FaultScore

2011 Hyundai Elantra transmission problems

21 of the 589 complaints about the 2011 Hyundai Elantra are about the transmission — 4% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 58,000 miles.

B

21

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Power Train 19 90.5%
Automatic Transmission 2 9.5%

Transmission & Drivetrain across every Hyundai Elantra year

1994 10 1.7%
1995 19 3.2%
1996 20 3.3%
1997 34 5.7%
1998 13 2.2%
1999 45 7.5%
2000 22 3.7%
2001 16 2.7%
2002 17 2.8%
2007 10 1.7%
2008 30 5.0%
2010 32 5.3%
2011 21 3.5%
2012 40 6.7%
2013 57 9.5%
2014 21 3.5%
2015 18 3.0%
2016 31 5.2%
2017 62 10.4%
2018 24 4.0%
2019 11 1.8%
2020 46 7.7%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Washington, DC

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, a fellow motorist alerted the contact that the vehicle was smoking. The contact pulled over and waited for an extensive period before restarting the vehicle. The contact was able to drive to the destination while driving at a slow speed. The contact stated that the ABS warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel since owning the vehicle. The contact also stated that the vehicle stalled upon depression of the accelerator pedal while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the recall was not serviced due to poor customer service. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA complaint #11605080 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 45,000 miles Idaho Falls, ID

POWER TRAIN

CAR WILL LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING, ON OCCASION IT CAN BE JUMPED / RESTARTED, BUT IT WILL SUDDENLY LOSE POWER AGAIN. HAVE TOWED IT 6 TIMES IN 5 MONTHS. NOW I'M LOOKING FOR AN ENTIRELY NEW ENGINE. SIDE NOTE: YOU CAN'T PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO TOW IT IF THERE IS NO POWER, SO YOU HAVE TO HOPE JUMPER CABLES WILL GET IT ENOUGH POWER TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. NO MANUAL STEERING EITHER, SO WE HAD TO USE A TOW TRUCK SEVERAL TIMES SINCE YOU COULDN'T TURN CORNERS MANUALLY AT ALL THE STEERING WHEEL JUST LOCKS, EVEN WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION.

NHTSA complaint #11298631 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 57,000 miles Port Charlotte, FL

POWER TRAIN

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCE ROD KNOCK WITH 57,000 AND VEHICLE HAS ERRATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTING. THE DEALER EXPLAINED THEY WOULD COVER 60 PERCENT BUT MY COST IS STILL 4,000.00 FOR WHICH THE VEHICLE IS ONLY WORTH 6,000 ON TRADE. PLUS $600 TO FIX TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. REQUESTED PICTURE FROM DEALER BUT ONLY SENT PICTURES OF METAL SHAVINGS IN OIL PAN AND VALVE COVER.

NHTSA complaint #11296876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 136,000 miles Dallas, GA

POWER TRAIN

CAR JERKS INTO REVERSE HARD. WHEN GOING DOWN ROAD CAR LOSES POWER. JUST ACTS LIKE ITS NOT GOING ANYWHERE. VERY LOW MILES ONVTHIS CAR.

NHTSA complaint #11270946 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 40,000 miles East Liberty, OH

POWER TRAIN

THE CAR WILL NOT START DESPITE THE BATTERY BEING CHARGED AND NO APPARENT ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE WHICH LEFT ME STRANDED. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT. THIS APPEARS TO BE A RANGE SWITCH ISSUE. I DO HAVE A DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY; THIS SHOULD BE COVERED; HOWEVER, THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING WITH AS MANY COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL!

NHTSA complaint #11216929 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bronx, NY

POWER TRAIN

MY CAR WON'T START WHEN TURNING THE KEY IT WOULD MAKE A CLICK NOISE BUT WON'T TURN ON UNLESS YOU TRY SEVERAL TIMES AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD TAKE A HOUR OR MORE TO DO SO. TWO YEARS AGO CHANGED THE BATTERY THINKING IT WAS THAT BUT AFTER ALL THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE STARTER SO IT GOT CHANGED. THREE YEARS SINCE THEN NOW I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND THE CAR LOOKS FINE EVERYTHING WAS DIAGNOSED AND SEEMS OK SO DECIDED TO LEAVE IT OVERNIGHT SO THEY CAN TEST IT NEXT DAY. ONCE THEY DID THE CAR DIDN'T WANT TO TURN ON SO THEY BOOSTED IT AND SAID IT WAS THE BATTERY. AFTER CHANGING THE BATTERY THREE DAYS LATER THE CAR STILL GIVING ME THE SAME PROBLEM SOMETIMES IT WON'T TURN ON. NEXT STEP WILL BE CHANGE THE STARTER AGAIN BUT MECHANICS CAN'T FIND THE REAL PROBLEM BECAUSE ONCE THE CAR DESIDES TO TURN ON THERE IS NO PROBLEM BUT IT IS A STRUGGLE NOT KNOWING WHEN AND WHERE THIS WILL HAPPEN, IT IS VERY UNSAFE.

NHTSA complaint #11180568 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 144,000 miles Blackstone, MA

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. SHORTLY AFTER, THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED AND FRACTURED THE AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOUSE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint #11151253 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 109,000 miles Clemons, NY

POWER TRAIN

INTERMITTENT ISSUE WITH STARTING THE VEHICLE (2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA) , MOSTLY AFTER OVERNIGHT PARKING, GENERALLY FROM A PARKED, NON START POSITION. WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY, A SINGLE CLICK. YOU MAY TRY A SECOND OR SIXTH TIME, AND THE VEHICLE WILL START AND RUN NORMALLY. IT MAY BE FINE FOR A DAY OR TWO, THEN HAVE PROBLEMS AGAIN EVEN SEVERAL TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. SHIFTING INTO REVERSE OR NEUTRAL, THEN BACK INTO PARK SEEMS TO HELP, BUT ONLY THAT TIME. AFTER INITIAL PROBLEM TEN MONTHS AGO, CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR TESTING. IT WAS FOUND THE PRIOR OWNER HAD REPLACED THE STARTER (SO WAS RELATIVELY NEW AND MAY BE PROOF PRIOR OWN EXPERIENCED SAME ISSUE), BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED. EVERYTHING TESTED NORMALLY AND ISSUE COULD NOT BE RECREATED AT DEALERSHIP. TWO WEEKS AGO, THE ISSUE BEGAN AGAIN, HAPPENING QUITE FREQUENTLY. IT IS WINTER SEASON AGAIN, WHICH IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION TO NOT HAVE YOUR VEHICLE START, AND IT HAS CAUSED OWNER TO BE LATE FOR WORK AND BE TEMPORARILY STRANDED. WE HAVE RESEARCHED THE ISSUE TO BE RELATED TO A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (NO. 15-AT-001) STATING A RANGE SENSOR SWITCH MAY BE THE CAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. VEHICLE WILL BE BROUGHT IN AGAIN TO DEALER, HOPING THIS ISSUE CAN BE RECREATED, OR THEY WILL NOT REPAIR. IN FACT, AT THE FIRST VISIT THEY ACTED AS IF THEY NEVER HEARD OF THIS ISSUE. WE HAVE RECORDS FROM FIRST VISIT AND WILL THE NEXT FOR OUR RECORDS. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED FOR ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES IN THIS SERVICE BULLETIN.

NHTSA complaint #11055117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 90,000 miles Shorewood, IL

POWER TRAIN

COMING HOME FROM WORK.O N THE HIGHWAY..THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED A LITTLE FUNNY..DIDN'T REALLY PAY IT ANY ATTENTION..BUT SOON AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE ILLUMINATED PLUGGED I'M MY DIAGNOSTIC TOOL ..PO711..TRANS FLUID SENSOR...MY ISSUE THIS JUST NOT MY CAR THE DEALERSHIP KNOWS THIS SENSOR GOES OUT AND IS BAD AND ARE MAKING BIG BUCKS OFF THE CONSUMER BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM..THE SENSOR IS KNOWN TO GO OUT ON THE ELANTRA MODEL AND SONATA...IF THIS SENSOR IS NOT ADDRESSED COULD LEAD TO TRANS.SLIPPING AND VEHICLE NOT MOVING AT ALL.

NHTSA complaint #10929486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 79,000 miles Tampa, FL

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND LOST SPEED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHED 45 MPH, IT BEGAN TO JERK HARD. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

NHTSA complaint #10873576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 77,500 miles Logan TWP, NJ

POWER TRAIN

MY HYUNDAI MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END. IT HAPPENS WHENEVER I SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE/REVERSE, DRIVE TO REVERSE, AND VICE VERSA, AND ALSO IF I SPEED UP, OR SLOW DOWN QUICKLY. I TRIED GETTING THE VEHICLE CHECKED OUT AT A DEALER, AND I WAS TOLD "I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT MANY OF THE ELANTRA'S COME FROM FACTORY MAKING THAT NOISE, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHY. OBVIOUSLY, IF IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, THEN HYUNDAI WOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL BY NOW." I WAS UPSET BY THIS STATEMENT, BECAUSE IT DOES CAUSE MY VEHICLE TO JERK WHEN I AM ACCELERATING AND BREAKING, AS WELL AS OTHER STRANGE THINGS, SO I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE HERE. I DID BUY THIS VEHICLE PRE-OWNED, AND IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO TRY TO GET IT REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WASN'T ANYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE TO FIX THE ISSUE. I FEEL REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING MY OWN VEHICLE WHEN THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT, AND ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint #10806338 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 27,700 miles Boynton Beach, FL

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT HAD TO FORCE AND HOLD THE GEAR INTO DRIVE IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE PROPERLY. ON ANOTHER OCCASIONS, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURES RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A CRIMP IN THE GEAR CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE REPAIRS WERE UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,700. UPDATED 09/18/15*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. UPDATED 09/22/15

NHTSA complaint #10744798 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 70,000 miles Coatesville, PA

POWER TRAIN

GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT GO INTO PARK OR REVERSE. ALSO THE ESC LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF AT TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #10690896 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 26,758 miles LAS Vegas, NV

POWER TRAIN

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.

NHTSA complaint #10640945 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 83,000 miles Palm Coast, FL

POWER TRAIN

ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AT IDLE .. BUY 89 OCTANE GAS IN THE WINTER TIME. DRIVE SHAFT IS DEFECTIVE.....BUY A NEW BEARING AND DRIVE SHAFT FROM THE DEALER AND MAKE CERTAIN THE NEW ONE IS NOT DEFECTIVE. I REPLACED THE BEARING ONLY AND IT APPEARS TO BE FINE, FOR NOW. .......TIRES WEAR OUT EXTREMELY FAST....BUY NEW SHOCKS AND STRUTS EARLIER THAN YOU HAD TO ON THE MORE EXPENSIVE FOREIGN CARS.

NHTSA complaint #10606502 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 69,000 miles Mead, OK Crash 1 injured

POWER TRAIN

ON MARCH 07, 2014, MY HYUNDAI ELANTRA WAS HIT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BY A LARGE JEEP. WE TOOK OUR 17 YEAR OLD GRANDSON TO THE HOSPITAL TO BE CHECKED OUT BECAUSE OF A HEADACHE BUT OTHER THAN THAT THERE WERE NO INJURIES. MY VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND NOW TO A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP. MY CONCERN IS; THERE HAVE BEEN TWO (2) FRONT AXLES PUT IN MY CAR AND NEITHER WORKED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WERE DEFECTIVE. THEY ORDERED A THIRD (3) ONE AND IT WAS DEFECTIVE. THEY DID NOT INSTALL IT. NOW THEY HAVE ORDERED THE FOURTH (4) AXLE TO INSTALL, IF IT ISN'T DEFECTIVE. IN THE MEANTIME I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR ALMOST 3 MONTHS. I DO NOT TRUST LUCK FOR ANOTHER DEFECTIVE FRONT AXLE.

NHTSA complaint #10594586 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 58,000 miles Spring Hill, FL

POWER TRAIN

MY HYUNDAI ELANTRA HAS HAD SEVERAL ISSUES SINCE PURCHASING IT MARCH 09, 2013. CHIEF COMPLAINTS ARE MY VEHICLE WILL NOT START. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY INFORMED ME TO POP OFF THE SHIFT LOCK BUTTON ON GEAR SHAFT AND MY CAR STARTED. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER EVALUATION AND WAS INFORMED IT WAS A RELAY SWITCH, WHICH WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY. PAID $260.00 TO HAVE THIS PART FIXED AND MY CAR STILL HAS PROBLEMS STARTING. I HAVE BEEN STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES AND UNABLE TO START MY VEHICLE. SECOND COMPLAINT IS MY CAR IS NOT GETTING THE GAS MILEAGE IT IS SUPPOSED TO. SPOKE TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS WELL. THEY INFORMED ME TO ONLY USE SHELL GASOLINE. I STILL DO NOT RECEIVE THE GAS MILEAGE I WAS PROMISED UPON PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS ENCOUNTERED EITHER ONE OF THESE ISSUES.

NHTSA complaint #10560536 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 19,000 miles Cannon Falls, MN

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED AND THE GEAR SECURED IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD BUT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.

NHTSA complaint #10504679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 30 miles Boynton Beach, FL

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE THE CONTACT WAS SHIFTING INTO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66. THE CONSUMER STATED WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF OWNERSHIP, THE VEHICLE STALLED IN REVERSER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RE-PROGRAMMED TWICE BY THE DEALER. ON ONE OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING, THE GEAR SUDDENLY SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL AND STOPPED SHORT. UPDATED 09/14/15.

NHTSA complaint #10452663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 9,000 miles Memphis, TX

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TRYING TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE IT PUT ITSELF INTO REVERSE. IN ORDER TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE GEAR SHE HAD TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILES WERE APPROXIMATELY 9,000. UPDATED 07/28/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED FROM PARK TO REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. THE VEHICLE WAS MANUALLY SHIFTED TO DRIVE, BUT THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT GO INTO TO DRIVE, BUT STAYED IN REVERSE. EVEN THOUGH THE SHIFT WAS IN DRIVE. WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE WENT SEVERAL FEET IN REVERSE, BEFORE HE COULD STOP. UPDATED 08/17/11

NHTSA complaint #10407234 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 804 miles Fallbrook, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WITH 800 MILES ON IT. TRANSMISSION VIOLENTLY BUCKS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THEN SHIFTS TO NEUTRAL. THERE IS SUDDENLY NO THROTTLE RESPONSE AT SPEEDS EXCEEDING 60 MPH REQUIRING THE CAR TO BE COASTED TO SAFETY IF POSSIBLE. AFTER TURNING OFF THE KEY AND RESTARTING, THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE GONE. THIS HAS HAPPENED 2 DAYS IN A ROW FOR ME.

NHTSA complaint #10402112 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2011 Hyundai Elantra problems

← Full 2011 Hyundai Elantra report