Problems · NHTSA complaints

1998 Hyundai Elantra problems

Owners filed 56 complaints about the 1998 Hyundai Elantra with NHTSA between Sep 1998 and Oct 2008. The most-cited component is power train (13).

Complaints
56
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
9
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train13
  2. Engine and engine cooling13
  3. Air bags7
  4. Fuel system, gasoline4
  5. Service brakes, hydraulic4
  6. Tires3
  7. Latches/locks/linkages3
  8. Vehicle speed control3
  9. Suspension3
  10. Visibility2
  11. Electrical system2
  12. Seat belts2
  13. Service brakes, air1
  14. Structure1

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 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19984
199918
200013
20015
20024
20036
20040
20054
20060
20071
20081

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.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

13 reports
“CAR DOWNSHIFTS END ENGINE REVS. IF PUT INTO REVERSE, FORWARD TRANSMISSION CAN THEN USUALLY BE SELECTED. CAN PUT FOOT ON GAS AND ENGINE/TRANSMISSION WILL "IDLE/REV". *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 13, 2008Power trainODI 10245304

Engine and engine cooling

13 reports
“COMPLAINED NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT ENGINE LIGHTS COMING ON, ENGINE ALMOST STALLED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. BROUGHT TO DEALER AND SUPPOSEDLY FIXED. STILL GET SLOW DOWNS IN ENGINE FROM TIME TO TIME. SECOND BIG PROBLEM WAS NOT BEING ABLE TO FILL GAS TANK. HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT CAR. FIRST TIME 02/99.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 20, 2000Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasolineODI 736631

Air bags

7 reports5 crashes
“VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 15-20 MPH IMPACT, AND BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE US WITH ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 24, 2001Air bagsCrash reportedODI 889087

Fuel system, gasoline

4 reports
“DT: THE CONTACT STATED HE HAD PROBLEMS FILLING THE GAS TANK. WHEN HE TRIED TO FILL THE GAS TANK THE GAS IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO SPILL OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VARIOUS MECHANICS, EACH MECHANIC GAVE A DIFFERENT REASON FOR THE PROBLEM. NO SOLUTION HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN CORRECTING THE DEFECT.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 13, 2005Fuel system, gasolineODI 10145112

Service brakes, hydraulic

4 reports1 crash
“CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED.TS *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 29, 2002Service brakes, hydraulicODI 8014950

Tires

3 reports
“DT: CONSUMER PURCHASED TWO SETS OF FIRESTONE SUPREME TIRES FOR TWO DIFFERENT VEHICLES. ALL EIGHT TIRES HAD TREAD SEPARATION, EACH OCCURRED AT DIFFERENT TIMES. DEALER ONLY HONORED THE WARRANTY FOR THE FIRST SEVEN TIRES. THE LAST TREAD SEPARATION CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE TOTALED, CAUSING INJURY TO CONSUMER'S CHILD. ON THE EIGHTH TIRE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT HE HAD TO SEND THE TIRE AND ALL CLAIM INFORMATION TO THE CORPORATE OFFICE, TO BE TREATED AS A PROPERTY DAMAGE CLAIM. FIRESTONE, SUPREME SI, P185/ 65 R14 855 M+S. CONSUMER WAS UPSET THAT THE LEGAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT OF BRIDGESTONE / FIRESTONE INTERVENED AND TOOK OVER THE CLAIM FROM CONSUMER AFFAIRS BECAUSE OF THE CHILD INJURY , AND REJECTED THE CLAIM , STATING THEY NOT RESPONSIBLE. THEY TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE TIRE MUST HAVE BEEN UNDER INFLATED, AND IT WAS NOT A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE SERVICING OF THE TIRES, AND THAT TIRES PLUS WAS RESPONSIBLE. THE EIGHTH TIRE WAS REPAIRED BEFORE THIS INCIDENT BY A MANUFACTURER'S REPAIR AT TIRES PLUS. PREVIOUS PROBLEMS FOUND WITH FIRESTONE TIRES HAD CONSUMER FILE COMPLIANT 6365296 WITH THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 5, 2005TiresODI 10127533
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026

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