Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Hyundai Elantra, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Forward collision avoidance32
- Electrical system31
- Unknown or other29
- Seat belts27
- Engine13
- Vehicle speed control10
- Service brakes8
- Power train7
- Lane departure6
- Steering5
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 1 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 34 2021 Elantra vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 17 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2021 Hyundai Elantra failed the safety check 1.28% of the time — 35% more often than the average 2021 passenger car (0.95%). Median odometer at inspection: 20,821 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2021
1,361 new Hyundai Elantra cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2021; the largest markets were Romania (1,021), Poland (326), Bulgaria (12).
- Average mass
- 1,272 kg
- Average CO₂
- 139 g/km (WLTP)
- Average power
- 90 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Petrol 100%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Real-world fuel consumption
276 Hyundai Elantra cars first registered in Europe in 2021 report their fuel use through the on-board meter. Petrol versions use 6.4 l/100 km on the road against 6.1 in the WLTP test (+4%).
| Fuel | Cars | On the road | WLTP | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 276 | 6.4 | 6.1 | +4% |
Litres per 100 km from the cars' own fuel meters (OBFCM), collected in 2024; the year is the year of first registration. All years together · European Environment Agency · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 1 variant; 1 of 1 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Hyundai Elantra 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | 10.1 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- Standard
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 6.4–7.8 L/100 km (about 30–37 mpg US), CO₂ 152–185 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elantra (ISG) · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 7.1 | 5.5 | 6.4 |
| Elantra · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 7.5 | 5.7 | 6.7 |
| Elantra · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 8.4 | 6.6 | 7.6 |
| Elantra · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 9.1 | 6.3 | 7.8 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 2021 Hyundai Elantra.
| 2025636 17 Nov 2025 | Other Issue : Hyundai Auto Canada is conducting an extended warranty campaign for certain vehicles as water could enter the horn assembly and cause the horn's electr… |
| 2024709 20 Nov 2024 | Visual System Issue: On certain vehicles, the rearview camera may not have been manufactured properly. Over time, the camera could fail and cause the rearview camera image … |
| 2023468 18 Aug 2023 | Powertrain Issue: On certain Elantra hybrid models, the vehicle could slowly accelerate after the brake pedal is released. Note: This problem can only happen under cer… |
| 2022259 19 May 2022 | Seats And Restraints Issue: On certain vehicles, there may be a problem with the driver and front passenger seat belt pretensioners. As a result, the seat belt pretensioners could… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Santa Fe HEV, Elantra, Elantra HEV and 2022 Elantra N and Santa Fe PHEV vehicles. Due to a damaged printed circuit board, the rearview camera image may fail to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Accent, 2021-2022 Elantra, and 2021-2022 Elantra HEV vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Elantra and 2020 Accent vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver and passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Santa Fe, 2021 Sonata, and Elantra vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Elantra, Elantra HEV, Venue, Genesis GV80 and 2022 Genesis GV70 vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Elantra vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat back recliners may have been improperly welded.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Hyundai told its dealers about the 2021 Hyundai Elantra: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11006111 | Some vehicles equipped with the AVN 5th Gen Wide system may exhibit a condition where the radio app crashes frequently when entering radio mode and/or displays a message that reads Uneven Road Ahead, Drive carefully on the cluster along with a warning sound. Follow the procedure outlined in this bulletin to update the AVN software to resolve this condition. |
| 11000788 | A class settlement against Hyundai Motor America (HMA) that had alleged that certain 2011 2022 model year Hyundai vehicles that were not equipped with an engine immobilizer (called the Class Vehicles) contain design flaws, including the failure to manufacture the Class Vehicles with an anti-theft device called an engine immobilizer, that make them susceptible to theft and damage. Class Vehicles manufactured without an engine immobilizer have traditional turn-key-to-start ignition systems. |
| 11000314 | A class settlement against Hyundai Motor America (HMA) that had alleged that certain 2011 2022 model year Hyundai vehicles that were not equipped with an engine immobilizer (called the Class Vehicles) contain design flaws, including the failure to manufacture the Class Vehicles with an anti-theft device called an engine immobilizer, that make them susceptible to theft and damage. Class Vehicles manufactured without an engine immobilizer have traditional turn-key-to-start ignition systems. |
| 10252366 | Certain 2021~2022MY Elantra (CN7/CN7A) vehicles may exhibit a warning light with DTC C1620, caused by a distorted signal due to internal contamination of the front radar reception antenna. Customers may also report other systems related to the front radar being inoperative, such as Smart Cruise Control (SCC) or Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA). Other functions of the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) are not affected. Follow the procedure in this bulletin to replace the affected front radar unit and perform all related adjustments according to Shop Manual instructions. |
| 10252354 | This bulletin contains the software update procedure for the Engine Control Unit (ECU) on certain 2021-2023MY Elantra (CN7) and 2022-2023MY Kona (OS) vehicles equipped with the 1.6 liter T-GDI Gamma 2 engine, that may exhibit a warning lamp with one or more of the DTCs listed below: P250F - Engine Oil Level Too Low P011B, P050C - Engine Coolant Temperature/intake Air Temperature Correlation P00B7, P2B60 - Engine Coolant Flow Low/Performance |
| 10251285 | This bulletin contains information about the proper removal of the windshield wiper blade protective cover on all models. If the protective cover is not removed correctly, there is a possibility of the rubber insert and rail spring becoming partially separated on the inner side of the wiper blade, which could lead to poor wiping performance and/or possible scratching of the windshield glass. Follow the procedure in this bulletin to properly remove the windshield wiper blade protective cover on all new wiper blades. |
| 10251282 | Hyundai has launched an anti-theft software upgrade and window decal campaign (Campaign 993), combined with an anti-theft steering wheel lock campaign (Campaign P32), and anti-theft ignition cylinder protector campaign (Campaign 9A5) in response to an increase in thefts of certain 2011-2022MY Hyundai vehicles not equipped with engine immobilizers targeted through social media. Campaign 9A8 has also been released to provide a revised software update to certain 2018 model year Elantra vehicles. For certain vehicles that cannot be upgraded with the software under Campaign 993, Hyundai is offerin |
| 10251276 | This bulletin provides the service procedure to: 1) Upgrade the IBU/BCM (Integrated Body Control Unit/Body Control Module) to revise the OEM Hyundai burglar alarm system operation and ignition start logic and 2) Install two anti-theft decals for the front windows. Additional decals may also be installed in the rear windows at customers discretion. |
| 10251275 | Hyundai has launched an anti-theft software upgrade and window decal campaign (Campaign 993), combined with an anti-theft steering wheel lock campaign (Campaign P32), and anti-theft ignition cylinder protector campaign (Campaign 9A5) in response to an increase in thefts of certain 2011-2022MY Hyundai vehicles not equipped with engine immobilizers targeted through social media. For certain vehicles that cannot be upgraded with the software (Campaign 993), Hyundai is offering customers an anti-theft ignition cylinder protector to be installed on their vehicle. This Dealer Best Practices Guide pr |
| 10249707 | Hyundai has launched an anti-theft software upgrade and window decal campaign (Campaign 993), combined with an anti-theft steering wheel lock campaign (Campaign P32), and anti-theft ignition cylinder protector campaign (Campaign 9A5) in response to an increase in thefts of certain 2011-2022MY Hyundai vehicles not equipped with engine immobilizers targeted through social media. For certain vehicles that cannot be upgraded with the software (Campaign 993), Hyundai is offering customers steering wheel locks at the dealer (Campaign P32). This Dealer Best Practices Guide provides information to ass |
| 10249699 | Some vehicles equipped with the AVN 5th Gen Wide system may exhibit a condition where the radio app crashes frequently when entering radio mode and/or displays a message that reads Uneven Road Ahead, Drive carefully on the cluster along with a warning sound. Follow the procedure outlined in this bulletin to update the AVN software to resolve this condition. |
| 10247611 | Hyundai has launched an anti-theft software upgrade and window decal campaign (Campaign 993), combined with an anti-theft steering wheel lock campaign (Campaign P32), and anti-theft ignition cylinder protector campaign (Campaign 9A5) in response to an increase in thefts of certain 2011-2022MY Hyundai vehicles not equipped with engine immobilizers targeted through social media. For certain vehicles that cannot be upgraded with the software (Campaign 993), Hyundai is offering customers steering wheel locks at the dealer (Campaign P32). This Dealer Best Practices Guide provides information to ass |
| 10247189 | This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services. |
| 10245579 | Certain Hyundai vehicles may not be equipped with an immobilizer. This bulletin provides the service procedure to update the IBU/BCM (Integrated Body Control Unit/Body Control Module), to revise the OEM Hyundai burglar alarm system operation and ignition start logic, and installation of two anti-theft decals for the front windows. |
| 10245578 | Hyundai has launched an anti-theft software upgrade and window decal campaign (Campaign 993), combined with an anti-theft steering wheel lock campaign (Campaign P32), in response to an increase in thefts of certain 2011-2022MY Hyundai vehicles not equipped with engine immobilizers targeted through social media. For certain vehicles that cannot be updated with the software (Campaign 993), Hyundai is offering customers steering wheel locks at the dealer (Campaign P32). This Dealer Best Practices Guide provides information to assist dealership personnel with customer questions relating to the imm |
| 10244992 | Hyundai has launched an anti-theft software upgrade and window decal campaign (Campaign 993), combined with an anti-theft steering wheel lock campaign (Campaign P32), in response to an increase in thefts of certain 2011-2022MY Hyundai vehicles not equipped with engine immobilizers targeted through social media. For certain vehicles that cannot be updated with the software (Campaign 993), Hyundai is offering customers steering wheel locks at the dealer (Campaign P32). This Dealer Best Practices Guide provides information to assist dealership personnel with customer questions relating to the imm |
| 10243340 | This bulletin is issued to provide the extended battery diagnosis procedure using GDS-M. This battery diagnosis function displays the various battery-related faults such as: Internal short circuit Battery deterioration Malfunction of electronic parts Insufficient battery charge Normal battery Charging defect Battery diagnosis uses the battery sensor history saved for the last 30 days and ICU diagnostic communication to track battery state of charge (SOC) and current parasitic draw history. |
| 10241878 | Certain vehicles equipped with the Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) may experience a check engine light or malfunction indicator light due to Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC) listed below. This bulletin provides information on replacing the oil pressure sensor to remedy these DTCs, rather than replacing the entire IVT assembly. |
| 10241874 | Hyundai has launched an anti-theft software upgrade and window decal campaign (Campaign 993), combined with an anti-theft steering wheel lock campaign (Campaign P32), in response to an increase in thefts of certain 2011-2022MY Hyundai vehicles not equipped with engine immobilizers targeted through social media. For certain vehicles that cannot be updated with the software (Campaign 993), Hyundai is offering customers steering wheel locks at the dealer (Campaign P32). This Dealer Best Practices Guide provides information to assist dealership personnel with customer questions relating to the imm |
| 10241849 | Some models from service campaign 993 (IBU/BCM Software Update and Decals Application) equipped with the Hyundai OEM remote start system may exhibit the horn honking when remote starting the vehicle after receiving the software update. This bulletin provides the procedure to update the remote start module to eliminate the horn honking during remote start operation. |
| 10240087 | This Service Information bulletin provides information on how to update the Apple Carplay software from Hyundais Navigation Updates page. The current version of Google Maps has 10 times the data transmission compared to the previous version. As a countermeasure, an update with a frame skip logic has been added to resolve the data congestion with Google Maps. |
| 10240081 | Hyundai has launched an anti-theft software upgrade and window decal campaign (Campaign 993), combined with an anti-theft steering wheel lock campaign (Campaign P32), in response to an increase in thefts of certain 2011-2022MY Hyundai vehicles not equipped with engine immobilizers targeted through social media. For certain vehicles that cannot be updated with the software (Campaign 993), Hyundai is offering customers steering wheel locks at the dealer (Campaign P32). |
| 10240080 | Certain Hyundai vehicles may not be equipped with an immobilizer. This bulletin provides the service procedure to update the IBU/BCM (Integrated Body Control Unit/Body Control Module), to revise the OEM Hyundai burglar alarm system operation and ignition start logic, and installation of two anti-theft decals for the front windows. |
| 10238353 | Certain Hyundai vehicles may not be equipped with an immobilizer. This bulletin provides the service procedure to update the IBU/BCM (Integrated Body Control Unit/Body Control Module), to revise the OEM Hyundai burglar alarm system operation and ignition start logic, and installation of two anti-theft decals for the front windows. |
| 10237189 | Certain Hyundai vehicles may not be equipped with an immobilizer. This bulletin provides the service procedure to update the IBU/BCM (Integrated Body Control Unit/Body Control Module), to revise the OEM Hyundai burglar alarm system operation and ignition start logic, and installation of two anti-theft decals for the front windows. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Loss of Motive Power
Seat Belt Pretensioners May Rupture
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation