Problems · by component

2006 Hyundai Elantra exterior lighting problems

38 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Hyundai Elantra cite exterior lighting, 25% of all 155 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
38
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 exterior lighting

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POLICE INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V280000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,676.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 5, 2019Exterior lightingODI 11241761
“PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT IN THE CENTER HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY SINCE I'VE GOTTEN THE CAR, THE LIGHT NEVER USED TO GO OFF WHEN AN ADULT WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WHICH MEANS THE AIRBAGS WERE DISABLED. NOW THE DASHBOARD AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AND DOES NOT EVER GO OFF, MEANING ALL AIRBAGS ARE DISABLED. IT CAME ON UPON STARTING UP MY VEHICLE AND HAS NOT GONE OFF SINCE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR, BUT IS NOT REPORTED PROPERLY VIA NHTSA, INSTEAD MANY COMPLAINTS ARE MADE VIA FORUMS. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AND MY HEADLIGHTS ARE ON, TURNING THE WHEEL AND USING THE BLINKER CAUSES ALL DASH LIGHTS AS WELL AS MY HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS TO FLICKER BRIEFLY. REAR WINDOWS ARE NOT ABLE TO BE ROLLED DOWN VIA THE MAIN CONTROL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, ONLY CAN BE ROLLED UP.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 13, 2018Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Air bagsODI 11129314
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED EVEN WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT DEPRESSED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. UPON CONDUCTING RESEARCH, THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V113000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, EXTERIOR LIGHTING) AS A POSSIBLE EXPLANATION FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 118,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 25, 2017Exterior lighting, Service brakesODI 11010562
“WAS FLAGGED BY PASSING MOTORIST THAT BRAKE LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. CHECKED FUSES AND THEY WERE GOOD. WAS ADVISED THERE COULD BE AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKE SWITCH. Y THIS VIN WAS NOT LISTED WITH THE RECALL DESPITE SAME PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT TIME OF NOTIFICATION.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 22, 2016Exterior lightingODI 10897797
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED FOR AN OIL CHANGE WHEN IT WAS OBSERVED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V280000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 18, 2016Exterior lightingODI 10837028
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE BRAKE LAMPS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHEN OPERATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V280000(EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,354.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 5, 2016Exterior lightingODI 10818162

Showing 6 of 38 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Exterior lighting

Free remedy

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 3,011 MODEL YEAR 2005-2007 ELANTRA, TUCSON, SONATA, AZERA AND ACCENT VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A DEFECTIVE STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFT OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Exterior lightingReported Jul 21, 2009NHTSA 09V280000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 9, 2026

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

Other 2006 Elantra problem areas