Engine. Review the 92 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 77 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 74 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

17 crash reports8 fire reports9 injury reports

What owners actually said

432 reports

Mileage unknown · Oct 28, 2014

Vehicle Speed Control

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DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON NARROW 2 LANE ROAD.,MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND SHOT ACROSS THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF ONCOMING LANE..THANKFULLY NO CAR WAS COMING TOWARD ME.AT THE TIME. I MANAGED TO GET IT UNDER CONTROL, BUT WAS TERRIFIED THINKING WHAT IF A CAR HAD BEEN COMING UP TOWARD ME. THIS HAPPENED SOMETIME IN SUMMER OF 2013. I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS JUST A FLUKE UNTIL TODAY WHEN I WAS READING ABOUT CHRYSLER AUTOS HAVING SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. I DECIDED TO CHECK TO SEE IF ANY HYUNDAI CARS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT INDEED THERE HAD BEEN A CASE REPORTED. NOW, I AM VERY UNEASY DRIVING MY CAR, AND ESPECIALLY SINCE MY 19 YR OLD ALSO DRIVES IT. I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY RECALL TO HAVE THIS ISSUE FIXED. I HAVE ALSO EMAIL THE HYUNDAI CORP. TO INFORM THEM ALSO OF MY EXPERIENCE. I CERTAINLY DO NOT WANT TO DIE OR HAVE ANY ONE ELSE KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS. WOULD LIKE TO SEE HYUNDAI RECALL THESE CARS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10650833

54,000 miles · Oct 27, 2014

Air BagsCrash

I WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHERE I WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT FENDER AND THEN WAS SPUN AROUND AND HIT THE BACK OF THE OTHER VEHICLE ON THE REAR PASSENGER QUARTER PANEL, THEN JUMPED THE CURB AND HIT A TREE. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. I HIT MY HEAD ON THE WINDOW OR THE CENTER POST, NOT SURE. THE VEH…

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NHTSA ODI #10650505

26,758 miles · Oct 2, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

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WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF ABOUT 60 MPH, MY TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON, ALTHOUGH ALL 4 TIRES WERE PREVIOUSLY CHECKED FOR PRESSURE. WHEN THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON, IT TRIGGERED THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT TO BEGIN BLINKING UNCONTROLLABLY. THE ENGINE THEN BEGAN TO CLICKED LOUDLY AS MY SPEED DECREASED, OUT OF MY CONTROL, TO ABOUT 40 MPH, ALTHOUGH I HAD MY PETAL TO THE FLOOR. I THEN HAD TO EXIT, TAKING LOCAL ROADWAYS AS TO MY SPEED WOULD NOT INCREASE PAST 40 MPH WITH MY RPM WAS AT ABOUT 4.5. AFTER NOTIFYING THE DEALERSHIP AND TAKING IT IN TO BE SERVICED, I WAS INFORMED NOTHING WAS WRONG BUT RESET THE COMPUTER JUST IN CASE. SINCE THEN IT HAS HAPPENED 3 OTHER TIMES WITH NO EXPLANATION AND DIAGNOSTIC COMING BACK CLEAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10640945

26,000 miles · Sep 22, 2014

Engine

ALL THE DASH LIGHTS GO ON AND ENGINE WILL NOT TURN OVER. IT HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. FIRST TIME IT FINALLY TURNED OVER ON THIRD TRY; SECOND TIME HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER AND WHEN THEY WENT TO WORK ON IT, IT STARTED. THIRD TIME IT WOULDN'T START AND IN DESPERATION I TRIED TO MOVE STEERING WHEEL AND GEAR SHIFTER AND NEXT TRY IT STA…

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NHTSA ODI #10638069

66,759 miles · Sep 9, 2014

Electrical System

INTERMITTENT ISSUE WHEREIN THE CAR DOES NOT START EVEN IF THE BATTERY IS HEALTHY. LEVER IS IN PARK MODE. THE ENGINE DOESN'T EVEN CRANK UP. HAPPENED AFTER PARKING AND I WAS STUCK AT A GAS STATION FOR OVER FIVE MINUTES. DEALER CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN A YEAR THAT I HAVE HAD THIS …

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NHTSA ODI #10631995

55,400 miles · Sep 5, 2014

Electrical SystemService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

AS I WAS DRIVING THE SKID CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON. AT FIRST, NOTHING WAS DIFFERENT, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND WOULD ACCELERATE WITH GAS BEING APPLIED. THEN, IT STARTED MOVING AGAIN. AFTER A WHILE THE LIGHT WENT OFF, BUT THEN CAME ON AND DID THE SAME THING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10631067

23,092 miles · Aug 28, 2014

Air BagsElectrical SystemCrashInjury

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED HEAD ON INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERE LEG INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION AND A RIGHT KNEE REPLACEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,092. UPDATED 10/8/14*CN PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BECAUSE THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. SHE WAS INFORMED, IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. THE CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. UPDATED 10/15/14 ACCORDING TO HYUNDAI, THE VEHICLE PERFORMED AS DESIGNED. THEY STATED THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS WERE NOT INTENDED TO DEPLOY DURING EVERY IMPACT THAT WAS GENERALLY DIRECTED AGAINST THE VEHICLE'S FRONT END. FRONTAL AIR BAS WERE DESIGNED TO DEPLOY WHEN A VEHICLE SUSTAINED A SUFFICIENT FORWARD DECELERATION TO TRIGGER THE AIR BAG SENSOR. THE AIR BAG SENSOR REACTED TO EXTREME DECELERATION OF THE VEHICLE'S FORWARD MOVEMENT. BASED UPON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED, IT APPEARED THE VEHICLE WAS HIT AT AN ANGULAR IMPACT INVOLVING LATERAL FORCES. UPDATED 11/26/14 UPDATED 12/17/14. *JB LAWYER ON BEHALF OF CLIENT. UPDATED 01/16/15.*JB UPDATED 02/24/15*LJ UPDATED 08/28/2017*CT

NHTSA ODI #10629085

24,500 miles · Aug 9, 2014

TiresWheels

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MY TIRES HAVE DEVELOPED BULGES AFTER ONLY 24000 MILES OF USE. I HAVE THE FOLLOWING, ORIGINAL TIRES: P214/45R17 MY TIRES HAVE SIGNIFICANT AND DANGEROUS BULGES, WHICH CAN LEAD TO DANGEROUS DRIVING AND BLOW OUTS. IF THIS IS CHARACTERISTIC OF ALL TIRES IN THE SET, I'D LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR A SET OF TIRES THAT DO THIS, THEIR INSTALLATION, AND THE DECREASED FUEL EFFICIENCY THAT WILL COME FROM HAVING SMALLER TIRES. I IMAGINE ALL THREE WOULD PRESENTLY (2014) AMOUNT TO ABOUT $2500. HERE IS A URL WITH A DISCUSSION OF THE COMPLAINT:<BR> HTTP://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T35968_DS499866?ACTIONMESSAGES=YOUR+ANSWER+HAS+BEEN+POSTED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10621060

41,000 miles · Jul 9, 2014

SteeringSuspension

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I WAS TRAVELING TO MEMPHIS, TN. THE REAR END OF THE CAR WOULD CONSTANTLY JERK OUT TOT THE LEFT WHEN I WOULD HIT BUMPS. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS A NORMAL REACTION FOR THIS KIND OF SUSPENSION. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CONSTANT, AND DURING THE WINTER, IT TRIED TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I HAVE ALMOST LOST CONTROL, AND IT IS SCARY BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW IF OR WHEN IT'S GONNA CRASH. I HAVE READ SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, INCLUDING THOSE WHO HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT. THIS WILL EVENTUALLY KILL SOMEONE UNLESS SOMETHING IS DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10609439

Mileage unknown · Jul 8, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

I HAVEN'T HAD ANY ACCIDENTS BUT I HAD MANY ALMOST ACCIDENTS. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY. I CAN'T EVEN GO OVER A BUMP OR LOOK TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT BECAUSE IT STEERS OFF SO BAD. I HAVE TO HOLD IT VERY TIGHT THE WHOLE TIME. I'M SCARED FOR MY LIFE AS WELL AS WHOEVER IS WITH ME. HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP JUST SAYS ITS BECAUSE ITS ELECTR…

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NHTSA ODI #10608817

Official recalls

23V651000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module

Sep 22, 2023

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.

20V393000 · Equipment:electrical

Jul 2, 2020

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Hyundai Elantra and Sonata Hybrid, 2012 Accent and Veloster vehicles. The 12V accessory socket outlet may have been over-tightened during installation, possibly disabling the thermal fuse and allowing the outlet to overheat with prolonged use, such as by using the Tire Mobility Kit air compressor to inflate a tire.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An overheated accessory outlet increases the risk of fire.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the Tire Mobility Kit accessory outlet plug with a direct-to-battery connection wire harness kit, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 193.

15V871000 · Electronic Stability Control (esc)

Dec 23, 2015

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Elantra vehicles manufactured October 29, 2010, to October 25, 2011. Due to an electronic stability control (ESC) sensor malfunction, the brakes for one or more wheels may be applied unexpectedly and the engine power may be reduced. These symptoms will be accompanied by illumination of the ESC indicator lamp in the instrument cluster.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the one or more of the brakes are inappropriately applied, control of the vehicle may be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will verify the proper operation of the ESC sensors, and update the ESC system's calibration, free of charge. The recall began June 6, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 137.

15V629000 · Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs

Oct 7, 2015

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011 Elantra vehicles manufactured November 12, 2010, to March 31, 2011, and Sonata vehicles manufactured December 11, 2009, to February 28, 2010, originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Road salt may corrode the front coil springs, possibly resulting in the coil springs fracturing.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If a front coil spring fractures, it may contact the tire, possibly puncturing it, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front coil springs, free of charge. Interim notifications were mailed on November 17, 2015. The recall began on January 6, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 133. Note: Vehicles that were previously registered in salt belt states but are currently registered elsewhere are eligible to be inspected and repaired.

13V115000 · Air Bags:side/window; Structure

Apr 1, 2013

Hyundai Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Elantra vehicles manufactured from November 12, 2010, through March 5, 2013. A support bracket attached to the headliner may become displaced during a side curtain airbag deployment.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the headliner support bracket makes contact with an occupant during a crash, it may cause a laceration injury.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will apply adhesive strips to the headliner, free of charge. The safety recall began during April 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 109.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Structure

Consequence: If the headliner support bracket makes contact with an occupant during a crash, it may cause a laceration injury.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will apply adhesive strips to the headliner, free of charge. The safety recall began during April 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 109.

Air Bags:side/window

Consequence: If the headliner support bracket makes contact with an occupant during a crash, it may cause a laceration injury.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

AQ23002 · Hyundai And Kia Abs Module Fires

Opened Nov 17, 2023 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by Mando. Safety recalls included in this Audit Query (AQ) review include: Hyundai recalls 20V-520, 20V-543, 21V-161, 21V-160, 21V-303, 22V-056, 22V-810, and 23V-651. Kia recalls 16V-815, 20V-518, 20V-519, 21V-137, 21V-331, 22V-051, 22V-800, and 23V-652 The purpose of this AQ is to evaluate the timeliness and scoping of Hyundai and Kia’s defect decision making and adherence with reporting requirements; and understand the varying defect descriptions and remedies between these recalls.

DP21003 · Throttle Control System Vulnerabilities

Opened Nov 12, 2021 · Closed Jun 20, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:throttle

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a petition letter dated October 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (ETC) system on certain Kia vehicles resulting in the opening of DP21-003. Accordingly, Model Year (MY) 2005-2016 Kia Optima/K5, MY 2006-2015 Kia Sorento, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Elantra, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Santa Fe, MY 2006-2015 Hyundai Sonatas are all part of the subject population. The petition was originally filed as a Vehicle Owner Questionnaire that can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under reference (ODI) number 11439675.On November 12, 2021, ODI opened Defect Petition DP21-003 to evaluate the petitioner?s request. ODI performed trend analyses of the VOQs related to vehicle speed control issues for all the subject vehicles and found that none of the 52 Model/Model Year Hyundai/Kia vehicles demonstrated any actionable trend that warranted an investigation.Petitioners submitted 1119 VOQs and non-VOQ cases in which sudden uncommanded acceleration (SUA) or loss of motive power (LOMP) incidents were alleged.For the 1119 reports, 220 were incidents involving crashes, from which 69 subject Hyundai-Kia vehicles were inspected by Hyundai/Kia dealer technicians, Hyundai/Kia engineers, and/or third-party representatives.ODI found the inspections identified no vehicle defects related to the ETC system.Of the 220 crash-involved reports, 13 Event Data Recorder (EDR) records were downloaded successfully and 11 of those indicated driver error: (i.e.) pedal misapplication.A condition where the accelerator pedal is mistakenly applied instead of the brake pedal when the driver wants to stop the vehicle.In addition, ODI reviewed a scientific journal paper published in Forensic Science International in 2016 by Mr. Park et al ., as well as related test videos. ODI does not believe there is any evidence of uncontrollable SUA occurrences in any of the tests reviewed. NHTSA's Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (OVSC) reviewed the allegations regarding the potential noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 124.Based on the information provided, the Agency concludes there is insufficient information for us to determine if a possible non-compliance exists.Finally, both Hyundai and Kia informed ODI that all their vehicles manufactured after 2012 were equipped with an ETC management system, in which the engine speed will go to idle when the system sees signals from both the brake pedal and accelerator pedal at the same time; this is commonly known as the brake-throttle override system.After thoroughly assessing the material submitted by the petitioner, information already in NHTSA's possession, information submitted by Hyundai and Kia in response to an Information Request letter, and the potential risks to safety implicated by the petitioner's allegation, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. After full consideration of appropriate factors, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA?s reasons for denial of the petition will be published.

EA12008 · Headliner Bracket Detachment

Opened Sep 13, 2012 · Closed Dec 9, 2013

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:side/window; Structure:body:roof And Pillars; Unknown Or Other

In March 2013, Hyundai issued a safety recall to reinforce the attachment of the metal support brackets to the headliner assembly in approximately 186,254 model year 2011-2013 Hyundai Elantra vehicles built in Korea and sold in the U.S. (see NHTSA recall 13V-115 for more information).The recall covers vehicles built up to March 5, 2013.After that date, Hyundai began using headliners with reinforced bracket attachments in the Korea-built Elantra vehicles.ODI has opened a Recall Query (RQ13-004) to investigate model year 2009-2012 Hyundai Elantra Touring vehicles.During EA12-008, ODI found these vehicles are equipped with a support bracket design and layout similar to that in the above-mentioned Elantra vehicles.Also, the headliner manufacturing processes used were similar for both models.Like the Elantra vehicles built before the recall, the Elantra Touring model headliner does not contain reinforced bracket attachments.This Engineering Analysis is closed.See attached report for additional information.The ODI report cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification number: 10457696

Additional source detail variants (3)

Air Bags:side/window

Structure:body:roof And Pillars

Unknown Or Other

Go deeper into Hyundai Elantra problems

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