2017 Hyundai Elantra
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 767 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 2nd highest complaint count among 26 Elantra model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 37 involved a crash and 6 involved a fire. 24 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Steering, electric power assist systemMar 28, 2017
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Elantra vehicles. The affected vehicles may have a damaged Electronic Power Steering (MDPS) connector resulting in a loss of electric power steering assistance.
Loss of power steering assist would require higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EPS motor, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 28, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-243-7766. Hyundai's number for this recall 161.
Campaign 17V213000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, power assist, hydraulicJan 26, 2017
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Elantra vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the brake booster may fail, resulting in a loss of power brake assist.
A loss of power brake assist can lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Hyundai has notified owners, and dealers will replace the brake system booster assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 6, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 157.
Campaign 17V063000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontal, driver side, inflator moduleDec 30, 2016
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2017 Hyundai Elantra vehicles manufactured April 15, 2016, to September 13, 2016, and Sonata vehicles manufactured May 27, 2016 to September 16, 2016. In these vehicles, the end seal for the driver's frontal air bag inflator may not have been properly installed, possibly resulting in reduced inflation of the frontal air bag in the event of a crash.
In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate fully increases the risk of injury.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 156.
Campaign 16V956000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontalApr 21, 2016
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured May 29, 2014 to February 11, 2016, 2017 Elantra vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016 to February 22, 2016, and one 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicle manufactured October 15, 2015. In these vehicles, the driver's frontal air bag may be missing a chemical enhancer required for the second stage air bag deployment, resulting in the second stage not deploying in certain crashes. The primary stage will deploy as intended.
An air bag that does not inflate increases the risk of injury.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on May 5,2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 144.
Campaign 16V232000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
767 reports, newest first.
Steering, Nov 27, 2023
I was driving and I was making a right turn and my steering wheel locked on me and I almost got into a accident most scariest experience ever and my steering coupler is not the problem!!
Steering, Nov 21, 2023
When turning I get a warning light on the dash with the symbol of a steering wheel and the wheel is hard to turn. This happens randomly and seems to be happening for now only when making a turn while stopped.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Visibility/wiper, Nov 16, 2023
After driving the vehicle at night and turning the engine off certain exterior lighting components would not shut off. Turn signals and reverse lights and brake lamps we stuck in a static on position even when not being activate by turn signal switch or brake pedal being depressed
Electrical system, Structure, Engine, Nov 16, 2023
The doors will randomly stop working intermittently causing passengers to be stuck in the vehicle and in the event of an emergency making it difficult to safely exit the vehicle. The vehicle while In motion the engine would not function probably and would be flashing different engine light but never a code and the engine would stop
Engine, Nov 15, 2023
The entire engine failed and threw a rod on cylinder 3. My safety has been put at risk twice since the beginning of the engine troubles. The safety issue is I was merging onto a busy highways just fine until the accelerator wasn't doing anything. So frantically I had to start checking Visuals and there were none. There weren't any warning signs of the impending doom of the engine. It would just die out of no where like someone unplugged it, but then it would start right back up. Upon Making it home safely, thankfully. I start looking at all the basics and decided to change the oil as well as it was coming due in mileage very soon. To my surprise I was a missing half of the oil I put in it last change. There are no oil puddles or marking where I park my car nor have I seen any oil leaks after driving it for a while. It's like the oil disappeared. Needless to say the oil was quite dirty looking but no metal chunks or pieces and low some how. That same night I was driving and out of no where I heard a knocking and within seconds of that mh car died/stalled/seized up. Rendering the car useless and could of been a very serious safety issue has it happened in traffic. I couldn't stare it or anything, buy luckily somehow just made it to the shoulder barely before it stopped for good. 2 questions. 1) where did my engine oil go as I know I put just under 5 qts of fresh oil in it in August and only a couple months later the issue started and I had almost been running the engine dry due to excessive oil consumption of the engine amd I never received a low oil light or anything warning on the dashboard 2) how the heck did the original brakes last longer than the not even 7 year old engine? 3) why is nothing being done to help us out as I seen hundreds of the same type of complaint. Low oil engine from excessive consumption, the random power cut offs, and the knock emanating from the same exact place as others in the engine. BigManufacturers defects
Engine, Nov 13, 2023
The number 3 cylinder threw a rod through the cylinder wall. Previous to this happening the car HVAC fan wouldnt turn on unless switched to the on position and waited a while then it would suddenly turn on. It also would randomly shut down, not a stall, or the engine would lose power which happened to me the first shutdown of the engine merging onto the highway creating a huge safety problem. None of the warning lights were on and the car gave no indication of what was wrong or going on. The only time I got a warning light was a after the engine threw the rod. It shut down multiple times and/or had a loss of power. The engine only has 130k miles on it. Has been well taken care of with regular oil changes. It showed 0 signs before throwing the rod and made no noise. I'm only submitting it, because I can't be the only one who had this experience and would like there to be a record of it in order to ensure the safety of others and myself on the road.
Engine, Nov 7, 2023
The initial problem was that the car began to stall out at slower speeds. This caused potential accident situations because of the sudden loss of control. We brought it to a service station which could not identify a specific problem. The car continued to experience this problem, so a couple of days later we brought it to a second service station. They thought it might be the crankshaft position sensor, so replaced that. While the second service was working on the car, they noticed a quiet knocking noise, which caused them to check the oil, which they found to be 3 quarts low, despite the fact that we had had the oil changed about 2 months (2,000 miles) earlier. There had been no warning light that the oil level was low prior to the service station checking it, and there was no indication of an oil leak. When we drove away from the second service station, the engine noise began getting much louder and the car again started stalling suddenly, so we brought it back to the service station. They indicated that the engine had likely been ruined as a result of the low oil situation, and suggested that we have it towed to a Hyundai dealership so they could address it. We did that, but Hyundai, after taking months to provide a response, determined that the problem was not one they would take responsibility for. We have done research and seen other consumers have this exact same problem, with similar non-support from Hyundai. I am also aware that there was a class action around this that seems to have been dismissed under odd circumstances. This problem is not akin to brakes wearing out; it is a clear manufacturing problem that causes very serious dangers to the public. Hyundai recognized this risk because they suggested a very aggressive oil-maintenance regimen to purchasers of these cars. They should stand behind their dangerous product. I have receipts and documentation supporting the above work by the service stations, including the prior oil change, if needed.
Structure, Nov 7, 2023
Doors will not open
Structure, Nov 6, 2023
The driver's side door handle does not open on the first attempt. I have to pull between two and six times to get the door to open. This occurs attempting to enter the vehicle. I have not had issues attempting to leave the vehicle yet. It occurs after the doors have been locked. It does not matter if the door was locked using the fob or the button on the door handle. It also does not matter if the doors were unlocked using the fob or the button on the door handle.
Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 6, 2023
It has happened multiple times over the years that when I press the gas pedal to go, the car does not go or does not accelerate. Several times it has happened when attempting to make a left turn. So the car goes enough to get me in the way of the intersection but not very fast so I have been nervous that I might get hit. Generally stomping the pedal a second time gets it to move, but it is unnerving. I'm including the most recent date this has happened in the next part.
Structure, Oct 27, 2023
The body of our car has been losing paint in big strips. As we drive, large paint chunks will fly off parts of our vehicle. Hyundai is aware that their 2017 "white pearl" Elantras are having this issue; however, they refuse to do anything to help with the cost of repainting the car. They claim that an extended paint warranty was issued until Dec. 10, 2022; however, the paint issue on our vehicle just began happening on October 11, 2023. On Oct. 11, we had another motorist stop us at a light to tell us that paint came off the roof of our car onto their windshield as we were driving down a state road. Paint is now bubbling and beginning to peel from different places on the vehicle (the roof, the hood, and the passenger side door). It is dangerous to other motorists on the road as the large strips of paint flying off can be distracting and/or can obstruct their view if/when it lands on their windshield.
Engine, Oct 24, 2023
On 6/3/2022 my car stalled in my work parking lot. My coworker was behind me and had to slow down as to not hit me. I took my car to a local Service Station who services our Company's cars as driving to the Hyundai Dealer would have been too far. They told me that it was out of oil. The oil light never went on and there were no oil stains in our garage where I park my car, nor anywhere else where I parked. I had 89,210 miles on my car at that time. Then on October 20, 2022, at 99,666 miles I was driving and it stalled again. Fortunately I was at a stop sign. When I brought it to the same service station again, they said it was out of oil. Again, the oil light never went on at any time to warn me. My VIN number does not come up in any of the Hyundai safety recalls for engine related issues, nor for the extended warranty yet I have the same issues as other engines included in the recall. Additionally they will not cover the repair (my engine needs replacement) as I did not go to a Hyundai Dealer. Yet I went to the closest place when I initially had the issue and I have had bad experiences with the Hyundai Dealer by my home. I had no idea the issue was related to the powertrain warranty or that Hyundai engines had these issues or I would have taken it to a different Hyundai Dealer before the 100,000 mile warranty was up. I know that is not the focus here but rather the safety issue however I just wanted to include that information for what it is worth. Currently, I travel with the risk of my engine stalling if it runs out of oil with no warning due to the warning light never coming on to date. The only recourse is to continually check the oil. This has occurred even in between oil changes. I can provide my Service receipts as well.
Steering, Oct 23, 2023
I am writing to report a recurring issue with my car's electric power steering system. On multiple occasions, the steering wheel has locked up unexpectedly, particularly while making turns. This presents a significant safety concern, and I believe it is crucial to address this issue promptly.
Steering, Oct 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at 5 MPH and attempting to make a left turn, she became aware that the power steering was not functioning. The electronic power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the electronic power steering. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V213000 (Steering), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 75,500.
Electrical system, Engine, Oct 9, 2023
While at red lights, coasting or waiting in drive-thru the car starts jerking and shaking. Will stall and fail to accelerate, sometimes coming a complete stop. Turning on and off the vehicle only works some of the time. This started in 2020 and went on for months while Hyundai kept "fixing" the car. Coils were replaced in 2020. Now again in 2023, exact same issue. On 9/29/23 car starting jerking while waiting at red light, turning car on and off worked. On 10/1/2023 car starting jerking and shaking while waiting in a drive thru, this time it did not stop no matter how many times I turned my car on and off. They are trying to tell me this is wear and tear on my part. Car is no longer drivable since you never know when this issue will happen.
Engine, Oct 6, 2023
On 9/13 my engine stopped as I was coming to a stop at an intersection. I put the vehicle in park and restarted the engine. This happened three more times within a 2 mile drive. The vehicle was towed to the dealership. On 10/6 I was told my vehicle was repaired. I drove it approximately 3 miles and the engine stopped as I pressed the break approaching an intersection. It then occurred twice more as I was attempting to safely pull over. On both dates, I was driving in traffic and was nearly rear ended putting my safety at risk as well as the safety of other drivers. The dealership told me there was no code and tried to have me pick up the vehicle after the first instance. I refused, insisting that the vehicle is not safe to drive. The dealership repair paperwork shows that they did duplicate the issue and did receive code p0014. Ultimately the camshaft assembly and other components were replaced. When phoning the dealership on 10/6 to report my problem, I received assistance in the form of a loaner vehicle and was told that they needed to investigate my vehicles problem “further”.
Power train, Engine, Oct 4, 2023
when driving (typically at a low speed) the engine will shut off with no warning.
Engine, Oct 2, 2023
My vehicle is stalling and there are sounds coming from engine. The stalling issue is happening on the highways that might cause the accident which can be life taking. Am not sure to be done get this fixed
Electrical system, Air bags, Oct 2, 2023
For more than two years, at irregular intervals, the passenger air bag light on the front panel blinks and the associated chime sounds for about two minutes, then stops. This happens with no passenger in the seat. I have asked the dealer (Fitzgerald Hyundai in Rockville, MD) several times to look into this. My concern is that if the air bag alarm cannot be trusted when there is no passenger, how can it be trusted to work when it needs to? This seems to me to be an unsafe condition. The dealership stated that since the problem occurs intermittently, they cannot determine a cause, and advised me to contact Hyundai Motor America and would likely meet with a representative. I contacted the company in July, and was designated Case No. [XXX]. Over the next two months, in several email communications with "[XXX]," I was informed that I should take the car to another dealer. I noted that given the intermittent nature of the problem, there was no reason to believe another dealer would have better luck replicating and resolving the issue. That was the total of Hyundai Motor America's help. I terminated the case last month. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Sep 28, 2023
On 4/3/2023, our 2017 Hyundai Elantra was taken to Bob Howard Hyundai in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to diagnose why it kept dying after putting gas in it. It was eventually serviced on 4/17/23 by determining they needed to replace the intake camshaft oil flow control valve, as well as a synthetic oil change, including filter and gasket-engine oil plug. Almost three months later, on 8/20/23, in Tulsa, the car just stopped running suddenly, with no active warning lights, and we found it had completely spewed out all its oil! My [XXX] son could have been killed had it happened on the highway! We had it towed to Danny's Auto Repair in Sand Springs, OK. They determined the oil drain plug had completely fallen out while driving, causing the total oil loss- and resulting in the car to come to a stop, and the engine to be ruined. They documented the undercarriage of the vehicle to show there was no other damage, and after contacting our extended warranty plan we had purchased, we were told this was not covered under the warranty. Danny's then contacted Bob Howard Hyundai in OKC, explained the issue, and Bob Howard's requested the vehicle be towed to them as they would need to see for themselves. We had it towed 108 miles back to OKC. After inspecting the vehicle, Bob Howard's contacted Danny's on 9/5/23 to inform them/us, they are NOT responsible for the engine. We sent certified letters to both Bob Howard and to Hyundai Consumer Affairs, and they opened case #[XXXXXXX]. They said Bob Howard would have to address the issue & they would follow up with them. They did, and Bob Howard again said not responsible. We reported to Better Business Bureau, and have left a message for an attorney to review the circumstances. Then today researched several Hyundai lawsuits about this same issue hundreds of other customers have had. Nothing has been done. Hyundai won't take responsibility. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Steering, Electrical system, Sep 28, 2023
The power steering went out as I was driving with my infant in the car. I was making a turn and it completely went out. That is very dangerous.
Steering, Sep 27, 2023
Steering locked up on the highway and car became uncontrollable.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 27, 2023
My 2017 Hyundai Elantra has problems with the ignition coil packs, sensors and engine. The car stalls at lights. It idles very rough and shakes when driving. Acts as if it will stall on the highway and extremely slow acceleration. Dealer told me there was metal parts in my oil, oil was thick sludge and that I never changed the oil. False and I have the oil change receipts to prove my oil changes. I have taken the car to the dealer numerous times for the stalling and no acceleration problems. Dealer can never get the codes or replicate the issues.
Electrical system, Structure, Sep 27, 2023
For the people that have the doors that will not lock or unlock there has been a resolution for that and I am surprised that it isn’t on this site. It’s called “ DOOR LATCH REPLACEMENT(WARRANTY EXTENSION TXXL” number 21-BD-006H you can go to any Hyundai dealership and they will replace it free of charge. I had to do my own research since nobody would help me, including this website to find out the information. This is very disappointing that there was no recall or any information to help anybody regarding this situation. Especially since it’s a huge safety issue. Not to mention when it rains my car leaks which could be the cause. I do not know, but I will never buy another Hyundai ever again. The lack of support from anybody is null and void and you are on your own to find the information. So nobody has to do the work I uploaded the file for you.
Electrical system, Engine, Sep 25, 2023
I was downhill turning right. My vehicle turned off. I started it and it turned off again. Happened again. Turned it back on and was able to continue to drive. Luckily for me there was no other vehicles on the road but could have caused an accident if car was behind me. I am planning on making appointment to take to dealer. No warning signs, engine light flashed on when car turned off but that's it.