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Hyundai Elantra 2001–2006 problems by year and mileage

3rd generation · XD (facelift XD2 from 2004)

Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.

The 2001 Hyundai Elantra

Close
Median failure report
73,000 mi
Complaints filed
315
Recalls naming this year
6

Most reported on the 2001

  1. Airbag system118 reports · median 62,000 mi
  2. Suspension81 reports · median 86,000 mi
  3. Body structure28 reports

6 recall campaigns name the 2001: Suspension — front; Air bags — frontal; Service brakes, hydraulic — foundation components. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.

The 2002 Hyundai Elantra

Close
Median failure report
72,000 mi
Complaints filed
342
Recalls naming this year
6

Most reported on the 2002

  1. Suspension95 reports · median 93,000 mi
  2. Airbag system70 reports · median 71,000 mi
  3. Hydraulic brake circuit32 reports

6 recall campaigns name the 2002: Suspension — front; Air bags — frontal; Fuel system, gasoline — storage. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.

The 2003 Hyundai Elantra

Close
Median failure report
61,000 mi
Complaints filed
234
Recalls naming this year
5

Most reported on the 2003

  1. Suspension61 reports · median 95,000 mi
  2. Airbag system48 reports · median 46,000 mi
  3. Body structure32 reports

5 recall campaigns name the 2003: Suspension — front; Fuel system, gasoline — storage; Service brakes, hydraulic — foundation components. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.

The 2004 Hyundai Elantra

Close
Median failure report
30,000 mi
Complaints filed
182
Recalls naming this year
5

Most reported on the 2004

  1. Airbag system114 reports · median 17,000 mi
  2. Seat belts12 reports
  3. Engine and its cooling system11 reports

5 recall campaigns name the 2004: Air bags; Fuel system, gasoline — delivery. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.

The 2005 Hyundai Elantra

Close
Median failure report
50,000 mi
Complaints filed
137
Recalls naming this year
4

Most reported on the 2005

  1. Airbag system71 reports · median 36,000 mi
  2. Throttle and speed control14 reports
  3. Electrical system10 reports

4 recall campaigns name the 2005: Exterior lighting; Air bags; Steering — linkages. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.

The 2006 Hyundai Elantra

Close
Median failure report
68,000 mi
Complaints filed
155
Recalls naming this year
1

Most reported on the 2006

  1. Airbag system56 reports · median 68,000 mi
  2. Exterior lighting38 reports · median 86,000 mi
  3. Brakes23 reports

1 recall campaign names the 2006: Exterior lighting. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.

Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 2001 reports latest and the 2004 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2001 has had 3 more years on the road to accumulate mileage.

The short answer

“Is the 2001–2006 Hyundai Elantra reliable?”

Median of reported failures
65,000 mi
90% of reports came by
138,000 mi
Reports with mileage
952
Recalls
15

Most reported

  1. Airbag system34.9% of complaints · median 50,000 mi
  2. Suspension18.2% of complaints · median 92,000 mi
  3. Body structure7.7% of complaints · median 80,000 mi

When each system fails ↓

Owners filed 1,365 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001–2006 Hyundai Elantra; the airbag system leads with 34.9% of them, and half of the 952 that record an odometer reading came by 65,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.

Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 29,000 and 100,000 miles.

Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗

How many miles does a 2001–2006 Hyundai Elantra last?

Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2001–2006 Hyundai Elantra, half of the 952 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 65,000 miles and 90% by 138,000 miles.

68 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 15 past 200,000 — each one proof that an Elantra reached that mileage, not that it failed there.

Figure 1 · Hyundai Elantra 2001–2006 · 952 reports with mileage

Mileage at failure

Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 124 complaints.

Mileage at failure, Hyundai Elantra 2001–2006Histogram of 952 owner-reported failures by mileage, in 10,000-mile bins from 0 to 200,000. The tallest bin is 0 to 10,000 miles with 124 complaints, 13.0 percent of the total. Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 29,000 and 100,000 miles. A further 15 complaints, 1.6 percent, were reported above 200,000 miles and are shown as a separate detached bar. Median mileage at failure is 65,000.
  • Rest of the range
  • Median
  • 200,000+ — 15 complaints (1.6%), plotted separately
10%
5,000
25%
29,438
Median
65,000
75%
100,000
90%
138,000

Tallest bin: 124 complaints between 0 and 10,000 miles. Based on 952 complaints that record mileage. Bin width 10,000 miles.

Show the numbers
Complaints by mileage bin
MileageComplaintsShare
0–10,00012413.0%
10,000–20,000596.2%
20,000–30,000596.2%
30,000–40,000626.5%
40,000–50,000576.0%
50,000–60,000717.5%
60,000–70,000768.0%
70,000–80,000828.6%
80,000–90,000636.6%
90,000–100,000565.9%
100,000–110,000464.8%
110,000–120,000384.0%
120,000–130,000384.0%
130,000–140,000323.4%
140,000–150,000212.2%
150,000–160,000171.8%
160,000–170,000131.4%
170,000–180,00080.8%
180,000–190,000131.4%
190,000–200,00020.2%
200,000+151.6%

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.

What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.

Common Elantra problems, and when they happen

Figure 2 · Hyundai Elantra 2001–2006

When each system fails

Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.

  1. Hydraulic brake circuit96 reports21,00010,000–51,000Hydraulic brake circuit: 96 reports, median 21,000 miles, middle half 10,000 to 51,000 miles.
  2. Airbag system477 reports50,00016,000–92,000Airbag system: 477 reports, median 50,000 miles, middle half 16,000 to 92,000 miles.
  3. Engine and its cooling system72 reports50,00016,000–73,000Engine and its cooling system: 72 reports, median 50,000 miles, middle half 16,000 to 73,000 miles.
  4. Electrical system76 reports72,00040,000–113,000Electrical system: 76 reports, median 72,000 miles, middle half 40,000 to 113,000 miles.
  5. Exterior lighting88 reports74,00050,000–103,000Exterior lighting: 88 reports, median 74,000 miles, middle half 50,000 to 103,000 miles.
  6. Body structure105 reports80,00057,000–120,000Body structure: 105 reports, median 80,000 miles, middle half 57,000 to 120,000 miles.
  7. Suspension249 reports92,00067,000–127,000Suspension: 249 reports, median 92,000 miles, middle half 67,000 to 127,000 miles.
  • Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”

Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.

All systems in a table
Complaints by vehicle system
SystemComplaintsShareMedian25–75%
Airbag system47734.9%50,00016,000–92,000
Suspension24918.2%92,00067,000–127,000
Body structure1057.7%80,00057,000–120,000
Hydraulic brake circuit967.0%21,00010,000–51,000
Exterior lighting886.4%74,00050,000–103,000
Electrical system765.6%72,00040,000–113,000
Engine and its cooling system725.3%50,00016,000–73,000
Steering705.1%88,00032,000–125,000
Throttle and speed control685.0%46,00018,000–72,000
Transmission and driveline644.7%48,00026,000–78,000
System by system, in words

Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 65,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The airbag system accounts for 34.9% of complaints (477 reports, 331 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 50,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 16,000 and 92,000 miles.

A single system taking 34.9% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.

The suspension accounts for 18.2% of complaints (249 reports, 198 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 92,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 67,000 and 127,000 miles.

Body structure accounts for 7.7% of complaints (105 reports, 69 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 80,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 57,000 and 120,000 miles.

The hydraulic brake circuit accounts for 7.0% of complaints (96 reports, 69 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 21,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 10,000 and 51,000 miles.

The exterior lighting accounts for 6.4% of complaints (88 reports, 62 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 74,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 103,000 miles.

The electrical system accounts for 5.6% of complaints (76 reports, 56 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 72,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 113,000 miles.

Known problems with the 2001–2006 Elantra

Engine Management

Crankshaft position sensor and ignition coil failures causing stalling and misfire.

Emissions

Premature catalytic converter and oxygen sensor failure driving check-engine complaints.

Before you buy a 2001–2006 Elantra: the 3-minute check

Generated from 952 mileage-tagged complaints, 15 recall campaigns, 2 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.

  1. Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 15 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
  2. Check engine management. Crankshaft position sensor and ignition coil failures causing stalling and misfire.
  3. Check emissions. Premature catalytic converter and oxygen sensor failure driving check-engine complaints.
  4. End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.

For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 29,000 and 100,000 miles, with a median of 65,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.

On inspection, the airbag system and the suspension are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The airbag system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 50,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.

None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.

Elantra problems by mileage: where your car sits

Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.

earlier most reports on that system came below this mileage — ask for repair records. in window this mileage sits inside the middle half of its reports. later most reports came above it. That describes reports, not your odds.

Where each system’s reports sit against common odometer readings
SystemMiddle half of reports, miAt 60k mi45% belowAt 90k mi69% belowAt 120k mi83% belowAt 150k mi93% belowAt 200k mi98% below
Airbag system16,000–92,000in windowin windowearlierearlierearlier
Suspension67,000–127,000laterin windowin windowearlierearlier
Body structure57,000–120,000in windowin windowearlierearlierearlier
Hydraulic brake circuit10,000–51,000earlierearlierearlierearlierearlier
Exterior lighting50,000–103,000in windowin windowearlierearlierearlier
Electrical system40,000–113,000in windowin windowearlierearlierearlier
Engine and its cooling system16,000–73,000in windowearlierearlierearlierearlier

Figure 3 · Hyundai Elantra 2001–2006 · 952 reports with mileage

Share of reports below each mileage

Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.

Cumulative share of reports by mileage, Hyundai Elantra 2001–2006Of 952 reports that record mileage, the share filed below each odometer reading, rising in steps at each 10,000-mile bin edge. 45 percent below 60,000 miles. 69 percent below 90,000 miles. 83 percent below 120,000 miles. 93 percent below 150,000 miles. 98 percent below 200,000 miles. Median 65,000 miles.
  • 60,000 mi — 45% of reports below
  • 90,000 mi — 69% of reports below
  • 120,000 mi — 83% of reports below
  • 150,000 mi — 93% of reports below
  • 200,000 mi — 98% of reports below
  • Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
  • Your odometer — appears after you enter it above

The staircase tops out at 98%: the remaining 1.6% of reports (15) came above 200,000 miles.

Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.

2001–2006 Hyundai Elantra recalls (15)

NHTSA records 15 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (6), the fuel system (4), the hydraulic brake circuit (2). Several campaigns against one area can mean a remedy that did not hold, or separate defects in parts filed under the same heading; the summaries below name each defect.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Recall repairs are free at an authorized dealer, for any owner. Summaries below shorten NHTSA’s own wording.

  1. Jul 2009 · 2005–2006 · Exterior LightingAny of these malfunctions could lead to a crash.

    The defect. Hyundai is recalling 3,011 model year 2005-2007 Elantra, tucson, sonata, azera and accent vehicles. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to fail to illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause the brake lights to remain…

    What can happen. Any of these malfunctions could lead to a crash.

    The free fix. Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch free of charge. The recall began on september 2, 2009. Owners may contact Hyundai of puerto rico customer service at 1-787-999-4310.

    NHTSA campaign 09V-280 (2009-07-21).

  2. Apr 2009 · 2001–2003 · SuspensionThe fracturing of the control arm could an owner's control over their vehicle that may increase the risk of a…

    The defect. Hyundai is recalling 160,904 my 2001-2003 Elantra and my 2003 tiburon vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new…

    What can happen. The fracturing of the control arm could an owner's control over their vehicle that may increase the risk of a crash.

    The free fix. Dealers will inspect the front lower control arms for corrosion damage. If specified levels of internal corrosion damage are found, the front lower control arms will be replaced with new front lower…

    NHTSA campaign 09V-125 (2009-04-16).

  3. Oct 2008 · 2001–2002 · Air BagsThis condition only relates to the driver and passenger seat mounted side impact air bags and may prevent…

    The defect. Hyundai is recalling certain my 2001-2002 Elantra vehicles. Movement of the side impact air bag wiring harness mounted under each front seat, possibly caused by contact from materials placed under the seat, may result in an electrical resistance that would…

    What can happen. This condition only relates to the driver and passenger seat mounted side impact air bags and may prevent seat mounted side impact air bag deployment during a crash where such deployment should…

    The free fix. Dealers will install new side impact air bag wiring harness connector clips and revised side impact air bag wiring harness attachments under the driver's and front passenger's seats. The recall is…

    NHTSA campaign 08V-533 (2008-10-14).

  4. Oct 2008 · 2001 · Air BagsThis condition may affect the driver and passenger frontal air bags and may prevent air bag deployment during…

    The defect. Hyundai is recalling certain my 2001 Elantra vehicles. If a liquid is spilled in the area of the cupholder on the center console, it may seep through the console opening for the parking brake lever and then drip onto the air bag control module electrical…

    What can happen. This condition may affect the driver and passenger frontal air bags and may prevent air bag deployment during a crash where such deployment should occur. Non-deployment of the srs air bags may…

    The free fix. Dealers will install a protective cover over the vehicle's air bag control module connector. The recall owner notification began on november 30, 2008, and letters will be sent out in six mailings.…

    NHTSA campaign 08V-532 (2008-10-14).

  5. Oct 2005 · 2004–2005 · Air BagsThe possibility of misclassification of a crs as an adult may allow the right front airbag or side impact…

    The defect. Certain vehicles equipped with an advanced air bag system. The occupant classification system (ocs) installed in the right front seat of the vehicle may misclassify a child restraint seat (crs) as an adult. This may occur if the crs is installed after an…

    What can happen. The possibility of misclassification of a crs as an adult may allow the right front airbag or side impact airbag to deploy in a crash and could result in injury to the right front occupant.

    The free fix. Dealers will reprogram the vehicle's ocs electronic control unit (ECU) to remove the feature that may cause the crs to be recognized as an adult. The recall began on november 15, 2005. Owners may…

    NHTSA campaign 05V-479 (2005-10-17).

  6. Sep 2005 · 2004–2005 · Air BagsThe possibility of misclassification of a crs as an adult may allow the right front airbag or side impact…

    The defect. Certain vehicles equipped with an advanced air bag system. The occupant classification system (ocs) installed in the right front seat of the vehicle may misclassify a child restraint seat (crs) as an adult. This may occur if the crs is installed after an…

    What can happen. The possibility of misclassification of a crs as an adult may allow the right front airbag or side impact airbag to deploy in a crash and could result in injury to the right front occupant.

    The free fix. Dealers will reprogram the vehicle's ocs electronic control unit (ECU) to remove the feature that may cause the crs to be recognized as an adult. The recall began on october 31, 2005. Owners may…

    NHTSA campaign 05V-395 (2005-09-12).

  7. Apr 2005 · 2005 · SteeringIf the inner ball joint assembly was to break as a result of the internal crack, the tie rod end assembly…

    The defect. Certain passenger vehicles may have been built with threaded portions of the steering gearbox assembly's left and right inner ball joint assemblies that contain internal cracks in the material structure.

    What can happen. If the inner ball joint assembly was to break as a result of the internal crack, the tie rod end assembly would not longer be attached to the steering gear box. This would prevent steering control of…

    The free fix. Dealers will replace the steering gearbox assemblies on these vehicles free of charge. Owners were contacted by telephone beginning on april 8, 2005, and instructed not to drive their vehicles.…

    NHTSA campaign 05V-187 (2005-04-28).

  8. Jul 2004 · 2004 · Fuel System, GasolineFuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.

    The defect. During an insurance institute for highway safety (iihs) offset frontal barrier impact test, it was determined that fuel tan damage could occur. On certain passenger vehicles, a vapor tube hose clamp that is located near the fuel tank may not be positioned…

    What can happen. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.

    The free fix. Dealers will inspect the position of the vapor tube hose clamp ears and correctly position the clamp, if necessary. The recall began on october 5, 2004. Owners should contact Hyundai de puerto rico…

    NHTSA campaign 04V-370 (2004-07-30).

  9. Jul 2004 · 2002–2003 · Fuel System, GasolineFuel spillage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.

    The defect. Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 301, "Fuel system integrity" a valve on the fuel tank assembly may not close properly. If a vehicle rolls over and the fuel tank assembly valve is not…

    What can happen. Fuel spillage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.

    The free fix. Dealers will install an additional fuel tank assembly valve. The recall began on october 5, 2004. Owners should contact Hyundai de puerto rico at 1-800-981-0188.

    NHTSA campaign 04V-369 (2004-07-26).

  10. May 2004 · 2004 · Fuel System, GasolineIn the event of a crash, damage to the vehicle could cause the mispositioned clamp to puncture the fuel tank…

    The defect. During an insurance institute for highway safety (iihs) offset frontal barrier impact test on certain passenger vehicles, fuel spillage occurred as a result of fuel tank damage caused by contact between a vapor tube hose clamp ear and the fuel tank. The vapor…

    What can happen. In the event of a crash, damage to the vehicle could cause the mispositioned clamp to puncture the fuel tank causing fuel leakage. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in…

    The free fix. Dealers will inspect the position of the vapor tube hose clamp and correctly position the clamp, if necessary. Owner notification began on may 24, 2004. Owners should contact Hyundai at…

    NHTSA campaign 04V-208 (2004-05-03).

  11. Apr 2004 · 2002–2003 · Fuel System, GasolineFuel spillage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.

    The defect. Some passenger vehicles contain a fuel tank assembly valve that may not close properly. If a vehicle with a fuel tank assembly valve that is not properly closed were to roll over, fuel spillage may occur.

    What can happen. Fuel spillage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.

    The free fix. Dealers will install an additional fuel tank assembly valve. Owner notification began on june 30, 2004. Owners should contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.

    NHTSA campaign 04V-178 (2004-04-09).

  12. Dec 2003 · 2001–2003 · Service Brakes, HydraulicContact between the rear brake tubes and the steering gearbox mounting brackets may result in rear brake tube…

    The defect. On certain passenger vehicles, the brake tubes for the rear brakes can contact the steering gearbox mounting brackets.

    What can happen. Contact between the rear brake tubes and the steering gearbox mounting brackets may result in rear brake tube wear and corrosion, increasing the risk of brake fluid leakage. Brake fluid leakage could…

    The free fix. Dealers will reposition the rear brake tubes, install brake tube clips, and apply anti-corrosion material to the rear brake tubes. Owner notification began january 22, 2004. Owners should contact…

    NHTSA campaign 03V-496 (2003-12-03).

  13. Aug 2003 · 2004 · Air BagsIn the event of a vehicle crash, the air bag may not deploy, possibly resulting in serious injury to the…

    The defect. On certain vehicles, if the front passenger seat is unoccupied or is occupied by someone lighter than 56.4 Pounds, the passenger air bag is deactivated and will not deploy if a crash occurs. However, the occupant classification sensor may incorrectly…

    What can happen. In the event of a vehicle crash, the air bag may not deploy, possibly resulting in serious injury to the right front passenger.

    The free fix. The occupant classification sensor will be reprogrammed.

    NHTSA campaign 03V-322 (2003-08-26).

  14. Jul 2003 · 2001–2003 · Service Brakes, HydraulicFluid leakage could result in reduced braking capability increasing the risk of a crash.

    The defect. On certain passenger vehicles, the rear brake tubes pass behind the front suspension crossmember. Two steering gearbox mounting brackets are welded to the crossmember. On vehicles equipped with an antilock brake system (ABS), the rear brake tubes could…

    What can happen. Fluid leakage could result in reduced braking capability increasing the risk of a crash.

    The free fix. Dealers will reposition the rear brake tubes so they do not contact the mounting brackets, install brake tube clips to control the location of the rear brake tubes, and apply anti-corrosion material…

    NHTSA campaign 03V-257 (2003-07-22).

  15. Oct 2000 · 2001 · Air BagsNon-deployment of the side air bags could increase the risk of injury during a crash where side air bag…

    The defect. Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The supplemental restraint system side air bag satellite sensors installed were improperly manufactured, causing the air bag warning light to illuminate and the side air bags to not deploy as intended in the event of a…

    What can happen. Non-deployment of the side air bags could increase the risk of injury during a crash where side air bag deployment is intended.

    The free fix. Dealers will replace the two satellite sensors.

    NHTSA campaign 00V-332 (2000-10-17).

Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported

What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 1,365 complaints against this generation:

Crashes
253 (18.5%)
Fires
14
Injury reports
161
Fatality reports
3

These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.

Elantra problems by model year

The 2002 drew the most complaints of this generation, 342, most of them about the suspension, and the 2005 the fewest, 137. A typical year drew about 208.

Complaints by model year
YearComplaintsWith mileageMedian milesMost reportedRecalls
200131519673,000Airbag system (118)6
200234224372,000Suspension (95)6
200323416861,000Suspension (61)5
200418211230,000Airbag system (114)5
200513710750,000Airbag system (71)4
200615512668,000Airbag system (56)1

What Elantra owners reported

The contact owns a 2003 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle hesitated and lost motive power. Additionally, while attempting to complete a turn, the contact heard an abnormal clicking sound coming from the front driver’s side of the…

2003 · 132,000 miles · Fuel system

The contact owns a 2005 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed and released; however, the brake light remained illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V280000 (Exterior Lighting). Additionally, while driving at an…

2005 · 185,000 miles · Exterior lighting

The contact owns a 2005 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the air bag warning light illuminated intermittently. The contact was made aware of various recalls for similar vehicles. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in…

2005 · 200,000 miles · Airbag system

Went for an inspection and was told my front sub frame was rusted and rotted. They told me it was under recall, but upon further research i found there have been recalls on this same part for other years of this car but apparantly the 2006 was not included, even though i have the same issues, and they charged me for…

2006 · 130,000 miles · Body structure

Built from 952 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built

Other Elantra generations

Other compact cars from the same years