2016 Hyundai Elantra
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 292 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 10th highest complaint count among 26 Elantra model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 22 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 17 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, frontal, driver side, inflator moduleMay 15, 2026
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra and 2016 Elantra GT vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may rupture during deployment.
An air bag inflator that ruptures may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or passengers, increasing the risk of injury or death.
Dealers will inspect and replace the air bag inflator, as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 3, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated August, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 300. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 16, 2026.
Campaign 26V307000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, trunk lid, latchFeb 23, 2024
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the trunk latch base sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 5, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 256.
Campaign 24V146000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine
113 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine, Oct 5, 2022
My engine has almost completely burned through its oil twice. I have done routine oil changes and maintenance on the vehicle and the first time this happened, I had driven 3,000 miles since my last oil change (full synthetic, so it should be able to go up to 5,000 miles). The second time, it was out of oil at 1,200 miles. I took the car to Hyundai after the first incident and they said no error codes came up, so there was nothing they could do. This safety issue could cause my engine to stall mid drive, causing a potentially fatal accident. There are no warnings that the engine is low on oil, making this an even more alarming and dangerous defect. Hyundai will not help consumers with this issue, and there is a class action lawsuit against them right now for this problem. Many are saying the exact same thing happened when taking the vehicle into the dealer; they were turned away and charged for no help. I was told to just keep putting oil in my car, but it has gotten exponentially worse since this all began.
Engine, Sep 6, 2022
88,750 miles - Engine began profuse knocking suddenly when traveling down the road under 50mph. Stopped at a service center and they found no oil in the engine. Like THOUSANDS of others with the same complaint, the engine burned the oil which caused it to destroy itself LONG before the oil change interim had arrived.
Power train, Service brakes, Engine, Aug 31, 2022
I believe it is the transmission/ power train that failed. It slides gears and the engine stalls. While driving, I was almost hit because I could not speed up. I had to decelerate in order for the gear to not stutter.
Engine, Aug 4, 2022
At 75,000 miles my engine randomly blew on the freeway, I rolled down the off-ramp where I lost all power and had to put it in neutral and put the emergency brake on so I didn’t roll through a red light at the bottom of the ramp. Absolutely no warning, nothing else was wrong with the car, mechanic said oil and everything else looked perfect but that it was a manufacturer defect due to the pistons in the engine. Now I owe 8.5k on a car I can’t drive because neither insurance nor Hyundai will take responsibility. Great
Engine, Jul 15, 2022
Going through oil like crazy, continuous engine knocking
Power train, Engine, Jul 8, 2022
On 06/10/2022 Going down the road went to shift gears and it was stuck in 5th gear. Finally got it released and safely made it home. Ever since you can shift the gears and reverse while engine isn’t running but once I turn on the vehicle it refuses to shift into any gears including reverse. I have a FIXD OBD2 sensor and it showed no warning messages before, during, and now. No codes are showing up when plugged in. Matter of fact it says there’s no issues with my car ? I had a mechanic take a look since he was willing to come to my house considering I currently don’t have the funds to get it checked out & he said it’s probably my clutch has went out, but that can’t be the case considering it will turn on still. I have no messages appear on the dash & I have plenty of transmission oil. Today is 07/08/2022 and it has just been sitting there due to the fact I’ve lost my employment and can’t afford to have it looked at
Engine, Jun 15, 2022, fire
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Elantra. The contact's wife was driving approximately 12 MPH smelled a burning odor, as she parked at the residence she saw smoke emitting from under the hood and the vehicle ignited and began to burn. The contact stated that the engine caught on fire. The contact stated his wife did not notice any warning light was illuminated. The fire department was called and extinguished the fire with water. The fire department wrote an incident report. The police department was also on scene but did not issue a report. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The front of the vehicle was severely damaged. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Jun 3, 2022
April 2022 Car engine stalls while at stop sign or light. Started happening once or twice every few weeks. Took the vehicle to two repair shops but could not diagnose the issue. Vehicle giving no diagnostic codes or warning lights. May 2022 vehicle is now stalling and losing acceleration while driving on busy highway, leaving me and my children on the highway shoulder. Car loses acceleration and coasts to a complete stop. No warning lights have come on previously. Could not book an appointment with Hyundai dealer until June 25, 2022. As of June 3rd 2022, check engine light is on and car having trouble starting back up after stall. Vehicle is stalling and losing acceleration 2-3 times a day no matter the speed. Booked appointment with Hyundai dealer in another area for June 9, 2022.
Service brakes, Engine, May 25, 2022
The car stalls at low idle intermittently. The transmission is leaking badly and won't drive. One day the engine began smoking badly. If I hit a dip in the road well braking the brakes don't work at all for a second.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 20, 2022
Engine Code: P0335 Crankshaft Position Sensor 'A' Circuit Severe Issue Consequences of Continued Driving - Rough running - possible Misfire - May not start In my case I was at work and it wouldn’t start at all. It ended up having to be towed. Had the battery tested and it was fine then I bought a “FIXD” sensor and it told me the problem
Other or unspecified, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 20, 2022
So back in November of 2020 I had a few instances where my car had issues shifting into a different gear while I pressed the gas. It was like it stalled and was suspended for a moment making a really weird noise and then got punched into the next gear super fast and made a bad noise. I was driving between 20-35 miles when these occurrences happened. I went to the Hyundai dealership and had them look at my car but they found nothing. The mechanic test drove it but they found nothing was wrong. The attendant made notes on my account about all of this so that there would be a record. He told me to come in again if I had any more issues like this. Fast forward to now March 19th 2022, there were 4 occurrences in one day, where my car felt like it was stalling differently. While I was pressing the gas pedal driving between 20- 30 miles when suddenly it felt like there was a delay like liquid trying to pass through a tube but bubbles of air were blocking it from getting the liquid to flow. Which made my car shake and feel like I was driving over a bumpy road. I feel like if there had been cars in front of me for the first few instances, I could have rear-ended them. Luckily, that was not the case. Now, for the other occurrences on March 19th, 2022 if a car would have been going faster behind me, they could have rear-ended me, especially because of the stalling in acceleration. I've made an appointment with the dealership for the end of this week but I am rrying to go in as soon as possible to get this looked at. I think its either a transmission, engine, or fuel system error just for the simple fact of pressing the gas and feeling it stall and have to force itself into a different gear.
Engine, Mar 7, 2022
at 94,000 still under my engine warrant and paid thousands on "guess repairs" for the past 3 months. Shakiness of engine upon start up followed by completely shutting down and not starting. I have taken it to an auto shop and TWO different hyundai dealerships that have charged me for thousands of dollars on things like new spark plugs, fuel injector flush, O2 sensor, even tested all fuel injectors and came back with no issues. Hyundai says codes aren't showing any issues and sending me home with the same dangerous symptoms!! Even the guy at dealership said "this is why I don't buy Hyundai." I can't find someone to help my case and I feel powerless. I have read so many similar online complaints for my same make and model and nobody is getting the help they need. It's WRONG for the consumer to have to pay for the mistakes made by a manufacturer. Please, somebody take this case on! My engine has all the issues described in the 2016 elantra engine recall, I don't understand how my VIN # does not show up under recall. I am at a dead end and Hyundai won't do anything but continue to charge me for services that are not fixing my car. Recent dealership even claimed he can't show me the diagnosis of codes because their "computers don't work that way." I know there is a lack of honesty. My Hyundai case manager denied the recalls I asked about that are true and all over the internet. It's like they are paid to try and hide public information just to continue to profit off services that don't fix your vehicle. Also, I have more documentation but max was 10 uploads here. I've been dealing with this since December 12, 2021. I also have video footage of what my car does upon start up from 3/05 and 3/06 where it smells like gasoline and entire vehicle shakes like it's going to explode. It all started during a cold front in Houston the day before my moving day to Oregon for new job and car has been CRAP since living in cold weather. ALWAYS a problem and not reliable.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Mar 1, 2022
Piston defect caused engine to seize, car was parked when engine would not start so I had it towed to Hyundai dealership where it is still. Nothing has been done to my car but was told I'm one of the persons who have been affected by the recent lawsuit that closed and I could not file a claim.
Engine, Feb 11, 2022
Have 2016 Elantra with just over 65k miles on it, 2nd owner, performed an oil change every 3k-4k miles. Recently performed an oil change and in the oil was an astonishing amount of medal from the interior of the engine. Classic signs of premature engine failure. The car shakes while it’s in idle at a stop light. Performed a 2nd oil change a few days later, and again CHUNKS of medal debris in the oil.
Engine, Feb 8, 2022
Sudden loss of power accompanied by a pinging vibration and no response when stepping on gas pedal !
Engine, Jan 23, 2022
Oil consumption is 5 quarts every 3 weeks, always do proper maintaince on car and it goes thru oil at an unbeliveble rate, and spoke to other owners that have the same problem with the same year car
Engine, Dec 29, 2021
My car suddenly lost power and would not accelerate over 20 mph. It gave no warning whatsoever. No check engine light no dash lights at all. It seemed as if it was in some type of protection mode. I took it to the dealer and was told it was my catalytic converter. They replaced the manifold catalytic converter and sent me on my way. Within 15 minutes the check engine light was on and has been on ever since. The back of my car is covered in soot and my car uses about 4 quarts of oil per 2 weeks. My car was NOT like this before. I received a letter about a recall and when I took it to the dealer I was brushed off like it didn't apply to my car. My car was doing the EXACT thing that the recall letter stated. I have kept my car maintenance up and fully feel this is a mechanical default.
Engine, Dec 19, 2021
After a 290 mile work trip in my 2016 Hyundai Elantra (with approximately 43000 miles on it and regularly maintained at the normal maintenance schedule) I stopped to get gas. When I started the engine, I heard a horrible knocking noise and immediately turned the engine off. I let the engine cool down a little then started it again to get to an important work appointment. It continued knocking the entire time with no warning lights on. After work, I started the car again to drive it to a dealership, the knocking was really bad at this point. I got about a block down the street when the oil and engine light came on and the engine completely shut down while doing about 35 mph. I coasted into a parking lot, called a tow truck, and had it towed to a local Hyundai dealer. When I explained what happened to the service writer, he mentioned that Hyundai has been having a lot of problems with their engines. We went out to the vehicle and he asked me to start it so he could hear it. At that point, the motor didn't really want to start but did, and he checked the oil. He found that there was hardly any oil in it, but there were no leaks or signs of leaks anywhere. Again, I have always had the regularly scheduled maintenance done at my local Hyundai dealer which he verified. At that point, we went back inside and he said it will likely need a new engine. Now I am stuck without a car because it is at a dealership 290 miles away needing a new engine. I have taken such good care of this vehicle, for it to have 43000 miles on it and this happen is a major problem.
Engine, Dec 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the engine failed to perform as needed. The contact stated she was able to safely pull off the road and proceeded to call a tow company. The contact stated at the time of failure several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to Towne Hyundai (3170 NJ-10, Denville, NJ 07834) where they were not able to diagnose the vehicle. The contact stated that she then had the vehicle towed to Riverhead Hyundai (1800 Old Country Rd, Riverhead, NY 11901) where the vehicle remained to await a diagnostic test and repair. The failure mileage was 85,000.
Engine, Nov 23, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while her daughter was driving and approaching a stop sign, the vehicle loss motive power and stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The driver placed the vehicle in PARK and restarted the vehicle to drive to her residence; however, the failure recurred sporadically several times thereafter. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer who inspected the vehicle however, the dealer was not able to determine the cause of the failure. The contact then took the vehicle to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there were metal shavings found in the engine. The mechanic recommended that the engine be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.
Engine, Nov 9, 2021
I was driving the car at 25 MPH, when suddenly there was a clicking noise and the car lost power. I made it to my local service shop, but they were already closed. The next morning they called to inform me that the engine had blown and that it was a common problem for Hyundai vehicles. When the engine blew, it enabled gasoline to leak into the engine compartment. I feel that this is a serious fire hazard. Even though the care had high mileage, it was in good mechanical shape at the time of the incident. I had routine maintenance performed regularly. There were never any warning indicators that something might be wrong.
Engine, Oct 30, 2021
As I was driving for my job going the speed limit I heard a slight ticking/knocking sounds I pulled over right away and it sounds like the motor is knocking, the gdi in other Hyundai models have a recall for them due to faulty connection rods making the engine fail as this one is, it is going into the dealership Monday and I will provide any documentation showing the car is stock and wasn’t abused in any way or form.
Engine, Oct 30, 2021
This cars engine has seized and stopped working. This is an unacceptable problem and it seems as though other years have a recall for this same issue. I would like my year and model added to the recall. I am furious about this situation.
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Oct 9, 2021
I lost power while driving my 2016 Hyundai Elantra gt and also started hearing a knocking sound so I pulled over and knocking sound got real loud. A friend came and towed me home about 70 miles and the next morning I checked the oil and my oil was empty. My car has been out of commission for over a month and my mechanic says that a ball bearing is the reason for my engine failure and knocking sound.
Engine, Aug 6, 2021
Under 70,000 miles, transmission no longer works. Left me stuck in a parking lot and will not go forward. Began with pulling motion while trying to shift and rapidly declined.