401 of the
12,072 complaints filed about the Hyundai Elantra
are about the throttle and cruise control —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2013.
401
Complaints
3%
Share of all complaints
94
Crashes
6
Fires
Acceleration & Cruise Control complaints by model year
2023 Hyundai Elantra SEL. Car has been slow to start this week. When I depress the brake pedal and push to start, it will start then shut off in the middle of starting then I have to try again or it will sputter then fully start but every safety alert and electrical alarm will go off in my car and nothing clears it until I drive for about 5 minutes then they all clear. I went to AutoZone and they said my battery was normal health. When this slow start happens I also notice that my vehicle doesn’t accelerate as well and it feels like it’s trying too hard to the point it will jerk forward even when I’m only lightly pressing the accelerator. I noticed this, 2 winters ago (2024) as well and I thought it was due to the very cold weather we had. Brought it to my sister’s fiancée and he couldn’t find any DTC’s but agreed something felt off. The problem stopped and now it’s the middle of summer 2 years later and doing the same thing, to the point where I’m trying to merge onto I-95 and my car isn’t accelerating fast enough and I almost got rear ended!! It only happens at speeds under 50 and is extremely unsafe to have a vehicle where you don’t know if it will just turn off while you’re driving, stop accelerating or decide to not start that morning!!!
NHTSA complaint #11758620 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while stopped at a red light with the precise pressure on the brake pedal, the RPM became elevated, the brake pedal was released, and as a result, the vehicle increased in speed and crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The contact's entire front side impacted the rear of another vehicle. No property damage was reported. The contact stated the vehicle came to a complete stop upon impact and shut off. The contact stated the air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that no warning illuminated before and after the incident. A Police report was filed. The contact sustained an injured knee, neck, and back and has experienced emotional distress. Medical attention was not received. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 3,300.
NHTSA complaint #11747113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was going down the bridge on settlers landing road the yellow school bus was in the right turning lane with right turning signal on .as I approached the light in the middle straight lane to keep toward the landing (hotel) on settlers landing Hampton va the bus some what merged back towards the middle lane and that when the bus crashed into the car it went under the bus it’s totaled the windshield and my sunroof collided the airbags did not deploy something needs to be done about that that was dangerous.I got glass in my face my right hand had glass my head hit the steering wheel my body jerked. I hit my legs my whole body is hurting and very sore all over I can’t hardly walk my hand is swollen. Liability suit of airbag default needs to happen
NHTSA complaint #11743488 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Currently, there are 30,564 miles on my vehicle and I am the original owner of the vehicle since early 2021. This is a continuous intermittent problem that can occur at any time when trying to accelerate the vehicle. The vehicle could be moving down the road and you go to accelerate and the RPM's drop dramatically, giving you no power. The same thing has happened when trying to accelerate from a stop. The vehicle would start to accelerate and then all of a sudden the RPM's drop, giving you no power. I have had the vehicle to the dealership for this problem and I am being told that they can't do anything about it because they can't duplicate it. If this happened when it was necessary for me to get out of the way of a vehicle, an accident could occur, resulting in sirius injury or death. Also, there were no warning lights or check engine light that came on at any time when the problem presented itself.
NHTSA complaint #11742932 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Car developed a sudden loss of power. Would start, although roughly (took a couple of times to start), then once shifted into Drive, the engine was very sluggish, like it was stuck in a lower gear. Upon stopping and restarting the engine, the problem would sometimes resolve and the car could be driven normally, however it felt unsafe to drive at normal speeds. No warning signs appeared. After consulting with a family member with this same year and model of Hyundai Elantra, it was suggested that the crankshaft position sensor might be at fault. After researching online, we discovered that this is a common issue with 2011-2016 Elantras with a 1.8 liter engine. (Reddit forums, also this link: [XXX] ). After trying transmission and other fluid flushes without luck, we took the car to a local Hyundai dealer. They said they were unable to replicate the issue but we told them to please replace the crankshaft position sensor, which they finally did. We were charged a total of $711.40 for this repair of a simple part. Please note, another Hyundai dealer in town replaced this part for my brother's vehicle free of charge. This should be a recall item for this vehicle and it should be replaced for free. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11740674 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while slowly pulling into the parking space the contact lifted off the brake pedal and while costing into the parking space the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration and drove over a curb. During the incident the vehicle sustained damage to the undercarriage. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the fialure. The manufacturer was nofited of the incident. An engineer was scheduled to inspect the vehicle. No further information was available. During the incident the contact suffered emotional stress and fear. The failure mileage was 30,000.
NHTSA complaint #11736932 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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 vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000.
NHTSA complaint #11735846 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I own a Hyundai Elantra with approximately 103,000 miles. The vehicle has developed an intermittent issue where the engine will suddenly stall while driving. This most often occurs when I am decelerating and turning, such as when entering or navigating roundabouts. At the time of the stall, multiple warning indicators appear simultaneously, including the check engine light, battery warning light, and a “no key detected” message. There are no prior warning signs before the failure occurs—no unusual noises, no loss of power leading up to the event, and no dashboard warnings in advance. The stall is sudden and unexpected. When the vehicle stalls, I must quickly shift into park and restart the engine. The car restarts immediately without hesitation, and all warning lights disappear. The vehicle then operates normally again until the issue randomly reoccurs. This has happened multiple times. This issue creates a safety risk because the vehicle loses power unexpectedly while in motion, particularly during low-speed turns and in roundabouts, which could increase the risk of a collision due to sudden loss of propulsion and reduced control. The problem has not yet been formally diagnosed by a dealer or independent repair shop, but based on research and similar reported cases, it may be related to an intermittent engine or electrical signal failure. The issue has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. UNKNOWN as to the exact failed component, but the failure appears to involve a sudden loss of engine operation without warning, followed by immediate recovery upon restart.
NHTSA complaint #11733041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON FEBUARY 8 TH 2026 WAS DRIVEING ON HIGHWAY AT 65MPH SPEED AND CAR SUDENLY WAS DROPPING SPEED AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON CAR WOULD NOT PICK UP SPEED KEPT ON DROPPING SO I PULLED OVER THE CLOSET PLACE WAS SCARY IF IT HAD STALLED IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY COULD HAVE BEEN IN MAJOR ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN INJURES OR KILLED LUCKLY WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AT LOWER SPEED STALLING AT GAS STATION CALLED FOR HELP HUNDAI NEW CAR PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN 2024 WAS PROMISED TOWING WILL COME 2 HOUR WENT BUY AND NOW TOW TRUCK AND CALLED AGAIN ONLY TO FIND OUT NO TOW TRUCKS ARE AVAILABLE I WAS TOLD TOA RRANGE MY OWN TOW TRUCK TO GET REINBURSTMENT 2 HOUR LATER IN SEVERE COLD IT HAS BEEN OVER 10 DAYS AND DEALER HAS NOT DIAGONISED IT SAID THEY ARE BACKED UP I HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION UPON GOOGLING FOUND MANY PEOPLE HAD SAME PROBLEM AND SOME HAD REPEATED PROBLEM AFTER SERVICED I BELIVE IF YOU CAN HELP HOPE IT IS NOT A LEMON CAR I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY SON FOR SAFTEY FEATURES ONLY TO KNOW THIS IS MORE PROBLEM NPOT SATIFIED WITH CAR OR SERVICE ATTENTION GIVEN TO ME ALL I GOT IS RUN AROUND AND NO ANSWER AND NO CAR AND NO LOANER CAR THANK YOU VERY MUCH
NHTSA complaint #11719249 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
So back in September of 2023 there was a recall 248 on my 2023 Hyundai Elantra hybrid Limited. This was before I bought the car. I bought it used at a local dealer according to the Carfax and everywhere I look up it says this issue has been fixed on September 14th of 2023. I'm still experiencing the same issue I wouldn't have even known about the recall from before if I didn't have the issue. Now I'm wondering before I take it to a dealer to have it fixed will be covered since it's not fixed. Or no because it was already done supposedly. Just curious thank you
NHTSA complaint #11716463 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
How are you? The problem with our Hyundai involves the engine and engine control system. My vehicle is equipped with the same 2.0-liter Nu GDI engine that Hyundai recalled in other 2021 and 2022 vehicles for engine stalling, internal engine damage, and fire risk. Although my VIN is not currently listed, the engine itself is identical to the recalled engines and is available for inspection. Since early ownership, the vehicle has repeatedly hesitated, surged, and jumped when accelerating from a stop, especially at stoplights and intersections. This unpredictable behavior creates a clear safety risk because the vehicle does not respond consistently in traffic and increases the risk of a collision. These issues are ongoing and reproducible under normal driving conditions. The symptoms have occurred many times and were not isolated events. The vehicle has been presented for service and the issues described. No misuse or maintenance-related cause has been identified. Prior to and during these events, the vehicle has shown reduced power, inconsistent throttle response, and hesitation. At times, warning lights and engine behavior consistent with internal engine distress have appeared. These symptoms match those described by Hyundai, Consumer Reports, and NHTSA in recalls involving this same engine. Hyundai has already acknowledged that this engine defect can lead to stalling, seizure, oil leaks, and fire, and that warning systems may not fully detect the problem until damage has already begun. Because my vehicle uses the same recalled engine and exhibits the same failure characteristics, I believe it should be reviewed as part of a recall expansion or defect investigation.
NHTSA complaint #11712831 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Engine turns off unexpectedly when driving. all power steering and brakes stop working when engine itself off. entire engine, drive train, and vehicle shakes while driving. Transmission is a replacement as first one failed after 90 days of purchase. paid labor for replacement and waited over 6 weeks without a vehicle. Now replaced oem transmission slips out of gear. making vehicle difficult to drive as the transmission and engine sputter and make ride jerky. car has turned off on the freeway in traffic 3 times. almost causing an accident each time. car has been robbed at least 5 separate times. stealing items within the vehicle. car was locked and next day it is unlocked and my stuff all gone. i am scared to drive the vehicle. i believe it is a lemon.
NHTSA complaint #11706316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The Gas pedal, would not work as I was trying to accelerate when going from the ramp onto the freeway. The pedal had no pump in it, it just went all the way down as I was trying to press and the car started slowing down. I had to pull over on the side of the freeway and restart the car for the pedal to start working again. I came to the dealership the next day on 12/5/25, at around 5:45pm in which I was scheduled to come back at 8am on 12/6/25. My safety was at risk, because the car lost pedal power for me to pickup speed as I merged onto the freeway. I brought it in for inspection, at the dealership I purchased it from. There were not any signals or displays that came on during the incident.
NHTSA complaint #11703440 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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 vehicle sometimes looses power that happened twice in 2025 and twice in 2022. 3 times in 2024. That i must turn on hazards and floor the accelerator to gain speed on up hills in neighborhoods going 25 mph. I have dropped to 10 mph. I get oil change regularly. Always when due. Every few months I make sure to get a full car inspection to make sure everything is in proper working order.
NHTSA complaint #11701387 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle Information: 2014 Hyundai Elantra SE Sedan, 4-Cylinder, 6-Speed Automatic, FWD Build Location: USA-Built Version (Montgomery, AL - VIN '5NP') Ownership: Second owner, purchased Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) from the Hyundai of New Port Richey dealer (Florida) in March 2016. Vehicle is owned outright. Mileage: 128,638 Approximate Date Incident Noticed: October 1, 2025 DESCRIPTION OF CRITICAL SAFETY DEFECT & WARRANTY REJECTION I am reporting a failure of the clock spring assembly, which compromises critical safety features and poses an unreasonable risk, especially since this vehicle regularly transports passengers, including children. My VIN was rejected by the Hyundai TXXA Clock Spring Extended Warranty validator despite exhibiting the exact failures covered by the campaign. Safety Failures: Airbag (SRS): Warning light is constantly illuminated; driver-side airbag is disabled and will not deploy, endangering the driver and front passenger. Horn: Completely inoperable, eliminating a vital safety communication feature required to warn other drivers. Cruise Control: Buttons on the steering wheel are non-functional. These failures are caused by a broken electrical connection within the clock spring (which typically runs the Airbag, Horn, and Cruise Control circuits). I believe the denial is related to my vehicle being the USA-Built version (VIN '5NP'). I request that NHTSA investigate why this safety campaign arbitrarily excludes USA-built Elantras (but not Korean-built) experiencing the identical failure, thereby placing an unreasonable repair cost burden on owners for a critical safety component.
NHTSA complaint #11699634 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving in the rain, car reported "Check Forward Safety System". Error has not gone away multiple weeks later. Hyundai dealer's first reaction was "Oh yes, this happens all the time" (!!) but then refused warranty repair because car is in other than pristine condition, despite being only two years old, still under warranty, with pristine front bumper. Without this sensor, adaptive cruise control, collision warning system, and automatic emergency braking do not work.
NHTSA complaint #11698424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The dealership replaced my engine and spark plugs when the pistons were grinding metal causing a catastrophic failure in November of 2024. In July of 2025 I started experiencing the same issues and the dealership stated that Hyundais ignition coils have a high rate of failure because they changed the design and used my old ones from my engine replacement. It is now I brought my car into the dealership July 18th and they stated that was their best guess but they didn’t now forsure. I was never informed of the high rate of failure until I was experiencing it.
NHTSA complaint #11692353 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While it may sound bizarre, I can definitively demonstrate that whenever I am present inside a car, the car become very unstable and bouncy and unsafe to operate. Not only does it not steer straight the car also becomes incapable of coasting smoothly and is constantly racing or aggressively slowing down. I can’t be the only anomaly and whatever is causing this could be widespread and is certainly dangerous. I have found it to occur only with the cars which I am inside. I would like to demonstrate this in person if possible to an investigator.
NHTSA complaint #11682274 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while in the process of parking the vehicle at the residence and driving 1-5 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle unintendedly accelerated and hit another unoccupied parked vehicle, causing the other vehicle to move 50-60 ft. away. The rear end of the other vehicle was damaged, and the front end of the contact's vehicle was damaged. The air bags did not deployed. There was no injury sustained. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
NHTSA complaint #11672334 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.