1998 Hyundai Elantra: common problems

Owners of the 1998 Hyundai Elantra filed 55 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 55
involving a crash: 9

What fails most often

1 Powertrain 24% of all complaints
2 Engine and cooling 22% of all complaints
3 Air bags 13% of all complaints
4 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
5 Fuel system 7% of all complaints
6 Latches, locks, linkages 5% of all complaints
7 Suspension 5% of all complaints
8 Tires 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Powertrain: 13 complaints (24% of all).
Engine and cooling: 12 complaints (22% of all).
Air bags: 7 complaints (13% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 5 complaints (9% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Fuel system: 4 complaints (7% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

1.8 L · petrol · 4 cyl
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 55 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

stalls while driving9 · 16%
door locks, latches, handles4 · 7%
jerking, harsh shifts4 · 7%
airbags did not deploy3 · 5%
loss of power / limp mode3 · 5%
vibration3 · 5%
warning lights, check engine3 · 5%
seat belts2 · 4%
transmission slipping2 · 4%
windows, sunroof2 · 4%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Powertrain	13	0
Engine and cooling	12	0
Air bags	7	5
Service brakes	5	2
Fuel system	4	0
Latches, locks, linkages	3	0
Suspension	3	0
Tires	3	0
Electrical system	2	0
Seat belts	2	0
Vehicle speed control	2	0
Visibility	2	1
Equipment	1	0
Steering	1	1

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Consumer stated rear view mirror popped out, hitting the consumer, and causing a collision. Dealer notified.
Visibility · crash · 2003-08-11 · NHTSA complaint #10033606
Consumer stated that while appling brakes vehicle keep moving foward and hit another vehicle.consumer also stated that the air bags didn't deploy. Ph
Service brakes · crash · 2003-01-06 · NHTSA complaint #10002067
Vehicle was involved in a frontal collision with another vehicle at 15-20 mph impact, and both air bags did not deploy. Dealer / manufacturer were not notified at this time. Feel free to provide us with any further details on this matter.
Air bags · crash · 2001-05-24 · NHTSA complaint #889087
Upon impact, air bags failed to deploy. Driver hit the steering wheel. Driver received emergency treatment. Vehicle totaled.
Air bags · crash · 2000-12-07 · NHTSA complaint #876175
While driving down highway traveling 75 mph consumer, attempting to avoid hitting vehicle in front, applied brakes suddenly and vehicle swerved, hitting another vehicle in the other lane. Upon impact, neither airbag deployed. Contacted dealer and manufacturer.
Air bags · crash · 2000-04-11 · NHTSA complaint #860101
Consumer was driving in a 35mph zone , and a car pulled out in front and consumer hit the passenger's side of the other vehicle. Front end of car was damaged. Took to dealer, and the consumer's insurance company wanted to write it off as totalled.
Steering · crash · 1999-10-26 · NHTSA complaint #851771
It takes very little effort to pop the shifter into neutral (like a coat sleeve) and I think I touched it while reaching for my radio.this sent the engine into very high revs which caused the vacuum system to fail and then caused the power brakes to fall to the floor.
Powertrain · 2007-04-14 · NHTSA complaint #10187849
Dt: the contact stated he had problems filling the gas tank. When he tried to fill the gas tank the gas immediately began to spill out. The vehicle was taken to various mechanics, each mechanic gave a different reason for the problem. No solution has been successful in correcting the defect.
Fuel system · 2005-12-13 · NHTSA complaint #10145112

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19983
199918
200013
20015
20024
20036
20054
20071
20081

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 5,078 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 14% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Elantra has 243 complaints (36 years in the data). This year has 55, below average.

What to check before buying

Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1998 Hyundai Elantra?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, engine and cooling, air bags. Total complaints: 55. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (16%), door locks, latches, handles (7%), jerking, harsh shifts (7%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Hyundai Elantra?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1998 Hyundai Elantra from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1998 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.