2020 Hyundai Elantra: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 240 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 3 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
240
Complaints
3
Recalls
20
Crash reports
6
Fire reports
15
Injuries
131.7
Severity index
Severity index 131.7 - High. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 103 2020 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2020 Hyundai Elantra ranks 9 of 103 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 91% of its model-year peers. See the full 2020 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 100 | 41.7% |
| POWER TRAIN | 45 | 18.8% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 27 | 11.2% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 25 | 10.4% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 23 | 9.6% |
| STEERING | 19 | 7.9% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 14 | 5.8% |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 13 | 5.4% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 100 of 240 complaints (41.7%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 28 |
| 2021 | 48 |
| 2022 | 16 |
| 2023 | 35 |
| 2024 | 35 |
| 2025 | 39 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 35 |
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21V301000 | 28/04/2021 | ENGINE | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage. |
| 19V720000 | 09/10/2019 | WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019 Ioniq Hybrid and 2020 Elantra vehicles. The right-side rear wheel lug nuts may have been insufficiently tightened, allowing the wheel to detach from the vehicle. |
| 19V721000 | 09/10/2019 | SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Elantra vehicles. The lower control arm ball joint fasteners may have been insufficiently tightened allowing the ball joint to detach from the lower control arm. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.