Research · Small Station Wagons

2011 Hyundai Elantra TouringRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 455 owner complaints for the 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring. Most complaints involve engine (95) and air bags (80). The EPA rates it 26 mpg combined.

Combined MPG
26mpg
EPA · 2 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
3campaigns
Latest Feb 2020
Owner complaints
455
Top: engine
Fuel cost / yr
$2,450est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

3 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Service brakes

Free remedy

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Elantra and 2009-2011 Elantra Touring vehicles. On February 21, 2020 Hyundai expanded the recall to include 46,425 model year 2007-2008 Entourage and 2007 Santa Fe vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.

Service brakes, hydraulicReported Feb 5, 2020NHTSA 20V061000

Structure: frame and members

Free remedy

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured December 15, 2009, through May 7, 2012. The affected vehicles have a support bracket attached to the headliner that may become displaced during a side curtain airbag deployment.

StructureReported Jun 10, 2014NHTSA 14V310000

Exterior lighting: switch

Free remedy

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

Exterior lightingReported Apr 1, 2013NHTSA 13V113000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 31, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

455 complaints filed with NHTSA · Apr 2011 – Apr 2025
  1. Engine95
  2. Air bags80
  3. Steering75
  4. Suspension67
  5. Electrical system52
  6. Electronic stability control (esc)37
  7. Service brakes31
  8. Power train25
  9. Vehicle speed control23

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Elantra Touring model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2009286
2010455
2011455
2012655
Crashes reported
20
Fires reported
9
Injuries reported
13
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 31, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Engine

95 reports2 crashes2 fires
“Car stop working once I got home I notice while I was driving the car kept back firing and Jurking while driving .had a mechanic look at the car he tried to start it but it started and shut off..he even tried to jump start the car with the jumping cables but it will not start..he told me it was electrical..I have a brand new battery and a complete tune up on the car..I have not been able to drive the car in 3 weeks”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 16, 2025Electrical system, EngineODI 11655110

Air bags

80 reports14 crashes
“On October 1, 2023, I started my vehicle in the driveway to having the red airbag warning light appear as a dashboard symbol. No accidents have occurred. I do not see any recalls on this issue. I’ll be visiting the Hyundai dealership today- October 3, 2023.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 3, 2023Air bagsODI 11547925

Steering

75 reports1 fire
“Steering wheel makes clacking noise when turning left or right, especially if making sharp right angle turn or when parking. I think I noticed it first in early November 2024 while parking. Since then it has been occurring with greater frequency as well as both directions. I called a repair shop 2 weeks ago & was told it was a common problem with Hyundai's. I went to a different repair shop last Thursday, Dec 5th, 2024, for a tire repair & asked for estimate on steering issue. They told me it was a really big project to replace some sort of ball like piece & required taking the whole steering assembly apart. He said when it goes I'll loose steering & likely have an accident as a result. He said that as my car has less than 29,000 original miles on it (28,630), I should go to the Hyundai dealer as they should pay to repair it as it's a huge safety issue & shouldn't happen to such a low mileage car. I tried to go there but they'd moved & I didn't have a phone to query new location. At home I called and got VM for a man in service dept. Left msg. No one responded so I called again Fri, Dec 6, 2024 & was put throughto a differentman in the service dept's VM & left…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 9, 2024SteeringODI 11629686
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 31, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

2 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Small Station Wagons
Engines
2.0L 4-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic 4-spd · Manual 5-spd
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 31, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Elantra Touring
Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
233026$2,450342
Elantra Touring
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
233026$2,450342
  • Elantra Touring
    Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    23 city · 30 hwy · $2,450/yr
    26
    mpg comb.
  • Elantra Touring
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    23 city · 30 hwy · $2,450/yr
    26
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 31, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

1 tested variant
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring as of Oct 31, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Oct 31, 2026Vehicle 301
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2011 Elantra Touring questions

How many recalls does the 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring have?

3 safety recalls as of Oct 31, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring problems?

Owners filed 455 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are engine (95), air bags (80), steering (75). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring get?

The EPA rates the 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring at 26 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (2 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Oct 31, 2026