Your vehicle report
2016 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
- 293
- Received Sep 2015 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine suddenly shuts off while driving19 complaints · 6.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine stalls and loses power while driving17 complaints · 5.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine knocking from rod or main bearings16 complaints · 5.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #26V307000Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra and 2016 Elantra GT vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may rupture during deployment.
- Recall #24V146000Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Engine knocking from rod or main bearingsFirst signal: Jan 2020
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 22 crashes, 5 fires, 17 people injured, 0 deaths.
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 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
1 more problem
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 |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 17 |
| 2017 | 14 |
| 2018 | 25 |
| 2019 | 23 |
| 2020 | 25 |
| 2021 | 35 |
| 2022 | 37 |
| 2023 | 38 |
| 2024 | 34 |
| 2025 | 19 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 21 |
| Total | 293 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 19 | 6.5% | 3.3× | |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 17 | 5.8% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 16 | 5.5% | 9.1× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jan 2020 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.9% |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 14 | 4.8% | – | NHTSA recall #26V307000 |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 14 | 4.8% | – | |
| Tailgate or trunk latch fails | 13 | 4.4% | – | NHTSA recall #24V146000 |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 13 | 4.4% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 9 | 3.1% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 9 | 3.1% | 3.3× | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 7 | 2.4% | – | |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 7 | 2.4% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 6 | 2.1% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 6 | 2.1% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 5 | 1.7% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 5 | 1.7% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 5 | 1.7% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 5 | 1.7% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 4 | 1.4% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 4 | 1.4% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 3 | 1.0% | – |
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 #26V307000May 14, 20263,493 vehicles affected
air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra and 2016 Elantra GT vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may rupture during deployment.
An air bag inflator that ruptures may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or passengers, increasing the risk of injury or death.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the air bag inflator, as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 3, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated August, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 300. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 16, 2026.
NHTSA recall #24V146000February 23, 2024186,588 vehicles affected
latches/locks/linkages: trunk lid: latch
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the trunk latch base sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 5, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 256.
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 2016 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