Your vehicle report
1997 Hyundai Elantra
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 115
- Received Jan 1995 to Mar 2017
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Airbags fail to deploy in crashes15 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips15 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline12 complaints · 10% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #00V095002Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The evaporative emission control systems can apply excessive vacuum to the fuel tanks during the canister purge cycle. If excessive vacuum is applied, minor fuel tank distortion can result. A small crack could develop on the upper fuel tank surface. The "check engine" light would then illuminate and, in some cases, the vehicle driver may notice a gasoline odor.
- Recall #00V095001Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The evaporative emission control systems can apply excessive vacuum to the fuel tanks during the canister purge cycle. If excessive vacuum is applied, minor fuel tank distortion can result. A small crack could develop on the upper fuel tank surface. The "check engine" light would then illuminate and, in some cases, the vehicle driver may notice a gasoline odor.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 20 crashes, 0 fires, 15 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 18 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1996 | 0 |
| 1997 | 8 |
| 1998 | 26 |
| 1999 | 15 |
| 2000 | 22 |
| 2001 | 7 |
| 2002 | 9 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 7 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 115 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 15 | 13% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 15 | 13% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 12 | 10% | – | NHTSA recall #00V095001, #00V095002 |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 8 | 7.0% | – | NHTSA recall #00V095001, #00V095002 |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 6 | 5.2% | – | NHTSA recall #97V026000 |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 6 | 5.2% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 6 | 5.2% | – | |
| Manual clutch wears out or fails early | 6 | 5.2% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 4 | 3.5% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 4 | 3.5% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 3 | 2.6% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 3 | 2.6% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 3 | 2.6% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 3 | 2.6% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 3 | 2.6% | – | |
| Battery drains and dies when parked | 3 | 2.6% | – | |
| Brake master cylinder leaks fluid and fails | 3 | 2.6% | – | |
| Radiator transmission cooler leaks fluid into transmission | 3 | 2.6% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #00V095002July 21, 20007,111 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The evaporative emission control systems Can apply excessive vacuum to the fuel tanks during the canister purge cycle. If excessive vacuum is applied, minor fuel tank distortion Can result. A small crack could develop on the upper fuel tank surface. The "check engine" light would then illuminate and, in some cases, the vehicle driver may notice a gasoline odor.
Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will pressure check the vehicle's fuel tank to determine if it has cracked. If the fuel tank has cracked, it will be replaced.
NHTSA recall #00V095001March 28, 200084,020 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The evaporative emission control systems Can apply excessive vacuum to the fuel tanks during the canister purge cycle. If excessive vacuum is applied, minor fuel tank distortion Can result. A small crack could develop on the upper fuel tank surface. The "check engine" light would then illuminate and, in some cases, the vehicle driver may notice a gasoline odor.
Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will pressure check the vehicle's fuel tank to determine if it has cracked. If the fuel tank has cracked, it will be replaced.
NHTSA recall #97V026000February 26, 199774,965 vehicles affected
visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor
The windshield wiper motor circuit breaker electrical contacts were contaminated during assembly.
This contamination interferes with the electrical circuit continuity and prevents the windshield wiper motor from operating. Inoperative windshield wipers Can contribute to reduced visibility during inclement weather increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Dealers will remove the contaminants from the windshield wiper motor circuit breaker contacts.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1997 Hyundai Elantra.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN