2017 Hyundai Elantra Problems

I leased my 2017 Hyundai Elantra new in July 2016 and later purchased it. As of September 2026, it has approximately 77,000 miles. I am reporting two unresolved safety concerns despite repeated repairs and more than five months of seeking assistance from Hyundai. Multiple ignition coils have failed during my ownership. Most recently, I paid approximately $400 for service after another coil failure. Although the check engine light is no longer illuminated, the vehicle continues to struggle to accelerate and abruptly jerks or “burps,” particularly around 30 mph. At times, I must press the accelerator nearly to the floor to gain enough speed to safely merge onto the highway. I commute approximately 40 miles round trip, including stop-and-go highway traffic, and am concerned about my safety. When I reported that the symptoms continued after the repair, the Hyundai dealer said I would need to pay another diagnostic fee while also stating their equipment might not identify the problem without an illuminated check engine light. My driver-side exterior door handle is also completely inoperable. This issue was previously repaired by Hyundai under warranty and a known issue with the model year, but the repair has failed and the driver’s door cannot be opened from outside. To enter my vehicle, I must climb through the front passenger door, lower the driver’s window, exit, walk around the vehicle, reach through the window, and open the door using the interior handle. After more than five months of contacting Hyundai and seeking service, both issues remain unresolved. I am concerned about the safety of continuing to operate this vehicle and about the failure of a previously completed recall repair. I am requesting that NHTSA document and review these safety concerns.

I bought my 2017 Hyundai Elantra SE earlier this year with about 119,000 miles. It had good maintenance records when I bought it, and it now has about 128,000 miles. Since buying it, I've had two oil changes done along with new spark plugs, coils, front brake pads, and tires. About two days before the engine failed, I noticed the car had suddenly burned through a significant amount of oil. There was no visible oil leak. The car stopped running, so I had it towed instead of continuing to drive it. Oil was added, and afterward it started and seemed to be running fine.The next day, I was driving approximately 70 mph on the interstate when the car suddenly lost acceleration and warning lights came on. There was smoke while I was driving, including smoke/fumes coming into the car. Afterward, there was oil everywhere. The car had to be towed again and is no longer drivable.What concerns me most is how quickly this happened. The car went from suddenly consuming oil with no visible leak to losing acceleration and experiencing a major engine failure while I was traveling 70 mph on the interstate. Losing power at that speed was dangerous, and the amount of oil and smoke also made me concerned about the possibility of a fire. Hyundai has told me the vehicle is no longer under warranty. I have not paid for an extensive engine teardown yet. My grandfather looked and he said it appears the engine threw a connecting rod through the side of the engine block. With the valve cover off, the engine looked brand new. I'm filing this complaint because an engine suddenly losing power at interstate speeds, along with oil and smoke, is a serious safety concern, especially with the potential for a fire. I hope NHTSA will compare this incident with other complaints involving engine failure and excessive oil consumption in 2017 Hyundai Elantras. Currently, it's available for inspection.

All four rear/side door latch mechanisms have exhibited intermittent failure to release the door from the interior and/or exterior handle. Repeated operation or increased force can sometimes cause the door to release. This creates a potential safety hazard because an occupant may be unable to exit the vehicle through an affected door during an emergency. The manufacturer has previously issued an extended warranty/TSB addressing this latch failure, but the vehicle is now beyond the 10-year extension period.

Doors are not unlocking on open from the outside both front doors from inside and out do not open unless you pull three or four times the rear doors the passenger side rear door does not open at all. It’s like it doesn’t unlock and the driver side rear door only opens if you pull a handle like four or five times.

While operating my 2017 Hyundai Elantra under normal driving conditions at approximately 70,000 miles, the engine suffered a sudden, catastrophic loss of motive power and stalled completely while moving in active traffic without any prior warning. This severe stalling event occurred despite the vehicle being strictly and meticulously maintained according to all manufacturer guidelines and scheduled service intervals. Prior to the stall, the Check Engine Light illuminated. A comprehensive diagnostic scan completed at an authorized Hyundai dealership confirmed active trouble codes P0014 (Exhaust Camshaft Position Timing Over-Advanced) and P0017 (Crankshaft-Camshaft Position Correlation Error). The internal physical engine timing assembly and Variable Valve Timing (VVT) components slipped out of synchronization, forcing an abrupt, automatic engine shutdown while navigating active roadways. This failure created an immediate, severe safety hazard and high collision risk due to the sudden loss of vehicle propulsion, power steering assist, and vacuum brake booster pressure, leaving me vulnerable in traffic. This structural timing deviation caused chronic engine misfires and forced raw, unburned fuel directly into the exhaust stream. This unburned fuel completely fouled and destroyed the primary Oxygen (O2) Sensor due to heavy carbon contamination and extreme thermal stress. The failed sensor and incorrect valve timing totally disrupted the electronic control unit's air-fuel management, inducing the unpredictable stalling hazard and causing an immediate, automatic state emissions/smog inspection failure. Repairing this underlying manufacturing and metallurgical defect at the official Hyundai dealership required an extensive mechanical teardown and replacement of the timing components, costing approximately $2,500 out of pocket. This exact failure pattern, cascading O2 sensor damage, and diagnostic trouble codes match hundreds of existing complaints with NHTSA.

I own a Hyundai Elantra with approximately 103,000 miles. The vehicle has developed an intermittent issue where the engine will suddenly stall while driving. This most often occurs when I am decelerating and turning, such as when entering or navigating roundabouts. At the time of the stall, multiple warning indicators appear simultaneously, including the check engine light, battery warning light, and a “no key detected” message. There are no prior warning signs before the failure occurs—no unusual noises, no loss of power leading up to the event, and no dashboard warnings in advance. The stall is sudden and unexpected. When the vehicle stalls, I must quickly shift into park and restart the engine. The car restarts immediately without hesitation, and all warning lights disappear. The vehicle then operates normally again until the issue randomly reoccurs. This has happened multiple times. This issue creates a safety risk because the vehicle loses power unexpectedly while in motion, particularly during low-speed turns and in roundabouts, which could increase the risk of a collision due to sudden loss of propulsion and reduced control. The problem has not yet been formally diagnosed by a dealer or independent repair shop, but based on research and similar reported cases, it may be related to an intermittent engine or electrical signal failure. The issue has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. UNKNOWN as to the exact failed component, but the failure appears to involve a sudden loss of engine operation without warning, followed by immediate recovery upon restart.

While driving and turning, the car loses power steering. This has happened multiple times to my wife at lower driving speeds. These disconcerting safety incidents have randomly occurred without warning since the first week of May. The incident was first reported and taken to the Hyundai dealership on May 6th. The dealer looked at the car and stated no issues with steering. It has occurred multiple times since then. The last incident occurred on June 9th at 4pm at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. The car lost power steering control, a warning light briefly flashed and the engine shut off. I recovered the car and restarted it. The power steering reset itself. The car was taken a few days later to a Hyundai Dealer who has had the car since attempting to diagnose the issue. The dealer is now stating we should just replace the entire steering column assembly.

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn to the left or the right. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the power steering module needed to be replaced. The mechanic advised the contact of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V213000 (Steering) and referred the contact to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called a local dealer and was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact stated that the loss of power steering functionality was intermittent but gradually became a recurring failure. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.

While operating my 2017 Hyundai Elantra under normal driving conditions at approximately 70,000 miles, the engine suffered a sudden, catastrophic loss of motive power and stalled completely while moving in active traffic without any prior warning. This severe stalling event occurred despite the vehicle being strictly and meticulously maintained according to all manufacturer guidelines and scheduled service intervals. Prior to the stall, the Check Engine Light illuminated. A comprehensive diagnostic scan completed at an authorized Hyundai dealership confirmed active trouble codes P0014 (Exhaust Camshaft Position Timing Over-Advanced) and P0017 (Crankshaft-Camshaft Position Correlation Error). The internal physical engine timing assembly and Variable Valve Timing (VVT) components slipped out of synchronization, forcing an abrupt, automatic engine shutdown while navigating active roadways. This failure created an immediate, severe safety hazard and high collision risk due to the sudden loss of vehicle propulsion, power steering assist, and vacuum brake booster pressure, leaving me vulnerable in traffic. This structural timing deviation caused chronic engine misfires and forced raw, unburned fuel directly into the exhaust stream. This unburned fuel completely fouled and destroyed the primary Oxygen (O2) Sensor due to heavy carbon contamination and extreme thermal stress. The failed sensor and incorrect valve timing totally disrupted the electronic control unit's air-fuel management, inducing the unpredictable stalling hazard and causing an immediate, automatic state emissions/smog inspection failure. Repairing this underlying manufacturing and metallurgical defect at the official Hyundai dealership required an extensive mechanical teardown and replacement of the timing components, costing approximately $2,500 out of pocket. This exact failure pattern, cascading O2 sensor damage, and diagnostic trouble codes match hundreds of existing complaints with NHTSA.

1. The engine architecture suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure. Specifically, severe, systemic internal oil consumption/vaporization starved the hydraulic timing chain tensioner of critical hydrostatic pressure. This caused the tensioner to collapse, creating slack in the steel timing chain, which then "jumped time" (skipped a tooth on the camshaft sprockets), causing the engine to instantly seize and lose all motive power. The vehicle and engine are fully intact and available for inspection at Pohanka Hyundai of Fredericksburg. 2. The vehicle suffered a sudden, complete loss of motive power and engine seizure while being driven at night on an unlit, dark secondary roadway. The driver (my daughter) was left suddenly stranded without power in a highly vulnerable, pitch-black location with passing traffic, presenting an immediate collision hazard and a severe personal safety risk before emergency assistance could arrive. 3. Yes. The vehicle was towed to an authorized Hyundai dealership (Pohanka Hyundai of Fredericksburg), where service technicians officially diagnosed that the engine had "jumped timing" and suffered a complete failure of the timing system, alongside a noted lack of engine oil volume due to vaporization. 4. The vehicle has been formally inspected and diagnosed by the authorized Hyundai dealership service department under Hyundai Motor America Corporate Case #[XXX]. No police or insurance inspections were required as no collision occurred. 5. No dash lights or warnings before failure. However, for a year prior, the engine exhibited severe internal oil vaporization, requiring constant top-offs between scheduled oil changes to maintain safe levels. There were zero external fluid leaks on the engine or ground; oil burned entirely internally. This chronic volumetric oil loss directly caused the sudden drop in pressure, hydraulic tensioner collapse, and catastrophic engine seizure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The contact also stated that the rear passenger’s side door failed to open when the unlock button was engaged. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not diagnosed regarding the door failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 134,541.

The door locks are faulty and do not allow the door to open. This is the second time the vehicle has had issues with the doors not unlocking. The first time it was my front passenger side a few years ago and I paid an auto shop to repair it as this was an immediate safety concern in case of a car accident or fire. A few months later Hyundai issues a recall and sent me an email about the faulty door locks and that they could be repaired at a Hyundai. I called to ask for reimbursement since I paid out of pocket and they refused. Now another door lock is broken, this time the rear driver side, and I have the same safety concerns as before since the door does not open from the inside or outside. In both cases, the issue was sudden and no other damage occurred to the vehicle. It's unsafe to have to drive with doors that cannot unlock from either inside or outside.

Was traveling at 5mph in traffic. Pressed the brake to stop, and my car kept rolling. I pressed the foot pedal brake many many times without stopping. I pulled the emergency brake and I still didn’t stop. I came to rest on the back bumper of a semi truck in front of me.

My EPS, ABS and electronic stability control lights all came on at once and my steering wheel went stiff while driving on interstate

I leased my 2017 Hyundai Elantra new in July 2016 and later purchased it. As of September 2026, it has approximately 77,000 miles. I am reporting two unresolved safety concerns despite repeated repairs and more than five months of seeking assistance from Hyundai. Multiple ignition coils have failed during my ownership. Most recently, I paid approximately $400 for service after another coil failure. Although the check engine light is no longer illuminated, the vehicle continues to struggle to accelerate and abruptly jerks or “burps,” particularly around 30 mph. At times, I must press the accelerator nearly to the floor to gain enough speed to safely merge onto the highway. I commute approximately 40 miles round trip, including stop-and-go highway traffic, and am concerned about my safety. When I reported that the symptoms continued after the repair, the Hyundai dealer said I would need to pay another diagnostic fee while also stating their equipment might not identify the problem without an illuminated check engine light. My driver-side exterior door handle is also completely inoperable. This issue was previously repaired by Hyundai under warranty and a known issue with the model year, but the repair has failed and the driver’s door cannot be opened from outside. To enter my vehicle, I must climb through the front passenger door, lower the driver’s window, exit, walk around the vehicle, reach through the window, and open the door using the interior handle. After more than five months of contacting Hyundai and seeking service, both issues remain unresolved. I am concerned about the safety of continuing to operate this vehicle and about the failure of a previously completed recall repair. I am requesting that NHTSA document and review these safety concerns.

I own a Hyundai Elantra with approximately 103,000 miles. The vehicle has developed an intermittent issue where the engine will suddenly stall while driving. This most often occurs when I am decelerating and turning, such as when entering or navigating roundabouts. At the time of the stall, multiple warning indicators appear simultaneously, including the check engine light, battery warning light, and a “no key detected” message. There are no prior warning signs before the failure occurs—no unusual noises, no loss of power leading up to the event, and no dashboard warnings in advance. The stall is sudden and unexpected. When the vehicle stalls, I must quickly shift into park and restart the engine. The car restarts immediately without hesitation, and all warning lights disappear. The vehicle then operates normally again until the issue randomly reoccurs. This has happened multiple times. This issue creates a safety risk because the vehicle loses power unexpectedly while in motion, particularly during low-speed turns and in roundabouts, which could increase the risk of a collision due to sudden loss of propulsion and reduced control. The problem has not yet been formally diagnosed by a dealer or independent repair shop, but based on research and similar reported cases, it may be related to an intermittent engine or electrical signal failure. The issue has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. UNKNOWN as to the exact failed component, but the failure appears to involve a sudden loss of engine operation without warning, followed by immediate recovery upon restart.

AIRBAGS FAILED

The passenger airbag is not activating reliably. There was not an accident but the light indicating airbage is active does not light up when passenger sits in front.

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard an abnormal whistling sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump was fractured and had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 15,000.

When driving at low speeds(20mph and under) vehicle stalls. It appears to happen at random. It makes driving pretty dangerous for other vehicles that would not be able to tell the vehicle has stalled and hit me at low speeds. All electrics stay on, there is no check engine light. The problem first appeared after ignition lock was broken, even before replaced it started stalls at low speeds, seems to possibly happen more after engine is warmed up.

1: Driver’s window: don't go up or down, it doesn't respond to control. 2: Headlight warning lights is on all the time because bulbs are burn out so soon after replacement .

Hi, Over the course of the 8 years I have owned this vehicle. The brake lights have needed to be replaced multiple times on multiple areas. This is a common issue that there’s entirely Facebook and Reddit pages dedicated to because of the known faulty harness issues. It is an incredibly expensive repair and these parts should be recalled as they are a known issue. My service guys know it. Every Hyundai owner knows it. And even random Facebook/redditors know it.

A car pulled out in front of me. I hit my brakes and now the calipers are locked. When the incident happened the brakes on the left side of the car locked up. I have no warning lights and the caliper is still locked. I have been to a couple mechanics and no one understands. If you unplug the brake line from the ABS unit the calipers release. Front calipers, brakes, and brake lines have been replaced

I got this used car from Hyundai Courtesy in late 2020. My issue with this used car is that there is no TPMS reset button to get the tires back to have the same tire pressure. Even with battery mode reset done, the tires are always out of sync after a few days or hours. I do go to the dealership to get the tpms fixed but after a few days, it is back to out of sync. I am writing to the safety board to inform them and hopefully, Hyundai corporate can look into this electrical issue.

Just to clarify, the vin number claims my vehicle is a 2017 Hyunda Elantra… but it is a 2017 Hyundai Elantra LIMITED, which there are differences in the design/model of the vehicles. The vehicle was not inspected at time of purchase like originally mentioned to me in our agreement. (They only transferred my registration to the new vehicle) I had done nothing out of the ordinary to the vehicle, after inspection the vehicle then displayed a check engine light and would not start after leaving work for the day. It then began to stall every time I applied pressure to the brake or slowed down. After inspecting the issue at Empire Hyundai they said the camshaft had been sheered by the cvvt pin and extensive repairs were needed. This happened in November 2023 and I have not been operating the vehicle since. I have gone through multiple sources to try to have this repaired by the dealership on their cost not mine due to me just purchasing the vehicle and this type of issue is a well known issue in Hyundais after they reach 100,000 miles- which I just surpassed.

I was driving and would hear a squeaking sound when turning right. Then I started to hear rattling I pulled in my driveway that has a curb and noticed an object sticking out that looks like it should have been screwed into something. It ended up being the front right passenger strutt it exploded through its casing. Not only damaging the casing but the hood of the car. If I would have continued to drive on it I could have loss control of the vehicle and put me and others in danger on the road. I was unaware this was a reoccurring issue with this model until I did some digging on the internet it sounds like a manufacturer defect. Now I was going to take it to hyundai dealership but they are stating they have to do a diagnostic for 170.00 which you can visibly see the strutt sticking out the hood. Everyone keeps saying the tire can come off this happened with no warning I am unsure of what to do.

I bought a car in Hyundai ELANTRA2024 at drivers Mart in Orlando, Florida. About a month after I bought the car I brought it back for something to service dealership area and let them know that the paint was coming off my car. I did notice that there was a tiny little spot that someone putcover paint about a half inch to an inch. The service people the dealership told me that there was a known classaction lawsuit. They weren’t sure what had happened. I looked up the Class action lawsuit for peeling paint, and it did state that there was one for white, beige, and light blue in Canada that was an ongoing lawsuit. The one for US was only doing certain white vehicles. But there was a class action lawsuit for USA, but it was dismissed I think because they thought that it had to do with pebbles or something that came on the freeway etc. basically said it was buyers fault. So now I have taken it to Hyundai dealerships talking to corporate office making appointments four times, now my car as you see is almost 12 inches in diameter by eight more or less and getting bigger by minute because every time I wash the car{has to be by hand, or it rains. My car is bubbling the paint the paint on my car is all the way down to the metal. The metal is not protected so it’s actually rusting, etc. every time it rains it will add another couple inches to my paint coming off. I have called the corporate office again and got my answer on Wednesday, January 5 stating that there’s nothing else they can do, because my car’s is not on the recallThis does not make any sense. Obviously there’s a Facebook/Google sites called Hyundai paint peeling 7.7 k people are in the same predicament and very upset at Hyundai motors not doing anything. Is there any governments or state regulations that are helping people get their car painted or helping people have them be accountable for everything that needs to be done? Government/local have done nothing what is the agency that we need to contact?

the defrost does not work good, Hard to see when it's raining and fog

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle in a driveway, she was unaware if she was depressing the brake pedal or accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle accelerated out of control and crashed into her barn, where it came to a stop. No air bags deployed. The contact stated that she did not sustain injuries. No medical attention was required. The contact stated that a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed by her insurance company. The fire department was at the scene. The contact mentioned the vehicle was stuck in the barn on both the driver and passenger sides of the vehicle. The contact mentioned that the seat belt did not retract. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

A FEW WEEKS AGO I HAD TO BRAKE REALLY HARD WHEN STOPPING AND I NOTICED THAT MY SEAT BELT DIDN'T LOCK. I HAVE TESTED THE SEAT BELTS A FEW TIMES SINCE THEN AND BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK ANY OF THE TIMES.

Altimax RT43 205/55R16 The sidewall in the front passenger side tire has developed a very significant bulge. I have photos to confirm. I'm extremely concerned about an imminent blowout, regardless of speed, and the loss of control, significant damage to the front-right part of the car, wheel rim, and potentially causing accidents with other drivers. It hasn't yet been verified both 3rd parties (insurance, manufacturer, etc). I noticed it approximately 8/28/24 when a low-tire-pressure indicator came on on my dash. The tread is in good condition, and the tires have less than 20,000 miles on them.

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Elantra equipped with Hankook Tires, Tire Line: Kinergy GT H43, Tire Size: 225/45/R17, DOT Number: (Unavailable). The contact stated that while making a left turn, she heard a loud popping sound. The tire pressure warning light was intermittently illuminated. The contact then stated that she maneuvered the vehicle to a service station. The contact then stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, she noticed that the front passenger’s side tire tread had detached. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the tire needed to be replaced; however, the tire was replaced with the temporary spare tire until the tire became available. The vehicle was repaired however, the contact then stated that the same front passenger’s tire had recently been replaced in less than a year. In addition, the contact stated that on numerous occasions while attempting to unlock the doors using the key fob, the doors intermittently failed to operate as designed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the failure was not covered under the warranty. No further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 34,007.