CRASH AND IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. DEALER SAYS THE ONLY REPAIR IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SEAT BOTTOM COSTING OVER $1400. THE CAR IS NOT WORTH MUCH MORE THAN THAT, BUT IT IS WORTH ALOT TO ME BECAUSE I NEED IT FOR TRANSPORTATION.

NHTSA ID
10927903
Incident
Mar 14, 2016
Mileage
74,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 11, 2016

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON

NHTSA ID
10925512
Incident
Nov 9, 2016
AirbagsFuel system
Filed Oct 13, 2016

AIR BAG LIGHT ON / EMMISIONS AIR BAG ALL SENORS WERE SWAPPED AND NOW I'M BEING TOLD THE CUSHION SHOULD BE REPLACED SINCE THE SENSOR SWAP DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. $1500 EMISSIONS/ PUMPING GAS FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. GAS PUMP KICKS OUT AFTER 2-3 SECONDS WHEN PUTTING IN GAS. NOW I'M TOLD I NEED TO REPLACE CHARCOAL CANISTER, CANISTER CLOSE VALVE, PURGE CONTROL VALVE, AND VENT VALVE. IF I DON'T I EVENTUALLY WON'T BE ABLE TO PUT GAS IN THE TANK. $1,100 THEY ARE BOTH SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES AND HYUNDAI NEEDS TO BACK UP THEIR PRODUCT. THESE ARE SIMPLE CONSUMABLE PIECES LIKE FLUIDS, VALUES, HOSES OR FILTERS.

NHTSA ID
10915933
Incident
Oct 13, 2016
Mileage
114,000 mi

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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