TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY FAILED AFTER ON 40,000 MILES- STILL UNDER WARRANTY
2020 Hyundai Elantra
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2020 Hyundai Elantra do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 182.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Elantra years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
75 reports with mileage · 175 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine. Review the 105 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Unknown Or Other complaints
25 reportsWHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MY RPM STARTED JUMPING WHILE I WAS KEEPING A CONSTANT SPEED. A FEW MOMENTS LATER MY RPM JUMPED AND I WAS ALMOST RED LINING. I SLOWED DOWN TO 35 MPH AND GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR WOULDNT GO PASS 30 WITHOUT REVING INCREDIBLY HIGH. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD TO REPLAC…
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WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MY RPM STARTED JUMPING WHILE I WAS KEEPING A CONSTANT SPEED. A FEW MOMENTS LATER MY RPM JUMPED AND I WAS ALMOST RED LINING. I SLOWED DOWN TO 35 MPH AND GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR WOULDNT GO PASS 30 WITHOUT REVING INCREDIBLY HIGH. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION. MY MILEAGE WAS AT 4500.
AT APPROXIMATELY 16,000 ' 17,000 MILES THE CAR STARTED HAVING TECHNICAL AND ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THERE SEEMED TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE REGULAR HEADLIGHTS AND HIGH BEAM SETTING. ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR, THE GLOVE BOX LIGHT, THE OVERHEAD READING LIGHT, AND THE CHARGING PORT FOR CAR ADAPTERS ALL STOPPED WORKING. SHORTLY AFTER…
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AT APPROXIMATELY 16,000 ' 17,000 MILES THE CAR STARTED HAVING TECHNICAL AND ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THERE SEEMED TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE REGULAR HEADLIGHTS AND HIGH BEAM SETTING. ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR, THE GLOVE BOX LIGHT, THE OVERHEAD READING LIGHT, AND THE CHARGING PORT FOR CAR ADAPTERS ALL STOPPED WORKING. SHORTLY AFTER THOSE THINGS WENT OUT IN THE VEHICLE, WE WERE IN AN ACCIDENT. WE WERE DRIVING FROM MISSOURI TO CALIFORNIA AND WHILE DRIVING ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY THROUGH KANSAS, THE CAR UNEXPLAINABLY JOLTED TO THE LEFT INTO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION LANE OF TRAVEL. I WAS GOING AROUND 65 MPH WHEN THIS HAPPENED. IT SEEMED THE CAR THEN ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WITH THE RPMS GOING TO THE RED. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AFTER THE CAR HAD JERKED OVER. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULDN'T BUDGE. ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS COMING RIGHT AT US. I WAS TRYING TO GET THE CAR TO GO ANY DIRECTION BUT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. SO WE HAD A HEAD ON COLLISION. THE 2 OTHER OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR DID NOT MAKE IT, I WAS THE ONLY SURVIVOR. THESE CARS HAVE ELECTRIC STEERING. THE CAR WAS HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES, I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE TYPE OF STEERING IT HAD. I AM WONDERING IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD ANY OF THE SAME EXPERIENCES/PROBLEMS?*DT*DT*JB*DT*JB*JB*JB
THE CAR HAD MANY SMALL PROBLEMS TO BEGIN WITH. THE STEERING WHEEL NEVER SAT STRAIGHT AND THERE WERE MANY LIGHTS FOR LOW TIRE PRESSURE EVEN THOUGH THE PRESSURE WAS FINE. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO BROKE 3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING. I NOTICED THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE AND HANDLE BECAME VERY HARD TO CONTROL. SUDDENLY THE RPM WENT ALL THE…
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THE CAR HAD MANY SMALL PROBLEMS TO BEGIN WITH. THE STEERING WHEEL NEVER SAT STRAIGHT AND THERE WERE MANY LIGHTS FOR LOW TIRE PRESSURE EVEN THOUGH THE PRESSURE WAS FINE. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO BROKE 3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING. I NOTICED THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE AND HANDLE BECAME VERY HARD TO CONTROL. SUDDENLY THE RPM WENT ALL THE WAY 8 ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE. THIS WAS A NEAR MISS ACCIDENT. IF I HAD DRIVEN A LITTLE FURTHER WHERE THERE WAS A MERGE IN THE HIGHWAY, I WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY LOST MY LIFE. WHEN I CALLED HYUNDAI CUSTOMER SUPPORT, THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT OTHER HYUNDAI ELANTRA'S WERE ALSO EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND THEY PREDICTED A RECALL IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
I WAS SOLD TO ME NEW I TOOK IT IN FOR AN INSPECTION IN THE FIRST WEEK OF OWNERSHIP AND THE TECH SLIPPED ME A NOTICE OF A ACCIDENT AND REPAIR COMPLETED AT 0-5 MILES OF ITS LIFE I PURCHASED AT ONLY 6 MILES THEY KEEP TELLING ME I'M LYING. INCIDENT DATE 9/1/19 REPAIR DATE 2/10/20 COMPLETED REPAIR 2/11/20 DATE I PURCHASED 2/12/20 I …
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I WAS SOLD TO ME NEW I TOOK IT IN FOR AN INSPECTION IN THE FIRST WEEK OF OWNERSHIP AND THE TECH SLIPPED ME A NOTICE OF A ACCIDENT AND REPAIR COMPLETED AT 0-5 MILES OF ITS LIFE I PURCHASED AT ONLY 6 MILES THEY KEEP TELLING ME I'M LYING. INCIDENT DATE 9/1/19 REPAIR DATE 2/10/20 COMPLETED REPAIR 2/11/20 DATE I PURCHASED 2/12/20 I TOOK IT IN BECAUSE LKA KEEP MOVING THE WHEEL RIGHT LEFT OVER N OVER, OVER CORRECTING ITSELF I BELIEVE. VERY SCARY WHEN ON THE FREEWAY IN TRAFFIC IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES. I DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING DETAIL OF THIS REPAIR OR INCIDENT I WAS ONLY GIVEN THIS PAPER AFTER PURCHASE THEY DIDN'T DISCLOSE IT BEFORE PURCHASE. WHEN I LOOK UP THE VIN IT NEVER COMES UP WITH MY CARS MODEL EITHER
Official recalls
321V301000 · Engine
Apr 28, 2021
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Hyundai will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.
19V720000 · Wheels:lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Oct 9, 2019
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019 Ioniq Hybrid and 2020 Elantra vehicles. The right-side rear wheel lug nuts may have been insufficiently tightened, allowing the wheel to detach from the vehicle.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A wheel detaching from the vehicle increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, tighten the lug nuts, free of charge. The recall began November 15, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-251-0871. Hyundai's number for this recall is 184.
19V721000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
Oct 9, 2019
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Elantra vehicles. The lower control arm ball joint fasteners may have been insufficiently tightened allowing the ball joint to detach from the lower control arm.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A detached ball joint can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, tighten the ball joint fasteners, free of charge. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 185.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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