What 1,293 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Hyundai Elantra Gt

DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON AT START OF VEHICLE. ALSO EVERY EXTERIOR LIGHTS COMES ON AS DO INTERNAL DASHBOARD LIGHTS GET DIMMER WHICH CAN AFFECT SEEING MY MILEAGE, FUEL, AND RADIATOR.

NHTSA ODI 10717243

MY 2013 ELANTRA GT CAME EQUIPPED WITH FACTORY DRL'S (DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS). READING THE OWNERS MANUAL COMPLETELY, I'VE FOUND THE INFO ON THE LIGHT SWITCH STALK SETTINGS MISLEADING & DOESN'T OFFER A CLEAR EXPLANATION.. THE LIGHT SWITCH INDICATES POSITIONS FOR, "DRL OFF, PARKING LAMPS & HEADLAMPS", BUT THE ONLY WAY TO OPERATE DRL'S ARE WHILE PARKING LAMPS SWITCHED ON. THAT MEANS, DRL'S ALONG WITH FULL NIGHTTIME ILLUMINATION OF EVERY EXTERIOR LIGHT EXCEPT HEADLAMPS, INCLUDING FRONT & REAR PARKING LIGHTS, SIDE MARKER LAMPS & LICENSE PLATE LAMPS. I FIND THE "LIMITED" MODELS HAVE AUTOMATIC HEADLAMPS CONTROL & ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THEIR DRL'S RUN INDEPENDENT OF OTHER EXTERIOR LAMPS. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER WITH THIS CONCERN & WAS TOLD, IT IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS MODEL (EXCLUDING THE LIMITED MODELS). IT IS ILLEGAL IN SOME STATES TO RUN PARKING LAMPS, PLUS IN ORDER TO HAVE DRL'S ON, THE VEHICLE MUST PROVIDE EXTRA POWER (REDUCED MPG'S) TO RUN ALL THOSE OTHER LAMPS, REDUCES BULB LIFE, ETC. IN ADDITION, THE DASH LIGHT ILLUMINATION DOES NOT DIM FROM FULL-BRIGHT WHEN HEADLAMPS ARE SWITCHED ON. THERE IS A MANUAL DIMMER SWITCH, BUT DIMMING MUST BE RAISED/LOWERED EACH TIME BEFORE DRIVING IN DAY OR NIGHT CONDITIONS. WHAT OTHER VEHICLE DOES THIS? THESE THINGS SEEM TO BE AN OVERSIGHT ON THE PART OF HYUNDAI. NO INDICATION OR DISCERNIBLE DIFFERENCES ON INSTRUMENTATION WHETHER DRL PARKING LAMPS OR HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. *TR

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THERE ARE NO TRUE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS AS ADVERTISED SINCE ONE HAS TO TURN ON ALL THE OTHER RUNNING LIGHTS (AMBER FOR FRONT, RED IN REAR) IN ORDER FOR THE LOW BEAM "DRLS" TO FUNCTION. THIS IS ILLEGAL TO DO IN SOME STATES AND DRIVERS HAVE BEEN STOPPED, WARNED, AND EVEN TICKETED FOR THIS. THIS IS BOTH A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AS WELL AS GROSS MISADVERTISING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10668710

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR. IT WAS A DARK ROAD IN THE NIGHT. PERHAPS SHE DIDN'T SEE THE STOP SIGN AND CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE COMING FROM RIGHT HAND SIDE, GOING IN THE SAME DIRECTION MY WIFE WAS GOING. MY WIFE CRASHED THE OTHER VEHICLE FROM BEHIND. IT WAS SERIOUS CRASH IN WHICH THE ENTIRE FRONT PORTION OF THE CAR IS DAMAGED. BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT COME OUT. MY WIFE HAD HER HEAD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND HAD AN INJURY. MY COMPLAINT IS "WHY DID THE AIR BAG NOT INFLATE IN SUCH A SERIOUS CRASH?" ..UPDATED 10/06/14 *BF. UPDATED 05/13/2015 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10639325

THIS CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS, BUT THERE IS NO WAY TO TURN THEM ON WITHOUT ALSO TURNING ON THE PARKING LIGHTS. WHEN THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS AND PARKING LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED, THE TAILLIGHTS ARE ON AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS DIMMED SO THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO READ. THIS CREATES AN UNSAFE AND IN SOME STATES (CALIFORNIA AND OTHERS) ILLEGAL SITUATION IF THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10563151

TWO ISSUES: (1) I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON MAY 26, 2013. I FOUND OUT THAT THE GOV. HAD ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE ELANTRA MODELS BUILT FROM 11-12-2010 THROUGH 3-5-2013. MY CAR WAS ASSEMBLED ON FEB, 22, 2013. I WAS NEVER TOLD ABOUT THIS AT TIME OF PURCHASE AND HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION FROM HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA. THE DEALERS ARE NOT RESPONSIVE. (2) THE "AUTO-DIMMING REARVIEW MIRROR WITH HOMELINK & COMPASS" RARELY FUNCTIONS. REAL PROBLEM IS THAT MIRROR IMAGE AND HEADLIGHTS ARE SAME INTENSITY/ CLARITY WHETHER UNIT IS TURNED ON OR OFF--VERY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT. THE DEALER I PURCHASED CAR FROM AND ANOTHER DEALER REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10559703

THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS ON MY NEW 2013 ELANTRA DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON AUTOMATICALLY. THE OWNER'S MANUAL DOESN'T PROVIDE CORRECT INFORMATION ON HOW THIS FEATURE WORKS. THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS IS TO TURN ON THE PARKING LIGHTS, WHICH ALSO MEANS THE TAIL LIGHTS AND THE DASH LIGHTS COME ON. HOW CAN A DEALER CLAIM THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHT FEATURE IS INCLUDED WHEN IT TRULY ISN'T. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND NO WAY ARE THESE TRULY DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS. WHY NO RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM?? *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH IN A DIM AREA, THE LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHTING APPEARED TO BE DIMMER THAN NORMAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE POSED AS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE HE RESIDED IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE CONTACT'S CONCERNS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WERE NOT ENGAGING AUTOMATICALLY WHEN STARTING THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE PARKING LIGHTS NEEDED TO BE ACTIVATED IN ORDER FOR THE DAYLIGHT RUNNING LIGHTS TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10542249

CAR IS ADVERTISED AS HAVING DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS (DRL'S). THE DRL'S DO NOT OPERATE NORMALLY ON MY 2013 HYUNDAI ELANTRA COUPE AS THEY ARE NOT ON "AUTOMATICALLY" WHEN DRIVING. IF THE LIGHT STALK IS IN THE OFF POSITION THE DRL'S ARE OFF. WHEN I TURN THE DRL'S ON, THE PARKING LIGHTS (AMBER SIDE LIGHTS AND THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS) ARE TURNED ON AS WELL. IN ADDITION TO IT BEING ILLEGAL IN SOME STATES TO DRIVE WITH PARKING LIGHTS ON THIS SETUP MAKES MY BRAKE LIGHTS LESS NOTICEABLE DURING THE DAY (WHEN I DO BRAKE) AS THEY ARE ALREADY LIT UP. ALSO, WHEN TURNING THE DRL'S ON, THE INTERIOR GAUGE LIGHTS ARE AUTOMATICALLY DIMMED WHICH IS A FEATURE FOR NIGHT DRIVING, NOT DAYTIME DRIVING WITH DRL'S. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10508036

I JUST BOUGHT THE 2013 LIMITED HYUNDAI ELANTRA OVER THE EASTER WEEKEND, ON 3/31/13. TWO DAYS AFTER BUYING IT, I NOTICED THE LIGHT IN THE DASH SHOWING WHETHER THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON OR NOT WAS NO LONGER WORKING, BUT I PUT IT UP TO THE FACT I WAS DRIVING AT DAWN/DUSK AND THEY WERE PROBABLY NOT "ON" EVEN THOUGH THE DRIVING LIGHTS WERE ON AND SHOWING AS "ON". HOWEVER ON 4/6/13 WHEN DRIVING AT 10PM AT NIGHT WITH THE HEADLIGHTS MOST CERTAINLY "ON" THE INDICATOR LIGHT STILL DID NOT COME ON. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10507443

CAR CLAIMS IT HAS DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS, YET IT REALLY DOESN'T. YOU HAVE TO TURN ON THE PARKING LIGHTS FOR THE DRL TO ACTUALLY COME ON. SO THEN YOU HAVE THE PARKING LIGHTS ON FRONT, REAR TAILLIGHTS AS WELL AS THE DRL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, I BELIEVE SOME STATES HAVE LAWS AGAINST RUNNING PARKING LIGHTS ON CLEAR DAYS? OTHER CARS I HAVE OWN, THE DRL COMES ON AUTOMATICALLY WHEN DRIVING. CALLED HYUNDAI AND DEALERSHIP, GOT THE BRUSH OFF AS THAT IS JUST THE WAY IT IS. ACTUALLY AFTER SOME RESEARCH I FOUND THAT A SOFTWARE CHANGE MADE IN MID 2012 IS WHAT DID THIS ISSUE. SHOULD BE A RECALL! IT IS ALSO A MIS-LEADING SALES, WHAT NEXT, MUST ROLL WINDOW DOWN FOR THE A/C TO COME ON? *TR

NHTSA ODI 10504239

CAR IS ADVERTISED AS HAVING DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS, BUT THE DRL ONLY TURNS ON WITH THE PARKING LIGHTS. DEALER AND HYUNDAI BOTH STATE THIS IS NORMAL FOR THE CAR. THIS NOT HOW ANY OTHER CAR I HAVE DRIVEN IS LIKE. USING PARKING LIGHTS DURING THE DAY IS ILLEGAL IN MANY STATES. *TR

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TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BASED ON THE MONRONEY STICKER, THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS HOWEVER, THERE WERE NONE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED TO SWITCH THE VEHICLE WITH ANOTHER ONE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD TO DRIVE WITH THE TAIL LIGHTS RUNNING DURING THE DAYTIME BECAUSE THERE WERE NO DAY TIME RUNNING LAMPS EQUIPPED ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8. KMJ *TR UPDATED 5/7/13 *CN

NHTSA ODI 10503590

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS. ONE OF THE FEATURES ON THE STICKER CLAIMS THAT THERE ARE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. THE SWITCH THAT TURNS ON/OFF THE HEADLIGHTS IS ALSO THE "DRL OFF/ON" SWITCH. I CONTACTED HYUNDAI VIA EMAIL AND THEY REFER ME TO THE OWNERS MANUAL. IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA ITS ILLEGAL TO DRIVE WITH THE PARKING LIGHTS ON DURING THE DAY (UNLESS IT'S RAINING OR VISIBILITY IS HUNDRED. I BELIEVE IT MAY BE ILLEGAL IN OTHER STATES ALSO. THESE ARE NOT DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. THE STICKER ON THE CAR MAY CLAIM IT HAS DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS, BUT ITS MISS LEADING AND IT SEEMS AS A LIE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10501881

THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT DRL SYSTEM ON THIS CAR IS FLAWED. A PROPER DRL SYSTEM REQUIRES NO USER ACTION TO ACTIVATE AND ONLY ILLUMINATES THE LOWER BEAM LIGHTS. ON MY 2013 ELANTRA, YOU HAVE TO TURN THE LIGHTING STALK TO THE PARKING LAMP POSITION IN ORDER TO ACTIVATE THEM AND WHEN YOU DO, THE LOW BEAMS AND ALL 4 PARKING LAMPS ILLUMINATE. THIS IS NOT HOW IT IS SUPPOSED TO WORK. ALSO MY BATTERY RAN DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY AND THE TOW DRIVER SAID IT STRAINS THE BATTERY WHEN YOU LEAVE THE STALK IN AN "ON" POSITION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10487703

PURCHASED A NEW 2013 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS 4 DOOR. ONCE A PERSON TURNS ON THEIR DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ALL OF THE VEHICLES PARKING LIGHTS TURN ON AS WELL. NO OTHER CAR MANUFACTURE HAS MANDATED ALL THIS ILLUMINATION DURING DAYTIME HOURS. ON AUGUST 3RD 2012 AT 11:40AM I WAS ISSUED A MOVING VIOLATION BY A LOS ANGELES POLICE OFFICER IN THE CITY OF VAN NUYS, C.A. I WAS CITED FOR VIOLATING CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE SECTION 24800 WHICH STATES "NO VEHICLE SHALL BE DRIVEN AT ANY TIME WITH THE PARKING LAMPS LIGHTED EXCEPT WHEN THE LAMPS ARE BEING USED AS TURN SIGNAL LAMPS OR WHEN THE HEADLAMPS ARE ALSO ILLUMINATED". I EXPLAINED THE SCENARIO TO MY LAWYER AND HE ADVISED ME THAT THE CITATION IS VALID BECAUSE IN C.A. THE WORD HEADLAMPS IN VC SECTION 24800 IS INTERPRETED BY THE COURTS AS THE VEHICLES PRIMARY SOURCE OF FORWARD ILLUMINATION AND DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS DO NOT FALL INTO THIS PRIMARY SOURCE CATEGORY. TO AVOID FUTURE CITATIONS I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT IF YOU OPERATE ANY 2013+ HYUNDAI PRODUCT DO NOT USE THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT FEATURE BECAUSE THE PARKING LIGHTS WILL LIGHT UP AND YOU WILL BE SUBJECT TO A CITATION. I ADVISED HYUNDAI VIA A RECORDED PHONE CALL ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. IF THEY DO NOT TAKE PROPER ACTION TO CORRECT THIS THEY WILL BE CONSIDERED NEGLIGENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10469269

I RECENTLY GOT A NEW HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS. THE STICKER CLAIMS THAT THERE ARE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER TO FIND OUT WHY THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ON MY CAR DO NOT COME ON, THEY COULD NOT FIGURE IT OUT AND SUGGESTED I CALL HYUNDAI. THE SAME SWITCH THAT TURNS OFF THE HEADLIGHTS IS ALSO THE "DRL OFF" SWITCH. THERE IS NO SEPARATE "DRL ON" SWITCH. THE HYUNDAI CASE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT ON THE AMERICAN-MADE MODELS IT IS NECESSARY TO TURN THE PARKING LIGHTS ON, AND THAT THIS IS THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT SYSTEM. EVERY CAR HAS PARKING LIGHTS; THEY ARE NOT ON WHENEVER A VEHICLE IS RUNNING AND MUST BE TURNED ON. THESE ARE NOT DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ON WHENEVER THE HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT ON. THE STICKER ON THE CAR MAY CLAIM THAT THE CAR HAS DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS A LIE; THERE ARE NO DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ON THE CAR. A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY FEATURE HAS BEEN LEFT OFF THE CAR. *TT

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN COMPLETING A LEFT TURN, THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL WOULD CONTINUE TO FLASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO ASSIST WITH THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,100.

NHTSA ODI 10459463

I GOT THIS CAR A FEW DAYS AGO. THE WINDOW STICKER CLAIMS IT HAS DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. THE LIGHTING STOCK HAS THREE OPTIONS. THE OPTIONS ARE "DRL OFF, DAYTIME LIGHTS, AND NIGHT TIME LIGHTS." WHEN DAYTIME LIGHTS ARE ACTIVATED, IT ACTIVATES THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS, BUT ALSO ACTIVATES REAR LIGHTS AND DIMS INTERIOR GAUGE LIGHTS TO "NIGHT LIGHTING" LEVELS. THIS POSES SEVERAL SAFETY RISKS. FIRSTLY, PEOPLE MAY STRUGGLE TO READ INTERIOR GAUGES WHEN DRIVING DURING THE DAY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A COLLISION. SECONDLY, THE ACTIVATED REAR LIGHTS ADDS CONFUSION DURING THE DAY AND COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF OTHER MOTORISTS CRASHING INTO THE REAR. *TT

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