AI Damage2016 Hyundai Elantra: common problems
Owners of the 2016 Hyundai Elantra filed 293 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and powertrain. The maker issued 119 service bulletins for this year. We found 1 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 293
- involving a crash
- 22
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 119
- YouTube repair videos
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 38% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 9% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 6% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 6% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 6% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 6% of all complaints
- Engine: 111 complaints (38% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 5.
- Powertrain: 31 complaints (11% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 15.
- Air bags: 26 complaints (9% of all), 15 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Electrical system: 22 complaints (8% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 31.
- Steering: 19 complaints (6% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
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 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 293 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 111 | 1 | 5 |
| Powertrain | 31 | 0 | 15 |
| Air bags | 26 | 15 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 22 | 0 | 31 |
| Steering | 19 | 2 | 3 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 19 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 18 | 1 | 6 |
| Vehicle speed control | 18 | 4 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 15 | 1 | 3 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 13 | 0 | 4 |
| Suspension | 10 | 1 | 2 |
| Wheels | 10 | 0 | 2 |
| Exterior lighting | 9 | 0 | 2 |
| Visibility | 6 | 1 | 2 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
On [XXX] I was struck by a OVI driver at 50mph the side airbags deployed however the front airbag never deployed. The vehicle was totaled out my insurance company. The vehicle had no record or open recalls for the airbag and had been given a multiple point inspection in November 2024 with no issues noted.
I was driving normally down the road and all of a sudden I lost control and couldn’t turn my vehicle apparently the control arm rusted from the subframe, causing me to swerve hit a curb and cause more damage to the front end. Thank God I was on a not so busy street!
The contact stated that while driving out of the driveway, the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration. During the incident, the engine's RPMs suddenly increased before the vehicle erroneously accelerated forward and crashed into a tree causing body damage to the vehicle.
There were no warning lights illuminated. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact did not sustain any injuries. A police report was filed. The contact and her husband drove the vehicle to her residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that they were not aware of such failure.
The airbags did not deploy when the other driver did not comply with the stop sign, which led to him getting off the road in front of me and destroying the entire front of the car, knowing that the airbags did not deploy now. I suffer from a neck injury
The contact stated the air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained injuries on her left arm and had back pain. The contact stated an ambulance transferred her to a hospital to seek medication attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed to impound lot.
Instead of stopping, the car suddenly swerved, lurched forward and crashed into the cement base of a light pole. The car kept grinding into the cement base. I was helpless to stop the destruction of my car. The repair shop has had my car for one week but no repairs have been made yet.
The visibility on this car is so bad. In 40 years of driving I had 1 accident until I got this car. I have had 3 minor accidents in less than a year all due to backing up and looking out passenger side.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 212 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 10% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Elantra has 124 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 293, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil…
Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin outlines the combustion chamber cleaning procedure for vehicles diagnosed with this…
- Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil…
Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin provides the inspection and repair procedures for vehicles exhibiting this condition…
- Certain vehicles may exhibit excessive paint peeling or bubbling of the primer/paint film on the exterior…
Certain vehicles may exhibit excessive paint peeling or bubbling of the primer/paint film on the exterior metal body panels: hood, fender(s), roof, door(s), quarter panel(s), and tailgate/trunk. This warranty extension…
- Certain Hyundai vehicles with exterior white paint may exhibit peeling or bubbling on metal body panels
hood, fender(s), roof, door(s), quarter panel(s), and tailgate/trunk. The paint warranty coverage for affected vehicles has been extended to 10 years/unlimited miles from the date of original retail delivery or date of…
- Some Hyundai vehicles with exterior white paint may exhibit peeling or bubbling on metal body panels
hood, fender(s), roof, door(s), quarter panel(s), and tailgate/trunk. The paint warranty coverage for affected vehicles has been extended to 10 years/unlimited miles from the date of original retail delivery or date of…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety…
- This TSB references the Op codes to use for claim submission and the Parts required based on the vehicle’s…
This TSB references the Op codes to use for claim submission and the Parts required based on the vehicle’s inspection results from TSB 22-01-023H-2 (DTC P1326 – Engine Bearing Inspection/Engine Replacement) or the…
- This TSB references the Op codes to use for claim submission and the Parts required based on the vehicle’s…
This TSB references the Op codes to use for claim submission and the Parts required based on the vehicle’s inspection results from TSB 22-01-023H (DTC P1326 – Engine Bearing Inspection/Engine Replacement) or the latest…
- Upon customer's request ONLY, the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 25-01-089H provides the service…
Upon customer's request ONLY, the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 25-01-089H provides the service procedure for installation of a key cylinder reinforcement protector assembly and two anti-theft decals on the front…
- In addition to the Anti-Theft software provided under Service Campaign 993 (TSB 24-01-009H-1), a zinc…
In addition to the Anti-Theft software provided under Service Campaign 993 (TSB 24-01-009H-1), a zinc reinforced ignition cylinder protector hardware upgrade is being made available to customers upon request. This…
- This bulletin provides the service procedure for installation of a key cylinder reinforcement protector…
This bulletin provides the service procedure for installation of a key cylinder reinforcement protector assembly and two anti-theft decals on the front windows.
NHTSA lists 119 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Hyundai Elantra?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, powertrain, air bags. Total complaints: 293. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (20%), knocking, grinding or other noise (12%), stalls while driving (12%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2016 Hyundai Elantra?
NHTSA lists 119 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 2016 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 2016 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 2026-11-04.