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: power train
31 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, May 21, 2020
I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE FOR A YEAR NOW. I TOOK THE CAR TO HYUNDAI SEVERAL TIMES TO GET MY VEHICLE SERVICE AND EACH TIME THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEMS I AM EXPERIENCING ARE A DELAY IN ACCELERATION, CAR SHUTS OFF OCCASIONALLY WHILE DRIVING, CAR SHUT OFF OCCASIONALLY WHEN SWITCHING TO REVERSE, THE CAR ALWAYS SHAKES AND MAKES A WEIRD NOISE JUST BEFORE SHUTTING OFF. THE CAR JERKS WHEN DRIVING SPONTANEOUSLY, LOW TAPPING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD THAT COULD BE HEARD INSIDE THE VEHICLE. I HAVE VIDEOS OF MY CAR SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING AND BACKING UP. I ALSO HAVE VIDEOS OF THE TAPPING NOISE AND SHAKING JUST BEFORE SHUTTING OFF. THE LAST TIME I TOOK MY CAR TO BE SERVICED I WAS TOLD THAT THE OIL PRESSURE PUMP AND EXHAUST CVT NEED REPLACEMENT. I WAS TOLD THE HYUNDAI TECHLINE INSTRUCTED THE TECHNICIAN NOT TO MAKE ANY REPAIRS BECAUSE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I WAS ADVISED BY A HYUNDAI CASE MANAGER TO TAKE MY VEHICLE TO ANOTHER HYUNDAI SHOP TO SEE IF THEY CAN DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *TR
Power train, Engine, May 15, 2019
I AM TOLD I NEED TO HAVE MY ENGINE REPLACED. MY CAR HAD BEEN MAKING TICKING AND KNOCKING NOISES AS IF IT WAS STRUGGLING TO FUNCTION. THE DAY IT BROKE DOWN, IT WAS BEGINNING TO KNOCK EXCEPTIONALLY LOUD. I WAS AFRAID IT WAS GOING TO STALL WHILE DRIVING AS THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN I PUSHED ON THE GAS PEDAL. IT STALLED AGAIN AT THE NEXT INTERSECTION. THEN WOULD NOT START AT ALL. I HAD TO ASK FOR HELP TO PUSH MY CAR TO A SAFE AREA. THIS HAPPENED ON A CITY STREETS. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP BELIEVING IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE AT A COST OF ABOUT $8,000. IF I REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH THE SAME ENGINE, WHO'S TO SAY THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN? I BOUGHT THE HYUNDAI BECAUSE OF THE 10 YEAR/100,000 MILE WARRANTY KNOWING I'D BE PUTTING ON THE MILES FOR WORK. I DON'T EXPECT ENGINE FAILURE AT THE 78,800 MILES (I BOUGHT IT USED FROM ENTERPRISE CAR SALES WITH 18,000 MILES ON IT). THE SELLING POINT WAS THE 10 YEAR/100,000 MILE WARRANTY THAT I EXPECTED TO HAVE. I LEARNED IT DOES NOT PASS TO THE SECOND OWNER. WHY NOT? HOW DOES THE DRIVER CHANGE THE APPARENTLY DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURING OF THE ENGINE?! AS I PRESSED ON WITH THE HYUNDAI REPRESENTATIVE, HE TOLD ME (AFTER CONSULTING WITH HIS SUPERVISOR) IT IS ONLY COVERED FOR A SECOND OWNER IF IT WAS A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED VEHICLE. I SAID IT WAS CPO AND THAT IS HOW ENTERPRISE MARKETED THEIR VEHICLES. HYUNDAI THEN SAID THE OWNERSHIP FOR THE WARRANTY IS UNDER ALAMO/ENTERPRISE, NOT ME. NEWS TO ME, BUT, AGAIN, WHY DOES IT MATTER IF THE ENGINE IS DEFECTIVE? THESE "NU" ENGINES HAVE ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED TO BE DEFECTIVE. WHAT ENGINE BITES THE DUST AT 78,800 MILES? MY CAR WAS SERVICED REGULARLY ALTHOUGH NOT BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE REPRESENTATIVE THEN PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THE WARRANTY WOULD BE INVALID ANYWAY IF IT WAS NOT SERVICED BY HYUNDAI.
Power train, Oct 18, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND ABNORMAL CLICKING NOISES WERE HEARD. THE DEALER (SPORT DURST HYUNDAI, 4507 DURHAM-CHAPEL HILL BLVD, DURHAM, NC 27707) WAS CONTACTED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,814.
Power train, May 4, 2018
THIS 2016, HYUNDAI ELANTRA SPORT SUFFERS FROM DANGEROUS HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC THERE IS AN EXPECTATION OF HAVE ACCELERATION FROM A STOP. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. I CALLED THE DEALER ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY TRANSMISSION REPROGRAMMING OR ANYTHING ELSE THE FACTORY HAD DEVELOPED TO CURE THIS PROBLEM THEY SAID NO. TODAY IT WAS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS WHEN I PULLED OUT AND IT JUST WOULD NOT GO FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. BARELY MISSED BEING INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. I BELIEVE IT IS TIME THIS GETS REPORTED AS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY DEFICIENCY. WE HAD BOUGHT THE "SPORT" VERSION OF THE CAR TO GET BETTER ACCELERATION FROM ITS LARGER ENGINE, BECAUSE SOME OWNERS HAD COMPLAINED THAT IT WAS WEAK OF ACCELERATION, BUT THIS DID NOT CURE THE PROBLEM. IT IS ONLY A PROBLEM ON ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. MOVING ACCELERATION IS PRETTY GOOD.
Power train, Apr 13, 2016
I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET GOING APPROX. 30 MPH WHEN THE CAR FELT LIKE IT HAD DOWNSHIFTED INTO A LOW GEAR. THE TACHOMETER WA REVVING BETWEEN 4,000 AND 5,000 RPMS EVEN THOUGH I WAS SLOWING. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BUT WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AS THE GEAR SHIFT WAS STUCK IN DRIVE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK, I PULLED THE GEAR SHIFT DOWN AS LOW AS IT WOULD GO PAST D(RIVE) AND THEN I WAS ABLE TO PUSH IT UP INTO THE PARK POSITION. ONCE I PUT THE CAR BACK INTO DRIVE AGAIN THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION WERE NORMAL.
Power train, Feb 23, 2016
I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO 2 HYUNDAI DEALERSHIPS TO BE LOOKED AT. WHEN I DRIVE MY CAR GETS STUCK IN A HIGH GEAR & GIVES ME A HARD TIME DRIVING UNLESS I ACCELERATE DRAMATICALLY TO DROP THE RPMS & THE CAR WILL DROP GEARS. I LIVE ON A VERY STEEP HILL & CAME CLOSE TO A VERY DANGEROUS ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS ISSUE. MY CAR DID NOT WANT TO MAKE IT UP MY HILL BECAUSE THE CAR MAKES A LOUD NOISE. THE DAY THIS HAPPENED IT WAS SNOWING & I HAD TO ACCELERATE TO MAKE IT UP & ALMOST CRASHED BECAUSE MY CAR WAS ROLLING BACK DOWN THE HILL & I LIVE OFF OF A BUSY INTERSECTION.