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2013 Hyundai ElantraProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1,317 owner complaints about the 2013 Hyundai Elantra, most often about the steering. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 23V-651 the manufacturer reports only 25% of affected cars repaired.

2013 Hyundai Elantra
18
CarFlaw IndexYear to avoid4.6× the Elantra median · #1 of 31 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Lowest repair rate 25%Owner complaints1,317172 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage40kSteering, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 9, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2013 Hyundai Elantra has problems

1,317 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
Steering27210
Engine23321
Air bags16842
Service brakes16629
Electrical system15518
Service brakes, hydraulic1166
Suspension994
Wheels769
Exterior lighting722
22 other systems38767

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

4 recalls

2013 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 →

54%repaired · 2019 Q2

Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages

Recall 17V-769 · Nov 30, 2017 · 390,467 vehicles · 210,861 repaired

Risk. If the brake light switch plunger does not retract as it should when the brake pedal is not being pressed, the brake lights may stay illuminated preventing…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

53%repaired · 2017 Q4

Brake lights: switch

Recall 16V-574 · Aug 2, 2016 · 64,500 vehicles · 34,262 repaired

Risk. If the brake light switch plunger does not retract as it should when the brake pedal is not being pressed, the brake lights may stay illuminated preventing…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–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 steering problems start?

40kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 171 steering complaints. 87% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
65under 30k miles149under 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.

Steering

22 owners mentioned a cost

$400median

Middle half: $313 – $444

Air bags

19 owners mentioned a cost

$480median

Middle half: $300 – $1,361

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

2013 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

2013 Hyundai Elantra safety ratings

2013 Hyundai Elantra 2 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
4 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2013 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
  4. Engine FiresEA21003 · closed Feb 5, 2024
    Led to recall 23V-877
In owners' words

What Elantra owners report

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

I HAVE A 2013 ELANTRA COUPE. I HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, IT SLAMS ON THE BRAKES CAUSING ME TO ALMOST LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE LIGHT ON THE DASH HAS BEEN GOING OFF AND ON NOW FOR ABOUT A MONTH.THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND…
Complaint 11776626 · Nov 9, 2026
My fiance and I, bought the vehicle in May 2022? from Carvana. His name is [XXX]. Mine is [XXX] (maiden - [XXX] ) Price. [XXX] passed away August 6, 2025. I wanted to mention this part before I explain the problem. His son is supposed to sign the car over to me as soon as court proceedings are…
Complaint 11740407 · May 27, 2026
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became inoperable. The contact stated that a cushion located within the steering wheel had deteriorated, causing the steering wheel to become difficult to turn. There was no…
Complaint 11698950 · Nov 12, 2025 · 50,000 miles

Own a 2013 Elantra?

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