2010 Hyundai Elantra
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Steering is the leading concern among 454 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 5th highest complaint count among 26 Elantra model years with reports.
Of the 2010 reports, 49 involved a crash and 13 involved a fire. 53 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/moduleFeb 4, 2020
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Elantra and 2009-2011 Elantra Touring vehicles. On February 21, 2020 Hyundai expanded the recall to include 46,425 model year 2007-2008 Entourage and 2007 Santa Fe vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.
An electrical short within the ABS Module may cause an engine compartment fire, even when the car is turned off, increasing the risk of an injury.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the vehicle's main junction box to prevent the risk of an ABS short-circuit while the car is turned off, free of charge. The recall began April 2, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 188.
Campaign 20V061000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, electric power assist systemFeb 23, 2015
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Elantra vehicles manufactured June 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010, and 2009-2010 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured November 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010. The electronic power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may sense a discrepancy in the steering input signals and, as a result, disable the steering power assist.
If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will verify the proper operation of the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) and update the EPS control unit, free of charge. The recall began April 14, 2015. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 127.
Campaign 15V100000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lighting, brake lights, switchApr 1, 2013
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.
Campaign 13V113000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
454 reports, newest first.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Feb 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that the brake pedal would intermittently depress to the floorboard without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to two separate independent mechanics, and both informed her that the brakes were okay and could not determine the cause of the failure. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
Steering, Feb 4, 2023
It is available for inspection, but has been repaired at a cost of $2814.37 from the Hyundai dealer. If it failed while driving it could have caused an accident because you would not have been able to steer. We had it repaired before a dangerous situation could have happened. The Electric Power Steering (EPS) indicator light came on and the steering column had to be replace and also the steering angle sensor had to be calibrated.
Steering, Jan 19, 2023
The EPS light came on and we took the car to our mechanic and he felt like we needed to check to see if there had been a recall as he couldn't find anything wrong with the power steering. It is driving fine and no issues except the light will not go off.
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Engine, Dec 21, 2022, crash
I have a 2010 Hyundai elantra. Two times in the last 3 months I was driving and for no reason at all my car would rev up and my speed would accelerate. In October this happened I was so scared that I quickly turned into a gas station and was hit by another vehicle. The next time it happened I was lucky on the road that wasn't busy and I was able to just take my foot off the gas until it returned to normal. After that I had no more issues until about 2 weeks ago. I was driving around 30 miles an hour when the engine just shuts down. But the power was still there. I honestly don't know how to explain it. first I tried pressing the gas pedal nothing happened no movement, no sound, nothing. So I put the car and park because it was still in drive. After that I tried restarting car and it sounded like it wanted to start but it wouldn't. Try it again nothing. thinking it was a bad connection to the battery I got out and checked battery and terminals. It looked fine and I had no way of testing so I had to push my vehicle out of the street. Luckily Two Gentlemen came over and help me push. Thinking still it was just the battery I called roadside assistance and someone from the company came and tried jump starting my car with no luck. I ended up having to get my car towed. Next day I tried starting with no luck. Try it again yesterday and it makes this fast ticking or clicking noise automatically before I even try to start it and it doesn't stop until I turn off the key. And the worst part about all this is I'm not even in the town I live I'm at a friend's house sitting an hour and a half away from my apartment. I can't bring to a mechanic because it doesn't drive and I don't have the money to fix it. I won't be able to have Christmas with my family because of this issue. I'm honestly just dumbfounded I don't have a clue of what to do or what happened. Please file a report so no one else ends up in my situation if you could provide any help in this matter I would be grateful
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Nov 16, 2022, fire
The contact owned a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that he did not receive a notice for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V061000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the VIN was included in the recall and the vehicle caught on fire while parked in his residence parking lot. No warning lights were illuminated. The fire department extinguished the flames. A police report was filed and the contact was informed that the origin of the fire came from the front of the vehicle. The manufacturer was not yet made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,500.
Suspension, Nov 7, 2022
Turning onto my street and continued two hundred feet to my driveway I had to turn the steering wheel one quarter to the left to keep the car straight on the road. On inspection of the vehicle I noticed the left rear wheel was at an angle. Further inspection showed the suspension had departed.
Steering, Oct 6, 2022
The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the EPS warning light illuminated. The contact stated while making a left turn, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The contact was able to pull over safely and the vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was informed that the EPS and the entire steering shaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V100000 (Steering) and that the repair would be out of pocket. The failure mileage was 73,000.
Steering, Power train, Sep 28, 2022
You did a recall for the power steering when I check to see if my vehicle is part of the recall the information said no. You need to change this because I've always had issues with my power steering locking up and being unable to turn. This has happened to me on more than one occasion. The EPS light is always on and the dealership is no help at all. I need this to be taken care of.
Steering, Sep 16, 2022
The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving 5-10 MPH, the steering wheel seized. The Electronic Power Steering (EPS) warning light was illuminated. The contact parked and turned off the vehicle. Upon restarting the vehicle, the failure persisted. The contact's husband was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer by using physical strength to steer the vehicle. The dealer diagnosed that the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) system needed to be replaced and the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V100000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Steering, Sep 15, 2022
The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving 40-50 MPH, the power steering assist warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and turned the vehicle. The contact was able to continue driving. However, the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was taken the dealer on two occasions. The dealer updated the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) control unit. However, the failure persisted. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact they no longer had the part to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V100000 (Steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. The contact stated that the vehicle was purchased used from the dealer and was aware of the issues from the start. The issue was always repaired by the dealer while the vehicle was under warranty. The steering issue was temporarily fixed by stopping and restarting the engine. Recently, the issue could not be fixed by restarting the engine. At no cost to the contact, the dealer repaired the EPS and the problem was resolved.
Steering, Sep 13, 2022
Was driving about 25 miles an hour and started to turn into a gas station when the EPS light went out and I lost my power steering. After finally getting the car parked T the pump. Turned car off, filled tank and restarted car. The EPS light was off and power steering was back on. The steering now has a strange bump. I saw that there was a previous recall on the EPS. I called my local Hyundai dealer, but was told that was a closed recall and cannot do anything with the recall.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Aug 29, 2022
The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to stop the vehicle, the engine continued to rev. The vehicle was shifted into neutral(N) and turned off. While driving at low speeds approaching a stop sign, the engine revved up. The contact shifted the vehicle to neutral(N) and turned the vehicle off and then shifted to park(P); however, the vehicle continued to move while the brake pedal was depressed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted and informed of the failure and the contact was provided the cost to have the vehicle diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Action Number: DP21003 (Vehicle Speed Control). The failure mileage was approximately 33,000. The consumer stated he had to get rid of the vehicle because the problem had gotten worse.
Electrical system, Aug 27, 2022
I received a letter from Hyundai telling me to have the work done, but there are no dealerships in my area willing to schedule me for an appointment. I attempted to use the www.hyundaiUSA.com/Campaign188 website to schedule an appointment based on my zip code. Five dealerships came up. Of those five, two had scheduling greyed out and the other three went to an error screen.
Electrical system, Aug 16, 2022, fire
The contact owned a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving at 30 MPH, the battery warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local Pep Boys where it was diagnosed that the failure was associated with an electrical shortage or the alternator. The contact stated while driving at 55 MPH to her friend's house for assistance with replacing the alternator, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated upon attempting to veer to the side of the road, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact shifted to park (P) but the vehicle failed to respond and continued rolling. The contact heard an exploding sound coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The contact stated fiery particles hit the windshield and there was smoke coming in through the AC vent. The contact attempted to open the door to exit the vehicle but the door was locked and failed to open. The contact jumped out of the front driver’s side window while there was incoming traffic. The contact then heard a second exploding sound coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle. Several bystanders attempted to extinguish the fire with fire extinguishers unsuccessfully. The contact stated that the vehicle burned significantly and only the frame remained. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire department. A fire department report was filed. A police report was filed. The contact sustained bruises on the abdomen when jumping out of the window. The contact did not seek medical assistance. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot where it was totaled. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and picked up the vehicle from the tow lot. The manufacturer opened a case. Upon investigating the cause of the failure, the manufacturer informed the contact that the fire was caused by an electrical shortage associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V061000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer informed the contact that they may provide partial assistance with paying off the loan on the vehicle. The contact stated that she had not been able to follow up with the manufacturer. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Engine, Aug 3, 2022
THE ENGINE KNOCKS -LOUD RATTLE WHILE IDLING.
Steering, Jul 21, 2022
The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the EPS warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.
Service brakes, Jul 9, 2022
When I started my car, the brake lights were on and the brakes were not responding. I took it to a mechanic who replaced a brake line and reported that there was rust on other brake lines as well
Steering, Jun 28, 2022
The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated when the vehicle was started, the EPS warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 81,000.
Air bags, Jun 23, 2022
I pulled up to my house, turned the ignition off, and the airbag deployed in my face.
Steering, May 23, 2022
The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving approximately 3 MPH, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The contact stated that the EPS and ESC warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic however, the mechanic referred the contact to the authorized dealer for assistance. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 123,632.
Steering, Mar 9, 2022
The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the electronic power steering (EPS) warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 161,690.
Electrical system, Feb 18, 2022
I bought this vehicle used, just three years ago. It had a little over 100k miles on it. Since purchase date, the car has died at least eight times and I've had to take it in for inspection four times. It has had three different batteries. The service techs have not been able to find anything technically wring with the car: alternator fine, engine fine, batteries fine, no reported power draws... yet I am still continuously finding myself stuck with a dead car. There was a bluetooth system in the vehicle when I bought it, but the second time it died, the service tech removed it in case that was what was drawing out power. However, it had died six times since.
Vehicle speed control, Jan 8, 2022
While driving uphill, I let my foot off the gas pedal to make an upcoming turn. The car continued to accelerate, the brake pedal wouldn’t stop the car. Neutral made engine race to red-line. Turned ignition off and used hand brake, damaging handbrake shoes. Had car towed to dealership in Debuque, Iowa. After a few days was told that the floor mat had come loose and wedged accelerator down. Removed mat. 24 months later car accelerated the same way, unwanted, with brake pedal not stopping the car. There is no car mat to get stuck. Turned ignition off and used handbrake. Will be bringing car to a mechanic.
Power train, Dec 22, 2021
December 4, 2021 while driving to San Diego, CA, interstate 8W, Hyundai started jerking and pulling very hesitant. I took the car to my mechanic on December 13th and he informed me that the transmission had a slippage problem! Shifting from 1st to 2nd and then again from 4th gear! Bottom line, I needed another Transmission! I called NHTSA at 888-327-4236 to report this issue, but only a written complaint was taken! We 2010 Hyundai Elantra owners need to file a Civil Lawsuit against Hyundai! There are numerous complaints that I've read regarding this same suspension Faulty! Please contact me [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Suspension, Oct 28, 2021
Traveling 25-30 MPH on a gravel road, car shuddered and seemed to tilt sightly to the left. At the same time a loud grinding noise was heard and steering felt funny. On stopping and exiting the car, I saw the left rear wheel was toed to the left, and leaning so that the top of the tire was extended beyond the fender arch. Looking beneath the car, I could see the left rear control arm had torn loose from it's pivot point near the center of the uni-body, due to corrosion. The wheel hub was attached to the car solely by the torsion bar, brake line, and strut. The car had passed a state safety inspection exactly one year previous, and has approximately 115K miles, primarily in Maine. There was NO warning before the failure, such as sloppy steering or unstable handling. The gravel road where the failure occurred leads to my vacation cabin. To get there and return home I must cross a mountain pass which is steep and winding both ways, with a speed limit of 50MPH. One side has sheer drop offs, and the other has solid rock ledge. If the failure had happened in this 10 mile stretch, the results could very well have been deadly. Someone may have offered to repair the corrosion damage to the uni-body, but I could never feel comfortable driving the car again. There was no damage to anything but the vehicle itself, so no police report was made. The extremely rural area where the failure occurred made it impractical to get the car to a Hyundai dealer. I junked the car with Dubois Towing and Salvage, 438 River Rd, Mexico, Maine, 04257 (207-364-7273).