1993 Hyundai Elantra

Routine

Owners filed 24 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling › engine. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine4
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission2
000
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch2
100
Vehicle Speed Control1
000
Unknown or Other1
000
Suspension › Rear1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Caliper1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Differential Proportional Valve1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Power Train › Manual Transmission › Floor Shift Assembly
Filed Jul 25, 2003120,700 milesCA

THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED MORE THAN 5 TIMES IN A 3 MONTHS PERIOD. ALSO THE PULLEY AND BELT ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE WITHIN ONE MONTH. IF THE CAR IS DRIVEN ON THE FREEWAY FOR MORE THAT 10 MINS THE TRANSMISSION WILL GO OT.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jun 12, 2001GA

WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, VEHICLE STALLS OUT WITHOUT WARNING. SEEMS TO HAPPEN EVERY WEEK. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP 5-6 TIMES FOR STALLING. MECHANIC REPLACED FUEL PUMP & SOME OTHER PARTS. PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK CONSUMER FOUND RECALL 94V09, HOWEVER THIS RECALL IS FOR 1994 MODELS AND CONSUMER OWNS A 1993, CONSUMER INFORMED DEALER OF THIS RECALL AND THEY STATED THAT CONSUMER WOULD STILL BE CHARGED FOR REPAIRS, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, HOWEVER STALLING STILL OCCURS. *SLC

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Oct 29, 1999VA

WHILE DRIVING STEAM STARTED COMING FROM ENGINE DUE TO OVERHEATING. DEALER REPLACED THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Cooling Unit and Lines
Filed Oct 19, 1999MA

PROGRESSIVE DETERIORATION OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES, CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. REPAIR EQUAL TO BOOK VALUE. *AK

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Oct 13, 1999NY

TRAVELING VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE WITHOUT INDICATION. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Aug 23, 1999TX

CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BECAME DISABLED AS I WAS DRIVING ON HYWY. A/C BELT BROKE AT SAME TIME. CAR WOULD NOT OPERATE AND HAD TO HAVE SOMEONE TOW CAR HOME.TOOK CAR TO LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP. AUTO REPAIR SERVICEMAN DID VISUAL CHECK, ATTEMPTED TO START ENGINE AND ENGINE TURNED OVER WEAKLY. SERVICEMAN REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO ENGINE COMPRESSION WHICH POINTED TO TIMING CHAIN PROBLEMS. A KNOCKING SOUND INDICATED THAT AT TIME ENGINE FAILED THERE WAS DAMAGE TO VALVE(S). I INFORMED HIM THAT A BELT HAD BUSTED AND TO PLEASE LOOK INTO IT. HE DID AND HAD ME START ENGINE SO HE COULD VISUALLY CHECK CRANKSHAFT PULLEY. HE ADDED THAT IT TOO(CRANKSHAFT PULLEY) APPEARED TO BE VIBRATING AND NEEDED SERVICING. THE BUSTED BELT WAS THE A/C BELT. SERVICEMAN INFORMED ME THAT IN ORDER TO ASCERTAIN DEGREE OF DAMAGE THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE TAKEN APART TO ACCESS HEADS AND VALVES. HE ESTIMATED REPAIRS WOULD RUN CLOSE TO $1,500. OR MORE. I HAD JUST PURCHASED THE CAR FROM ITS ORIGINAL OWNER A MONTH AGO. THE ORIGINAL OWNER WAS METICULOUS ABOUT KEEPING IT MAINTAINED AND PROVIDED ALL INVOICES OF WORK DONE ON THE VEHICLE. HE HAD JUST REPLACED TIMING CHAIN A YEAR AGO. HAVE NOT HAD WORK DONE AS I CANNOT AFFORD THE REPAIR COSTS.

Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodFire
Filed Aug 11, 1999FL

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON,AND THERE WAS FIRE DROPPING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. WHEN CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND POPPED HOOD UP, FIRE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD WIRES FROM THE STARTER BURNED, AND CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Differential Proportional Valve
Filed Jul 24, 1999FL

BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE FAILED CAUSING BRAKES TO OVERHEAT AND BOIL BRAKE FLUIDE. THIS ALSO CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL DUE TO HEAVY LOAD PUT ON IT BY BRAKES STAYING PARTIAL ENGAGED.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed Nov 17, 1998NY

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES ON WET OR DRY PAVEMENT THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES GRIND OR SQUEAL, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Electrical System
Filed Nov 17, 1998NY

A MALFUNCTION OCCURS WITHIN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS/TAIL LIGHTS AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS TO SHORT CIRCUIT, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jul 1, 1998MA

TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE TIMES. (ORIGINAL AND REPLACEMENT).

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jan 21, 1998CT

TIMING BELT AND TENSIONER FAILED.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Jan 15, 1998CA

RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Aug 21, 1997CT

DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 40MPH STARTED TO HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON ROAD. HAD IT REPLACED. THEN 2ND TRANSMISSION FAILED. MANUFACTURER SAID WILLNOT REPLACE DUE TO ODOMETER HAS OVER 60,000 MILES. DOES NOT KNOW CAUSE OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK

Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 4, 1997UN

THE ELANTRA THE OWNER IS MENTIONING HAS HAD MANY FAULTS (NOT SPECIFIED).

Power Train › Axle Assembly › Axle Shaft
Filed Feb 4, 1997NH

TRANSMISSION BEARINGS BROKE.

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch
Filed Oct 8, 1996NY

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE FRONT HOOD LATCH CAME OPEN .*AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor
Filed May 1, 1996MA

BRAKE FAILURE, IN FOR REPAIR, CLEAN AND ADJUST, AFTER IN WHICH PADS AND ROTORS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Warning Light/Devices
Filed Mar 8, 1996PA

DURING COLD OPERATING CONDITIONS AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT BUZZER AND LIGHT WILL NOT DEACTIVATE. CAUSING SEAT BELT NOT TO BE FULLY ENGAGED. *AK

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › LatchCrash
Filed Feb 26, 1996CT

WHEN OPENED, THE HOOD FLEW UP AND BENT AND FLEW BACKWARD HITTING THE WINDSHIELD AND BREAKING IT. *AK

20 of 24 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
1993 — this page24010Routine
199229040Routine

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.