2011 Hyundai ELANTRA: complaints, problems and recalls

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH A SPARE TIRE, WHEEL, JACK OR LUG WRENCH. THERE WAS A MOBILITY KIT AND INSTRUCTIONS IN THE OWNERS MANUAL ON HOW TO INSTALL THE SPARE TIRE, BUT THERE WAS NO SPARE IN THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO ADVISED THAT THEY COULD POSSIBLY COME OUT WITH AN INSTRUCTIONAL SPARE TIRE KIT IN THE FUTURE. NO OTHER INFORMATION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120. UPDATED EVOQ 04/26/11 UPDATED 5/24/11 *CN

Owner-reported narrative. 120 miles reported. Look up ODI 10396681 at NHTSA ↗

CAR DEALERS ARE ALLOWED TO SELL NEW CARS WITH NO SPARE TIRE OR JACK. I ASSUME THIS IS TO INCREASE THE POTENTIAL GAS MILEAGE FOR ADVERTISING. THEIR POLICY IS TO ONLY INCLUDE A CAN OF AIR WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT WORK WHEN NEEDED. THEY ARE ALSO NOT KEEPING REPLACEMENT TIRES IN STOCK. THIS CAN OF AIR IS A HAZARD TO KEEP IN A CAR IN ARIZONA WHEN THE TEMPERATURES IN THE SUMMER REACH 115 DEGREES. AND WITH THE DEALERSHIP NOT STOCKING THE TIRES, MY CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND STRANDS THE MOTORIST. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10399081 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE CONTACT ABRUPTLY APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE SHIFTED ABNORMALLY TO THE RIGHT LANE. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED AND THE MANUFACTURER AGREED HOWEVER, TOOK A COMPLAINT ON THE CONTACTS BEHALF BUT PROVIDED NOT FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10.

Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10399995 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT TEST DROVE A 2011 HYNUDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT WAS PLACED IN THE REAR CENTER SEAT AND THE SEAT BELT WEBBING WOULD NOT REMAIN TIGHTENED TO SECURE THE CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN 10. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10400064 at NHTSA ↗

BRAKES ON MY 2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA IN A EMERGENCY, PULL HARD TO THE RIGHT . CONSUMER AFFAIRS SAID THE BRAKES WERE OK AS LONG AS I DO NOT STOP QUICK. BUT IF I DO, THE CAR WILL PULL QUICKLY TO THE RIGHT AND DIP WHICH PUTS THE CAR IN THE NEXT LANE OF TRAVEL. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10401689 at NHTSA ↗

ON THIS 2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA TOURING, THE LEFT (DRIVER'S SIDE) FRONT TIRE DEVELOPED A BUBBLE AFTER ONLY 2240 MILES. THE TIRE WAS A KUMHO SOLUS KH16 215/45/17. THE HYUNDAI DEALER ADVISED ME THAT THE TIRE WARRANTY WAS DIRECTLY WITH KUMHO, NOT WITH THE DEALER OR HYUNDAI. REPRESENTATIVES OF TWO KUMHO TIRE DEALERS (DISCOUNT TIRE AND SEARS) SAID ANY BUBBLES WERE THE RESULT OF IMPACT, SUCH AS WITH A POTHOLE, AND THE KUMHO WARRANTY EXCLUDED ROAD HAZARDS. BOTH REFUSED TO INSPECT THE TIRE CLOSELY WHEN I SAID THERE HAD BEEN NO IMPACT THAT COULD HAVE PRODU…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,240 miles reported. Look up ODI 10401991 at NHTSA ↗

2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WITH 800 MILES ON IT. TRANSMISSION VIOLENTLY BUCKS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THEN SHIFTS TO NEUTRAL. THERE IS SUDDENLY NO THROTTLE RESPONSE AT SPEEDS EXCEEDING 60 MPH REQUIRING THE CAR TO BE COASTED TO SAFETY IF POSSIBLE. AFTER TURNING OFF THE KEY AND RESTARTING, THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE GONE. THIS HAS HAPPENED 2 DAYS IN A ROW FOR ME. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 804 miles reported. Look up ODI 10402112 at NHTSA ↗

THE 2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA 1.8LITER ENGINE MAKES A GRINDING THEN WHINING NOISE IN THE FIRST FEW SECONDS OF THE FIRST COLD ENGINE START OF THE DAY. ON THE DAY OF SALES DELIVERY THE VEHICLE MADE THIS NOISE FOR AT LEAST TWO MINUTES WHICH PROMPTED ME TO ALERT THE SALESMAN AND LIFT THE HOOD FOR CLOSER INSPECTION. THE SALES MAN REPLIED "ALL THE NEW ENGINES MAKE THIS SOUND, IT WILL QUIET DOWN." I HAVE ASKED ANOTHER OWNER OF THE SAME VEHICLE IF THEY NOTICED IT. THEY HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM UPON COLD START UP. WE BOTH HAVE VIDEO DOCUMENTATION OF T…

Owner-reported narrative. 5 miles reported. Look up ODI 10402144 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2013-04-01 (April 1, 2013)

Hyundai Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Elantra vehicles manufactured from November 12, 2010, through March 5, 2013. A support bracket attached to the headliner may become displaced during a side curtain airbag deployment.

Consequence: If the headliner support bracket makes contact with an occupant during a crash, it may cause a laceration injury.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will apply adhesive strips to the headliner, free of charge. The safety recall began during April 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 109.

Reported: 2015-10-07 (October 7, 2015)

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011 Elantra vehicles manufactured November 12, 2010, to March 31, 2011, and Sonata vehicles manufactured December 11, 2009, to February 28, 2010, originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Road salt may corrode the front coil springs, possibly resulting in the coil springs fracturing.

Consequence: If a front coil spring fractures, it may contact the tire, possibly puncturing it, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front coil springs, free of charge. Interim notifications were mailed on November 17, 2015. The recall began on January 6, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 133. Note: Vehicles that were previously registered in salt belt states but are currently registered elsewhere are eligible to be inspected and repaired.

Reported: 2015-12-23 (December 23, 2015)

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Elantra vehicles manufactured October 29, 2010, to October 25, 2011. Due to an electronic stability control (ESC) sensor malfunction, the brakes for one or more wheels may be applied unexpectedly and the engine power may be reduced. These symptoms will be accompanied by illumination of the ESC indicator lamp in the instrument cluster.

Consequence: If the one or more of the brakes are inappropriately applied, control of the vehicle may be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will verify the proper operation of the ESC sensors, and update the ESC system's calibration, free of charge. The recall began June 6, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 137.

Reported: 2020-07-02 (July 2, 2020)

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Hyundai Elantra and Sonata Hybrid, 2012 Accent and Veloster vehicles. The 12V accessory socket outlet may have been over-tightened during installation, possibly disabling the thermal fuse and allowing the outlet to overheat with prolonged use, such as by using the Tire Mobility Kit air compressor to inflate a tire.

Consequence: An overheated accessory outlet increases the risk of fire.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the Tire Mobility Kit accessory outlet plug with a direct-to-battery connection wire harness kit, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 193.

Reported: 2023-09-22 (September 22, 2023)

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Consequence: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.