Problems · by component

1997 Hyundai Elantra power train problems

30 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Hyundai Elantra cite power train, 25% of all 118 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
30
25% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“MY CAR STARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 70,000 MILES, WHILE ALL MAINTENANCE WAS TAKEN CARE OF, STARTED SLIPPING GEARS, THEN I COULD NO LONGER REVERSE THE CAR. I, DUE TO LACK OF FUNDS HAD TO LET IT GO FOR A WHILE, BUT THEN GOT A REBUILT TRANSMISSION INSTALLED. AFTER THAT, 9,000 MILES LATER, I AM HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT THAT ANY CAR, AFTER JUST 70,000 MILES SHOULD HAVE THE TRANSMISSION GO. MANY PEOPLE TELL ME THEY ARE "DISPOSABLE" VEHICLES, BUT THIS IS THE SECOND HYUNDAI I HAVE OWNED, AND HAVE LOVED SO MUCH. I BOUGHT IT BECAUSE THEY ARE AFFORDABLE, BUT DON'T THINK I WILL CONSIDER MYSELF A LOYAL HYUNDAI DRIVER EVER AGAIN. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 24, 2006Power trainODI 10158224
“CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR.I HAVE BEEN IN REPEATEDLY FOR THIS TO BE CORRECTED TO NO AVAIL. PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION REPEATEDLY. ENGINE WAS CAUSING A VACUUM AND NOT ALLOWING TO CAR TO SHIFT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 15, 2004Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasoline, Power trainODI 10069280
“TRANSMISSION DIED AT 67000. REPEATEDLY HAD THE CAR IN FOR KNOCKING SOUNDS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ON SINCE I FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR AT 14 MILES. TRANSMISSION WILL STICK IN FIRST GEAR. THIRD HYUNDAI I BOUGHT. ALL HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CAR FROM HYUNDAI AGAIN. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 17, 2003Power trainODI 10018846
“WINDOW CONTROL- WHEN ROLLING UP YHE RUBBER GET CAUGHT IN THE WINDOW. THIS IS STILL A PROBLEM , I GUESS IT WAS FIX RIGHT HOPEFUL THIS TIMEWHICH WAS 7-24-01. EMISSION-WAS A PROBLEM .I THINK IT'S STILL A PROBLEM I REALLY DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS NOT PRETAING TO THE TRANSMISSION.TRANSMISSION-ALWAYS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM AND STILL IS. THE CAR JERKS BUCK,AND IT ACTS LIKE IT BE SFITING TO ANOTHER GEAR SOMETIMES. I;M BACK AND FORTH TO THE DEALER THEY SAY THEY CAN'T FIND NOTHING. WAIT UNTIL THE ENIGINE LIGHT COMES ON.THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM CAUSE THIS HAS GOTTEN TO MY BACK. I CONTACT THE MANUF THEY DON'T CARE ,THEY JUST SAY AS LONG AS THERE IS A WARRANTY ON THE CAR THEY WILL KEEP FIXING, BUT IT'S NOT .THEY SAID A NEW ONE WAS PUT IN . I'M STILL HAVING A PROBLEM ALL I AK FOR WAS A ANOTHER CAR.AS BEE. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 28, 2001Engine and engine cooling, Power train, VisibilityODI 749387
“CAR STALL ON ME WHEN I AM AT A LIGHT OR A COMPLETE STOP IT WILL CHANGE FIRST GEAR WITH NO PROBLEMS BUT WHEN I GO AROUND 20 MPH IT WILL STALL OUT ON ME THEN POP INTO GEAR....THEN THE CAR WILL GO REALLY SLOW TILL IT WILL GET ITSELF TOGETHER...I HAVE CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IN THE CAR CHANGE THE TIME BELT IN THE CAR CHANGE SPARK PLUGS IN THE CAR CHANGE THE AIR FILTER IN THE CAR AND ETC...THE LIST GOES ON...THE GUYS FROM THE HYUANDI DEALER IN NEWPORT NEWS IS GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND ....SAYING THEY DONT SEE NO PROBLEM BUT FIXING EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE CAR...IF YOU CAN HELP PLEASE LET ME KNOW...I WILL BE HOME AFTER 8PM IF YOU NEED TO CONTACT ME OR LEAVE ME AN EMAIL I WILL REPLY BACK. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 30, 2001Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Electrical systemODI 746114
“WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IT PULLED TO THE LEFT. THIS HAPPENED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC REALIGNED VEHICLE. SOMETIME LATER, PROBLEM OF ALIGNMENT REAPPEARED. TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALERSHIP, WHICH HAD CHANGED HANDS, & WAS INFORMED ALIGNMENT MACHINE IS BROKEN & PROBLEM CAN NOT BE CORRECTED. VEHICLE HAS ALSO HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *AK *ML”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 7, 2000Suspension, Power trainODI 854794

Showing 6 of 30 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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