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.
Of the 2019 reports, 12 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 4 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
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
251 reports, newest first.
Exterior lighting, Apr 15, 2021
BOUGHT NEW, NO ACCIDENTS. JUST NOTICED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO THAT THE HIGH BEAMS DON'T WORK. I CAN SEE THEM 'NUDGE' A LITTLE WHEN I TRY TO ENGAGE THEM, BUT NOTHING ELSE HAPPENS.
Exterior lighting, Seat belts, Mar 31, 2021
PASSENGER SEAT BELT ALARM GOES OFF SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT WEIGHT IN IT OR WITH VERY LITTLE WEIGHT LIKE A SMALL PURSE SITTING IN IT WHILE DRIVING AND WILL CONTINUE TO GO OFF FOR PERIODS OF TIME. IT WON'T SHUT OFF EVEN WHEN YOU BUCKLE THE SEAT BELT. HEAD LIGHTS ARE NOT ADDIQUIT FOR LIGHTING THE ROADWAY AT NIGHT AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO SEE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. I NEED THE HIGH BEAMS ON TO SEE NORMALLY
Wheels, Mar 28, 2021
HANKOOK VENTUS S1 NOBLE TIRES SIZED 225/40 R18 TIRES ARE CRACKING ON THE SIDEWALL. I HAD A 2018 MODEL OF THIS SAME VEHICLE AND IT HAPPENED ON THOSE TIRES AS WELL. I JUST NOTICED THIS LAST NIGHT ON THE 2019 MODEL.
Exterior lighting, Feb 19, 2021
LIGHTS ARE BEING REPLACED EVERY MONTH DUE TO BEING BURNED OUT THERE IS NO BRIGHT LIGHTS AT ALL..
Forward collision avoidance, Feb 19, 2021
MAY 2019 VEHICLE WENT IN HAD THE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED DUE TO A RUBBING SOUND COMING FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE EVERY TIME STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED WHETHER IN TOWN OR HIGHWAY OR PARKED. NOV 2020 CRASH AVOIDANCE SYSTEM ACTIVATED WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT NO ONE IN FRONT OF ME AT THE SAME TIME NOISE STARTED COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR (RATTLING) WHEN TURNING LEFT AND WHEN HITTING BUMPS, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS HAD BECOME LOOSE DAMAGING THE LOWER CONTROL ARM, STRUTS AND AFTER TIGHTEN THEY BECAME LOOSE AGAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACE. THIS TOOK THEM MONTH AND HALF TO FIND THE ISSUE AS WELL AS REPLACING THE CRASH AVOIDANCE SYSTEM. THE CAR STILL DOES NOT DRIVE CORRECTLY NOR DOES IT ALIGN PROPERLY ONLY SLIGHTLY OFF IN THE FRONT BUT WAY OFF IN THE REAR. SINCE PICKING THE VEHICLE UP 2 WEEKS LATER THE STEERING COLUMN IS MADE A POP SOUND AND HAS STARTED MAKING THE SAME RUBBING NOISE WHEN TURNING. I BOUGHT IT NEW NO ACCIDENTS TO DATE. HYUNDAI IS REPURCHASING THE VEHICLE. VERY SLOW PROCESS NOT TO MENTION CONCERNED WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP AS SEEN HERE.
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.
Exterior lighting, Feb 2, 2021
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE ILLUMINATION FROM THE HEADLIGHTS WERE INADEQUATE TO PROPERLY LIGHT THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER SUPERIOR HYUNDAI SOUTH (238 W MITCHELL AVE, CINCINNATI, OH 45232, (513)598-8700) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000.
Steering, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Jan 28, 2021, crash
THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING WITH CRUISE SET DRIVING MY RPMS WENT TO 8 HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE ENDED UP CROSSING THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC HITTING THE SIDE OF THE ROAD GOING DOWN THE HILL INTO A DITCH.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jan 22, 2021
HIGH BEAMS HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING
Electrical system, Jan 15, 2021
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
Power train, Dec 21, 2020
MY REAR AXLE HAS LOAD NOISE WHEN I'M DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IT'S WINDING AND SOUNDING LIKE AN OVERSIZED SEMI.
Other or unspecified, Dec 5, 2020
CAR KEEPS SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING
Exterior lighting, Nov 17, 2020, crash
ON OCTOBER 28, 2020 I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO JOE HOLLAND CHEVROLET IN CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA BECAUSE MY HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A FAULTY HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY AND THAT I WAS AT LEAST THE THIRD PERSON THAT DAY WITH THIS ISSUE. THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY IS ON BACK ORDER. SINCE THE TIME CHANGE IT IS NOW DARK BY 5:00 PM AND I DON'T GET OFF WORK UNTIL 5:30 PM. I HAVE HAD TWO DEER STRIKES SINCE NOVEMBER 1, 2020 TO NOVEMBER 17, 2020, BECAUSE I HAVE NO HIGH BEAMS MY VISUAL DISTANCE IS GREATLY REDUCED. THESE TWO DEER STRIKES HAVE COST AN ESTIMATED $8,000.00.
Exterior lighting, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 4, 2020
NEITHER OF THE HIGHBEAMS WORK AND THEY BOTH STOPPED WORKING AT THE SAME TIME IT'S NOT THE RELAY IT'S NOT THE FUSE IT'S NOT THE BULBS.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 3, 2020
WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY ROAD MY SUNROOF EXPLODED SOUNDING LIKE A GUN SHOT OR VERY LOUD POP. MY VISOR WAS CLOSED SO GLASS DIDN'T LANDED ON ME.
Electrical system, Mar 6, 2020
LEFT FRONT SPEAKER CUTS OUT RANDOMLY.
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
Power train, Seat belts, Feb 15, 2020
SEAT BELT SENSOR ACTIVATES WITH VERY LITTLE WEIGHT IN THE SEAT (LESS THAN 10 LBS) THE ALARMS CONTINUES TO GO OFF EVEN WHEN THE SEAT IS EMPTY. IVT TRANSMISSION KNOWN BY CVT. I SKATE WHEN I SLOWLY ACCELERATE IN OCCASIONS APROXMATE 5 TO 20 SECONDS. GIVES ME A SLIGHT HIT IN THE TRANSMISSION.
Seat belts, Dec 11, 2019
SEAT BELT SENSOR ACTIVATES WITH VERY LITTLE WEIGHT IN THE SEAT (LESS THAN 10 LBS) THE ALARMS CONTINUES TO GO OFF EVEN WHEN THE SEAT IS EMPTY. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS
Steering, Exterior lighting, Service brakes, Dec 9, 2019
I BOUGHT A NEW VEHICLE ON SEP. 5, 2019 AND TOOK IT IN ON DEC. 4, 2019 FOR AN OIL CHANGE. HAD COMPLAINTS -- LIGHTS, BRAKES PEDAL FLAPPING, AND RUNNING SLUGGISH.THAT WERE CHECKED OUT. REPAIR RECEIPT REPORTS A SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS COMPLETED DUE TO A RECALL.NOTHING WAS REPORTED TO ME BEFORE THE REPAIRS WERE MADE. WHEN I CHECKED FOR RECALLS, INCLUDING YOUR SITE, BEFORE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THERE NO RECALLS AND YOU REPORT NONE. WHAT IS 97HYZZ1: RECALL. T3W - ELANTRA ECM SOFTWARE UPDATE (19-01-027H) CAUSED BY RECALL THIS VEHICLE IS 3 MONTHS OLD AND HAD 2156 MILES ON IT WHEN I TOOK IT IN. IF THERE WAS A RECALL, SHOULD IT HAVE BEEN MADE BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD TO ME AND DISCLOSED? IS THIS PROHIBITED. WHAT PROTECTION DOES THE CONSUMER HAVE?
Service brakes, Nov 15, 2019, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 53 MPH, A DEER COLLIDED WITH THE VEHICLE. WHILE COASTING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE MEDIAN, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT QUICKLY ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.
Wheels, Electronic stability control (ESC), Service brakes, Aug 4, 2019
DASH WARNING LIGHT
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.
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
Steering, Apr 18, 2019, crash, fire
TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF THE DRIVER OF A 2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO TREES AND A SMALL ABANDONED HOME. THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES. THE DRIVER WAS TRAPPED INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND BURNED TO DEATH. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN LOCATION. THE STATE TROOPER CONTACTED HYUNDAI OF DOTHAN (LOCATED AT 2329 ROSS CLARK CIR, DOTHAN, AL 36301, (334) 699-6416) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE STEERING FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.