Engine
1.6L 4-cyl
How to read this file. Complaint records are unverified owner submissions to the federal safety agency. Counts are raw, not adjusted for sales volume or vehicle age. Recall campaigns apply to the model; only a VIN check shows whether this car is affected or repaired. Parts shown are named by an editorial note or listed as a search directory; none is a diagnosis. Full methodology.
Fault profile
Complaint-component records on this vehicle, grouped by family. A complaint naming two systems counts once in each.
Complaints are owner-reported and not verified by the agency.
When it fails
The timing of this vehicle's reported failures, from the complaint file itself. A cluster tells you what to expect and when; it is shaped by reporting behavior as well as by the vehicle.
Vehicle age when the failure occurred
Years between the model year and the owner's reported failure date. Based on 57 of 76 complaints with a usable failure date.
Known issues
The component families with the most complaint records against this vehicle. Counts, crash and fire figures belong to the whole family, not to any single named issue. Parts listed are related system parts, not a diagnosis.
Air bags
33 complaint records20 crash reports
"UPON STARTING VEHICLE THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG EXPLODED FOR NO REASON, CAUSING THE SYSTEM TO SHUT DOWN. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse air bags parts in the directory →
Electrical system
20 complaint records1 fire report
"ALTERNATOR OVERCHARGED, CAUSING AIRFLOW SENSOR AND ECU TO BURN OUT RESULTING IN STALLING. CONSUMER HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF RECALL. (94V-090)..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse electrical system parts in the directory →
Power train
10 complaint records
"TRANSMISSION FAILURE, WON'T SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR EASLY, AND VEHICLE LURCH FORWARD WHILE DRIVING, ALL 0F A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE ACCELEATED. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse power train parts in the directory →
Federal defect investigations
Formal investigations opened by the federal safety agency into this vehicle. An investigation is the step between a complaint pattern and a recall; not every one results in one.
| Investigation | Status | Component | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| SQ96017 opened Nov 1996 | OPEN | Structure | REAR SUSPENSION FAILURE ODI HAS RECEIVED COMPLAINTS PERTAINING TO REAR SUSPENSION PROBLEMS.ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NEEDED TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE NATURE AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CANADIAN RECALL.FURTHERMORE, THIS INVESTIGATION IS OPENED TO EVALUATE HYUNDAI'S RATIONAL FOR NOT... |
| PE95060 opened Dec 1995 | closed Mar 1996 | Equipment | SCISSOR JACK FAILURE There is no summary currently available |
Recall campaigns
Safety-recall remedies are normally provided at no charge. Under US federal law the mandatory free remedy applies when the vehicle was no more than 15 years old at the time the defect was determined; manufacturers often cover older vehicles voluntarily. Canadian rules differ. Confirm eligibility with the manufacturer using the VIN. Each campaign number links to the federal record.
| Campaign | Component | Summary | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95V101000 | Air Bags | THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG WAS IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED AND COULD CAUSE THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE FROM INCREASED ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE. | Normally free |
| 94V090000 | Electrical System | IN SOME VEHICLES, THE MANUFACTURER'S PROTECTIVE INTERNAL COATING OF THE ELECTRONIC CRANK ANGLE SENSOR DOES NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS, WHICH CAN CAUSE AN OPEN CIRCUIT AT HIGH OPERATING TEMPERATURES. | Normally free |
Transport Canada recalls
Recalls issued under Canadian law for this model year, from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database. Matched by model name, so a Canadian-market variant may appear here that was sold under another name in the US. Units are Canadian vehicles affected.
| Recall | System | Units (CA) | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996156 1996-10-04 | Suspension | 23,578 | THE BOLTS FASTENING THE REAR SUSPENSION TRAILING ARM TO THE CHASSIS MAY FAIL. IF ONE OF THESE BOLTS FAIL, THE TRAILING ARM MAY BECOME DETACHED ON ONE SIDE, ALLOWING THE WHEEL TO MOVE REARWARD OF ITS INTENDED POSITION. |
| 1995143 1995-08-02 | Airbag | 678 | NOTE: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AIR BAGS. DEFECT: AFFECTED VEHICLES DO NOT HAVE A TERMINAL HOLDER FITTED TO THE FEMALE PORTION OF THE CONNECTOR WHICH CONNECTS THE CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY TO THE AIR BAG WIRING ASSEMBLY. |
Service bulletins and warranty extensions
Manufacturer communications to dealers on file with the federal agency: repair instructions, service campaigns, and warranty extensions. A warranty extension means the manufacturer may pay for a repair the recall table does not cover.
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23-BD-002H Jan 2023 | Visibility | This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of condensation inside the lamp assembly. | |
| 21-EM-003H Mar 2021 | Engine And Engine Cooling | This bulletin provides the inspection procedure and repair guidelines for certain vehicles listed below. | |
| 20-BR-002H Nov 2020 | Service Brakes | This bulletin describes the procedure to inspect and identify fluid which may appear around the brake caliper area. | |
| 20-SS-004H Nov 2020 | Wheels | This bulletin provides tire vibration service procedures, including how to optimize vehicle vibration performance. For all wheel/tire balance claims, the âTire Balance Data Sheetâ must be fully completed including imbalance and Road Force Variation (RFV) data. | |
| 20-EE-003H Apr 2020 | Electrical System | This bulletin provides information on identifying dealer stock vehicles with either: ⢠A Battery SOC alert - low Battery State of Charge (SOC) at or below 50%. ⢠A 30 Day alert - vehicle has not started and reported an SOC in 30 days. |
Show 8 more bulletins
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19-BE-011H-1 Nov 2019 | Back Over Prevention | The Blind Spot Detection (BSD) or Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW) is a system that measures the speed of and distance from the following vehicles by using two magnetic wave radar sensors attached in the rear bumper. | |
| 5NP-S9D9P-10 Sep 2016 | Power Train | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INFORMATION ON COMPONENTS, ATTRIBUTES, AND PRECAUTIONS OF THE 7-SPEED DRY-TYPE DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION (DCT). | |
| 9806-9836004 Aug 1998 | Electrical System | SHOP MANUAL ON DOHC SPARK PLUG WIRE ROUTING. *YC | |
| 9890005 Mar 1998 | Air Bags | SUBJECT ON AIRBAG REPAIR KIT PART NUMBERS. *TT | |
| 9880001 Jan 1998 | Visibility | INFORMATION ON THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE WINDOW REGULATOR. *YC | |
| 9740002 Jan 1997 | Power Train | SHIFT CONDITION CAUSED BY SHORT CIRCUIT IN INHIBITOR SWITCH. *TW | |
| 9501004 Jun 1995 | Seat Belts | SRS SYSTEM TERMINAL HOLDER INSTALLATION CAMPAIGN (26). *TW | |
| 9401014 Dec 1994 | Engine And Engine Cooling | NEW REPAIR KIT TO CORRECT ENGINE NO-START CONDITION IN COLD WEATHER. *TW |
Before you buy this vehicle
A test-drive checklist generated from this vehicle's own complaint and recall record.
- Watch the airbag warning light through a full key cycle.It should light on start and go out within seconds. A light that stays on, or never lights at all, means the system needs attention. Run the VIN for inflator recalls specifically.
- Sit in it with the engine off and test everything that has a switch.Windows, locks, lights, the cluster, the radio. Electrical faults are this vehicle's story and the hardest to see on a drive: an intermittent no-start waits for the second week of ownership. Ask for the battery's age and whether any control module has been replaced.
- Drive it from a dead stop, twice, on a hill if you can.Shudder, hesitation, or a lurch under light throttle is how this vehicle's largest complaint cluster shows itself. Then ask for the transmission service history in writing; repeat repairs are a pattern, not a fluke.
- Run the VIN against open recalls before you negotiate.This vehicle has 2 recall campaigns on file. An open recall needs VIN-specific confirmation. Many are quick, no-charge fixes and worth negotiating over; an unresolved do-not-drive advisory, or a remedy the manufacturer has not yet made available, should stop the purchase until it is resolved.
- Ask for the service history in writing, then read it against this page.The complaint families above are where owners of this vehicle report trouble. Repairs in exactly those systems are evidence the car had the problem; no such repairs could mean it never developed it, or that it was never fixed. The test-drive items above are how you tell those apart.
Parts search directory
The generic parts list for this vehicle has its own page: a search launcher for every system, filtered by fuel type and era but not by engine, trim, or brake type. It is not a diagnosis and not a fitment guarantee.
Open the parts directory for this Hyundai Elantra →