2021 Hyundai Elantra
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Forward collision avoidance is the leading concern among 131 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 22nd highest complaint count among 26 Elantra model years with reports.
Of the 2021 reports, 8 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 3 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Back over prevention, sensing system, cameraNov 21, 2024
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Santa Fe HEV, Elantra, Elantra HEV and 2022 Elantra N and Santa Fe PHEV vehicles. Due to a damaged printed circuit board, the rearview camera image may fail to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 271.
Campaign 24V879000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, frontMay 19, 2022
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Accent, 2021-2022 Elantra, and 2021-2022 Elantra HEV vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioner(s) with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 28, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 229. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall numbers 21V-796, 22V-069, 22V-218, and 22V-123 for Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles. All Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles already repaired under the previous recalls will need to have the new remedy completed.
Campaign 22V354000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, frontApr 1, 2022
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Elantra and 2020 Accent vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver and passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
Exploding seat belt pretensioners can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed on May 31, 2022. A second notice will be sent once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 223. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall number 22V-354. Vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
Campaign 22V218000 on NHTSA.gov
Visibility, windshieldDec 28, 2021
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Santa Fe, 2021 Sonata, and Elantra vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.
A windshield that detaches from a vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Dealers will remove and reinstall the front windshield panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 216.
Campaign 21V00M000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, frontOct 13, 2021
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Elantra, Elantra HEV, Venue, Genesis GV80 and 2022 Genesis GV70 vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.
An exploding seat belt pretensioner could project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.
Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 211 and 009G. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall numbers 22V-354 for Elantra and Elantra HEV vehicles, 22V-458 for Venue vehicles, and 23V-094 for Genesis vehicles. Elantra, Elantra HEV, Venue, and Genesis vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedies completed.
Campaign 21V796000 on NHTSA.gov
Seats, front assembly, reclinerApr 28, 2021
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Elantra vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat back recliners may have been improperly welded.
An improperly welded seat back recliner could separate from the seat back frame during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the seat back frame assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 21, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-888-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 204.
Campaign 21V302000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
131 reports, newest first.
Other or unspecified, Apr 11, 2025
The horn does not work. I've been out of a horn for the last 4 1/2 months. The horn fuse blows every time I replace it and if I use the horn it blows. Now I replace the fuse and the horn still doesn't work on this vehicle
Electrical system, Mar 7, 2025
My back up camera fails to work consistently. This issue appears to only worsen with every use. Sometimes to screen will appear half on and half off. I have yet to receive any notice of a recall and would like to get this fixed if at all possible. Thank you!
Engine, Feb 21, 2025
Heating core on car has gone out 3 times the first time costing $2,042.03 to repair, the two follow up ones were done under the warenty
Lane departure, Feb 17, 2025
The camera started to fail for a few days and then it was fine, then the blind spot started to fail and then the camera was useless.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jan 10, 2025
Constant sound of flowing water throughout the front of the vehicle. Several service appointments later and there is still no solution to the issue that has been going on for over a year. Thia can be heard like a stream of water flowing. Engine ticking, loud rattling from engine. You can hear in from inside of the car.
Electrical system, Dec 25, 2024
The reverse camera does not work
Other or unspecified, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 19, 2024
High Beam Assist, Check Rear Cross-Traffic Safety System, Check Blind-spot safety system, Check forward safety system, Check Lane Keep Assist System, Traction Control disabled. ALL of those messages came on while driving. Rear backup camera quit working, reverse lights do not engage. No remedy for recall still. Vehicle is unsafe to operate without recall being fixed. This is my only transportation, FIX it!!!
Forward collision avoidance, Nov 22, 2024
Radar equipped to front of vehicle has malfunctioned, disabling all forward safety systems and adaptive cruise control. Without this equipment functioning, cruise control is completely disabled and the vehicle will not automatically brake or provide forward warnings. The vehicle component has not been inspected, but this is a recurring issue amongst other owners of this model. There is a warning lamp that turns out that states "Check Forward Safety System"
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Back over prevention, Oct 22, 2024
Back up Camera. When reversing cannot see out back window do to incline of glass making hard to reverse. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. The vehicle or component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others. There was not any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear.
Electrical system, Oct 21, 2024
I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding a significant safety issue with my vehicle’s backup camera system. The backup camera consistently malfunctions, displaying glitchy images with distorted lines across the screen. This issue renders the camera essentially unusable, as it fails to provide a clear view of the area behind the vehicle, posing a serious safety hazard. This malfunction directly impacts my ability to safely reverse, especially in crowded areas where visibility is crucial. The camera’s unreliability puts pedestrians and other drivers at risk, as I am unable to fully ensure that my path is clear when reversing. I strongly believe this defect poses a significant safety concern that needs to be addressed by the manufacturer. I request that the NHTSA investigate this issue and take appropriate action to ensure that this problem is resolved for myself and the many other affected vehicle owners. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Forward collision avoidance, Sep 16, 2024
Several times, including yesterday, my forward collision avoidance engaged by braking suddenly and strongly and INAPPROPRIATELY, almost causing me to be rear-ended. I was nowhere near the car in front of me, and fortunately due to traffic was traveling below the speed limit. This seems to happen whenever there is an overpass above the road. I have reported this to Hyundai, and they don't seem very concerned. Very dangerous. I would think there could be a software or sensor update that can correct this situation.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 2, 2024
The windshield is damaged very easily when a small rock hits it on the road. It's been hit before the recall and the new windshield is damaged. It's a hazard especially if it can be easily cracked. I've had other vehicles that can handle small rocks on road ways. These are damages from tiny rocks. This windshield is very weak, the Crack continues to spread all over day to day.
Electrical system, Back over prevention, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 24, 2024
Rear backup camera suddenly stopped working and when in reverse the sensors kick in and breaks the vehicle when there's no object or vehicle behind. Also the code for the backup sensor came up but dealer didn't do anything.
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 20, 2024
One day I was on the highway driving and the front collusion safety warning appeared. I thought the warning went off because the sensor was dirty due to dead bugs. However, I pulled over and the sensor did not appear dirty. After awhile the sensor went off on its own. Then a few weeks late the front collusion safety warning appeared again while I was driving on the highway. The warning has not fixed itself. I cannot use my cruise control. I took it to the Hyundai dealership and they told the me senor is off alignment and it will cost $500 to repair because they have to remove the entire bumper. I have seen on Hyundai forums this is a common problem.
Forward collision avoidance, Jul 4, 2024
Over the past 4 months, this car's safety sensors have randomly activated on 4 different occasions. The car will suddenly brake when this occurs, which puts me and the other drivers around me at risk of crashing. Each time, I've taken it to a Hyundai dealership for repairs. They always claim they can't recreate the issue and don't fix anything. I've provided the dealer with pictures and videos of the warning lights on my dashboard. It doesn't seem to help them diagnose the problem.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 24, 2024
My car has two warning lights on my dashboard. First one is Check Foward Safety system. Second one is Check Smart Cruise Control System. Both of them turned on when I was driving in the middle of a highway. These warning lights activated out of the blue, without any unusual circumstances.I cannot use my smart cruise control system and the car is not able to alert me about forward collision. This issue has already been addressed through a recall for my vehicle's model and year in Korea. My vehicle was produced in Korea and was imported to the United States; however, Hyundai has not issued a recall regarding the same problem in the United States. This is a safety concern, and Hyundai should repair it free of charge, and the company should compensate customers who have already undergone repairs for the repair costs.
Electrical system, Jun 10, 2024
Back up camera doesn’t work. When put in reverse the screen is static and when you press the back up camera button it won’t turn on
Electrical system, Jun 10, 2024
Since last year around 55k miles, my backup camera has stoped working. The first incident happened as I was about to back out of my garage. I opened the garage door and put my car into reverse. As I looked down at the screen and began to back up, I realized the screen showed me an image of a closed garage door ever though the door was open. Almost as if it had taken a screenshot or froze. The second occurrence was similar except it was when I was parking in a job site parking lot. When I put my car in reverse to park, what came on my screen was the image of the highway about 15 minutes prior. I’ve had several experiences like this where the backup camera freezes, has static-like lines all over the screen, discoloration, or delayed effects. This is dangerous because if someone is looking down at the screen and doesn’t realize the backup camera is giving an incorrect output, this can result in an accident (whether it be a single car or multiple car accident). This is because you can end up hitting something/someone if you get delayed feedback on the camera and don’t realize.
Structure, Other or unspecified, Jun 2, 2024
Significant water leak which I believe is due to a failure in the door seals. My personal safety is at risk due to a mold issue. The problem has been reproduced and confirmed by the Hyundai dealership’s service department (multiple visits). This problem is well documented by many individuals in the Hyundai Forums site. The results were the dealership pushes the vehicle back at the consumer without it being corrected. Problem has been occurring since purchased. I recognized the issue in early 2023
Forward collision avoidance, Apr 18, 2024
Forward collision sensor suddenly failed to function properly. This issue was NOT caused by any damage or a collision; it happened while driving on the highway. Hyundai does not fix this under any warranty, even though the issue was not caused by damage. It appears to be a bad quality/faulty sensor.
Forward collision avoidance, Mar 8, 2024
Pop up display "Check Forward Safety System and Check Smart Cruise Control System" during driving on the free way with no reason. 3 month ago same thing happened. fixed that problem with re-calibration to the front sensor. But. same problem happen today. This problem is recalled in south korea on last year.
Electrical system, Feb 6, 2024, fire
The contact owned a 2021 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked unattended. Approximately thirteen hours later, he was notified by the fire department that the vehicle had caught fire. A police report was filed. There were no reported injuries. The vehicle was parked where the fire occurred. The local dealer was contacted but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and later the contact's insurance provider declared the vehicle a total loss, the cause was assumed to be electrical. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Feb 5, 2024
I have had to get the horn replaced on my ELANTRA six times the horn goes out and this can be a very big safety hazard as it has caused people to almost hit me because they didn’t see me and my horn wasn’t working to alert them this needs to be addressed as soon as possible as this could cause someone to lose their life in the wrong instance
Forward collision avoidance, Dec 29, 2023
vehicle only has 14k miles and is showing an error message for "check forward safety system" and "check smart cruise control system" after some research found this is a very common issue with multiple Elantra's where the front radar goes bad causing safety systems such as automatic braking/acceleration, and cruise control to not work. this is a big safety issue that has been reported by many drivers. the error happened going a steady 40mph with no other cars around on an open road. nothing was hit the radar just suddenly failed
Forward collision avoidance, Dec 13, 2023
While my son was driving on the highway, the smart cruise control suddenly stopped working with "Check forward safety system" and "Check smart cruise control system".