2006 Hyundai Elantra
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 155 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 20th highest complaint count among 26 Elantra model years with reports.
Of the 2006 reports, 28 involved a crash. 23 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Exterior lightingJul 21, 2009
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 3,011 MODEL YEAR 2005-2007 ELANTRA, TUCSON, SONATA, AZERA AND ACCENT VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A DEFECTIVE STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFT OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.
ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-787-999-4310.
Campaign 09V280000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
155 reports, newest first.
Air bags, Aug 5, 2021, crash
My son was driving our 2006 Hyundai Elantra and crashed into the end of a guardrail. The air bag did not deploy. The car was declared a total loss by the insurance company. I am concerned that the airbag did not deploy with the severity of the crash. I have uploaded three pictures of the car and one of the end of the guardrail that was impacted. The estimate for speed at impact was 35 mph. The weather was sunny, dry and above 80 degrees. about 6:30PM Eastern time.
Structure, May 3, 2021
WENT FOR AN INSPECTION AND WAS TOLD MY FRONT SUB FRAME WAS RUSTED AND ROTTED. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS UNDER RECALL, BUT UPON FURTHER RESEARCH I FOUND THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS ON THIS SAME PART FOR OTHER YEARS OF THIS CAR BUT APPARANTLY THE 2006 WAS NOT INCLUDED, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE THE SAME ISSUES, AND THEY CHARGED ME FOR OTHER REPAIRS UNDER THE PRETENSE THAT THE SUB FRAME WOULD BE FIXED BY A DEALERSHIP FOR FREE DUE TO THE RECALL.
Structure, Apr 18, 2021
EXTENSIVE RUST ON THE LOWER ENGINE SUBFRAME CROSSMEMBER: THE SUBFRAME HAS ROTTED LOOSE AND THE FRONT SUSPENSION CONTROL ARMS RATTLE THE SUBFRAME FROM WHERE THEY ARE ATTACHED. THIS ELANTRA WAS PURCHASED NEW AND ONLY HAS 44000 MILES. THE CONTROL ARMS WILL TEAR AWAY FROM THE LOOSE SUBFRAME AND CAUSE A LOOS OF CONTROL ACCIDENT.
Air bags, Nov 11, 2020
I NOTICED THAT MY AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON NEAR MY DASHBOARD WHERE ARE THE SPEEDOMETER IS AND WHEN I HAVE PASSENGERS IN MY CAR THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT IS OFF I DON'T BELIEVE MY SENSORS WORK FOR MY AIRBAGS
Exterior lighting, Service brakes, Oct 13, 2020
MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE STUCK ON BUT MY FUSES ARE NOT BLOWN.
Electrical system, Feb 7, 2020
AFTER OWNING TWO '06 ELANTRAS, I'VE COME TO REALIZE A RECURRING ISSUE WITH THE DASHBOARD ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. WHEN THE TURNER INDICATOR IS ENGAGED, THE REST OF THE DASHBOARD HAS A TENDENCY TO SHORT OUT FOR A SECOND OR TWO BEFORE RETURNING TO NORMAL.
Air bags, Service brakes, Nov 6, 2019
AIR BAG LIGHT ON BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON AFTER CAR OFF AND FOOT NOT PUSHING THEM ON
Air bags, Oct 18, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT AND SMOKE WAS DETECTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BURNS AND INJURIES TO THE EYES, CHEST, AND CHIN. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.
Exterior lighting, Aug 5, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POLICE INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V280000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,676.
Air bags, Apr 25, 2019, crash
I REAR-ENDED SOMEONE AT AROUND 30-35 MPH. THE VEHICLE I HIT WAS STATIONARY. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY BUT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS LEFT ON. NO ONE WAS INJURED.
Service brakes, Dec 10, 2018
MY 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE STOPPED FUNCTIONING ALL OF A SUDDEN. I REPLACED BOTH BULBS AND NOTHING CHANGED. THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS MODEL VEHICLE FOR A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MALFUNCTION AND DESCRIBES IN DETAIL THE EXACT PROBLEM WITH MY CAR BUT MY VIN DOES NOT APPEAR TO QUALIFY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN.
Air bags, Nov 23, 2018
THE CAR AIRBAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE RELATED TO ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR. A MECHANIC READ CODE B1448 FOR A DEFECTIVE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR. IT SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH HYUNDAI'S AND THE ACCENT'S WERE RECALLED BUT NOT THE ELANTRA. I SUSPECT THE SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEM IS HAPPENING WITH THE 2016 HYUNDAI ELANTRA OCCUPANT SENSOR.
Air bags, Sep 20, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, WHICH WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Air bags, Sep 13, 2018
PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT IN THE CENTER HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY SINCE I'VE GOTTEN THE CAR, THE LIGHT NEVER USED TO GO OFF WHEN AN ADULT WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WHICH MEANS THE AIRBAGS WERE DISABLED. NOW THE DASHBOARD AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AND DOES NOT EVER GO OFF, MEANING ALL AIRBAGS ARE DISABLED. IT CAME ON UPON STARTING UP MY VEHICLE AND HAS NOT GONE OFF SINCE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR, BUT IS NOT REPORTED PROPERLY VIA NHTSA, INSTEAD MANY COMPLAINTS ARE MADE VIA FORUMS. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AND MY HEADLIGHTS ARE ON, TURNING THE WHEEL AND USING THE BLINKER CAUSES ALL DASH LIGHTS AS WELL AS MY HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS TO FLICKER BRIEFLY. REAR WINDOWS ARE NOT ABLE TO BE ROLLED DOWN VIA THE MAIN CONTROL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, ONLY CAN BE ROLLED UP.
Air bags, Seats, Sep 2, 2018
THIS SAFETY COMPLAINT HAS TO DO WITH THE B1448 OC SENSOR MAT DEFECT, I HAVE AN AIR BAG LIGHT ON AND HAVE USED A SCAN TOOL AND GOT THE CODE FOR THE B1448 OC SENSOR MAT DEFECT. THIS ISSUE WAS GIVEN A RECALL FOR THE HYUNDAI SONATA BUT I HAVE A HYUNDAI ELANTRA AND THERE IS NO RECALL BUT MY CAR FACES THE SAME ISSUE. I'VE READ THAT DEALERS TRY TO CHARGE AS MUCH AS $1,000 TO FIX THIS ISSUE.
Air bags, May 21, 2018
AIRBAG LIGHT ON DASH ILLUMINATED FOR 10+ YEARS, WILL NOT SHUT OFF. PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF LIGHT IN CENTER CONSOLE WILL NOT ILLUMINATE REGARDLESS OF EVEN WHEN A SMALL STATURED PASSENGER IS PRESENT OR THERE IS NO PASSENGER AT ALL.
Air bags, Service brakes, Feb 24, 2018
MY PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR NO LONGER DETECTS THE PRESENCE OF A PASSENGER, SO MY PASSENGER AIRBAG IS ALWAYS ON, WHEN THE SEAT IS BOTH OCCUPIED OR UNOCCUPIED. ALSO, MY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH NO LONGER WORKS, SO MY BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT TURN ON WHEN I DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. BOTH OF THESE ISSUES OCCUR INCESSANTLY.
Exterior lighting, Service brakes, Jul 25, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED EVEN WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT DEPRESSED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. UPON CONDUCTING RESEARCH, THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V113000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, EXTERIOR LIGHTING) AS A POSSIBLE EXPLANATION FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 118,000.
Service brakes, Jun 28, 2017
ANNUAL SAFETY CHECK TODAY REVEALED ALL OF THE BREAK LIGHTING WAS NOT WORKING ON OUR 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. CHECKED FUSE AND BULB AND ALL ARE WORKING. SEARCHED THIS WEBSITE AND FOUND RECALLS FOR MANY MODELS AND YEARS OF HYUNDAI, BUT NOT THIS PARTICULAR YEAR AND MODEL. I NOTICED ALSO THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS WOULD OPERATE WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THESE ISSUES WERE RESOLVED WITH THE INSTALATION OF A NEW SWITCH
Electrical system, Air bags, Service brakes, May 24, 2017
MY CAR HAS HAD ENGINE LIGHTS GO ON AND OFF FOR YEARS ON THEIR OWN, WINDOWS THAT YOU USE ONE SWITCH FOR THAT MAKE A DIFFERENT WINDOW GO DOWN AND THEN SOMETIMES THEY DON'T GO UP, MY BRAKES HAVEN'T RELEASED THE CRUISE CONTROL AT TIMES AND NOW MY PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT WON'T GO OFF SO I CAN'T PASS INSPECTION. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH AND WANT IT FIXED, IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE
Air bags, Jan 13, 2017, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOWING FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNAVAILABLE.
Air bags, Dec 5, 2016
AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON 2 WEEKS AGO, TECHNICIAN SAID THE CODE IS B1448 PASSENGER SEAT MAT CUSHION SENSOR. I AM TOLD THAT ALL AIR BAGS ARE NOW DISABLED AND THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. I SEE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE IN JUST THE LATEST INCIDENT REPORTS. THIS SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY HYUNDAI AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER.
Air bags, Nov 25, 2016
AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASH IS LIT ALL THE TIME. DEALER HAS RESET THE LIGHT ON TWO OCCASIONS, BUT IT KEEPS COMING BACK AFTER A FEW DRIVES IN THE CAR. DEALER SAYS THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT SENSOR IS SHORTED OUT. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT WHILE THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS LIT, THE AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED AND WILL NOT DEPLOY, EVEN IF IN AN ACCIDENT. NOW I OWN A CAR THAT WILL NOT PROTECT ME IN A CRASH AND IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. DEALER SAYS THE ONLY REPAIR IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SEAT BOTTOM COSTING OVER $1400. THE CAR IS NOT WORTH MUCH MORE THAN THAT, BUT IT IS WORTH ALOT TO ME BECAUSE I NEED IT FOR TRANSPORTATION.
Air bags, Nov 11, 2016
AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON
Air bags, Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 13, 2016
AIR BAG LIGHT ON / EMMISIONS AIR BAG ALL SENORS WERE SWAPPED AND NOW I'M BEING TOLD THE CUSHION SHOULD BE REPLACED SINCE THE SENSOR SWAP DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. $1500 EMISSIONS/ PUMPING GAS FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. GAS PUMP KICKS OUT AFTER 2-3 SECONDS WHEN PUTTING IN GAS. NOW I'M TOLD I NEED TO REPLACE CHARCOAL CANISTER, CANISTER CLOSE VALVE, PURGE CONTROL VALVE, AND VENT VALVE. IF I DON'T I EVENTUALLY WON'T BE ABLE TO PUT GAS IN THE TANK. $1,100 THEY ARE BOTH SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES AND HYUNDAI NEEDS TO BACK UP THEIR PRODUCT. THESE ARE SIMPLE CONSUMABLE PIECES LIKE FLUIDS, VALUES, HOSES OR FILTERS.