1992 Hyundai Elantra

Routine

Owners filed 29 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train › automatic transmission. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Power Train › Automatic Transmission4
000
Electrical System › Ignition3
010
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline2
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine2
000
Electrical System › Wiring2
010
Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor1
000
Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal1
000
Suspension › Rear › Springs › Coil Springs1
000
Suspension › Front › Macpherson Strut1
000
Structure › Body1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor
Filed Apr 13, 2001NM

WHEN TRYING TO USE WINDSHIELD WIPERS THEY WERE FROZEN WHILE SWITCH WAS ON, WAS UNABLE TO OPERATE THEM. INSTEAD OF BLOWING A FUSE, WIRING HARNESS GOT HOT AND BURNED ALL WIRES. *AK

Electrical System › WiringFire
Filed Jun 30, 1999PA

THE CONSUMER'S WIFE WENT INSIDE INTO DOCTOR'S OFFICE, AND SOMEONE CAME IN AND TOLD HER THAT CAR WAS ON FIRE IN PARKING LOT. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED, AND STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WIRING SHORTED OUT, AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Belts and Associated Pulleys
Filed Mar 9, 1999IL

TIMING BELT, FAILED CAUSING CYLINDER HEAD DAMAGE FROM VALVES, ENGINE BLOWN

Electrical System › Ignition › ModuleFire
Filed Mar 8, 1999KS

I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 35, I MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS FLEW TO THE LEFT, THEY WERE NOT ON AT THE TIME, BLACK SMOKE FILLED THE CAR, THROUGH THE VENTS. THE CAR JERKED FORWARD WITH A THUMP. I MANAGED TO PULL THE CAR TO THE SHOLDER JUST AS THE CAR DIED. THE CAR WAS TOLLED TO THE AUTOMOTIVE SPECIALIST IN EL DORADE, KS. IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM ABOUT 8 COMPUTER BOARD FRIED AND HAD TO BE REPLASED. I STILL HAVE THEM IN MY GARAGE. ON THE E.C.U. I WAS TOLD THAT IT ROTTED????? IT WAS MUST HAVE BEEN SUBMERGED IN WATER.

Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator
Filed Feb 9, 1999CA

VEHICLE WILL NOT START. WOULD DIE OUT WHEN IT DOES START. ALTERNATOR HAD BROKEN. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Dec 24, 1998CA

WOULD SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR PROBLEM. BROKEN PLASTIC LATCH ON THE INSIDE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. TRANSMISSION SLIPS DURING OPERATION, STARTER FAULTY, FRONT END SUSPENSION PROBLEMS CAUSED EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE TIRES. GLOVE BOX LATCH FELL OFF IN CONSUMERS HAND. PARKING LIGHTS FAILED. *AK

Suspension › Front › Macpherson Strut
Filed Jul 2, 1998VA

LEFT FRONT STRUT FAILED.

Structure › Body
Filed Feb 19, 1998MD

PAINT IS PEELING OFF OF VEHICLE.

Seat Belts › Front › AnchorageCrash1 injured
Filed Apr 1, 1997FL

VEHICLE WAS IN A CRASH AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES BECAUSE SEATBELT DID NOT HOLD THE PASSENGER. *AK

Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal
Filed Jul 18, 1996MD

ACCELEATOR PEDAL STICKS AND CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HESITATE. *AK *JB

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch
Filed Jul 3, 1996MO

HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, ALSO THE HOOD LATCH FELL OFF AND TIMING BELT FAILED. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Feb 7, 1996MO

OWNER ENTERED VEHICLE BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Feb 1, 1996IN

HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOUR TIMES. TT

Power Train › Driveline › Center Support Bearing
Filed Jan 26, 1996VA

WHILE THE VEHICLE AT SPEED 65MPH, VEHICLE DOWN SHIFTS TO 45 MPH, NO ENGINE POWER. TT

Fuel System, GasolineFire
Filed Jan 19, 1996IN

CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM HOUSING UNIT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Electrical System › IgnitionFire
Filed Nov 6, 1995PA

CONSUMER STARTED CAR WOULDN'T START DEALER SAY THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE HAVING OTHER PROBLEM. TT CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE HAS AN OIL LEAK, CONSUMER ALSO STATES AFTER SECOND DAY OF PURCHASE DOOR WOULD NOT OPPEN.*JB

Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Nov 3, 1995PA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WIRING HARNESS FRONT UNDERHOOD FAILURE. TT

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Pads
Filed Jul 28, 1995SC

WORN BRAKE PADS,

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Jul 17, 1995VA

THE OIL IN THE CAR IS BEING CONSUMED AT A HIGH RATE AND THE ENGINE OIL LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jun 28, 1995WA

TIMING BELT FAILED TWICE, CAUSING ENGINE TO BLOW UP. *AK

20 of 29 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2013
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20262100Routine
202522000Routine
202453100Routine
202398200Routine
2022100510Routine
2021130611Fatalities reported
2020250362Fatalities reported
2019250131Fatalities reported
2018281071Fatalities reported
2017767460Above average
2016292250Above average
2015261380Above average
20143822152Fatalities reported
20131,3134310High concern
20126524110Above average
2011432580Above average
2010379391Fatalities reported
20092524110Above average
20083147230High concern
20072666130Above average
2006155100Routine
2005137430Routine
2004182520Routine
2003234510Above average
2002342642Fatalities reported
2001315641Fatalities reported
2000197120Routine
1999128220Routine
199855000Routine
1997115301Fatalities reported
1996100332Fatalities reported
1995112150Routine
199476220Routine
199324010Routine
1992 — this page29040Routine

Compare every Elantra year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.