Problems · NHTSA complaints
1996 Hyundai Elantra problems
Owners filed 101 complaints about the 1996 Hyundai Elantra with NHTSA between Oct 1996 and Jun 2008. The most-cited component is power train (19).
Complaints
101
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
11
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Power train19
- Engine and engine cooling19
- Air bags14
- Electrical system14
- Visibility11
- Fuel system, gasoline11
- Structure5
- Service brakes, hydraulic5
- Tires3
- Exterior lighting3
- Latches/locks/linkages2
- Suspension2
- Wheels2
- Vehicle speed control2
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
8
21
15
15
18
7
4
4
5
0
0
0
4
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 8 |
| 1997 | 21 |
| 1998 | 15 |
| 1999 | 15 |
| 2000 | 18 |
| 2001 | 7 |
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 4 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 4 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Power train
19 reports2 crashes
“WHEN STARTING THE IGNITION TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CUT OFF. IT WOULD BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO RESTART VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP/MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK”
Engine and engine cooling
19 reports2 fires
“WHENEVER DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD DIE OUT. TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS 5 TIMES. EACH TIME MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. CHECKED COILS/AIR/ OIL FILTERS/ ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AND FUEL SYSTEM. NOTHING RESOLVED STALLING. *AK”
Air bags
14 reports7 crashes
“AS CONSUMER WAS DRIVING HE HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER CAR. VEHICLE WENT UP ON A CURB, CAUSING BOTH AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED BY AIRBAGS/ FRONT END WAS PUSHED BACK. PLEASE ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK”
Electrical system
14 reports
“CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THE PROBLEM IS RECCURRING. *JB OXYGEN SENSOR AND COIL PACK WERE REPLACED. FUEL INJECTORS WERE CLEANED, THROTTLE BODY REPLACED. BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTED UNTIL DEALER FOUND BATTERY HAD DEAD CELL. *TT”
Visibility
11 reports1 related recall
“WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM - LOCATION POINT THAT CONNECTS TO THE LINKAGE STRIPPED CAUSING IT IN WET WEATHER TO SEND THE WIPERS TO GO COMPLETELY GO OUT PASS THE END OF WINDSHIELD. *TR”
Fuel system, gasoline
11 reports2 related recalls
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND NO FAILURES. FOUR YEARS LATER, THE DEALER REPLACED THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V095002 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY). TWO YEARS LATER, THE CONTACT WAS ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR GASOLINE POISONING. AFTER BEING DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL, SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT HER FUEL TANK WAS CRACKED AND SHE WOULD HAVE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT HER OWN EXPENSE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPAIRED ACCORDING TO THE RECALL IN 2004. SHE FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. SHE HAS A COPY OF ALL THE WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE IN REFERENCE TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 04/18/08 *BF”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.