2011 Hyundai Elantra
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 461 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 4th highest complaint count among 26 Elantra model years with reports.
Of the 2011 reports, 21 involved a crash and 9 involved a fire. 13 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/modulePark outsideSep 22, 2023
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.
Campaign 23V651000 on NHTSA.gov
Equipment, electricalJul 2, 2020
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Hyundai Elantra and Sonata Hybrid, 2012 Accent and Veloster vehicles. The 12V accessory socket outlet may have been over-tightened during installation, possibly disabling the thermal fuse and allowing the outlet to overheat with prolonged use, such as by using the Tire Mobility Kit air compressor to inflate a tire.
An overheated accessory outlet increases the risk of fire.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the Tire Mobility Kit accessory outlet plug with a direct-to-battery connection wire harness kit, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 193.
Campaign 20V393000 on NHTSA.gov
Electronic stability control (ESC)Dec 23, 2015
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Elantra vehicles manufactured October 29, 2010, to October 25, 2011. Due to an electronic stability control (ESC) sensor malfunction, the brakes for one or more wheels may be applied unexpectedly and the engine power may be reduced. These symptoms will be accompanied by illumination of the ESC indicator lamp in the instrument cluster.
If the one or more of the brakes are inappropriately applied, control of the vehicle may be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will verify the proper operation of the ESC sensors, and update the ESC system's calibration, free of charge. The recall began June 6, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 137.
Campaign 15V871000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, front, springs, coil springsOct 7, 2015
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011 Elantra vehicles manufactured November 12, 2010, to March 31, 2011, and Sonata vehicles manufactured December 11, 2009, to February 28, 2010, originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Road salt may corrode the front coil springs, possibly resulting in the coil springs fracturing.
If a front coil spring fractures, it may contact the tire, possibly puncturing it, increasing the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front coil springs, free of charge. Interim notifications were mailed on November 17, 2015. The recall began on January 6, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 133. Note: Vehicles that were previously registered in salt belt states but are currently registered elsewhere are eligible to be inspected and repaired.
Campaign 15V629000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, side/windowApr 1, 2013
Hyundai Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Elantra vehicles manufactured from November 12, 2010, through March 5, 2013. A support bracket attached to the headliner may become displaced during a side curtain airbag deployment.
If the headliner support bracket makes contact with an occupant during a crash, it may cause a laceration injury.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will apply adhesive strips to the headliner, free of charge. The safety recall began during April 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 109.
Campaign 13V115000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
461 reports, newest first.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Mar 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The local dealer was notified of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms part not available.
Steering, Mar 6, 2024
The steering coupler started making noises at about 80, 000 miles but I did not know what it was at the time . When I brought the car in at over 100,000 miles, I was informed of the loose couplet, to cost about &400 to fix andit wasn’t covered, because over the 100, 000. I did not have it fixed at that time.(I believe mileage was about 110, 00 at that point). I never received any info on this issue, and feel it should have been covered and that Hyundai should still cover it. There is approximately 128, 000 miles now.
Steering, Mar 1, 2024
The steering wheel recently started making a clunking sound. There is play in the wheel and it feels very unsafe to drive. It does not respond normally while turning. Seems to be a very common issue. My car is a 2011 with 55k miles on it and it is out of warranty. I wish they would make this a recall and fix it.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Feb 23, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V3651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Electrical system, Engine, Feb 7, 2024
They have failed to address the recall in a timely manner. Sep 22,2023 Manufacturer Recall Number251 NHTSA Recall Number23V651000
Steering, Service brakes, Jan 30, 2024
Starting in the summer of 2023 my car started making screeching noises when applying brakes, turning, etc. All 4 brakes and rotors were replaced. My car continues to screech. More concerning is that the steering wheel started clicking when turning in the Fall of 2023 and has progressively worsened, now clicking whenever moved left or right even a few inches. The steering feels very loose. Although the car is a 2011, it only has 36,000 original miles on it. This is very frustrating and feels very unsafe to drive. Repair/evaluation appointment with the dealership is scheduled for 2/1/24 to see what they say. My issues sounds VERY familiar to many other complaints on here and from other research I have done. I am not sure why this is not a recall to correct this common problem in the Elantra. Other Hyundai models have had steering column recalls. I see that the rubber coupling warranty in the power steering assembly was extended to 10 yrs/100,000 miles, however I was never informed of any safety or warranty issues when purchasing this vehicle in early February of 2020 which would have been within the 10 years. Extra disappointing is that the previous 2 owners were the sales manager and general manager of the dealership where I purchased it from.
Other or unspecified, Jan 17, 2024
Car was broken into and they tried to steal the car. Antitheft device?
Engine, Jan 10, 2024
When I start the engine, I hear pronounced knocking sounds in the engine for approximately 1-2 seconds, and they are quite loud. As the engine warms up, the knocking persists, albeit at a lower volume. The ongoing knocks are not as loud, resembling a consistent noise similar to that of a diesel engine, although it is not a diesel-powered vehicle
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jan 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Dec 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Forward collision avoidance, Dec 13, 2023
Urgent safety recall (251) for fire risk was started 3 months ago. As of 12/13/2024 there is no remedy or any timeline for remedy. owners in snow conditions (Ohio) can't be reasonably told to park their Hyundais outside in winter. Maybe I don't understand the word urgent...
Other or unspecified, Dec 11, 2023
Anti theft software upgrade.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Dec 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard an abnormal sound coming from the rear of the vehicle, prompting her to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway and the vehicle was towed. The low tire pressure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed an electrical failure with the tire pressure monitoring system. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,000.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Nov 30, 2023
I have been forced to park my car outside in case it catches on fire due to the faulty brake system that cannot be fixed. This puts my car in danger of vandalism and harsh winter conditions. This is unacceptable that Hyundai has not yet found a way to fix the dangerous brake system!!
Service brakes, Nov 29, 2023
We received notice from Hyundai in mid-November about the anti-lock brake system modules problem (could leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short over time. This increases the risk of an engine compartment fire while parked or driving) There is still no date for fixing this problem. We now need to park this car outside our garage, which increases the risk of the car being stolen.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Nov 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Other or unspecified, Nov 22, 2023
Lots of problems and concerns
Steering, Nov 21, 2023
The steering wheel usually vibrates when using the brake and it dies the same thing when going 60mph or 70mph.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Oct 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Air bags, Oct 3, 2023
On October 1, 2023, I started my vehicle in the driveway to having the red airbag warning light appear as a dashboard symbol. No accidents have occurred. I do not see any recalls on this issue. I’ll be visiting the Hyundai dealership today- October 3, 2023.
Steering, Oct 3, 2023
On August 22, 2023, my 2011 Hyundai Elantra steering capacity started feeling loose and now clicks every time I turn the steering wheel - left or right.
Suspension, Oct 3, 2023
On February 14, 2023, around 6:30 PM the right front passenger front coil spring broke on my 2011 Hyundai Elantra. I was driving while crossing railroad tracks when the front end dropped down on the right side and the car wouldn’t move. I continued to push the accelerator to get my car off the tracks and on the side of the road- spring cut my tire ripping the inner tire wall. I made several calls to Hyundai (Springfield IL Dealership) and they informed although there was a current recall (number 15V629000) on this issue, I was advised that my VIN did not qualify. The reasoning was that my car's physical address didn’t qualify for the recall. I contested this with appropriate documentation that clearly showed the broken pieces with corrosion. I ended up suffering the cost of the towing bill and replacement of both strut assemblies. In March 2023, I received a recall (campaign - 984) to have an underbody cavity wax and anti-corrosion spray applied to prevent corrosion of components due to road salt. So, as I attempted to point out to Hyundai that my car and perhaps many others were at risk for these potentially fatal risk.
Steering, Oct 2, 2023
My 2011 Hyundai Elantra has a steering problem. Just yesterday, The steering became loose and clicked when initially turning left or right. At a stop, I was able to turn it back and forth very loosely (no resistance) about 1-2" before a click and then the steering felt *closer* to normal (but not normal). The problem is also that the power steering is a little more difficult to turn either way after the click. This was very scary when it happened and thankfully we were close to home and drove directly there very cautiously. After doing some quick research, it seems this is a common problem. It is due to the failure of a cheap plastic gear inside the steering column where it attaches to the power steering motor. I say cheap because anyone can purchase the plastic piece for less than $10 on Amazon (today I can buy 2 steering couplers for only $6.59). There are online videos showing how one can do a self-repair in just about an hour. I received one quote from a local auto repair shop that it would cost around $350. I called another shop (a local shop of a major auto repair chain) who very quickly told me to only get it repaired by the dealer. Evidently, while the part could be done by me or a local auto shop, he informed me that once the steering column is dropped during the repair, it requires the power steering electronic module to be reprogrammed/calibrated and something that only an OEM dealer could perform. He was knowledgeable about the process because he had to refer many of his customers to get this repair done. He indicated that the reprogramming/calibrating would cost an additional $225. So this cheap plastic part will cost anyone approximately $575 to get fixed. Meanwhile, we'e afraid to drive the car with this loose steering and harder power steering (especially at lower speeds). Based upon what I've read online and after talking with the manager at the national auto repair chain store, this seems to be a common repair of these older Hyundai Elantras.
Steering, Sep 2, 2023
There is a clunking and or clicking noise when I turn the steering wheel in any direction. This issue caused my car to fail inspection last Thursday. I’m told by the Southern Team dealership advisor, [XXX] , that my 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring is oit of warranty and it will cost between $400-$500 to fix this. I never received a letter since I purchased this car in 2015. I don’t recall the approximate date when this started, but it’s been going on for aboit a year at the least. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Steering, Electrical system, Wheels, Aug 27, 2023
My safety was a risk on August 25th as I was driving back home from work. As I was about to make a right turn, the wheel was hard to turn for second which resulted in me making a wider turn. Thankfully no other cars were around. As I parked, the wheel would swing back and forth and make a swishing sound when touched. A couple of weeks prior to the incident, I had a family friend conduct an oil change. I had mention to him about my steering wheel problem and my tire light being on— all of these problems started at the end of July). He said the steering issue is not normal and not good at all since it ruined the front of my tires. He said in order to fix the tires, I would have to get the steering problem checked and fixed first. He and my warranty recommend me to go to a certified mechanic since he didn’t have the tools to properly diagnose and that I can get it fix through my warranty. After going to United Service Automative, the certified mechanic told me that his diagnosis was pointing to errors in the electrical steering wheel system. Unfortunately, I had to pay for the inspection since my warranty said they couldn’t fix it. The certified mechanic recommended me to go to the actual manufacturer/dealer to get it checked. I have made several calls to Lithia Hyundai of Fresno about this issue since August 24th. I talked about to at least 4 employees that this is a safety concern. Answers I got back were “By appointment your car cannot be seen until January 2024…you can walk-in but we cannot guarantee your car will be looked at and can actually sit in the shop for a week or more until we look at it.” I have been also hanged up on twice and had to go through the sales department. No one seems to be taking me serious or taking precautious measures. I will be doing a walk-in on Monday, August 28th, 2023 requesting a safety inspection and how can I get the car fixed since I am still paying off the car.