2013 Hyundai Elantra
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Service brakes is the leading concern among 1,330 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 26 Elantra model years with reports.
Of the 2013 reports, 95 involved a crash and 31 involved a fire. 68 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
Service brakes, hydraulic, pedals and linkagesNov 30, 2017
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Elantra sedan, coupe and GT vehicles. The brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the brake light switch plunger to remain extended when the brake pedal is released. This will allow the brake lights to remain illuminated continuously. It can also allow the shift lever to be moved without depressing the brake pedal, or activate the engine management brake pedal override feature.
If the brake light switch plunger does not retract as it should when the brake pedal is not being pressed, the brake lights may stay illuminated preventing accurate communication to following vehicles that the vehicle is slowing or stopping. Additionally, if the brake switch plunger is not retracted, then the transmission can be shifted out of PARK without depressing the brake pedal. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake pedal stopper pad, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 8, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 170. This campaign expands recall 16V574.
Campaign 17V769000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lighting, brake lights, switchAug 2, 2016
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model 2013 Elantra vehicles manufactured December 1, 2012, to April 30, 2013. The brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the brake light switch plunger to remain extended when the brake pedal is released.
If the brake light switch plunger does not retract as it should when the brake pedal is not being pressed, the brake lights may stay illuminated preventing accurate communication to following vehicles that the vehicle is slowing or stopping. Additionally, if the brake switch plunger is not retracted, then the transmission can be shifted out of PARK without depressing the brake pedal. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake pedal stopper pad with an improved part, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on September 30, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 146.
Campaign 16V574000 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: service brakes
283 reports, newest first. Show all
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Nov 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. 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, Nov 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 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 contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. 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.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Nov 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. 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.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Nov 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. 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.
Service brakes, Air, Nov 16, 2023
I'm reaching out in concern for the Hyundai Safety Recall (Hyundai Recall Number 251). The letter, I received on 11/14/23, said my car is part of the Recall. There is currently no remedy. The only recommendation is to not drive the car and leave it parked away from structures. The 251 recall started 9/22/23. There has been no update and no resolution. I think this is not a reasonable time frame to have your car parked away from structures and not to be driven.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Nov 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the ABS warning light illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The contact later received notification for the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced a failure related to the recall. The failure mileage was 148,000.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Nov 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. 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.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Nov 14, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 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 determined 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 and determined that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Nov 14, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. 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.
Electrical system, Air bags, Service brakes, Nov 11, 2023
I got a recall letter in the mail and Burns Hyundai does not want to give me a service or loaner vehicle.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Nov 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 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.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Oct 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. 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.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Oct 2, 2023
Driving the vehicle on 9/23/23 traveling at ~ 35 mph. Suddenly, the breaks were applied (not by input from me) and the car came to a screeching halt. The car had to be towed via flatbed rate ($100 charge) because all four wheel brakes were locked and could not be disengaged by me nor the tow truck driver. The car was towed to Napleton's Auto Park in Urbana IL. The ABS/HECU module has been confirmed to be at fault by the dealership mechanics. Presently, I am waiting to hear back from the dealership IF/WHEN the vehicle will be repaired under warranty. Thankfully the incident did not occur at highway nor interstate speed nor did I have my wife or kids in the vehicle. 2013 Elantra Purchased New.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Sep 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. 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, Sep 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while accelerating at slow speeds or while idling at a stop, the vehicle hesitated. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the ignition coil and alternator failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that while accelerating at slow speeds or while idling at a stop, she heard an abnormal humming and ticking sound coming from under the hood of the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The contact then stated that upon searching the NHTSA website, she confirmed that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An undisclosed dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed to bring the vehicle in for diagnosis. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 123,200. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Sep 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 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. An undisclosed dealer was contacted 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 not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Sep 6, 2023
Event: Catastrophic brake failure whilst driving due to total corrosion of brake lines. Cause: Stainless steel rear brake lines on undercarriage of vehicle do not have any form of coating, nor anti-corrosive protection. Detailed description of problem, including photographic evidence: The stainless steel brake lines run externally along the vehicle undercarriage, from the master cylinder to the rear wheels (Exhibit A). The plastic cover, which has pre-drilled holes in it, hides these lines from view (Exhibit B) and is held in place by a series of push clips. These push clips are directly attached to small plastic straps which act as guide channel to keep the brake lines in place (Exhibit C). Ground water is able to splash from under vehicle inside the plastic cover, and then the water sits in the wells created by the straps (Exhibit D) which allows water to puddle along the brake lines and has allowed the brake line to corrode right through and brake fluid leaks right out (Exhibit E). Fortunately my wife was driving in the direction of, and in close proximity to, our home at the time of brake failure and was able to return the vehicle to the driveway prior to an accident occurring. The Country of Canada has already issued a recall for this precise issue in March of 2023 (Transport Canada Recall # 2023-125) Source: [XXX] I was not aware of this issue until the time of the incident because I would have chosen to address this myself earlier being that this would almost certainly lead to a dangerous situation I now have a vehicle which is unsafe to operate. I will need to have this vehicle towed in order to have it repaired. I currently have no way of being reimbursed for either the transportation of the vehicle to a service center, nor the repair costs themselves; even though this issue has been documented as a known issue in another country for the past six months. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jul 28, 2023, fire
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that after she had parked the vehicle in her residential driveway and had turned the vehicle off after shifting to park (P) she had noticed that the "vehicle in a skid" symbol was illuminated. The contact was in her residence when she began to smell a burning odor. The contact observed that white smoke was being emitted from under the hood. The contact stated that her father used a garden hose to attempt to cool the hood off but was unable to open the hood. The contact stated that the fire department was called, however the engine compartment had been engulfed in flames. The contact stated that the fire department arrived and the firemen had pried open the hood and extinguished the flames with water. The contact stated that the engine had been damaged and all plastic parts and hoses had been melted. The contact stated that fire had caused the air bags to deploy and had melted the dash board. The contact stated that the police arrived on scene and wrote an incident report. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed and had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The contact had researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V800000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The failure mileage was 63,666.
Service brakes, May 25, 2023
Dealer advised of corroded brake lines needing replacement at $1400-1500. Vehicle just had a recall for underbody protection. This model has been recalled in Canada: https://www.collisionrepairmag.com/cracks-in-the-line-hyundai-recalls-nearly-300000-vehicles-for-corroded-brake-lines/?utm_source=pocket_saves
Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Engine, Apr 20, 2023
My transmission had to be fixed due to stopping unexpectedly due to gear changing automatically by itself, brakes keep leaking fluid then touching the ground with a tire popping sound underneath , and engine is messing up without warning of any problems with
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Mar 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated the while driving at various speeds, while slowing down, the vehicle consistently lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed and determined that the catalytic converter sensor needed to be replaced. The contact was notified of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V769000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage 145,000.
Service brakes, Sep 30, 2022
The brake light switch had to be replaced again. The brakes light was staying on while driving and barked. The same item was on a recall about 4 to 5 years ago. The part is still failing.
Exterior lighting, Service brakes, Lane departure, Sep 8, 2022
Good
Wheels, Service brakes, Engine, May 30, 2022
I noticed a loud ticking noise from my engine 6 months ago and took it to my mechanic assuming it needed an oil change sooner. However the noise became much worse the past month and a half and again took it to my mechanic which found it is an issue inside the motor itself and they could not figure it out except many 2013 Hyundai Elantra's have in fact had engine failure and recommended I take it to a dealer. I instead took it today to NTB assuming it was another issue with tires and unable to accelerate which almost caused me an accident on the interstate. NTB found that this is a serious issue with the engine and confirmed Hyundai is aware of the issue but will not issue any recalls due to this. My car is only 9 years old and when I bought it brand new there were already many recalls that was repaired. When I called the Hyundai dealership near me, I was told no recalls were issued but they are aware of the problem and just for me to bring it in it will be extremely costly just to look at it, and around $5,000/$7,000 to replace the engine if this is the issue which was confirmed by 2 auto shops. I have found many reports and documentation of engine failure with not being able to accelerate and my car has done this 3xs on an extremely busy interstate in which I was almost rear ended and would have been killed. I will once again contact the Hyundai Dealership near me with hopes of receiving a free inspection of the engine. I will also be sending information to our West Virginia Attorney General and close friend Patrick Morrisey along with documentation of recent and previous repairs of Brakes and countless purchasing of tires as well as having to replace tie rods numerous times. This also includes my cruise control will accelerate which I have received a ticket even when I told the officer my cruise control was stuck and no matter what I tried it would not shut off including when I stopped and put my car in park. My ultimate concern is the engine. The contact has stated that as of December 2022 the issue with the vehicle still occurs even after having the engine replaced. After driving home, the vehicle would not shift into park or reverse after several minutes of trying. At that time, no warning lights occurred and there was a loud noise coming from under the hood. HMA agreed to settle the claim with an offer of $708.12. The contact countered HMA's offer as follows: To release HMA from past and present issues with the contact's 2013 Hyundai Elantra; not join any recent or present consumer's including future class actions including seeking legal representation against HMA “IF” HMA agrees to replace my 2013 Hyundai Elantra with a newer model at which time if this is agreed upon, contact will waive all liability regarding my 2013 Hyundai Elantra. If HMA is not in agreement with the counteroffer, contact will continue to have NHTSA inspector Bill Collins follow through with inspecting contact's 2013 Hyundai Elantra including but not limited to pursuing all/any future legal actions against HMA due to driving a vehicle that HMA failed to conform to warranty in connection with your concerns and the vehicle’s repair history to date. HMA has referred contact's counteroffer to another HMA department and should respond within 48 hours. Contact forwarded HMA's response to NHTSA and WV Attorney General. The contact is waiting for response from HMA case managers. 03/24/2023 the contact received email from NHTSA ODI regarding an investigation of the defects of contact's vehicle. As of 04/17/2023 Contact provided additional recent repair receipts.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Mar 12, 2021
WHEN BRAKING THE BRAKE PEDAL SEEMED "SOFT" AND AFTER ABOUT 40 MILES OF DRIVING IT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I HAD REACHED HOME BY THEN. THERE WERE DROPS OF FLUID ON THE PAVEMENT AFTER I BACKED IN AND PARKED.I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE HYUNDAI DEALER AND INSPECTION REVEALED THAT NOT ONLY BOTH BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED THROUGH, BUT, THE FUEL LINES HAD ALSO RUSTED THROUGH AND WERE LEAKING.