Hyundai Elantra 2017–2020
6th generation · AD
NHTSA data through 12 August 20262,134 complaints, 708 with mileageMethod
On this generation, 29% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 3 times higher than during the rest of the car's life.
- First 12,000 miles — 29% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 2 complaints (0.3%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 2,000
- 25%
- 10,000
- Median
- 38,000
- 75%
- 70,000
- 90%
- 105,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 172 | 24.3% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 73 | 10.3% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 41 | 5.8% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 82 | 11.6% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 67 | 9.5% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 49 | 6.9% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 41 | 5.8% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 45 | 6.4% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 27 | 3.8% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 24 | 3.4% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 33 | 4.7% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 17 | 2.4% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 5 | 0.7% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 13 | 1.8% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 9 | 1.3% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 2 | 0.3% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 4 | 0.6% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 200,000+ | 2 | 0.3% |
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.
Owners filed 2,134 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017–2020 Hyundai Elantra, and 708 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
29% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 3 times higher than during the rest of the car's life. Failures clustered that early usually indicate a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear.
The most-reported areas are the engine (30.7% of complaints, typically around 46,000 miles), problems owners could not categorise (10.9% of complaints, typically around 34,000 miles), the electrical system (10.2% of complaints, typically around 39,000 miles).
7 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Engine46,000median 46,000 miles, middle half 18,000 to 84,000
- Problems owners could not categorise34,000median 34,500 miles, middle half 16,000 to 70,000
- Electrical system39,000median 39,000 miles, middle half 12,000 to 60,000
- Body structure54,000median 53,582 miles, middle half 36,000 to 77,000
- Transmission and driveline21,000median 21,000 miles, middle half 3,000 to 74,000
- Exterior lighting35,000median 35,250 miles, middle half 10,000 to 57,000
- Steering22,000median 22,359 miles, middle half 5,000 to 60,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 655 | 30.7% | 46,000 | 18,000–84,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 232 | 10.9% | 34,000 | 16,000–70,000 |
| Electrical system | 217 | 10.2% | 39,000 | 12,000–60,000 |
| Body structure | 157 | 7.4% | 54,000 | 36,000–77,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 142 | 6.7% | 21,000 | 3,000–74,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 131 | 6.1% | 35,000 | 10,000–57,000 |
| Steering | 114 | 5.3% | 22,000 | 5,000–60,000 |
| Brakes | 77 | 3.6% | 20,000 | 10,000–44,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 58 | 2.7% | 28,000 | 4,000–58,000 |
| Latches and locks | 56 | 2.6% | 70,000 | 45,000–92,000 |
Which systems, and when
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 38,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The engine accounts for 30.7% of complaints (655 reports, 201 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 46,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 18,000 and 83,600 miles.
A single system taking 30.7% 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.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 10.9% of complaints (232 reports, 56 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 34,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 16,500 and 70,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 10.2% of complaints (217 reports, 57 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 39,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 12,000 and 60,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 7.4% of complaints (157 reports, 42 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 53,582 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 35,500 and 77,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 6.7% of complaints (142 reports, 63 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 2,800 and 74,000 miles.
The exterior lighting accounts for 6.1% of complaints (131 reports, 34 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 35,250 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 10,000 and 57,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2017 model year drew the most — 1,072 complaints — while 2019 drew the fewest at 328. The median year sits at 367.
That makes 2017 an outlier: roughly 2.9 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 7 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 (2), the engine (1), the suspension (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
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.
Reported severity
Of the 2,134 complaints filed against this generation, 123 reported a crash; 37 reported a fire; 74 reported an injury; 4 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 5.8% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 28% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.
On inspection, the engine and problems owners could not categorise are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Problems owners could not categorise in particular shows a median failure mileage of 34,500, 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.
Documented problems
Engine 2017–2020
Nu 2.0L connecting-rod bearing failure leading to knocking, engine seizure, stalling and in some cases engine-compartment fire; addressed through recalls and the Hyundai/Kia engine settlement with knock-sensor detection software and coverage extended to 15 years/150,000 miles.
Transmission 2017–2018
7-speed dual-clutch transmission shudder, hesitation from a stop and clutch actuator faults on the 1.4T and 1.6T trims.
Anti-Theft 2017–2020 key–start trims
Key-start trims lack an engine immobilizer, enabling the widely publicized USB-key theft method.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 1,072 | 414 |
| 2018 | 405 | 124 |
| 2019 | 328 | 76 |
| 2020 | 329 | 94 |
Recalls (7)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 21V301000 | 2021-08-24 | Engine |
| 19V721000 | 2019-11-20 | Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint |
| 19V720000 | 2019-11-15 | Wheels:lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs |
| 17V213000 | 2017-05-01 | Steering:electric Power Assist System |
| 16V956000 | 2017-02-13 | Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module |
| 17V063000 | 2017-02-06 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:hydraulic |
| 16V232000 | 2016-06-15 | Air Bags:frontal |
What owners reported
Once again the car began to shake violently and started lunging forward while driving within city limits. Check engine warning light came on. I pulled over and shut the car off. When i restarted the car, the check engine light was no longer illuminated and the car seemed to drive somewhat normally. This was not…
2017 · 2 miles · Electrical system
My car was parked and all of a sudden i noticed the headlights and tail lights turned on. There was an incident where i live that the fire alarm went off in the apartment building and i just happened to be standing outside and my car's exterior lights turned on by themselves. I had my key and i tried to turn off the…
2017 · 4 miles · Exterior lighting
Tl* the contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that there was a strong chemical odor inside and near the front end of the vehicle. The contact stated that the odor caused headaches, burning eyes, excessive coughing, burning nostrils, a burning throat, and severe fatigue. The contact also stated that…
2017 · 5 miles · Engine
Tl* the contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. Whether the vehicle was stopped or while driving in traffic and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle hesitated and jerked. The vehicle was taken to ken garff Hyundai (717 south west temple, salt lake city, utah 84101, 801-257-3200) where the dual clutch was reset; however…
2017 · 200 miles · Engine
Built from 708 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page