Home · 2011 Hyundai Elantra Gt · Complaints

What 459 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Hyundai Elantra Gt

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (459)Crash / fire / injury (31)Engine (96)Airbags (81)Steering (76)Suspension (67)Electrical system (52)Brakes (48)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (37)Transmission & drivetrain (25)Speed control (23)Wheels (20)

96 of 459 complaints match · Engine · clear filters · page 4 of 4

Jun 10, 2016Transmission & drivetrainEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND LOST SPEED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHED 45 MPH, IT BEGAN TO JERK HARD. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

NHTSA ODI 10873576

Mar 1, 2016Engine

FEBRUARY 26TH, 2016 AROUND 3PM MY CAR STOPPED WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD. I WAS NOT ABLE TO PRESS THE BRAKE SO I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THE CAR STOPPED ON ITS OWN. AFTER THE CAR STOPPED I TRIED TO START THE CAR AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. THERE WAS NO NOISE FROM THE ENGINE WHEN THE CAR DIED ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI 10839325

Feb 1, 2016Transmission & drivetrainEngine

REMOVE KEY FROM COLUMN

NHTSA ODI 10823371

Jan 25, 2016Engine

THE ENGINE HAS BEEN MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE BUT NO ONE COULD FIND A PROBLEM. CAR CUT OFF A FEW TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFIC THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CODE STATED PROBLEM WITH CRANKSHAFT. WENT TO START THE CAR A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER. CAR WOULD NOT START HORRIBLE KNOCKING NOISE CAME FROM ENGINE. CAR TURNED OVER BUT WOULD NOT START. MECHANIC HAD TO REPLACE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR, TIMING CHAIN, CRANKSHAFT PROBLEMS. HAVE HAD CAR BACK A LITTLE OVER A MONTH NOW THE ENGINE IS MAKING THE SAME NOISE AGAIN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME BACK ON. HAVE READ THE ENGINE RECALL FOR THE HYUNDAI SONATAS AND SOUNDS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT MY CAR IS DOING. THE CAR HAS 115,000 MILES ON IT AND PROBLEMS STARTED AROUND THE 113-114,000 MARK RIGHT AFTER THE WARRENTY HAD EXPIRED. .

NHTSA ODI 10822079

Nov 10, 2015Engine

KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM CRANKSHAFT AND ENGINE

NHTSA ODI 10789561

Oct 15, 2015BrakesEngineFuel system

THE HYUNDAI ELANTRA HAS AN INTERMITTENT STARTING PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM IS HARD TO DUPLICATE. THE SOLUTION REQUIRES VARIOUS ATTEMPTS AT TRYING THE START SWITCH ALONG WITH THE MOVEMENT OF SHIFT LEVER. THIS BECOMES A SAFETY PROBLEM SINCE IT REQUIRES NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO MOVE SHIFT LEVER FROM PARK TO NEUTRAL POSITION. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE AFTER A NUMBER OF TIMES THE POWER BRAKES TAKE EXTREME PRESSURE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING. AT TIMES, THE SHIFT LEVER WILL NOT MOVE PROPERLY OUT OF THE PARK POSITION AND STILL NOT START. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE LOCAL HYUNDAI SERVICE WARNED ME IF PROBLEM CANNOT BE DUPLICATED OWNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DIAGNOSTIC AND SERVICE COSTS THAT WOULD LIKELY BE $200 OR MORE. ON ONE OCCASION THE CAR WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE FOR ABOUT A WEEK ALONG WITH DAILY ATTEMPTS AT TRYING TO START THE CAR DID NOT START THE ENGINE. FINALLY IT STARTED AND DID NOT HAVE PROBLEMS DURING THE COMPLETE SUMMER, BUT ONCE THE TEMPERATURE HAS BEEN BELOW 40-50 DEGREES F PROBLEMS OCCURRED. I AM VERY LEERY AT ALLOWING OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS TO OPERATE VEHICLE SINCE SOME MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY IN APPLYING THE LARGE AMOUNT OF BRAKING FORCE TO STOP VEHICLE FROM MOVING ON AN INCLINE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE. I REVIEWED THE SERVICE BULLETIN NO.: TSB-12-AT-022-1 ON HYUNDAI ELANTRA AND KIA RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V114000 . NOTE MANY KIAS AND HYUNDAI VEHICLES ARE SIMILAR IN PARTS AND FUNCTION. AFTER READING THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V114000 ABOUT KIA, I DID RECALL INCIDENTS OF INTERMITTENT FAILING OF BRAKE LIGHTS AND INTERMITTENT ESC LIGHT MALFUNCTION.

NHTSA ODI 10782592

Sep 17, 2015Speed controlEngine

WHEN DRIVING IT IS DIFFICULT AT TIME TO REGULATE MY SPEED. IF I STOP AT A RED LIGHT AND THEN TRY TO DRIVE ON A GREEN LIGHT MY CAR WILL JOLT FORWARD. IT IS HARD TO SPEED UP, IT FEELS LIKE MY CAR IS STUCK IN ON SPEED. IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY AS IT IS SLOW TO PICK UP SPEED.

NHTSA ODI 10764580

Sep 13, 2015Electrical systemEngine

CAR WILL NOT START. HAVE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, AND STARTED ALL TESTED AND ARE GOOD. EVERY SO OFTEN GO TO START THE CAR AND WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY TO FIRST POSITION EVERYTHING TURNS ON. WINDOWS WORK, RADIO WORKS, LIGHT ON DASH TURN ON. GO TO START THE CAR AND IT DOES NOTHING. DOES NOT EVEN TRY TO START THE STARTER MAKES NO NOISE. YOU JUST HERE A CLICKING NOISE. WAS TOLD BE DEALER THAT IT MIGHT BE INHIBITOR SWITCH (RANGE SWITCH), THAT WAS REPLACED AND A WEEK LATER IT AGAIN WILL NOT TRY TO START. IF YOU LET IT SIT AND COME BACK A DAY LATER MANY TIME IT WILL CRANK RIGHT OVER. THERE ARE MANY FORUMS ONLINE WITH THE SAME ISSUE FROM THIS MODEL.

NHTSA ODI 10763357

Jul 17, 2015Engine

MY VEHICLE WILL NOT START. IT HAPPENS ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS AND I HAVE TO TRY SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BEFORE MY VEHICLE WILL START. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO BE CHECK AND EVERYTHING TESTED FINE. NO LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD INDICATED AN ERROR AND NO CODES COULD BE DETECTED. NOT SURE WHAT IS GOING ON BUT I HAVE A INFANT CHILD AND I CANNOT BE SOMEWHERE OR TRYING TO GO SOMEWHERE ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY WITH MY CHILD AND MY VEHICLE REFUSES TO START AND YET ALL THE LIGHTS COME ON HOWEEVER MY ENGINE WOULD NOT START UPON TURNING MY KEY WHILE IN THE IGNITION. PLEASE FIX BECAUSE I SAW ON YOUTUBE AND OTHER FORUMS OF THIS SAME COMPLAINT AND I AM SURE HYUNDAI IS AWARE OF THESE COMPLAINTS BUT ARE FAILING TO DO SOMETHING AND THIS CAN BECOME A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. PLEASE ADDRESS!!! 2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

NHTSA ODI 10734902

Apr 29, 2015Engine

PROBLEM STARTING CAR. USUALLY HAVE TO TRY 2 TIMES BEFORE IT WILL START. TRIED TODAY 4/29/15 AND WOULD NOT START AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON., HAD NO PROBLEM THE DAY BEFORE WITH CAR STARTING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10713562

Apr 12, 2015Engine

WHEN I START THE ENGINE IT MAKES A VERY LOUD RATTLING NOISE AND WHEN I DRIVE AND I PUSH ON GAS IT IS RATTLES. IT SOUNDS MORE LIKE GRINDING LOUD NOISE TOO. MOTOR KNOCKS WHEN YOU START IT UP AND NOW FOR THE LAST WEEK WHEN I START IT THE CAR WILL SPUTTER AND THEN SHOT OFF. SOMETIMES WILL TAKE MANY TIMES FOR IT TO EVEN START. IT WILL RPM VERY HIGH EVEN WHEN I AM NOT MOVING. I HAVE HAD ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR NOW BC OF THE ISSUES I AM USING MORE GAS. I HAVE A LITTLE UNDER 80 THOUSAND MILES ON IT AND IT WILL LEAVE ME SET. WONDERING IF ANYONE KNOWS OF ANY RECALLS ON THIS STUFF OR KNOW WHAT COULD BE WRONG WITH IT AND IF HYUNDAI STILL DOES LIFE TIME WARRANTY... THANKS *TR

NHTSA ODI 10705195

Feb 21, 2015Electrical systemEngine

I BOUGHT MY HYUNDAI ELANTRA NEW IN 2011 SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE IT'S BEEN A NIGHTMARE AND I GET VERY LITTLE IF ANY HELP FROM THE LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE NOT STARTING (CAR IS SILENT WHEN I TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, CAR CRANKS BUT WON'T TURN OVER, ENGINE STARTS BUT DIES, CAR DIES WITHOUT ANY REASON). I'VE BROUGHT UP COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP BUT THEY ARE NEVER OF ANY HELP. I RECENTLY HAD TO HAVE THE STARTER REPLACED BUT IT WAS ONLY REPLACED BECAUSE MY CAR ONE DAY WOULDN'T START AT ALL. SINCE THE REPLACEMENT I AM STILL MET WITH MY CAR NOT STARTING AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK IF NOT MORE. YESTERDAY MY SUN ROOF WOULD NOT CLOSE COMPLETELY, IT RETRACTS A FEW INCHES FROM CLOSING, THIS IS NOT NEW TO ME, MULTIPLE INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL ISSUES, SUCH AS IS OCCURRING NOW - THE SUN ROOF RETRACTING ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ANY VISIBLE REASON. OR WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT IS PUT IN PARK/REVERSE, ETC. SUNROOF WILL TAKE ON A MIND OF ITS OWN. I'M FED UP WITH THIS LEMON OF A CAR AND AS I SEE FROM ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT STARTING ISSUES HYUNDAI NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT - FIGURE OUT THE REASON WHY AND LET US CONSUMERS KNOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10689784

Feb 1, 2015Engine

THE CAR WON'T START AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRING INCIDENT FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. WHEN IT HAS HAPPENED I WAS LEFT STRANDED AND I HAD TO GET A TOW TRUCK IN SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE IRONY IS THAT AFTER THE TOW TRUCK DELIVERS THE CAR TO THE DESTINATION THE CAR WILL START NORMALLY. THIS ISSUE IS DRIVING ME CRAZY. I ALSO TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY NEVER SEEM TO FIND ANY PROBLEMS. THERE ARE NO ERROR CODES AND THEY CAN'T REPRODUCE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH IN THE WEB, I SEE SEVERAL REPORTED CASES LIKE MINE AND WITH SIMILAR DIAGNOSTICS AND OUTCOME. IT SEEMS IT IS RELATED TO THE INHIBITOR SWITCH OR RANGE SWITCH AND IT HAS BEEN REPORTED ON SEVERAL HYUNDAI MODELS LIKE ELANTRA, SONATA, VELOSTER, ETC... THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE AND FIX IT IMMEDIATELY. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER ONE OF THESE KOREAN CARS AGAIN. THE SERVICE IS AWFUL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10680302

Dec 14, 2014SteeringEngine

CAR WOULD NOT START. CHECKED ALL CONNECTIONS, BATTERY WAS FINE. CONSULTED INTERNET, MANY COMPLAINTS MENTIONED A FAULTY "RANGE SWITCH". HYUNDAI SHOULD RECALL. CLICKING NOISE WHEN TURNING RIGHT. CAR WAS AT DEALERSHIP ON 1/9/14 AT 40,285 MILES. ISSUE WAS NOT RESOLVED. TOOK CAR IN AGAIN TO DEALERSHIP 3/4/2014 AT 41,775 MILES. STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. ISSUE WAS NOT RESOLVED AS ONGOING CLICKING NOISE PERSISTS TO PRESENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10664139

Sep 22, 2014Engine

ALL THE DASH LIGHTS GO ON AND ENGINE WILL NOT TURN OVER. IT HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. FIRST TIME IT FINALLY TURNED OVER ON THIRD TRY; SECOND TIME HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER AND WHEN THEY WENT TO WORK ON IT, IT STARTED. THIRD TIME IT WOULDN'T START AND IN DESPERATION I TRIED TO MOVE STEERING WHEEL AND GEAR SHIFTER AND NEXT TRY IT STARTED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10638069

Jun 27, 2014SuspensionTransmission & drivetrainEngine

ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AT IDLE .. BUY 89 OCTANE GAS IN THE WINTER TIME. DRIVE SHAFT IS DEFECTIVE.....BUY A NEW BEARING AND DRIVE SHAFT FROM THE DEALER AND MAKE CERTAIN THE NEW ONE IS NOT DEFECTIVE. I REPLACED THE BEARING ONLY AND IT APPEARS TO BE FINE, FOR NOW. .......TIRES WEAR OUT EXTREMELY FAST....BUY NEW SHOCKS AND STRUTS EARLIER THAN YOU HAD TO ON THE MORE EXPENSIVE FOREIGN CARS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10606502

Jan 19, 2014Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

MY HYUNDAI ELANTRA HAS HAD SEVERAL ISSUES SINCE PURCHASING IT MARCH 09, 2013. CHIEF COMPLAINTS ARE MY VEHICLE WILL NOT START. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY INFORMED ME TO POP OFF THE SHIFT LOCK BUTTON ON GEAR SHAFT AND MY CAR STARTED. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER EVALUATION AND WAS INFORMED IT WAS A RELAY SWITCH, WHICH WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY. PAID $260.00 TO HAVE THIS PART FIXED AND MY CAR STILL HAS PROBLEMS STARTING. I HAVE BEEN STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES AND UNABLE TO START MY VEHICLE. SECOND COMPLAINT IS MY CAR IS NOT GETTING THE GAS MILEAGE IT IS SUPPOSED TO. SPOKE TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS WELL. THEY INFORMED ME TO ONLY USE SHELL GASOLINE. I STILL DO NOT RECEIVE THE GAS MILEAGE I WAS PROMISED UPON PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS ENCOUNTERED EITHER ONE OF THESE ISSUES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10560536

Sep 3, 2013SuspensionAirbagsBody & structureEngineCrash

FRONT OF ELANTRA TRAVELING AT 40 MPH HIT ANOTHER CAR ENTERING 4 LANE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE.(T-BONED") THE CAR WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. NONE OF THE HEAD , FRONT OR SEAT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.

NHTSA ODI 10538585

Mar 27, 2013Transmission & drivetrainEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED AND THE GEAR SECURED IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD BUT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10504679

Aug 3, 2012Electrical systemEngine

WHEN TURNING LEFT AT A BUSY INTERSECTION, THE CAR STALLED. I COULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL. THE AIRCONDITIONING WAS STILL RUNNING AND THE CAR WAS OTHERWISE ON BUT IT COMPLETELY STALLED. I HAD TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON IN ORDER FOR THE CAR TO ACCELERATE. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET AND THE CAR STALLED AGAIN WITH ALL THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS AS BEFORE. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10469073

Jun 20, 2012Speed controlEngine

I WAS TURNING FROM GAS STATION ONTO ROAD, CROSSING 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC WHEN VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND I WAS NEARLY BROAD-SIDED. ALL DASH LIGHTS CAME ON, AND AC AND RADIO WERE ON, BUT ENGINE HAD STALLED. AFTER CALLING HYUNDAI USA I TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, REPORTED AS STALLING AT LOW SPEED AND ROUGH IDLE. HYUNDAI USA REPRESENTATIVE SAID NO PROBLEMS LIKE THIS REPORTED. ALSO SERVICE ADVISER REPORTED NEVER HEARING OF THE PROBLEM WHEN TOOK INTO DEALERSHIP, DESPITE NUMEROUS REPORTS I HAD PRINTED OFF THE INTERNET. IN FACT SAID "WE DON'T ACKNOWLEDGE INTERNET REPORTS AS BEING VALID". *JS

NHTSA ODI 10462448

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Working with the data? Download all 459 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Hyundai Elantra Gt verdict →