What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2005 Hyundai Elantra

Typical pattern

10.6% of complaints about the 2005 Hyundai Elantra came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2005 vehicle — around the middle of the 245 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 6.2 yr in service. The most-reported system is air bags (74 complaints), typically at 5.1 yr or about 42,000 miles.

Complaints
180
Median age at failure
6.2 yr
Median mileage
52,000 n=138
Crash / fire / tow
25.6% of reports
Safety recalls
4

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Air bags
74 reports · 42,000 mi
5.1 yr
33.8%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

09V280000 2009-07-21
Exterior lighting

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 3,011 MODEL YEAR 2005-2007 ELANTRA, TUCSON, SONATA, AZERA AND ACCENT VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A DEFECTIVE STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFT OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DE

ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

05V479000 2005-10-17
Air bags

CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) INSTALLED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY A CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT (CRS) AS AN ADULT. THIS MAY OCCUR IF THE CRS IS INSTALLED AFTER AN ADULT HAS BEEN SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. IF THERE HAS NOT BEEN A 'KEY ON' ' KEY OFF' CYCLE WITH THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT EMPTY PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF THE CRS.

THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF A CRS AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG OR SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A CRASH AND COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT OCCUPANT.

05V395000 2005-09-12
Air bags

CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) INSTALLED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY A CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT (CRS) AS AN ADULT. THIS MAY OCCUR IF THE CRS IS INSTALLED AFTER AN ADULT HAS BEEN SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. IF THERE HAS NOT BEEN A 'KEY ON' ' KEY OFF' CYCLE WITH THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT EMPTY PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF THE CRS.

THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF A CRS AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG OR SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A CRASH AND COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT OCCUPANT.

05V187000 2005-04-28
Steering:linkages:tie rod assembly

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH THREADED PORTIONS OF THE STEERING GEARBOX ASSEMBLY'S LEFT AND RIGHT INNER BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES THAT CONTAIN INTERNAL CRACKS IN THE MATERIAL STRUCTURE.

IF THE INNER BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY WAS TO BREAK AS A RESULT OF THE INTERNAL CRACK, THE TIE ROD END ASSEMBLY WOULD NOT LONGER BE ATTACHED TO THE STEERING GEAR BOX. THIS WOULD PREVENT STEERING CONTROL OF THAT FRONT WHEEL BY THE SEPARATED TIE ROD WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

In owners’ own words

Air bags mileage not reported 2 mo in service
THE PASSENGER'S AIR BAG SENSOR WILL NOT ENGAGE IF THE WEIGHT CAPACITY IS NOT MET, WHICH MEANS THAT THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. CONTACTED THE DEALER,, AND WAS TOLD TO BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE OR SIT THE PASSENGER IN THE BACK SEAT. *AK
Air bags 1,000 mi 3 mo in service
PASSENGER'S AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY STAYED ON. PASSENGER'S WEIGHT REQUIREMENT FOR THE SEAT WAS SPECIFIED IN THE MANUAL, HOWEVER, THE LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OFF. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER FOUND A RECALL ON THE AIR BAG SOFTWARE. PER THE RECALL THE TECHNICIAN REPROGRAMMED THE AIR BAG SENSOR AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE HE WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM .*AK *BF *NM
Air bags 354 mi 6 mo in service
THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON SPORADICALLY IN OUR NEW 2005 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WHEN PEOPLE ARE SITTING IN THE SEAT. MY WIFE WEIGHS IN EXCESS ON 190 POUNDS AND THE LIGHT CAME ON AT LEAST 5 TIMES DURING A TRIP OF 124 MILES IN EARLY MARCH AND HAS COME ON ONCE OR TWICE DURING TRIPS OF 26 MILES TO THE GROCERY STORE. WE TOOKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY DID NOT DO ANYTHING SINCE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.

Other Elantra model years

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