679 of the
12,072 complaints filed about the Hyundai Elantra
are about the transmission —
6% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2017.
679
Complaints
6%
Share of all complaints
25
Crashes
1
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
My 2020 Hyundai Elantra SEL experienced a total transmission/IVT failure at 81,185 miles. I paid $4,804.14 out of pocket to have the vehicle repaired at a certified Hyundai dealership, Dick Smith Hyundai Genesis of Greenville, now known as Hyundai of Greenville. The transmission was replaced with a new replacement unit. The replacement transmission has now suffered a second total failure at 117,922 miles, meaning the vehicle has experienced two total transmission failures before reaching 120,000 miles. The repeated failure of the IVT system is extremely concerning, particularly because the first replacement was performed by an authorized Hyundai dealership and the replacement unit failed after approximately 36,700 miles. I am requesting that this repeated transmission failure be documented and investigated. I also believe Hyundai should review the vehicle’s transmission history and consider the possibility of a systemic defect or premature failure involving the IVT system. I have already contacted Hyundai Customer Care regarding a Prior Repair Goodwill Reimbursement request for the $4,804.14 I previously paid out of pocket. Hyundai Customer Care case #43147944 was denied based on the vehicle being outside the factory warranty, although Hyundai directed me to the dealership for possible goodwill consideration. I am requesting full retroactive reimbursement of the $4,804.14 I paid for the first transmission replacement. I can provide the original repair invoice, service records, diagnosis, and documentation of the subsequent transmission failure upon request.
NHTSA complaint #11758271 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Transmission slippage, near failure, unable to accelerate safely past 20mph. Need to floor the gas peddle which causes me to go over the desired speed.
NHTSA complaint #11755080 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I own a 2022 Hyundai Elantra with only 72,000 miles my check engine light came on for the code p048900 for the Egr valve. It is no longer covered by any warranties but other year models have been recalled due to the same issue.
NHTSA complaint #11754616 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The control panel /radio panel has had a glitch or blacked out screen where it wouldn't come back on for a few hours and I could smell electrical or plastic burning after it did come back on after that the radio started changing channel on its own while screen glitched on and of with saturated static wrench on my dash comes on periodically. The tires pressure unit never has the same amount of air in it according to the gauge. Even though I have made it so that they were all equal several different times. The car feels like it misfires when that it's 9500° outside and you go for any sort of extended drive past 10-15, mi. When the air conditioner is on high, the fuel economy doesn't seem to match the way it's supposed to and some of the programming is missing since the last time it was serviced out of the control panel. Some options that we're supposed to have been there aren't there anymore and I'm pretty sure that when I use the remote to roll down my windows they're all supposed to roll down. Well only one of them does and it doesn't roll it back up the way it's supposed to when that it is foggy out. My camera system says that I'm about to get into a crash and starts blinking at me and beeping and flashing saying that I'm about to crash because my forward safety system or my rear safety system is not working properly. And yes I've let them know about these things My car has less than 25,000 mi on it and the problem started probably 3 months after I got it. When I first got it there was a bunch of little pits in the glass or I want to say hairline bubbles. I don't know what else to call them but they replaced my windshield. They didn't replace the back window that still has them
NHTSA complaint #11749730 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Transmission P0731 code. Vehicle will not shift into 1st gear when idle but will stay in 3 or 4 gear. Speedometer would indicate high speed when pressing on accelerator. At traffic light when light turn green car rev but would not shift into gear. Has only 130K miles. Car was towed to dealer and required a new transmission.
NHTSA complaint #11749594 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2016 Hyundai Elantra (75k miles) experiences severe, un-commanded Loss of Propulsive Power and a Severe Drivetrain Instability Hazard. At steady highway speeds, the automatic transmission completely loses hydraulic pressure, slips out of gear, and unexpectedly drops into a temporary "neutral." The engine suddenly revs up to high RPM on its own while losing all forward acceleration. After coasting helplessly, it violently slams back into gear, causing the vehicle to lurch forward. This also happens from a complete stop.The vehicle's OBD-II system fails to illuminate the Check Engine Light or store fault codes during these flares, providing zero warning before a loss of propulsion.This dangerous transmission slipping has occurred intermittently for several years. I repeatedly took it to an authorized Hyundai dealership to address this crash hazard. Because there was no active Check Engine Light, the dealership dismissed my concerns, refused to document it, and sent me away without a diagnosis. Recently, the service department acted in bad faith by misrepresenting my warranty terms (falsely claiming it was only 7 years) and refusing a live-data diagnostic scan. The bad faith dealership was Murdock Hyundai of Murray in [XXX], specifically the service manager Tyler as well as Krateton. The car is a verified vehicle under the Hyundai Nu 1.8L Piston Slap Class Action Settlement (TXXK Campaign). An official safety escalation case is open with Hyundai Motor America under my corporate case number XXX. I request a federal safety investigation into premature transmission pressure failure in 2016 Elantras, as this vehicle is entirely unsafe to operate. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11749052 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While operating my 2017 Hyundai Elantra under normal driving conditions at approximately 70,000 miles, the engine suffered a sudden, catastrophic loss of motive power and stalled completely while moving in active traffic without any prior warning. This severe stalling event occurred despite the vehicle being strictly and meticulously maintained according to all manufacturer guidelines and scheduled service intervals. Prior to the stall, the Check Engine Light illuminated. A comprehensive diagnostic scan completed at an authorized Hyundai dealership confirmed active trouble codes P0014 (Exhaust Camshaft Position Timing Over-Advanced) and P0017 (Crankshaft-Camshaft Position Correlation Error). The internal physical engine timing assembly and Variable Valve Timing (VVT) components slipped out of synchronization, forcing an abrupt, automatic engine shutdown while navigating active roadways. This failure created an immediate, severe safety hazard and high collision risk due to the sudden loss of vehicle propulsion, power steering assist, and vacuum brake booster pressure, leaving me vulnerable in traffic. This structural timing deviation caused chronic engine misfires and forced raw, unburned fuel directly into the exhaust stream. This unburned fuel completely fouled and destroyed the primary Oxygen (O2) Sensor due to heavy carbon contamination and extreme thermal stress. The failed sensor and incorrect valve timing totally disrupted the electronic control unit's air-fuel management, inducing the unpredictable stalling hazard and causing an immediate, automatic state emissions/smog inspection failure. Repairing this underlying manufacturing and metallurgical defect at the official Hyundai dealership required an extensive mechanical teardown and replacement of the timing components, costing approximately $2,500 out of pocket. This exact failure pattern, cascading O2 sensor damage, and diagnostic trouble codes match hundreds of existing complaints with NHTSA.
NHTSA complaint #11747095 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Federal Safety Recall Fraud and Vehicle Endangerment Report Vehicle: 2022 Hyundai Elantra Blue Hybrid | Involved Dealerships: Earnhardt Hyundai North Scottsdale & Larry H. Miller Hyundai Peoria This complaint documents severe federal safety recall fraud and mechanical endangerment by authorized manufacturer franchise dealerships. In April 2025, Earnhardt Hyundai took physical possession of my vehicle for a federally mandated Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HCU) braking/cruise control safety recall. Staff verbally verified the recall was complete, but the physical invoice and subsequent written email admission from Service Drive Manager [XXX] confirmed the safety repair was completely omitted with "no excuse."To resolve this braking risk, on April 22, 2026, I brought the vehicle to Larry H. Miller Hyundai Peoria to have the uncompleted HCU safety recall corrected. Subsequently, on June 17, 2026, I returned to the Peoria facility for a warranty deck lid repair and a scheduled oil change.Upon releasing the vehicle on June 17, the Peoria service department actively jeopardized my hybrid engine integrity by installing an incorrect, out-of-spec oil fluid weight (5W30) and releasing the vehicle with a completely loose, unsealed engine oil cap. This gross negligence forced me into a dangerous 140-mile high-altitude mountain highway transit ([XXX] to Flagstaff) with a compromised engine bay, creating an immediate engine fire hazard and risk of sudden highway power failure. The loose cap and incorrect fluid were independently verified and caught on video by Milestone Auto Repair in Flagstaff.The manufacturer's franchise network is falsifying federally mandated safety recall records and releasing vehicles in life-threatening, non-compliant conditions. I'm requesting an immediate NHTSA investigation on both dealerships. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11745832 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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 — 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.
1. The engine architecture suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure. Specifically, severe, systemic internal oil consumption/vaporization starved the hydraulic timing chain tensioner of critical hydrostatic pressure. This caused the tensioner to collapse, creating slack in the steel timing chain, which then "jumped time" (skipped a tooth on the camshaft sprockets), causing the engine to instantly seize and lose all motive power. The vehicle and engine are fully intact and available for inspection at Pohanka Hyundai of Fredericksburg. 2. The vehicle suffered a sudden, complete loss of motive power and engine seizure while being driven at night on an unlit, dark secondary roadway. The driver (my daughter) was left suddenly stranded without power in a highly vulnerable, pitch-black location with passing traffic, presenting an immediate collision hazard and a severe personal safety risk before emergency assistance could arrive. 3. Yes. The vehicle was towed to an authorized Hyundai dealership (Pohanka Hyundai of Fredericksburg), where service technicians officially diagnosed that the engine had "jumped timing" and suffered a complete failure of the timing system, alongside a noted lack of engine oil volume due to vaporization. 4. The vehicle has been formally inspected and diagnosed by the authorized Hyundai dealership service department under Hyundai Motor America Corporate Case #[XXX]. No police or insurance inspections were required as no collision occurred. 5. No dash lights or warnings before failure. However, for a year prior, the engine exhibited severe internal oil vaporization, requiring constant top-offs between scheduled oil changes to maintain safe levels. There were zero external fluid leaks on the engine or ground; oil burned entirely internally. This chronic volumetric oil loss directly caused the sudden drop in pressure, hydraulic tensioner collapse, and catastrophic engine seizure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11741872 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving, check engine light illuminated, with a loss of power when accelerating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with power train failure and received diagnostic code P040100. The vehicle was repaired; however, the issue persisted. The vehicle was returned to the dealer multiple times but still continued The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 43,000.
NHTSA complaint #11741490 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The ignition coil in my 2017 Hyundai Elantra Limited has failed multiple times over the past several years. This recurring issue has caused the vehicle to malfunction unexpectedly, creating safety concerns due to reduced engine performance, misfiring, and the potential for sudden loss of power while driving, which puts both myself and others on the road at risk. The failed component is available for inspection upon request. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? This issue has occurred multiple times with my vehicle. After researching online consumer reports and owner complaints, I found that ignition coil failures appear to be a common and recurring issue reported by other 2017 Hyundai Elantra Limited owners. Based on these repeated failures and similar reports, this appears to be a known issue affecting this model. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? I have reported this issue to Hyundai multiple times. Rather than addressing the root cause or issuing a recall for this recurring defect, Hyundai has repeatedly provided credits to assist with repair costs when the ignition coil fails. Despite the repeated failures and safety concerns, the underlying issue has not been permanently resolved. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Prior to failure, the vehicle would experience rough starts, engine misfires, and poor performance. After these symptoms began, the check engine light would eventually illuminate. Once the warning light appeared, the vehicle became increasingly unreliable and would stall or shut off unexpectedly. On one occasion, the vehicle shut off completely while I was driving.
NHTSA complaint #11739603 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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 the service manager was informed of. The service manager noted that the IVT transmission has a long history of going out and is a bad design. He stated that most cars are not being made with it anymore and that this is well known problem. My biggest issue is that they knew this when it was sold and since the car was already over 60k when they got it should have at least checked the fluid or put in new fluid due to the history of transmission problems on the car. It is very likely this was not done to the likelihood the fluid was already bad and the transmission would have gone out so they wanted to pass it on to the customer. I know it is on me to know about a car when it is purchased but did not think of checking specifically on what type of transmission was in the car and now always will. I have had two Hyundai and both went over 200k without problem. To have one go 89k and go out was totally unexpected and there were no warnings except a check engine light. The service manager was nice but told me there was nothing that could be done.
NHTSA complaint #11739559 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I purchased a 2023 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid 2023 on December 15, 2023, and since early ownership I have experienced persistent jerking/clunking while slowing to a stop, harsh downshifts, hesitation during braking, and rough transitions between electric and engine power. The issue was first documented around 5,744 miles and continued through approximately six to eight repair/work orders, where dealerships repeatedly described the condition as normal hybrid/DCT behavior while performing software resets, adaptive relearns, and diagnostic checks. After continued complaints, Hyundai Techline became involved and the dealership concluded the vehicle “jerks pretty bad,” leading to a full transmission replacement under warranty. Despite the transmission replacement, the issue persisted and the dealership later confirmed slight clunking during downshifts and discovered a torn engine mount, which was also replaced. The dealership additionally noted that the issue did not occur while driving another Elantra Hybrid or the loaner vehicle, suggesting the condition was specific to my vehicle. I also opened a case with Hyundai Motor America Consumer Affairs regarding the recurring defect and repeated failed repair attempts, but the issue continues despite major drivetrain repairs. Hyundai Motors America Consumer Affairs has not been able to help me with this either. They also didn't provide me with the Federal Agency number when I requested them in order to reach out and seek help from the agencies. Hyundai didn't help me in any way. There were no warnings. They have been able to reproduce the issue but do not want to resolve the issue. I strongly believe no vehicle is designed in a way that it jerks and downshifts in a harsh manner causing distress to the driver/owner.
NHTSA complaint #11738642 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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 Bulletin: 20-01-028H. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.
NHTSA complaint #11738079 — 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.
The 2.0L Nu GDI engine in this vehicle is experiencing terminal internal failure. Following a P1326 KSDS warning event, a borescope inspection at an authorized dealership documented severe cylinder wall scoring in all four cylinders. Despite this documented internal block destruction, the manufacturer has denied the mandated settlement warranty repair based on a software-based proxy test (BCT). The vehicle was returned in an unsafe condition and is currently stalling and vibrating violently while in traffic, posing an immediate risk of loss of power and traffic collision. The manufacturer is ignoring the documented physical failure of a core engine component.
NHTSA complaint #11734628 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.