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2011 Hyundai ElantraProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 433 owner complaints about the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, most often about the engine. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 23V-651 the manufacturer reports only 25% of affected cars repaired.

2011 Hyundai Elantra
42
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.4× the Elantra median · #8 of 31 years by complaints
Safety recalls5Lowest repair rate 25%Owner complaints43334 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage81kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 28, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2011 Hyundai Elantra has problems

433 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine924
Air bags7713
Steering752
Suspension661
Electrical system513
Electronic stability control (ESC)344
Service brakes287
Power train211
Wheels181
15 other systems935

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

5 recalls

2011 Hyundai Elantra recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

25%repaired · 2026 Q2

Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module

Park outside

Recall 23V-651 · Sep 22, 2023 · 1,649,478 vehicles · 411,914 repaired

Risk. An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

56%repaired · 2017 Q3

Electronic stability control (ESC)

Recall 15V-871 · Dec 23, 2015 · 155,000 vehicles · 87,326 repaired

Risk. If the one or more of the brakes are inappropriately applied, control of the vehicle may be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

70%repaired · 2017 Q2

Springs: coil springs

Recall 15V-629 · Oct 7, 2015 · 28,157 vehicles · 19,754 repaired

Risk. If a front coil spring fractures, it may contact the tire, possibly puncturing it, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 1 more recall
–no report yet

Air bags: side/window

Recall 13V-115 · Apr 1, 2013 · 186,250 vehicles

Risk. If the headliner support bracket makes contact with an occupant during a crash, it may cause a laceration injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Hyundai.

Mileage at failure

When do engine problems start?

81kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 66 engine complaints. 67% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
5under 30k miles44under 100k miles22100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Air bags

8 owners mentioned a cost

$300median

Middle half: $288 – $464

Steering

8 owners mentioned a cost

$538median

Middle half: $460 – $850

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2011 vs. every other Elantra year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Elantra median. How we score

'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2011 Hyundai Elantra safety ratings

2011 Hyundai Elantra 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Hyundai and Kia ABS Module FiresAQ23002 · still open
    Open
  2. Throttle control system vulnerabilitiesDP21003 · closed Jun 20, 2023
    No recall
  3. Headliner Bracket DetachmentEA12008 · closed Dec 9, 2013
    Led to recall 13V-115
In owners' words

What Elantra owners report

Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I have a Piston/Engine Defect according to the mechanic at the car shop. Any time any acceleration is applied you can hear the knocking. I believe it should be covered through the class action alleged that 2011-2016 Elantras engines (including the Limited trim) have a piston defect leading to…
Complaint 11717069 · Feb 10, 2026
Car stop working once I got home I notice while I was driving the car kept back firing and Jurking while driving.had a mechanic look at the car he tried to start it but it started and shut off..he even tried to jump start the car with the jumping cables but it will not start..he told me it was…
Complaint 11655110 · Apr 16, 2025
UnKnown. When financing the vehicle through Adonis Auto Group I was unaware of the unrepaired safety recall. Also I am under the impression nothing was done to the car before purchasing it, I have had to make repairs to the car only after 10,000 - 15,000 miles of driving. For example replacing the…
Complaint 11589419 · May 18, 2024

Own a 2011 Elantra?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.