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2016 Hyundai Elantra

The Verdict

45 Proceed with Caution

The 2016 Hyundai Elantra has 285 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are engine (117 complaints) and body (102 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 45/100, it earns a "Proceed with Caution" rating. If you're shopping for a Hyundai Elantra, consider the 2025 model year which has 92% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2025 has 92% fewer complaints

View the 2025 Hyundai Elantra dashboard →

45

Klunk Score: Proceed with Caution

About average for complaint volume. Research the specific issues before buying.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
2000626615519
2001122251283517
200216233934316
20031072555389
2004308118197
2005311079116
200626318287
20071363070228
200810246618224
20091662463188
201025742922831
20111924210110517
20122147419215230
201350721826125834
201481584417411
2015764327989
2016102104111715
2017315398929323
2018729301549
2019325731284
20205294110631
202168830164
202254617105
202337623204
20242421781
2025141230

By Category

Engine
117
Body
102
Electrical
41
Transmission
15
Brakes
10

By Severity

1
122
2
134
3
3
4
26

Worst Problems

Compare Against

See how the 2016 Hyundai Elantra stacks up against rivals.

Complaints

Transmission 2

2016 Hyundai Elantra (75k miles) experiences severe, un-commanded Loss of Propulsive Power and a Severe Drivetrain Instability Hazard. At steady highway speeds, the automatic transmission completely loses hydraulic pressure, slips out of gear, and unexpectedly drops into a temporary "neutral." The engine suddenly revs up to high RPM on its own while losing all forward acceleration. After coasting helplessly, it violently slams back into gear, causing the vehicle to lurch forward. This also happens from a complete stop.The vehicle's OBD-II system fails to illuminate the Check Engine Light or store fault codes during these flares, providing zero warning before a loss of propulsion.This dangerous transmission slipping has occurred intermittently for several years. I repeatedly took it to an authorized Hyundai dealership to address this crash hazard. Because there was no active Check Engine Light, the dealership dismissed my concerns, refused to document it, and sent me away without a diagnosis. Recently, the service department acted in bad faith by misrepresenting my warranty terms (falsely claiming it was only 7 years) and refusing a live-data diagnostic scan. The bad faith dealership was Murdock Hyundai of Murray in [XXX], specifically the service manager Tyler as well as Krateton. The car is a verified vehicle under the Hyundai Nu 1.8L Piston Slap Class Action Settlement (TXXK Campaign). An official safety escalation case is open with Hyundai Motor America under my corporate case number XXX. I request a federal safety investigation into premature transmission pressure failure in 2016 Elantras, as this vehicle is entirely unsafe to operate. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

10d ago
Body 2

My driver side window has not been working for almost 3 years now. I have taken it to 4 mechanics and they fix it but only last a couple days. They have all say they can’t really do anything about it since they need an original piece. My AC is another issue I have that I have tried fixing 3 times now. The same issue happens they fix it and it last about a week or so. The longest it has lasted was 2 weeks. The mechanics each say it needs a new compressor and I’ve bought 3 new compressor already. I’m not sure what to do anymore.

23d ago
Body 2

The car turns off while driving it without warning or anything. Place where I got it don’t want to fix it

1mo ago
Electrical 2

The vehicle's security system malfunctioned immediately after service at Parks Hyundai of Gainesville on 05/27/26 for Recall 256 & Campaign P33. The alarm blares & emergency lights flash while I am driving on public roads. This defect first presented in the dealership parking lot upon pickup. This creates a severe safety risk: the high-decibel alarm is a major distraction, the flashing lights confuse other motorists, & the malfunction prevents me from using turn signals, violating safety protocols. I demonstrated this to the service manager on 06/10/26. While the technician acknowledged the defect during a road test & performed a 'cap reset' (documented on the repair order), this attempt failed to resolve the issue. Despite this, the service manager refuses to acknowledge the defect, claiming it is an 'intended feature' of a 2023 recall at a different facility (993). This contradicts the technician's findings & my years of incident-free driving until the work on 05/27/26. The dealership initially omitted my return visit from their records, only acknowledging it after I confronted them in writing. An independent shop confirmed this electrical failure likely stems from P33, but requires proprietary dealer tools to diagnose. Attached video proves the vehicle runs while the alarm blares, confirming no relation to old Campaign 993 logic. Attached Repair Order proves the technician acknowledged the defect & attempted a repair. Despite this, the service manager ignores the documentation, his own technician's findings, & my demonstrations, blaming my locking habits while refusing a deep diagnostic. After 16 days in their possession, neither the dealer nor manufacturer has provided a remedy. If this malfunction were an intended feature, it would be an ongoing hazard; it creates a distraction, causes a panic response, & prevents the adequate use of turn signals while in operation. The vehicle is unsafe, & the dealership & manufacturer have failed to provide a valid repair.

1mo ago
Engine 2

Car randomly will not start or will start but have no RPM's. Last year showed a crank shaft sensor code and had it replaced but car is doing it again.

2mo ago
Engine 1

Unknown

2mo ago
Body 1

THE BACK DOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT LATCH PROPERLY. THE DOOR WILL TRY TO CLOSE BUT YOU HAVE TO KEEP SLAMMING THE DOOR UNTIL IT WILL FINALLY LATCH. I ONCE DROVE A FEW FEET AND THE DOOR HAD TO BE HELD SHUT. IT FINALLY CLOSED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED LAST YEAR (2025) ONCE I READ ON REDDIT THAT A TSB/EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS ISSUED. BUT I WAS TOLD THAT IT DIDN'T COVER MY VEHICLE AND IF I BROUGHT IT IN, A DIAGNOSTIC FEE AND FEE TO FIX IT WOULD BE CHARGED. SO I DO NOT OPEN THAT DOOR ANYMORE, BUT THAT IS NOT SAFE. I''M AFRAID IT WILL OPEN AT SOME POINT WHILE I AM DRIVING.

3mo ago
Body 1

Car just turns off randomly. This has happened at least 6 times within a month. Once on a highway. Last time it turned off a strange sound was coming out of the car also.

3mo ago
Engine 2

So I have a suspicion oh a connecting rod, might be a bearing but it’s making a tik tik noise, no other issue than that, no engine light no nothing, been doing it for a while but car still goes great

5mo ago
Body 1

Issue: Hyundai recall denial for paint peeling defect My vehicle qualifies for the Hyundai paint-peeling recall, and the paint deterioration matches the defect described by Hyundai. Despite this, Hyundai has denied my recall repair twice. Approximately 2 1/2 years before the recall was issued, I applied a small touch-up to the affected area to slow the deterioration. This was done solely to protect the vehicle and occurred long before any recall existed. Hyundai is now using that minor touch-up as a reason to deny the recall repair, even though the underlying paint defect was already present. The paint continues to peel and worsen. Hyundai's refusal to honor the recall appears unreasonable and inconsistent with the purpose of a safety/defect recall, especially since the touch-up did not cause the defect and was done years before Hyundai acknowledged the issue. I am requesting that NHTSA review Hyundai's handling of this recall and their denial of legitimate claims.

5mo ago
Body 1

My car turned off while it was in drive. The oil pressure light flashed on for a second then disappeared. The car did not have anything else seem like it is wrong. I was put in dangers way because it turned off right before I was about to turn onto a very busy street and if it had done that in the middle of the street I would have gotten into an accident.

5mo ago
Electrical 2

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the air bag warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic, who informed the contact of a Manufacturer's Extended Warranty Coverage for the failure and referred the contact to the local dealer for assistance. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under the extended warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 53,600.

5mo ago
Brakes 2

No accident has occurred as of yet (for my case). Ongoing issues with Hyundai left brake bulb and center brake bulb burning out due to over-amperage. These two are on their own 10A circuit separate from the 5A circuit for the right brakelight bulb. It appears that these two bulbs are possibly receiving 15A and therefore burning out prematurely (3 months or less). I recently replaced these two bulbs at the same time, and now my battery is shorted. To keep my battery charged, I need to pull my 15A Brake Lamp fuse while the car is parked. This has now caused my ABS light to come on, as that system relies on the signal from the 15A brake lamp circuit. I suspect that some 15A components (10A+5A) received 20A (15A+5A) and welded shut. I am still looking for it to trace it down, resources are limited and I'm intent on just buying the $35 diagnostics book. Hyundai dealership did not inform me that this fuse was pulled while I drove home from the shop yesterday, creating an unsafe condition. They quoted me $500 to replace a brake lamp relay and the ABS (I'm assuming the whole ABS, but maybe just the control module), I declined. My plan for now, as this car isn't driven much, is to trace it down and find the shorted component. From my research, this is clearly affecting many years of Hyundais and Kias, not just my Elantra and not just my year. In fact, it's SO common that there are facebook groups (such as this one [XXX] ) dedicated to helping owners remedy this defect. I think a recall service, and a full investigation of what is electrically wrong with these cars, and what the actual remedy should be, is necessary based on the amount of cars that could be impacted. Hyundai & Kia technicians I am SURE are intimately knowledgeable about this issue by now and us owners are on the hook, having only 80,000 miles of warranty on anything purchased used. Please reach out with any add'l questions. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

6mo ago
Engine 1

I received confirmation from my local Hyundai dealership that my 2016 Hyundai Elantra GT is consuming over 1.8 quarts of oil every 1000 miles. The mileage is currently 70k miles. This is not the result of lack of maintenance or neglect but because of Hyundais engine design. I was told by the local dealership that I would need a total engine re build. This was the only option to fix the issue 100%. I was told that if the issue is not fixed it will result in engine failure. Hyundai is not recalling their engines or acknowledging the inherent danger this will cause. I am at my engines will if I cannot afford this repair because Hyundai won’t honor the Powertrain warranty.

6mo ago
Engine 1

While driving on the freeway at normal highway speed, the vehicle experienced a sudden and catastrophic engine failure. The engine immediately lost power, and the vehicle shut down within seconds. There was no prior warning or opportunity to take corrective action. The vehicle became completely disabled and could not be driven. This occurred late at night with limited traffic, and I was LUCKY to be near a freeway exit. I was able to coast toward the exit, but the engine seized fully, resulting in total loss of propulsion and blocking the freeway exit ramp. Law enforcement had to assist due to the disabled vehicle creating a traffic obstruction and safety hazard. A tow truck was required to remove the vehicle because it could not be restarted or moved. Under normal traffic conditions, this sudden loss of engine power at freeway speed could have resulted in a SERIOUS, potentially FATAL COLLISION. The outcome depended on luck, timing, and location rather than any safety system functioning as intended. The engine was later diagnosed by an authorized Hyundai dealership as seized due to internal failure. Hyundai denied warranty coverage because a software safety campaign had not been completed prior to the failure, even though the failure occurred suddenly and without warning, leaving no opportunity to complete the campaign. However, at the time of the failure, the NHTSA recall lookup tool showed ZERO unrepaired recalls associated with this vehicle’s VIN. The campaign referenced by Hyundai is intended only to detect certain engine conditions and does not repair engine defects. In this case, the engine failed before any detection or warning could occur. The vehicle had just been refueled and was equipped with four brand-new tires, confirming it was being operated normally. This incident involved an unexpected and complete loss of engine power at freeway speed due to an apparent engine defect, presenting a SERIOUS SAFETY RISK to the driver and other motorists.

6mo ago
Engine 2

Engine turns off unexpectedly when driving. all power steering and brakes stop working when engine itself off. entire engine, drive train, and vehicle shakes while driving. Transmission is a replacement as first one failed after 90 days of purchase. paid labor for replacement and waited over 6 weeks without a vehicle. Now replaced oem transmission slips out of gear. making vehicle difficult to drive as the transmission and engine sputter and make ride jerky. car has turned off on the freeway in traffic 3 times. almost causing an accident each time. car has been robbed at least 5 separate times. stealing items within the vehicle. car was locked and next day it is unlocked and my stuff all gone. i am scared to drive the vehicle. i believe it is a lemon.

7mo ago
Electrical 4

On [XXX] I was struck by a OVI driver at 50mph the side airbags deployed however the front airbag never deployed. The vehicle was totaled out my insurance company. The vehicle had no record or open recalls for the airbag and had been given a multiple point inspection in November 2024 with no issues noted. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

7mo ago
Electrical 3

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while her daughter attempted to adjust the front driver's side seat while the vehicle was turned off, the front Driver-side air bag had independently deployed. No warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact's daughter's left arm was injured on impact with the air bag. Medical attention was sought, and further medical diagnosis will be scheduled. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

8mo ago
Engine 2

The coolant system is failing after it was fully replaced in November of 2024 and i got The car of may 2025 with only two previous owners. Coolant system failing after me only have the car for 6 months when the car sat for 5 months.

8mo ago
Body 1

Unknown

8mo ago

285 total

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