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.

Complaints by model year
  1. 767

Of the 2017 reports, 37 involved a crash and 6 involved a fire. 24 people were injured.

Primary concernEngine290 reports · 38% of complaints
Owner complaints767Filed with NHTSA
Recall relationship4 safety recallsNHTSA campaign records

What owners report most often

  1. Engine290
  2. Structure134
  3. Other or unspecified131
  4. Electrical system111
  5. Steering71
  6. Power train62
  7. Latches/locks/linkages53
  8. Service brakes47

Recalls and investigations

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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.

  1. Engine, Sep 20, 2023

    The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the connecting rod bearing needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 105,405.

  2. Steering, Sep 18, 2023

    Steering wheel sometimes makes grinding sounds when steering at low speed (25-35moh). On Sept 17, 2023 at approximately 5pm I was turning into my driveway going approximately 5mph when the electronic power steering light illuminated and I lost steering capability. When I turned off car then turned it back on light was off and steering power returned. After researching issue I discovered this is somewhat of a common problem.

  3. Latches/locks/linkages, Sep 11, 2023

    My door handle requiring repeated attempts to open the door, same as in the TSB Number: 21-BD-006H (NHTSA Number: 10196574). It is possible that hyundai does not includes a lot of vehicles with similar problems.

  4. Other or unspecified, Sep 10, 2023

    The car door will not open from inside or outside. This is the 3rd door that this has happened too

  5. Other or unspecified, Sep 5, 2023

    My passenger rear door in my 2017 Elantra won’t open from the inside or out. Nothing is making it open. I looked it up and it’s very very common in this year of Elantras . I believe it should be a recall because it’s a safety issue. My baby is on that side of my vehicle . Seeming it’s a problem with a lot of Elantras right now how can we get this issue resolved? It’s going to cost me $300 just for Hyundai to take the door off and see why it’s doing this .

  6. Engine, Sep 5, 2023

    The engine stalled while stopped at a stop sign. And while driving up a mountain steep grade road to a friends house, the car struggled to go up the hill as if it lost gas flow to the engine.

  7. Engine, Aug 28, 2023

    The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while pulling out of the driveway and shifting into drive (D), the vehicle started lunging and jerking. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle responded as needed as she continued driving. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone, where it was determined that the failure was related to the catalytic converter. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was unable to pull to the side of the road. The contact beeped the horn to avoid being rear-ended. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving. The contact also stated that the vehicle failed to respond while driving from a complete stop at the traffic light. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

  8. Steering, Aug 23, 2023

    My 2017 Elantra experienced complete power steering loss which nearly caused a serious accident. I was traveling approximately 25 MPH as I went around a bend, and lost all power steering. I was able to get my car home with no power steering. When I restarted the ignition and turned the steering wheel there was partial power steering, but wheel made a clunking noise as I turned the wheel. I researched online and discovered there was a partial recall of the 2017 Elantra's for faulty power steering connectors. As the original owner I never received a recall notice. I double checked with dealership and they advised no outstanding recalls. The steering continues to stick and loses power. Thank you very much, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

  9. Structure, Aug 23, 2023

    The rear driver side door will not open from either the outside, nor the inside. This is a major safety concern for any passengers that ride in the backseat, especially children. I just bought this vehicle on 08/12/2023 and was unaware of the issue until after purchasing the vehicle upon leaving the dealership. The dealership has been made aware, and quoted that they'd "take a look at it" when I bring the vehicle in to be serviced for another predetermined purpose. But, that hasn't been scheduled as of yet. I researched this and can't find if Hyundai has an active recall for this on the 2017 Elantra, but many others have made complaints that this has happened to them. This is very scary to think that it could happen to the other door as well and trap my child, or any passenger, in an emergency!

  10. Engine, Aug 15, 2023

    Excessive Oil consumption. My engine has stalled multiple times WHILE DRIVING. The stall typically happens while turning in the middle of an intersection. I've had several near-misses and I'm terrified of being hit. I continue to have to fill my oil in-between oil changes. This problem continues to get worse.

  11. Electrical system, Engine, Aug 14, 2023

    When coming to a stop, turn or sometimes when driving throttle goes to zero, oil, engine, and battery light come on and gas peddle no longer works (car no longer accelerates) . Have to turn car all the way off and restart it and it runs fine (all lights turn off and car accelerates) until coming to a stop again (the same exact thing happens). Went to trade it in as soon as person test drove it he almost crashed because the engine stalled again. This has been happening for months but progressively worsened (happens very often now almost causing crashes)

  12. Steering, Other or unspecified, Aug 11, 2023

    When making a turn or just steering, the steering wheel, the wheel locks up and has difficulty turning or steering. A steering wheel with an exclamation mark shows on my dash, and I have to pull over and turn off the car in order for the car to resume driving normally. Also, the trunk automatic opening does not work. The trunk is supposed to open when you approach it with your key, and it doesn’t work. That feature stopped working one year after I got the car.

  13. Steering, Other or unspecified, Aug 10, 2023

    CAR WAS STOLEN BY BREAKING THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BACK WINDOW AND THEN STARTED THE CAR WITH A USB CABLE. I HAVE VIDEO SHOWING HOW THEY STARTED THE CAR AFTER IT WAS RECOVERED. I CONTACTED THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND COMPANY WHERE I PURCHASE THE CAR FROM, ALL I KEPT GETTING IS THAT THE CAR IS OK AND THE DEALERSHIP SENT ME AWAY BACK IN APRIL OF 2023, EVEN WHEN I HAVE A RECALL MAILED NOTIFICATION. I was told also that on this website there is no recall when they enter my VIN, but yet the car was stolen because of the poor immobilizer in these cars. Priceless and valuable items was stolen from my car belonging to my deceased mother(she passed in 2018), this is so upsetting.

  14. Other or unspecified, Aug 8, 2023

    Doors sometimes fail to open when car is electronically unlocked after being previously locked. This is apparently a well-known problem with Hyundai vehicles. From what I've read, the cable assembly responsible for locking and unlocking the doors is not well made and can either stretch or jump a cog, keeping the door from unlocking. In my case, I believe the cable must've stretched. The car is available for inspection. I believe this failure is dangerous for several reasons. First, suddenly and unexpectedly not being able to enter your vehicle can happen at times when it is unsafe to remain outside--especially when a child might be locked inside, as might happen in a roadside emergency. Second, it encourages people not to lock their vehicles especially if they know there's a good chance they won't be able to get back inside once they've locked their car. Finally, it can cost over $1000 per door to have the problem fixed--if you can find a mechanic willing to do it.

  15. Other or unspecified, Engine, Aug 7, 2023

    While driving the vehicle it will start shaking. This has happened at different times and speeds so it I am unsure what the cause is. The check engine light will also come on. The shaking is very concerning and scary. The first time it happened I immediately pulled over and turned the car off. When I turned the car back on the problem was gone. When it happened again at a later date, I made an appointment to see a mechanic. The Hyundai dealership mechanic was not able to find the problem since the error code was not there when the card had been turned off and turned back on. They could not trigger the issue either. Even though they could not find the exact problem with the car they charged me over $700 to 'fix' what they *thought* was causing the problem. They said if the problem occurred again to return the car. The problem did occur again and this time I took a video of the check engine light. The check engine light and shaking stopped while driving and not me turning the car off this most recent time. I made an appointment to go back to the Hyundai dealership mechanic and they asked me "are you sure it's the check engine light that comes on." This was very frustrating, and I felt that they were gaslighting me as a female at their dealership since they could not find an issue with the car. I showed the video to the mechanic and he said, "oh yes that is the check engine light." Once again they could not figure out the issue or trigger the shaking. They said if it happens again to drive straight to the Hyundai dealership and sent me on my way.

  16. Steering, Aug 4, 2023

    The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the Electronic Power Steering Assist would randomly fail and the steering wheel would become difficult to turn in either direction. After restarting the vehicle, the failure was corrected. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who diagnosed that the Electronic Power Steering system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified and informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V213000 (Steering). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced that same failure listed in the recall. The local dealer was not contacted. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 60,000.

  17. Steering, Aug 3, 2023, crash

    The steering wheel locked up on my daughter making her go straight while the road turned. She ended up in the grass on the right side of the road and ended up crashing into the guardrail from behind. The stability control light was on the entire time.

  18. Steering, Exterior lighting, Service brakes, Jul 31, 2023

    I was driving on the highway, operating vehicle at posted speed limit, traveling about 70mph when vehicle experienced complete power loss for a short duration of time. All electrical off, loss of braking, loss of power steering. Power subsequently returned and vehicle resumed normal operation. This is not the first time this has occurred, but this episode has me concerned since I was driving on the highway this time. I understand that Hyundai has other vehicles experiencing engine problems, not sure if my vehicle is may be experiencing a similar engine part failure.

  19. Power train, Engine, Jul 25, 2023

    The engine is making weird noises and the vehicle is stalling and is not accelerating. If am trying to accelerate the crank shaft noise is coming from the engine. Koi

  20. Other or unspecified, Jul 25, 2023

    The door opening mechanism in both the drivers door and the right rear passenger door continually does not allow the door to open resulting in the driver and passenger becoming trapped in the vehicle, and often does not allow opening of the door to enter the vehicle. I and my passengers have been trapped within the vehicke several times where we unsuccessfully tried to use the cars unlock button, the key fob, the key, and even the manual lock levers in conjunction with either the inside or outside door levers. It is dangerous to be trapped inside a vehicle and so i believe this issue should be corrected by a manufacturers recall

  21. Other or unspecified, Jul 25, 2023

    Rear passenger door will not open inside or out. Driver door takes multiple times to open from the outside.very concerned that in an accident someone will not be able to exit.

  22. Structure, Jul 24, 2023

    Rear passenger doors will not open from inside or outside. Only will open occasionally after repeatedly pulling aggressively. Or getting into back seat to push on the cable within door handle. It is a safety hazard to get my kids out of the back seat.

  23. Engine, Jul 24, 2023

    When slowing down to turn or stop the vehicle would stutter and stall. It would not give an active code when checked, only historical for cam position sensor error. Found that it was low on oil but no signs of a leak. After an oil change and replacing the sensor the stalling seemed to improve, but it is still losing oil quickly. Purchased the car a few months ago with about 70k miles on it. After reviewing the car it seems to be a common problem, and nothing is being done to address it. Hyundai will not warranty the car since we are not the original owners, despite being within their warranty period.

  24. Engine, Jul 22, 2023

    Vehicles with the same year and model have been recalled due to thermostats issue. I am experiencing an issue exactly like other that have had recall have experienced. My engine overheated causing my vehicle to shut down. Smoke was coming from engine oil tank. I called Hyundai and they are advising me that my particular model has not been recalled although I'm experiencing the exact issue of what was recalled for other vehicles with the same year and model.

  25. Engine, Jul 22, 2023

    Vehicle is not accelerating, have to push the pedal hard and while doing it the engine started making sounds and the vehicle stopped. There are weird sounds coming from the engine that’s making the vehicle to not turn on.