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2020 Hyundai Elantra Problems & Owner Complaints

241 NHTSA owner complaints
20 crash 6 fire 15 injury 2 death

Age-normalised, this year draws ~34.4 complaints per year on the road — ranking 1 of 12 Hyundai Elantra years we track (1 = most complaints per year).

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What owners report

Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2020 Hyundai Elantra, cited in 101 of 241 filed complaints (42%).

Power Train is next (45 complaints, 19%), followed by Exterior Lighting (27), Electrical System (25), Steering (19).

Across all complaints, 20 report a crash, 6 report a fire, 15 report injuries, 2 report a death.

The most safety-critical cluster is Unknown Or Other: 5 crash, 2 fire, 6 injury, 2 death report(s).

Complaints by vehicle system

Owner complaints filed with the U.S. NHTSA for the 2020 Hyundai Elantra, grouped by the vehicle system each cites. A single complaint can name more than one system, so the group totals can add up to more than 241.

Engine 101 2 crash 4 fire 2 injury

“Car emitted carbon monoxide into car cabin, causing driver to lose consciousness and crash on highway and burst into flames”
NHTSA complaint #11430751, 2021 · crash · fire · 2 injury(ies)

“Engine blew up on the highway almost causing an accident. The car has had problems with rapid oil consumption since 20000 miles on the car. Always checked oil everyday and added oil when needed and regular oil changes every 3000 miles car was very well taken care of. No oil light or check engine light came on when the engine blew up.”
NHTSA complaint #11688718, 2025 · fire

“A fire started in the passenger headlight assembly. The car had only been running for about 7 minutes directly prior to the fire being noticed. At the time of the fire it was parked & turned off. No injuries. It burned thru/melted part of the bumper & damaged something with the windshield washer fluid. Several people were at risk due to there being a fire! The car was parked at a gas station when the fire broke out. I don't think they have done a thorough investigation yet. It is current at Hyundai of Metairie in Metairie LA. According to the service technician my car is not the only one they…”
NHTSA complaint #11610088, 2024 · fire

Power Train 45

“Reporting on 2020 Hyundai Elantra. I have owned since 2023, my car is currently at a Hyundai certified dealership for it's 3rd transmission in the three years I have owned it. All 3 transmission were inspected and then replaced by Hyundai certified technicians. The Safety aspect is the inability to get you vehicle off the highway.”
NHTSA complaint #11743760, 2026

“I bought a 2020 Hyundai Elantra in 2024 with 67k miles on it. After driving 22k miles the check engine light went on and when it was brought in to get it checked the transmission went out. I did not buy a warranty so I understood it would not be covered. The issue I had was it was very hard to get information on the condition of the car that was sold to me. What I found out was that the transmission fluid was likley not changed ever and definetly not checked before the car was sold since the check engine light was not on and the engine sounded fine when I bought it. Which when I did meet with…”
NHTSA complaint #11739559, 2026

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed and at a stop, the vehicle lunged forward. The RPM increased and decreased without applying the accelerator pedal. The check engine light was illuminated. A mobile mechanic reset the codes but was unable to determine the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who referred him to the local dealer. The local dealer was contacted, who stated there was a transmission pressure sensor issue. which prevents the service from being performed under Hyundai Service Campaign 863 T5B Bullet…”
NHTSA complaint #11738079, 2026

Exterior Lighting 27 1 fire

“A fire started in the passenger headlight assembly. The car had only been running for about 7 minutes directly prior to the fire being noticed. At the time of the fire it was parked & turned off. No injuries. It burned thru/melted part of the bumper & damaged something with the windshield washer fluid. Several people were at risk due to there being a fire! The car was parked at a gas station when the fire broke out. I don't think they have done a thorough investigation yet. It is current at Hyundai of Metairie in Metairie LA. According to the service technician my car is not the only one they…”
NHTSA complaint #11610088, 2024 · fire

“Unknown and about 4 months ago my headlights stopped working one would go out I’d replace the bulb then the other goes out then a different bulb in my headlight would go out I’d replace it and it would go out again then the connectors were unresponsive then my height beams won’t engage leaving me with little to no light in order to operate my vehicle at night and oddly enough they would disengage while driving leaving me visually impaired while driving”
NHTSA complaint #11734191, 2026

“The manufacturer's Executive Case Management has ceased communication after verifying a total headlight failure. Despite providing evidence that the vehicle is grounded 150+ miles from home during a snowstorm, Hyundai is refusing to authorize the remedy outlined in TSB 20-BE-004H. This non-responsiveness to a verified safety hazard (Invoice #XXX) is actively endangering the driver and the public. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”
NHTSA complaint #11715080, 2026

Electrical System 25 1 fire

“A fire started in the passenger headlight assembly. The car had only been running for about 7 minutes directly prior to the fire being noticed. At the time of the fire it was parked & turned off. No injuries. It burned thru/melted part of the bumper & damaged something with the windshield washer fluid. Several people were at risk due to there being a fire! The car was parked at a gas station when the fire broke out. I don't think they have done a thorough investigation yet. It is current at Hyundai of Metairie in Metairie LA. According to the service technician my car is not the only one they…”
NHTSA complaint #11610088, 2024 · fire

“I have a 2020 Hyundai Elantra Limited that was purchased new in December of 2020, has 17,764 miles, and no damage. At the end of May/early June of 2026, the car gave warning messages for the following: check forward collision avoidance assist system, check lane keep assist system, and check high beam assist system. The car was inspected by the dealership, from which it was purchased, on June 29, 2026. The technician report says error codes C1604 and C1606 were found and that the car required replacement of the front camera system at the cost of $1991.49. Front camera failure negates the abilit…”
NHTSA complaint #11748184, 2026

“Within a matter of a few days my car has been stopping by itself. The car was smoking and stopping in the middle of the highway, my dealership is proving me with a new engine but is trying to have me come out of pocket for an fuel injector, please help !”
NHTSA complaint #11729565, 2026

Unknown Or Other 23 5 crash 2 fire 6 injury 2 death

“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 MP…”
NHTSA complaint #11383011, 2020 · crash · 2 death(s)

“Car stalled while driving on highway… causing the car to crash. The air bags deployed and me out! The car burst into flames and I was rescued by another motorist”
NHTSA complaint #11432397, 2021 · crash · fire · 2 injury(ies)

“Car emitted carbon monoxide into car cabin, causing driver to lose consciousness and crash on highway and burst into flames”
NHTSA complaint #11430751, 2021 · crash · fire · 2 injury(ies)

Steering 19 5 crash 1 fire 2 injury

“The contact called on behalf of their son who owns a 2020 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while their son was decelerating, speed was unknown, and coming to a stop sign. The next thing their son was able to recall was that the vehicle had suddenly turned right crashing into an electrical pole nearby. The air bags deployed. The driver had lost consciousness during the crash making it difficult to recall all that occurred. The vehicle was towed but they had not yet received any confirmation if the vehicle had been totaled. The electrical pole had fallen and began to catch fire. The fire…”
NHTSA complaint #11613933, 2024 · crash · fire · 1 injury(ies)

“WHEN I PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY AT ABOUT 5 MPH AND BEGAN INCREASING SPEED (10-15 MPH), I FELT LIKE MY FRONT TIRES MAY HAVE NEEDED AIR. I CHECKED MY DASH AND CONFIRMED THAT ALL THE SENSORS FOR TIRE PRESSURE WERE ON AND WORKING AND THE AIR PRESSURE SEEMED TO BE FINE. I BEGAN TO INCREASE SPEED AND BY THIS TIME WAS TRAVELING EAST BOUND AT APROX. 55 MPH ON THE HWY, WHEN THE FRONT LEFT TIRE SUDDENLY FELT LOOSE. I WASN'T SURE IF IT WAS MY TIRE OR THE ROAD ITSELF BUT BEFORE I COULD EVEN SWITCH LANES MY TIRE SEEMED TO JERK ME OVER TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD. MY BACK TIRE FELL OFF THE LEDGE OF T…”
NHTSA complaint #11286542, 2019 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“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…”
NHTSA complaint #11311552, 2020 · crash

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Service Brakes 14 3 crash 2 injury

“ON THURSDAY AUGUST 20 I HAD ACCIDENT AND THE FAC FAILED TO WORK AND NOW I HAVE INJURIES, THIS ACCIDENT WASNT MY FAULT. THE MAN WAS IN THE LEFT LANE THEN HE DECIDED TO CHANGE HIS MIND AND CAME ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT SIDE AND HE WAS IN FRONT AND SENSORS ON MY CAR SHOULD HAVE ALERTED ME AND DIDNT. THANKS”
NHTSA complaint #11351834, 2020 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH and turning right during rainy weather conditions, the brake pedal was lightly depressed however the wheels locked. The vehicle drove over a pothole and the contact lost control causing the vehicle to skid 50 feet. The contact crashed into the curb on the driver's side front tire. No warning light illuminated. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was undriveable and towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the driver's side control arm, the front tire suspension, the tire and ri…”
NHTSA complaint #11604453, 2024 · crash

“On June 30 2021 I was parking in front of a store in Oceanside Ca as I was pulling into the Parking space the engine started to race and the car would not stop I hit a Planter first and the wall of an hobby Nobby store I contact Hyundai American and reported and I asked them to check out the black box I received a letter back brim Hyundai American I they stated the would not (we have no reason to believe there USA product defect in the vehicle. It is a new vehicle with low mileage and there are no known issues with this model ‘s braking ) You can call me at[XXX] My Name is [XXX] INFORMATION…”
NHTSA complaint #11439041, 2021 · crash

Forward Collision Avoidance 13 2 crash

“I no longer have this vehicle, as I traded it in once I was able to lower some of my negative equity. During owning the 2020 Hyundai Elantra, a deer it the side of my vehicle and knocked me into the center of the road while I was driving. No airbags had come out, nor was any sensor activated. About 6-8 months later, I was driving down the same road and a deer had run across the road. The forward collision sensor did not alert me (I was paying attention to the road, but would have absolutely heard it), and my airbags did not deploy. My car suffered over $9,000 in damage and I had a concussion.”
NHTSA complaint #11728934, 2022 · crash

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM FAILED TO WARN OF AN ICE BUCKET IN THE ROADWAY. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO AVOID THE ICE BUCKET, THE CONTACT STRUCK THE ICE BUCKET WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE BUMPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE BUMPER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR THE BODY REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ATLANTIC HYUNDAI (193 SUNRISE HWY NORTH SERVICE RD, WEST ISLIP, NY 11795, (631) 587-0700) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE F…”
NHTSA complaint #11257932, 2019 · crash

“I have a 2020 Hyundai Elantra Limited that was purchased new in December of 2020, has 17,764 miles, and no damage. At the end of May/early June of 2026, the car gave warning messages for the following: check forward collision avoidance assist system, check lane keep assist system, and check high beam assist system. The car was inspected by the dealership, from which it was purchased, on June 29, 2026. The technician report says error codes C1604 and C1606 were found and that the car required replacement of the front camera system at the cost of $1991.49. Front camera failure negates the abilit…”
NHTSA complaint #11748184, 2026

Vehicle Speed Control 13 1 crash 1 fire 1 injury

“The contact called on behalf of their son who owns a 2020 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while their son was decelerating, speed was unknown, and coming to a stop sign. The next thing their son was able to recall was that the vehicle had suddenly turned right crashing into an electrical pole nearby. The air bags deployed. The driver had lost consciousness during the crash making it difficult to recall all that occurred. The vehicle was towed but they had not yet received any confirmation if the vehicle had been totaled. The electrical pole had fallen and began to catch fire. The fire…”
NHTSA complaint #11613933, 2024 · crash · fire · 1 injury(ies)

“The Contact owns a 2020 HYUNDAI Elantra. The contact stated while operating the vehicle at an undisclosed speed, he noticed that his RPM were going back and forth while on cruise control, after removing cruise control the vehicle stayed the same. The vehicle was pulled over and restarted but the vehicle was hesitating to accelerate and noticed a issue with the gears not. The vehicle was towed to a independent mechanic but was not fully diagnosed due to the transmission driving forward when in neutral. The dealer was notified of the failure and a appointment was set for a later date. The vehicl…”
NHTSA complaint #11735846, 2026

“Cruise control on 55mph, car has slowed down going straight no uphill or downhill and accelerator did not work nothing blocking the accelerator. Had to pull over to a shoulder to shut engine off and on to drive. Tapping cruise control up to speed up in regulated area such as from 55 to a 65mph zone.. cruise control speed lowered. Attempting to speed up with accelerator still only slowing down. 3 times this year I had to change spark plugs within a 6 month period Error code p0302. Replaced battery alongside. Continues p0302 code. Replaced all coils and spark plugs still p0302. Climbing uphill…”
NHTSA complaint #11701387, 2025

Fuel/Propulsion System 9

“Within a matter of a few days my car has been stopping by itself. The car was smoking and stopping in the middle of the highway, my dealership is proving me with a new engine but is trying to have me come out of pocket for an fuel injector, please help !”
NHTSA complaint #11729565, 2026

“I see there was a P0420 error code related to catalytic converter oil consumption recall, but when I put in my VIN it said no recalls. This is for a 2020 Hyundai Elantra 2020. The problem comes and goes and was able to be reproduced or confirmed by a dealer Hyundai. The warning lamps, messages comes on frequently and was reportedly fixed charges $2000 for a sensor. I the code and it is all over the internet that it is a recall.but does not show up with VIN.i need assistance with getting this fixed at the dealer”
NHTSA complaint #11727146, 2026

“Engine stalled out, oil light and engine repair light both on, call will not turn over”
NHTSA complaint #11631825, 2024

Structure 7 1 crash

“MY CAR SOLD TO ME WITH OUT IT BEING DISCLOSED THAT IT WAS CRASHED NOW MY LKA WILL KILL YOU IF USED AND THE FENDER IS OBVIOUSLY REPAINTED MY STEERING IS WEIRD AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE NEW PURCHASED AT 6 MILES CRASH REPORTED AT 0 REPAIR COMPLETED 2/10 MY PURCHASE 2/11”
NHTSA complaint #11317971, 2019 · crash

“A few weeks ago, I was driving home on a 3-Lane local state route here in NJ from a family outing on a rainy dark evening when a large portion of the body paint from the hood flaked / peeled off and somehow got stuck under the drivers side windshield wiper as they were on during the rain at highway speed. It was a large enough piece (at least 3" wide) , to not only get stuck under the wiper, but create a serious issue for me to see out the windshield where the wiper wouldn't clear my vision out of the windshield. I managed somehow to safely pull to the side of the road and get out to inspect w…”
NHTSA complaint #11746043, 2026

“Driving on a road trip, 2.5 hours in. All doors were locked. Drove over a road change from tunnel to bridge, small bump, and dashboard started beeping and flashing that a door opened. Driver side back door (where my child was sitting) opened, air was rushing in. We had to brake ( on a highway bridge to pull over) and unlock door to get it to close again. The door popped open while still locked. Called Hyundai and they said bring it in, but we probably didn't shut it. It was absolutely shut and locked.”
NHTSA complaint #11526619, 2023

Air Bags 5 5 crash 4 injury

“A CAR DARTED INTO MY LANE AT 90 DEGREES. MY RENTAL CAR RIGHT CORNER ENDED UP AGAINST THE OTHER CAR'S LEFT FENDER. THE DRIVER AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY BUT DID START TO INFLATE. A LOT OF DARK GRAY SMOKE ISSUED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN FOR A LONG TIME AFTER THE BAG STARTED TO DEPLOY. THE BAG COVER APPEARED TO EXTEND ABOUT 6" FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE SIDES LOOKED PLEATED, LIKE AN ACCORDION BELLOWS. ALSO SOMETHING HAPPENED UNDER THE DASH AROUND THE PEDALS. I SAW A RECTANGULAR LIGHT COLORED AREA 4-9' TALL AND 10-20" WIDE AS IF A PANEL HAD BLOWN OFF A LOWER AIRBAG BUT NO INFLATION OCCURRED…”
NHTSA complaint #11310064, 2020 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“On [XXX] at about 1:40 p.m. I was driving to work, and got distracted and had a front-end collision with a tree that was about 1-3 feet next to the side of the road. Extensive damage to the vehicle, and personal injuries occurred (mild concussion, stress fracture of left forearm, bruising/abrasion on ride side torso, sprained left thumb, and abrasions on head). Both the driver and passenger airbags did not deploy which contributed to me almost flying through the windshield. The emergency responders and tow truck operator were very surprised I wasn't in critical condition or dead and noted that…”
NHTSA complaint #11631902, 2024 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“On May 2, 2021 I was involved in a hit and run accident. An individual in a pickup ran a red light and t-boned my car on the driver side. No air bags deployed. I was taken to the hospital with a severe concussion.”
NHTSA complaint #11421895, 2021 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Wheels 5 1 crash 1 injury

“WHEN I PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY AT ABOUT 5 MPH AND BEGAN INCREASING SPEED (10-15 MPH), I FELT LIKE MY FRONT TIRES MAY HAVE NEEDED AIR. I CHECKED MY DASH AND CONFIRMED THAT ALL THE SENSORS FOR TIRE PRESSURE WERE ON AND WORKING AND THE AIR PRESSURE SEEMED TO BE FINE. I BEGAN TO INCREASE SPEED AND BY THIS TIME WAS TRAVELING EAST BOUND AT APROX. 55 MPH ON THE HWY, WHEN THE FRONT LEFT TIRE SUDDENLY FELT LOOSE. I WASN'T SURE IF IT WAS MY TIRE OR THE ROAD ITSELF BUT BEFORE I COULD EVEN SWITCH LANES MY TIRE SEEMED TO JERK ME OVER TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD. MY BACK TIRE FELL OFF THE LEDGE OF T…”
NHTSA complaint #11286542, 2019 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“Every time I go up a hill the slippery road light comes up. It’s hard to drive straight. I have to drive under the speed limit going up hills. Sometimes it won’t even let me park. I hear rattling when I drive over a certain speed limit. When I brake I feel the brake pad pushing back. And now my wheels are making noise when I turn them.”
NHTSA complaint #11634256, 2024

“I was in the inside left turn lane turning left and as I was turning my steering wheel my car was not turning, it was continuing to go straight. I hit my brakes so I wouldn’t crash into the car turning next to me and then my wheels finally turned as I was braking so it caused me to burn the tires and swerve. I’m not sure if any lights came on as I was trying not to crash into the vehicle next to me. I have an appointment for the dealership to look at it.”
NHTSA complaint #11434285, 2021

Lane Departure 4 1 crash

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle erroneously switched from smart mode to sport mode causing the vehicle to independently accelerated. Additionally, the lane departure system would erroneously activate. The contact also stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle pulled to the right. The contact also stated that the exhaust pipe was rusted. The cause of the failures was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 400. Consumer sta…”
NHTSA complaint #11422894, 2020 · crash

“I have a 2020 Hyundai Elantra Limited that was purchased new in December of 2020, has 17,764 miles, and no damage. At the end of May/early June of 2026, the car gave warning messages for the following: check forward collision avoidance assist system, check lane keep assist system, and check high beam assist system. The car was inspected by the dealership, from which it was purchased, on June 29, 2026. The technician report says error codes C1604 and C1606 were found and that the car required replacement of the front camera system at the cost of $1991.49. Front camera failure negates the abilit…”
NHTSA complaint #11748184, 2026

“My car does not have forward collision warning or lane departure warning. But sometimes it will randomly pop up and the screen and cause my breaks to abruptly stop and almost crash.This has happened atleast 8 times and the car was bought brand new in 2020”
NHTSA complaint #11440768, 2021

Engine And Engine Cooling 3 1 crash

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle erroneously switched from smart mode to sport mode causing the vehicle to independently accelerated. Additionally, the lane departure system would erroneously activate. The contact also stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle pulled to the right. The contact also stated that the exhaust pipe was rusted. The cause of the failures was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 400. Consumer sta…”
NHTSA complaint #11422894, 2020 · crash

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a low rattling sound coming from the engine compartment. Upon checking the oil, the contact found the oil level was low and added approximately two quarts of oil. The contact stated that 2-quarts of oil were added monthly because the oil level and consistently low. However, there were no signs of an oil leak while the vehicle was parked. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired; however, during a routine oil change, the contact was informed that an oil gasket might need to be inst…”
NHTSA complaint #11727946, 2025

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving the vehicle at an undisclosed speed, the tire pressure and check engine warning lights illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who checked the tire pressure and the engine oil levels. The contact was informed that the levels were at the correct levels however, the TPMS warning light remained illuminated. The local dealer diagnosed the vehicle with a defective sensor. The dealer performed am electronic control module software update to attempt to fix the failure however, the failure persisted.…”
NHTSA complaint #11424610, 2020

Suspension 3 1 crash 1 injury

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 – 25 MPH uphill and going around a corner, the contact heard a snap and the traction control immediately activated. The contact then lost control of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was unsure if the she had encountered a patch of ice on the roadway. The contact stated that she turned the steering wheel to the left to avoid hitting a sign pole with the driver’s side of the vehicle; however, the passenger’s side front bumper and wheel well area crashed into a telephone pole…”
NHTSA complaint #11449589, 2021 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“Hello, I have a 2020 Hyundai Elantra  [XXX] Vin.  The car has a major problem with the steering and suspension at speeds over 45 mph.  I am talking with [XXX] at this time after dialing [XXX] at Hyundai cust care (case #[XXX]).  She told me she is on the West Side location.  I asked where is that and she stated she is unable to let me know where.  The car does not hold the road and the suspension and steering is not working well at speeds of 45mph or faster.  This is a very dangerous situation and this year and model of Hyundai should be examined before someone loses control because of a defe…”
NHTSA complaint #11443732, 2021

Back Over Prevention 2

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Elantra. The stated that the backup camera was inoperable. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V879000 (Back Over Prevention). The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who confirmed there was no recall. But no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 19,100.”
NHTSA complaint #11734908, 2026

“The headlights failed their soldered incorrectly. It looks like a child did it. The back camera has yet to work since shows black screen, and then the lane Assistant shuts off in the middle of the road and there’s nothing blocking it. lights went out and kept going out no matter how many times I replaced the bulb when I was on the highway. I took it into Firestone and they stated that the company fucked up the wiring system.”
NHTSA complaint #11722670, 2023

Tires 2

“No warning lamps. Incident reported to tire manufacturer; no liability acknowledged. While parking at very low speed, sidewall contacted smooth metal curb at a slight angle and blew out. IMO, tire should have withstood the typical parking process and not destroyed the sidewall and burst under the conditions.”
NHTSA complaint #11422221, 2021

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving the vehicle at an undisclosed speed, the tire pressure and check engine warning lights illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who checked the tire pressure and the engine oil levels. The contact was informed that the levels were at the correct levels however, the TPMS warning light remained illuminated. The local dealer diagnosed the vehicle with a defective sensor. The dealer performed am electronic control module software update to attempt to fix the failure however, the failure persisted.…”
NHTSA complaint #11424610, 2020

Visibility/Wiper 2

“WINDSHIELDS SAFETY DEFECT ' HYUNDAI ELANTRA 2020 GREETINGS, I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU OF MY PURCHASE OF A DEFECTIVE BRAND-NEW HYUNDAI ELANTRA LESS THAN THREE WEEKS AGO ON JANUARY 06, 2020, FROM BOB BAKER HYUNDAI IN CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA. WHILE TEST DRIVING THE CAR, I NOTICED A HAZINESS TO THE WINDSHIELD WHEN DRIVING DIRECTLY INTO THE SUN. I WAS TOLD BY A HYUNDAI SALESMAN, [XXX] THAT THIS HAZINESS MIGHT BE DIRT AND THAT THE DEALERSHIP WOULD WASH THE CAR BEFORE I TOOK IT HOME THUS TAKING CARE OF THE PROBLEM. LATER, AFTER A CAREFUL EXAMINATION, I OBSERVED THAT THE WINDSHIELD HAD A SPECKLE DEF…”
NHTSA complaint #11301897, 2020

Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 1 1 crash 1 injury

“WHEN I PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY AT ABOUT 5 MPH AND BEGAN INCREASING SPEED (10-15 MPH), I FELT LIKE MY FRONT TIRES MAY HAVE NEEDED AIR. I CHECKED MY DASH AND CONFIRMED THAT ALL THE SENSORS FOR TIRE PRESSURE WERE ON AND WORKING AND THE AIR PRESSURE SEEMED TO BE FINE. I BEGAN TO INCREASE SPEED AND BY THIS TIME WAS TRAVELING EAST BOUND AT APROX. 55 MPH ON THE HWY, WHEN THE FRONT LEFT TIRE SUDDENLY FELT LOOSE. I WASN'T SURE IF IT WAS MY TIRE OR THE ROAD ITSELF BUT BEFORE I COULD EVEN SWITCH LANES MY TIRE SEEMED TO JERK ME OVER TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD. MY BACK TIRE FELL OFF THE LEDGE OF T…”
NHTSA complaint #11286542, 2019 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Fuel System 1

“Fuel pump keeps on failing I replaced it 3 time.”
NHTSA complaint #11670335, 2025

Seat Belts 1

“Since I have bought my Elantra, I have had problems with the seatbelt alarm going off, when nobody or, maybe just a purse or wallet in the seat on occasions. Either way I shouldn't have to utilize passenger seatbelt to keep from beeping; when there is no passenger riding at the time of warning beeps.”
NHTSA complaint #11466325, 2020

Seats 1 1 crash 1 fire 2 injury

“Car emitted carbon monoxide into car cabin, causing driver to lose consciousness and crash on highway and burst into flames”
NHTSA complaint #11430751, 2021 · crash · fire · 2 injury(ies)

How we read this (methodology)

How to read this: raw complaint totals are not a clean reliability score — a model year with more cars sold, or simply more years on the road, accumulates more complaints regardless of how good it is. So this page leans on two signals that are not distorted by sales volume: the share of complaints falling on each vehicle system (the breakdown above) and NHTSA's own crash / fire / injury / death flags. When we compare model years of the same model, we normalise by years on the road (complaints ÷ vehicle age) rather than comparing raw totals. Age-normalised, the 2020 Hyundai Elantra draws about 34.4 complaints per year on the road, ranking 1 of 12 among the Hyundai Elantra model years we have ingested (1 = most complaints per year on road).

Before you buy this Hyundai Elantra

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Data source: U.S. NHTSA (nhtsa.gov). SaveVIN surfaces public recall data and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NHTSA.

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