U.S. public vehicle records

1997 Hyundai ELANTRA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

65 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

73,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 19 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 65 complaints (16.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Fuel system concerns	15	23.1%
Transmission and shifting	11	16.9%
Braking behavior	5	7.7%
Engine operation	3	4.6%
Electrical and battery issues	2	3.1%
Steering behavior	2	3.1%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Unknown Or Other

Air Bags:Frontal

Fuel System, Gasoline

Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor

Air Bags

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly	11
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	10
Unknown Or Other	7
Air Bags:Frontal	6
Fuel System, Gasoline	5
Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor	5
Air Bags	4
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	4

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly: 11; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 10; Unknown Or Other: 7; Air Bags:Frontal: 6; Fuel System, Gasoline: 5; Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor: 5; Air Bags: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 6; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 7; 150,000 and above: 2

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 46 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2012

2014

2015

2016

2017

2000: 22; 2001: 7; 2002: 9; 2003: 3; 2004: 5; 2005: 7; 2006: 1; 2007: 1; 2008: 3; 2009: 1; 2012: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 2; 2016: 1; 2017: 1

Pattern summary

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 15 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 11 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10106719 · 2005-01-04 (January 4, 2005)

NHTSA RECALL 00V095001 CONCERNING FUEL TANK FAILURE. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN ALTHOUGH IT EXPERIENCED FUEL LOSS FROM THE TANK. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10106719 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10115579 · 2005-03-22 (March 22, 2005)

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL CAMPAIGN 00V095001 CONCERNING FUEL TANK. DEALER REFUSED TO DO RECALL REPAIRS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10115579 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10018846 · 2003-05-17 (May 17, 2003)

TRANSMISSION DIED AT 67000. REPEATEDLY HAD THE CAR IN FOR KNOCKING SOUNDS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ON SINCE I FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR AT 14 MILES. TRANSMISSION WILL STICK IN FIRST GEAR. THIRD HYUNDAI I BOUGHT. ALL HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CAR FROM HYUNDAI AGAIN. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 67,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018846 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10069280 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR.I HAVE BEEN IN REPEATEDLY FOR THIS TO BE CORRECTED TO NO AVAIL. PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION REPEATEDLY. ENGINE WAS CAUSING A VACUUM AND NOT ALLOWING TO CAR TO SHIFT.

Owner-reported narrative. 67,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10069280 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10029961 · 2003-11-12 (November 12, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING, THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. *AK WHEN THIS OCCURRED, THE CONSUMER HIT THE BRAKES WHILE ON A WET SURFACE, LOST CONTROL, HIT THE BANK AND ALMOST OVER TURNED. *SCC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10029961 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10063450 · 2004-03-18 (March 18, 2004)

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES FRONT DUAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10063450 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 746114 · 2001-05-30 (May 30, 2001)

CAR STALL ON ME WHEN I AM AT A LIGHT OR A COMPLETE STOP IT WILL CHANGE FIRST GEAR WITH NO PROBLEMS BUT WHEN I GO AROUND 20 MPH IT WILL STALL OUT ON ME THEN POP INTO GEAR....THEN THE CAR WILL GO REALLY SLOW TILL IT WILL GET ITSELF TOGETHER...I HAVE CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IN THE CAR CHANGE THE TIME BELT IN THE CAR CHANGE SPARK PLUGS IN THE CAR CHANGE THE AIR FILTER IN THE CAR AND ETC...THE LIST GOES ON...THE GUYS FROM THE HYUANDI DEALER IN NEWPORT NEWS IS GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND ....SAYING THEY DONT SEE NO PROBLEM BUT FIXING EVERYTHING EL…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 746114 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 862303 · 2000-05-22 (May 22, 2000)

WHILE DRIVING ENGINIE CHECK LIGHT WILL COME ON UNEXPECTEDLY. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TAKEN ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS TO DEALER FOR STALLING PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 862303 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 760667 · 2002-04-13 (April 13, 2002)

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL AUTO SHOP THEY PUT IT ON A MACHINE & SAID IT EITHER HAS ABAD GAS CAP OR A CRACK IN THE GAS TANK. WHEN I TAKE THE GAS CAP OFF TO FILL UP MY CAR IT HAS NO PRESSURE AT ALL & I CAN SMELL GAS FUMES FOR AWHILE AFTER THAT. YOU CAN UNHOOK THE BATTERY FOR AWHILE & THE LIGHT WILL STAY OFF FOR A FEW DAYS THE IT COMES BACK ON AGAIN. I HEARD THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM & WOULD LIKE TO GET IT FIXED BEFORE SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 760667 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 8012832 · 2002-06-27 (June 27, 2002)

WHILE STARTING VEHICLE BATTERY HAVE EXPLODED UNDER THE HOOD. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8012832 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10229751 · 2008-06-03 (June 3, 2008)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AT 40 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SEAT SLID FORWARD. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT'S LOWER BODY TO BECOME JAMMED UNDERNEATH THE STEERING WHEEL, WHICH ALSO CAUSED HIM TO REAR END THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. HE DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES IN THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE AND IT HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 124,015. UPDATED 07/29/08 *BF THE CONSUMER SUFFERED N…

Owner-reported narrative. 124,015 miles reported. Look up ODI 10229751 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10746386 · 2015-08-05 (August 5, 2015)

1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, MY CAR GOT TOTALED ON 5/18/2015,. I RECEIVED A CONCUSSION AND JOINT PAIN ALL OVER FOR MONTHS FROM A COLLISION THAT HAPPENED THIS DAY. MY AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. I WAS GOING 40 TO 45 MPH WHEN A VAN MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN IN FRONT OF ME. HER FAULT, I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE TO DO ANY GOOD. MY HEAD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. I AM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. I HAD NO WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. I CONTACTED NHTSA ON 5/19/15 MADE A COMPLAINT. I CALLED HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY WHO FINALLY CAME AND LOOK…

Owner-reported narrative. 145,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10746386 at NHTSA ↗