2020 Hyundai Elantra problems and recalls

Owner complaints on the 2020 Hyundai Elantra include 2 fatality reports, 21 crashes and 6 fires across 254 filings.

254
Complaints
3
Recalls
21
Crash reports
6
Fire reports
16
Injuries
109.9
Severity index

Severity index 109.9 High. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 109.9p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 8 of 104 by severity index among 2020 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 92% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2020 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

EngineEngine: 109 complaints (42.9%)109 43%Power TrainPower Train: 47 complaints (18.5%)47 19%Exterior LightingExterior Lighting: 28 complaints (11.0%)28 11%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 27 complaints (10.6%)27 11%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 26 complaints (10.2%)26 10%SteeringSteering: 20 complaints (7.9%)20 8%Forward Collision Avoid…Forward Collision Avoidance: 14 complaints (5.5%)14 6%Service BrakesService Brakes: 14 complaints (5.5%)14 6%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
ENGINE10942.9%
POWER TRAIN4718.5%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING2811.0%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2710.6%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2610.2%
STEERING207.9%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE145.5%
SERVICE BRAKES145.5%

Complaints filed per year

024492019: 42020: 282021: 482022: 162023: 352024: 352025: 392026: 49 (partial year)192021222324252649
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
20194
202028
202148
202216
202335
202435
202539
2026 (year to date)49
Filings in 2023 to 2025 were close to 2020 to 2022 (109 against 92).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
21V30100028/04/2021ENGINEHyundai 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.
19V72000009/10/2019WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDSHyundai 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.
19V72100009/10/2019SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINTHyundai 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.

Other Hyundai Elantra model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 14 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-10-23. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.