2019 Hyundai Elantra

Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues

Engine is the leading concern among 251 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 16th highest complaint count among 26 Elantra model years with reports.

Complaints by model year
  1. 251

Of the 2019 reports, 12 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 4 people were injured and 1 person died.

Primary concernEngine133 reports · 53% of complaints
Owner complaints251Filed with NHTSA
Recall relationship1 safety recallNHTSA campaign records

What owners report most often

  1. Engine133
  2. Exterior lighting65
  3. Electrical system37
  4. Other or unspecified25
  5. Power train11
  6. Steering9
  7. Forward collision avoidance7
  8. Seat belts6

Recalls and investigations

  1. EngineApr 28, 2021

    Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.

    A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Hyundai will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.

    Campaign 21V301000 on NHTSA.gov

Representative owner complaints: electrical system

37 reports, newest first. Show all

  1. Electrical system, Engine, Sep 3, 2022

    My car stalled for no apparent reason… The warning lidhts weren’t on the dash and the oil indicator didn’t show low. I restarted it and drove home. It stalled a couple more times. The idiot lights didn’t come on again nor did it show me low oil. When I got home my son checked the oil and it was dangerously low. We added more oil and drove it again it appeared to be fine. He changed the oil just to be on the safe side. And when he restarted it all hell broke lose. He then ran a diagnostic test on it to see what was wrong. The engine was blown. I had it towed to a shop for confirmation. Yep a rod blew through the block.

  2. Electrical system, Aug 20, 2022

    Vehicle high beams have been inoperable, even after replacing bulbs multiple time. Hyundai indicates it is a known issue that requires costly replacement of headlight assembly. When will the NHTSA order Hyundai to recall this safety issue. I drive nightly on a two lane highway that is dark and has lots of donkeys. Speed limit is 65 if I slow down to compensate for visibility I’m bound to get rear ended by a semi truck. If I follow the posted speed limits I won’t have enough time to stop for a donkey. Both are life threatening situations that should prompt this agency to order Hyundai to recall

  3. Electrical system, Mar 20, 2022

    Four times while driving this vehicle in the last 5 days, all of the warning lights on the cluster light up and the speedometer and temperature indication stop working. In addition the turn signals will not work. If using the cruise control, it turns off. In addition to being distinctive, it is unsafe. Hopefully you can help!

  4. Electrical system, Engine, Jul 2, 2021

    The system that was affected was the engine, and inspection is available. We were all in seatbelts at the time of the incident. PepBoys has confirmed it is an electrical issue and they can't repair it and must be done by the original manufacturer. The warning lamps that appeared were the battery, oil, and the engine lamp. And still stops and appear everyday.

  5. Steering, Electrical system, Exterior lighting, May 14, 2021, fire

    THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LEN STOLER HYUNDAI (11275 REISTERSTOWN RD, OWINGS MILLS, MD 21117) FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND SHE WAS INFORMED THAT AN UNKNOWN SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. SINCE THE SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS PERFORMED, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL SAFETY FAILURES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AN ABNORMAL GRINDING SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE TURNING. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AN AUDIBLE CHIME WAS HEARD. THERE WAS ALSO AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO NOTIFIED OF A HEADLIGHT RECALL FOR WHICH THE VIN WAS INCLUDED HOWEVER, PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,000.

  6. Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Feb 6, 2021

    SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR I NOTICED A LACK OF CONSIDERABLE LIGHT OUTPUT COMING FROM THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS. TURNING ON THE BRIGHTS IS JUST WORST AS IT LOWERS THE LINE OF SIGHT INSTEAD OF INCREASING IT. THE OVERALL LIGHTS ARE DIM. CHANGING THE BULBS DOES NOTHING. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT AS YOU CAN'T SEE VERY WELL.

  7. Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jan 22, 2021

    HIGH BEAMS HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING

  8. Electrical system, Jan 15, 2021

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

  9. Electrical system, Mar 6, 2020

    LEFT FRONT SPEAKER CUTS OUT RANDOMLY.

  10. Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Feb 22, 2020

    AFTER HAVING MY 2019 HYUNDAI THAT I BOUGHT BRAND NEW MY HEADLIGHTS QUITE SWITCHING TO HIGH BEAMS AND WOULD ONLY RUN LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS BUT INSTEAD OF BEING BRIGHT THEY WERE DIMMER THAN WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSE TO BE. I TRIED TO EXCHANGE THE HEADLIGHTS TO SEE IF THE BULBS WERE BURNT OUT AND EVEN WITH BRAND NEW BULBS THE HEAD LIGHTS STILL WOULDN'T SWITCH OVER TO HIGH BEAMS AND WERE STILL VERY DIM WITH BRAND NEW BULBS. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS EVEN THOUGH I TOLD THEM THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE WIRING HARNESS FOR BOTH HEADLIGHTS AND WHAT LOOKED LIKE A RELAY BOARD FOR THE BRIGHT LIGHT SWITCH LOOKED BURNT UP INSTEAD OF IT LOOKING LIKE A SHINY NEW SILVER BOARD. THEN ABOUT A WEEK LATER BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT COMPLETELY OUT AND I COULDN'T DRIVE AT NIGHT DUE TO NOT HAVING ANY HEADLIGHTS SO I REPLACED THE BULBS AGAIN AND AGAIN THEY GAVE ME A DIM LIGHT WITH NO HIGH BEAM LIGHTS. SO TO THIS DAY I AM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH .MY HEADLIGHTS AND NO ONE FROM HYUNDAI CAN SEEM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON ON THIS BRAND NEW 2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA SE

  11. Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jul 19, 2019

    MY BRAKE LIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS HAVE WENT OUT ROUGHLY 5 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH AND I JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE A MONTH AGO. MOSTLY OCCURS WHILE DRIVING AND RANDOMLY GOES OUT. THE ENTIRE CASING WAS REPLACED AND THE ISSUE IS STILL OCCURRING.

  12. Electrical system, May 25, 2019

    CAR REPEATEDLY HAS THE BLIND SPOT SENSOR SYSTEM ALARMING OUT AND SHUTTING OFF TILL CAR IS RESTARTED, COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF YOU DONT REALIZE THAT IT IS NO LONGER WORKING. 10 TIMES BETWEEN 275 MILES AND 1300