FaultScore

2010 Hyundai Elantra steering problems

196 of the 504 complaints about the 2010 Hyundai Elantra are about the steering — 39% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 73,000 miles.

F

196

Complaints

7

Crashes

1

Fires

5

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Steering 191 97.4%
Electric Power Assist System 4 2.0%
Column 1 0.5%

Steering across every Hyundai Elantra year

2001 24 2.2%
2002 16 1.5%
2003 16 1.5%
2007 34 3.1%
2008 55 5.1%
2009 132 12.2%
2010 196 18.1%
2011 74 6.8%
2012 88 8.1%
2013 271 25.0%
2014 28 2.6%
2015 26 2.4%
2016 19 1.8%
2017 71 6.5%
2018 15 1.4%
2020 20 1.8%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

San Antonio, TX

STEERING

The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact recently purchased the vehicle. The contact researched and became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V113000 (Exterior Lighting), 15V100000 (Steering) and 20V061000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the repairs were unable to be completed because the required tools were unavailable. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA complaint #11755010 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rohnert Park, CA

STEERING

Vehicle developed clunking noise in the steering. Was told it was coupler issue. The dealership, Nlorthbay Hyundai, in Petaluma, California, was negligent in the replacement, creating a grinding metal on metal noise, and damaged the steering column as well. The Dealership refused failed to correct the damage and attempted to defraud me over $3,000 for an entirely new steering column, and refuse to honor promised repair warranty despite their own negligence that created the damage. I found out that Hyundai models including mine have coupler issues involving recalls, years ago. I was not aware of this, and so not sure if my vehicle was part of the recall. However, Hyundai Motor America failed to notify me to take my vehicle in for a safety check for the vehicle coupler. And while I found that that my vehicle qualified for an extended warranty due to the recall, HMA so lacking in responsibility, sound business and moral ethics, let alone serious concern for my safety, claims that my vehicle is past the extended warranty by a completely insignificant mileage. As far as am concerned my vehicle is not safe to drive, and it remains at the dealership while I exhaust all avenues to have my car fixed. I have documents including clear repair notes and service request documents to support my complaint. Complaint being filed against both the dealership, Northbay Hyundai and the manufacturer, Hyundai Motor America.

NHTSA complaint #11735156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Columbus, OH

STEERING

EPS light came on and we changed the part and it came back on again I spent $350 for this service but I saw online that Hyundai is having a recall for my year and model car to reprogramming eps but my vin is not included. Is it possible they can include my vin ?

NHTSA complaint #11727532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Houston, TX

STEERING

The EPS light started coming on intermittently back in Nov. 2025 and power steering became very difficult. I could get it to reset by turning off the car and turning steering wheel all the way to right and then left and then back to center and restart. The steering ability returned but the light eventually came back on. I had Firestone look at this in Nov. and they recalibrated but advised if problem returned that I should contact dealer due to recall for 2010 Elantras for same issue. The light came back on this weekend. I note the recall is for Elantras manufactured through April 30, 2010. My car was manufactured June 20, 2010…. 6 weeks after the dates of the recalled models. Clearly this issue is affecting my car also. I plan to call the dealer and try to get them to look at it and see if they will repair under the recall… but I wanted to report this to you also since is affecting models outside the original recall dates.

NHTSA complaint #11710269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 85,000 miles Lombard, IL

STEERING

The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to turn in direction with the ABS warning light illuminated. After turning off and restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated normally, but the failure reoccurred. Recently, the failure reoccurred, and the vehicle was restarted, but failed to self-correct. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V100000 (STEERING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 85,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA complaint #11694991 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 110,000 miles Hudson, NH

STEERING

The contact's mother owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while his mother was driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Power Steering" warning light illuminated. The contact's mother had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the power steering assist module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had called the manufacturer and was informed that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V100000 (Steering); in 2018, and the vehicle was no longer under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

NHTSA complaint #11681342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 60,857 miles Scottdale, PA

STEERING

The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized, with the power steering warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering column had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,857.

NHTSA complaint #11666318 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Norwalk, CA

STEERING

The vehicle is subject to manufacturer recall #127. I brought it to two different dealerships for the recall repair after confirming in advance that they had the necessary parts. However, after dropping off my vehicle, I was informed a few hours later that the dealership did not actually have the parts needed for the repair. I contacted Hyundai’s service center to escalate the issue, but they refused to take further action. Instead, they repeatedly instructed me to reach out to other dealerships. After contacting several other dealers, I was told that they either did not have the parts or the system capabilities to perform the recall repair. Despite my efforts, Hyundai has refused to escalate this matter to upper management, leaving the issue unresolved.

NHTSA complaint #11664119 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 63,500 miles Fresh Meadows, NY

STEERING

The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH and making a turn, there was an abnormally loud thumping sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the sound persisted over time. While the vehicle was parked, the contact turned the steering wheel and there was an abnormal clunking sound coming from the steering. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the coupler steering gear needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 63,500.

NHTSA complaint #11633832 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kissimmee, FL Fire

STEERING

My car catched on fire after my steering wheel light keep coming on and off and my Abs and break light was on couple days before it catched fire .

NHTSA complaint #11633542 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dix Hills, NY

STEERING

When I was driving, the electronics steering light came on. The car started pulling hard to the right. Then stopped and drove normal but the light was still on. I park the car the next day the light was off drove fine Then it came back on and was doing the same thing.I brought it to the mechanic he recalibrated the steering. Worked for about a week , then it came on started doing the same. This is a very scary and not safe. When you're driving and you lose steering for no reason. It gets expensive, bringing it to the Mechanic trying to figure it out. This has happened two times and now the second time the car is going to the mechanic to fix this.

NHTSA complaint #11624422 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LAS Vegas, NV

STEERING

EPS Electric Power Steering warning and unable to steer to drive. I was quoted $3,200 to repair.

NHTSA complaint #11609345 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rio Rico, AZ

STEERING

My 2010 Elantra just started making a clicking noise when slightly turning the steering wheel back and forth. Doing online research, I discovered it is a common problem on Hyundai, with the same symptoms as my problem, that there is a rubber star damper gear in the electronic motor system inside the steering column that fails, it completely falls apart, and is very common defect in these vehicles. No warning lamp was illuminated. I am now stuck without a car that I can not drive for fear the whole steering may fail. Because it involves the steering, Hyundai is putting all our safety at risk knowing there is a problem with this “cheap rubber” gear part that controls the steering and is prone to failing. The fix is around $800. Many people have complained on UTube comments. Hyundai should be made to recall and fix all these defective Hyundai vehicles. As a safety authority, NHTSA should stop unsafe vehicle production practices when uncovered and dealers force to fix them all.

NHTSA complaint #11588584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Glen Ellyn, IL

STEERING

I started my 2010 Hyndai Elantra and started backing out of parking space and the power steering failed. I could not move the car as steering was impossible. Restarted the car 2 minutes later power steering worked. Later that evening same thing happened while backing out of my driveway and now there is now power steering at all. Milage on the car is approximately 88,000

NHTSA complaint #11573929 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Corpus Christi, TX

STEERING

EPS fails, the steering wheel becomes very Hard.

NHTSA complaint #11569786 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mesa, AZ

STEERING

Electronic Power Steering failure on a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. There is a recall bulletin issued for this defect on my same year and model, but Hyundai will not comply with it because my vehicles vin is not affective.

NHTSA complaint #11560712 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 109,000 miles Elma, WA

STEERING

The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle made an abnormal sound, and the steering wheel was vibrating. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring more frequently. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the electronic steering motor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V100000 (Steering). The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

NHTSA complaint #11558360 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sacramento, CA

STEERING

After diagnose, DTC C1604 ECU hardware error and DTc C2412 motor short or open malfunctioning, recommended replace EPS system

NHTSA complaint #11554910 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Indiana, PA

STEERING

On July 25, 2023, I was driving in our town when I heard a noise coming from the rear of the car. I was very close to a repair facility that I sometimes use, so I slowly drove there. They looked at the car and showed me that the rear driver-side wheel was about to fall off. They then raised the car in the shop and told me that the rear upper-control arm had rusted through and broken, causing the wheel to break off. They showed me a photo of this. I was also told that had this happened on a highway at a higher speed, there could have been fatalities because control of the car would have been seriously affected. I contacted Hyundai about this and they told me to take to a dealer to be looked at. I refused to pay for this inspection and I now do not trust Hyundai.

NHTSA complaint #11553960 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Munster, IN

STEERING

The steering column makes clicking sounds when turning either way. Started approximately June. No lamps on. Noted previous recall on steering coupler. The contact stated after being told the coupler in steering column was replaced once records were picked up from dealership there was no mention of it. The dealership refused to fix problem and had to pay elsewhere for replacement.

NHTSA complaint #11552005 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Milpitas, CA

STEERING

As I was driving, the steering wheel and brakes locked up so I couldn't steer nor brake. Luckily I was in a parking lot so I cruised the vehicle to a stop without crashing. If I had been on a road or turning, I would have crashed. No indicator lights went on. I took the car to a Hyundai dealership where they couldn't find any problems and recommended I replace the steering column. I searched online and several others have reported a similar issue. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11546324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 63,000 miles Woodbridge, CT

STEERING

The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized. The ABS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the steering wheel chanel needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000. The mechanic stated this is a factory recall and they should fix my car for free. When the consumer informed the company and repair dealer (Key Hyundai)about this the dealer stated they already fixed that recall previously. The contact stated the dealership fixed the vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11524987 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 100,000 miles Silver Spring, MD

STEERING

The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he attempted to complete a turn and the vehicle became extremely difficult to steer. The EPS and ECU warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the electronic power steering. Upon investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V100000 (Steering). The vehicle was not repaired due to parts not being available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was referred to a local dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was 100,000

NHTSA complaint #11524645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 19,000 miles North Babylon, NY

STEERING

The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel made abnormal clicking sounds and was slightly resistant. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the steering coupler was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.

NHTSA complaint #11518925 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

West Point, UT

STEERING

Clockspring has failed . Hyundai has extended the clockspring warranty for 2011 to 2014 Elantras to a 15-year unlimited mileage but has excluded the 2010 models for some reason. I would like Hyundai to extend the warranty to all affected vehicles as it is a safety hazard.

NHTSA complaint #11516041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Clinton, MD

STEERING

I WAS DRIVING HOME POWER STEERING WENT OUT LIGHT CAME ON EPS I HAD A PROBLEM STEERING ALMOST RUN INTO ANOTHER CAR A FEW TIMES. THIS JUST HAPPENED WED 4/5 /2023.I HAVE NOT TAKEN IT TO A DEALER YET BECAUSE OF A DENTAL EMERGENCY THAT SAME DAY.I CAN CALL THE INSURANCE MON 4/10 /2023. NO ONE LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE I MAY HAVE TO TOW IT NOT SURE YET. I GOT NO WARNING THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS GOING OUT. BUT THE EPS LIGHT CAME ON AFTERWARDS. POWER STEERING WAS HARD TO DRIVE THE CAR.ALSO I NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE BY PHONE OR EMAIL OR REGULAR MAIL FROM NOONE. YES SOMEONE CAN INSPECT THE VEHICLE UPON REQUEST

NHTSA complaint #11516062 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 160,000 miles Dacula, GA

STEERING

The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the EPS warning light illuminated, and the power steering became disabled; causing the steering wheel to be difficult to turn in either direction. After restarting the vehicle, the power steering operated normally. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering column was defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under the NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V100000 (Steering) in 2015. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 160,000.

NHTSA complaint #11515430 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 80,000 miles Alice, TX

STEERING

The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. Additionally, the EPS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed as a module and steering motor sensor failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA complaint #11511989 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Twp of Washington, NJ

STEERING

My Daughter was driving the car and thought it felt "wobbly", she arrived at my home and parked on the driveway. When she went to move her car, the steering wheel no longer worked. The steering wheel just spins in circles around and around without any resistance. The front wheels do not move when the wheel is being turned. I have a video but it is too large to submit

NHTSA complaint #11510877 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Coal City, WV

STEERING

There is a popping noise in the steering column when turning the steering wheel back and forth. How is it safe to have a plastic gear in the middle of a steering column where the upper and lower shaft meet? The ends that are seen are splined metal shafts.

NHTSA complaint #11509271 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2010 Hyundai Elantra problems

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