NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Hyundai Elantra. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
I think my transmission is messed up because my car stalls to go and my RPM jump up to 4/5 after I accelerate
I was pulling into my driveway to do a 3 point turnaround and my cars forward collision warning came on, then the tire pressure light as well. There was nothing around me. I put the car in park shut it off and left it off. I figured if it the lights were still on and it wouldn’t move I’d call the dealership in the morning and have it towed again!! I started it after it was off/ not running for 2 hours and it was gone.
I was driving on the freeway & the engine just cut off. I lost complete power but luckily, I was able to get to the side of the road without any incident. About a month ago, the same thing happened but I was down the street from my house so it wasn't a big deal. The day after, the front collision light went off twice while I was driving. My particular car VIN number is not on the recall list.
The car is very hard to keep in a straight line going down the road. Constant inputs have to be given to keep the wheel at center as the wheel will not re-center after small inputs (I.e. changing lanes, gentle curves in road, etc.). I feel it is a safety hazard
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request?: Faulty piston oil rings resulting in scoring on cylinder walls How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Continual operation of the vehicle in this condition could result in a seized connecting rod bearing, which could cause damage to the engine block and eventually stall the vehicle. In limited instances, a connecting rod could puncture the engine block and cause engine oil to leak, which, in the presence of hot surfaces, could increase the risk of a fire. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes it has been diagnosed by an official Hyundai dealership Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Not to my knowledge Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? I've had this vehicle taken in for repairs 3 different times all associated with engine issues or oil leakage despite keeping up with routine maintenance on the car The contact stated that their vehicle may be associated with an existing recall, but the VIN does not come up when searched. That might be because the recall investigation only looks at one manufacturing plant.
The high beam nolonger functions. On this make model for this year, the manufacturer uses only one bulb for low and high beam. This is accomplished by using a hood to shield part of the bulb; lowered for low beams, raised for high beams. The problem is the mechanism used to raise and lower the shield is made out of cheap plastic. Whenever the gears break or skip a cog the shield will not raise. Spending 2 labor shop hours to replace two shield mechanisms, cheap plastic parts with cheap plastic parts is not the answer. Multiple owners have ask Hyundai to find a better fix… all for not.
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, who informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced; however, the repair would not be covered under warranty. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.
I was driving on the interstate and suffered a sudden loss of power with a check engine light. I stalled on the interstate which is dangerous. Waited 2 minutes and started the car again, check engine came on almost immediately. Drove off the interstate and had car towed to dealer. Dealer Tony Hyundai found no oil in the car and the engine failed a bearing clearance test. The dealer serviced the engine under Hyundai CPO warranty but I am concerned that there is no root cause of the engine failure. I am reporting to NHTSA in the hopes that other owners who experience this will also report it and if there is a common problem it will be discovered. Additional documentation is available by request.
Car stalls constantly with out warning. Sometimes will start up again and sometimes it wont. Completely stuck where its at right now and i was not notified of the recall for my 2019 hyandai elantra. Bought it from dealer that used it as a rental. I am the first owner.
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was unable to veer to the side of the road. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rod bearing had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine) as the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.
The engine is burning a lot of oil. It only has 125000 miles on it and no leaks. I am worried engine will stall while driving due to low oil.
Vehicle has rough idle on start up that will vibrate and shake the car. It could be felt in the driver seat. RPMs range 2000-1000 when the rough idle is present. It has been taken to dealership and as expected they claim they cannot reproduce issues. Car has. 55,000 miles.
The vehicle has experienced multiple hard and delayed transmission changes. Both up and downshift will jerk and had hard gear changes. Cold or warmed up the transmission will exhibit this issue. In regular or sport mode the issue is present.
Anti theft system does not have standard engine immobilization, highly theft rate, owner at risk of danger while using vehicle if car jacked which is a high possibility since the Kia boys posted how to steal this particular vehicle. Hyundai will upgrade the anti-theft system but will not allow you a free FOB for activation of new anti theft system if the car was purchased used with no FOB, thus preventing Driver from the service campaign recently sent to particular owners/lessees. This is a safety issues as it has been broadcasted via social media to target drivers with these vehicles for car jacking
I am contacting you regarding Service Campaign 993 (Atni-theft software upgrade). My car was stolen on March 7th, 2023 due to a lack of the required safety system on anti-theft software and immobilizing. Although, the recall updates and adds the mentioned safety issues, However, my war was stolen due lack of these safety systems. The car was recovered by police, however, it is damaged (Window, ignition cylinder, body of the car, bumpers, etc) I did contact the Hyundai customer care center, and I was told that Hyundai is not going to reimburse the cost of the repair of the damages to my car (although the safety issue in their Elantra cars caused this accident). I believe they should be responsible for any theft damages to the car because of the safety issue in Recall 993. Please let them know that it is not the owner's responsibility to pay for the damages that occur due to the lack of the required safety issues in their product. I am requesting the issuance of another Recall which reimburses all repair costs due to theft damages to the cars related to the safety issues in Recall 993.
High beams are not working on both headlight assemblies. Car uses a bulb with 1 filament and actuator to simulate a high beam and both headlight assembly actuators failed on a car with 51k miles. Hyundai has a TSB for this issue, so they are aware of this issue and this needs to be a recall, not just a TSB as this is a major safety issue.
Hyundai Elantra was stolen for the 2nd time AFTER Hyundai's immobilizer was supposedly installed in the vehicle. Car was parked and locked in a secured employee parking lot with cameras. Rear window was busted out steering column torn down and ignition switch removed. Car was started with a USB. Just like everyone else's. The vehicle was located and is currently at the dealership where they are refusing to do any work because it is a "Branded" title and no longer under any warranty.
I was driving home from work at night when my 2019 Hyundai Elantra Sport (just found out has the wrong VIN) lost all power and felt like it wasn’t running on all cylinders. I switched it to sport mode had a little more power for about 2 mins then my car died completely. I had to pull over thankfully I made it to the bottom of the pass and coasted into a gas station while I waited for a tow truck to have it towed to the dealership. The dealership had my car for almost a week. They ran all kinds of diagnostic testing, one of which came back showing my engine lost almost all compression. Secondly they ran more tests and more tests and just to tell me it was a bad battery. The battery has been replaced. My car is still having idling issues, it’s shifting hard and the lane Assist which I kept on just the warning turns itself on randomly, same with the front assist. This vehicle has 37,000 miles on it. Maintenance has been done regularly along with the highest quality oil changes, premium gas and air filters. I AM PISSED THAT I AM PAYING SO MUCH MONEY A MONTH AND AM HAVING NOTHING BUT ISSUES.
The high beam does not work even after bulb replacement on the 2019 Elantra(the low beams work just fine). A sound of an actuator trying to work is heard coming from the engine with a slight flicker of light but no successful high beam is shown after engaging the high beam actuator on the wheel. This is detrimental to the safety of drivers at night which could lead to a crash, injury, or fatality.
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle started stalling without warning. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the computer software was updated but the failure continued. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, but the dealer stated that no failure was found. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 65,000.
The high beam headlights don’t function properly. The low beam is all that works on both headlights. Something to do with the way the shield is not moving up to allow the high beams to function. On line looks like this is a common problem
The engine is locked up
When I was driving in very dark areas I was trying to turn on my high beams. I have manual headlights so I have to push the lever back. I see the high beam logo on the dashboard, but no lights appearing higher than the low beams. I searched up that it’s a common recall for the 2019 Hyundai Elantra’s and I believe I have that problem with my car. I hope that this description helps out in making the decision as soon as possible. Thank you!
Have a 2019 Hyuandi Elantra. Purchased in 2020 now only 6 years old the white paint on roof of car and around rear window the paint is chipping off. I have a softball size area in roof is all chipping off. I take very good care of my car and can’t believe the paint is all coming off! I’ve noticed a lot of other Hyuandi’s on the road are also peeling and chipping off the white paint on their cars also. Reported it to hyuandi dealership several times but, have gotten no response.
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the engine and oil warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the piston had scarred the cylinder wall, and the piston needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was like NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine). The manufacturer was contacted and offered to assist with the repair. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.
My engine started making a knocking sound and stopped on me while driving it. Hyundai has determined the problem is a piston failure in the engine which is scratching the engine rendering my vehicle inoperable. First date this was noticed was on the morning of 01/04/2023 the car then broke down while driving at about 5:30 pm central time same day. Hyundai is saying they aren’t responsible for the damage however there is a recall currently that is for the same thing but they won’t repair it for free because my vin number wasn’t affect but it is going through the same issues as described in the recall notice.
My hyundai elantra 2019 has developed a Piston Slap issue. Although the elantra has regular oil change everytime the warning system notifies me not sure to why it would be a defected part like a Piston Slap in a 2019 elantra. Help with the situation...
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving 10-15 MPH, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was unable to veer to the side of the road. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred intermittently while driving and slowing down. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine and the timing chain needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact they could not assist as he was the second vehicle owner. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000. The consumer stated the vehicle is leaking oil.
Drove my car 12 miles from work to father’s house no issues. Started car back up and engine light came on. Called my boyfriend and said light came on and now car isn’t staying on. Tried to drive 4 miles home and every time I stopped at stop sign or light the car died. One time it died as I was going 35 mph. I pulled up to busy intersection and the car died and I could not get it to start. A guy was stuck behind me got out of truck and pushed me through the intersection and off to the side of the road. My boyfriend got there got it started and drove the remaining 2 miles home. He changed the oil which was low and had just been changed 2 months ago. The car still repeated the same behavior. My VIN is not included in the engine recall.
My high beam lights stopped working. Replaced bulbs and they still don’t work.
My car was a total lost after car did not break, and instead the accelerator got stuck. My car went straight into a pole, causing the accident. Car was purchased 2 weeks prior, the dealer did not acknowledge it was a defect, and I lost my deposit of $7000.
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the high beam headlights failed to function as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with headlamp failures. The contact was informed that the headlamps needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed of Technical Service Bulletin: T5G, which was related to the failure. The contact was informed that the repair was completed for the previous owner. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under the Technical Service Bulletin: T5G. The failure mileage was unknown.
the high beam actuator has failed which has resulted in loss of high beam usage.
The check engine light went on in my Elantra a couple of weeks ago. I immediately take it to my local Jiffy Lube and they tell me it’s a camshaft protector sensor and that I need to take it to the dealership. After multiple failed attempts at contacting the dealership, I’m finally able to make an appointment to drop it off a few days later. However, my car doesn’t make it that far. Within those 3 days, the car breaks down on me three times. It happens when I am either at a red light at a complete stop, or as I am slowing down, waiting to make a turn. The engine shutting down put me at extreme risk as I was driving in a busy area. Luckily, I was able to change my appointment to that very day (November 16th) and I make it to the dealership for drop off. They take one week to get back to me and tell me that there is oil sludge causing the engine to fail, and they want me to pay for the engine replacement because it is due to lack of maintenance. I find this hard to believe because I just had my oil changed and my engine checked due to an open recall in July of this year. It has been 4 months (and I don’t drive that far on a daily basis) since my car was serviced and Hyundai is trying to place the blame on me for their faulty engine. The attached photo is the maintenance that I received in July.
My 2019 Elantra has stalled while in motion 5 separate times since 15 November 2022. My warranty claims are based on a defect in the vehicle’s material or workmanship that is covered by the Hyundai New Vehicle Limited Warranty period of 5 years from date of original retail delivery and 60,000 miles. Why I believe the problems are the responsibility of the manufacturer: This began 15 November 2022 when the Malfunction Indicator Lamp came on; I brought the car immediately to Bay Hyundai. They replaced the camshaft assembly. Since then, the engine has stalled while in motion 5 separate times. Why I believe I have not contributed to the cause of the problems: I have properly maintained the vehicle as proven by all of the service receipts from Allen Turner Hyundai, Bay Hyundai, Pep Boys, Tuffy, AutoZone and CARFAX. My 2019 Elantra has low mileage: 45,000 miles over 4 years. The motor vehicle defect is not a result from an accident, abuse, neglect, modification or alteration by me. Why the problems represent a substantial impairment to the use, value, or safety of my vehicle: I can’t even drive it 1 day without the engine stalling without warning while in motion! This jeopardizes my safety and has caused severe anxiety from breaking down in traffic multiple times.
Car stop while I’m drying for no reason no warning
I hit a small center divider in a parking structure going about 1 MPH which hit under the car. The three front airbags deployed. There is no body damage to the front of the car so I don’t think that the airbags should have deployed. My local dealership can’t fix it and I have reached out to Hyundai USA and they are not responding.
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH at night, the high-beam headlights failed to work as needed. The contact was able to drive to her destination; however, the contact stated that the vehicle became undrivable at night. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,900.
I was driving down a main highway, approaching a busy intersection preparing to turn left... I had a green light without a green arrow and had quite a bit of distance/time between myself and any approaching vehicle so I went ahead and proceeded. Just as I entered the intersection, all of the sudden my car stopped responding to my pressing on the gas pedal. The motor was very loud and dry sounding, and the RPM gauge was running abnormally high but the car itself, was barely moving. I continued trying to give it gas, even checked to see if something had knocked it out of gear (that was NOT the case)! Cross-traffic began to approach the intersection so I really started to work on the gas pedal, pumping it and when that failed, I mashed the gas all the way to the floor and finally just before I was about to be hit the car down the pedal and finally the car began to move!! It has been doing some hesitating for a while now but it barely made it out of the intersection this time and that was terrifying!! I have it in the shop now waiting to see what the problem is but this needs reporting. I do everything I'm supposed to with maintaining my car... oil changes, spark plugs, fluid checks and it has less than 50,000 miles so that shouldn't have happened!
The headlight high beams do not function, leaving me unable to see.
Dim headlights and faulty high beam lights that do not work at all; while the sensor remains lit up on the dash board.
Vehicle high beams have been inoperable, even after replacing bulbs multiple time. Hyundai indicates it is a known issue that requires costly replacement of headlight assembly. When will the NHTSA order Hyundai to recall this safety issue. I drive nightly on a two lane highway that is dark and has lots of donkeys. Speed limit is 65 if I slow down to compensate for visibility I’m bound to get rear ended by a semi truck. If I follow the posted speed limits I won’t have enough time to stop for a donkey. Both are life threatening situations that should prompt this agency to order Hyundai to recall
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving 60-70 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle hesitated to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that they could not duplicate the failure. However, the independent mechanic informed the contact that the failure could be associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine). The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.
My car was stolen. I'm waiting to hear how much repairs will cost. The steering wheel ignition lock is easy bypassed by using only a small screwdriver or USB cord. This makes the car easily stolen and therefore violates the requirements of 571.114 which requires a "starting system which, whenever the key is removed from the starting system prevents.. the normal activation of the vehicles engine or motor". This affects all Kia / Hyundai vehicles with a normal keyed ignition and without a vehicle immobilizer produced from approximately 2009-2022. Since the technology required to comply with the regulation (i.e. a vehicle immobilizer) is readily available and available on other cars from this maker, the vehicle manufacturer knowingly violated this regulation. I request a NHTSA inquiry into this clear safety defect.
The engine in my 2019 Hyundai Elantra failed at approximately 66,000 miles. The vehicle began to idle roughly, lose power, and eventually stalled and would not restart. It was first inspected by an independent mechanic, who suggested a possible electrical issue. I then took it to a Hyundai dealership, where they later confirmed the engine was blown due to internal failure. I had a new warranty after refinancing, which required the car to be driven a minimum number of miles before coverage could be used. The engine failed when I was only a few miles short of that requirement. The warranty representative from the refinancing company confirmed in a voicemail that while they could cover work already completed (fuel pump), they could not cover the engine. The Hyundai technician also recommended returning the vehicle to the dealership for a new engine. The dealership had previously noted the vehicle was only a few miles outside warranty coverage and even suggested they could “drive the car a few miles” to make it appear within warranty , they said after they put the part in , it drove 3 miles and the engine gave out . They charged approximately $2,000 for a repair that failed, and the vehicle was never drivable again. Because the vehicle did not operate and I could not continue payments, it was repossessed. The loan balance I now owe is a direct result of the premature engine failure and unsuccessful repair. I later learned that 2019 Elantras with 2.0L Nu MPI engines have recalls and complaints regarding improperly heat-treated piston rings causing engine damage. My VIN did not initially show under recall, but this failure matches known defect patterns. There were no warning lights prior to failure; the engine failed suddenly. I believe this vehicle should qualify for recall or warranty coverage.
I have gotten notice for a recall three times from the manufacturer and/or dealership and everytime I take it in, something is wrong and there's an excuse as to why the recall isn't being done. As a matter of fact your site shows that there is no active recall but there is or I wouldn't keep getting notifications to bring my car in. I need someone to look into what is going on before something bad happens to me or my family while I'm driving. Thank you
The High beams will not engage lights stay on dim mode
35K miles; they are replacing the motor (2.0L Atkinson Cycle (G4NH)). They did a compression test and it failed.
When steering, the steering wheel makes a rubbing noise.
Vehicle engine light came on and vehicle started driving rough at times stalling while driving it. Took it to a certified mechanic and he advised that it showed coils were bad. After replacing al coils plus spark plugs vehicle still showed engine light on. It also diagnosed sensors and cam shafts, solenoids. After all work performed vehicle engine light was still on and was driving rough at times still stalling on the road. I found that Hyundai had a recall on the same vehicle and make, model, engine type. When I took it to the dealership, they told me my VIN was not included in the recall even though it matched the exactly matched the recall. I have spent over two months without my vehicle, and it is still at the dealership. I have also incurred a lot of mechanical and rental fees so I could get back and forth to work.