"How reliable is the 2013 Hyundai Elantra?"

"Based on 1839 NHTSA complaints, the 2013 Hyundai Elantra has a median complaint mileage of 43000 miles. The most common issue is Steering."

"What are common problems with the 2013 Hyundai Elantra?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 2013 Hyundai Elantra is Steering, accounting for a significant portion of the 1839 total complaints filed."

2013 Hyundai Elantra: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 1839 complaints

1839

Total Complaints

43,000mi

Median Mileage

Steering

Top Issue

157

Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

13,997 25th Percentile

43,000 Median Mileage

81,800 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Steering

268

Engine

229

Air Bags

165

Service Brakes

162

Electrical System

150

Unknown Or Other

120

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

112

Suspension

Wheels

Exterior Lighting

Severity Assessment

157

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"I GOT THIS CAR A FEW DAYS AGO. THE WINDOW STICKER CLAIMS IT HAS DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. THE LIGHTING STOCK HAS THREE OPTIONS. THE OPTIONS ARE "DRL OFF, DAYTIME LIGHTS, AND NIGHT TIME LIGHTS." WHEN DAYTIME LIGHTS ARE ACTIVATED, IT ACTIVATES THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS, BUT ALSO ACTIVATES REAR LIGH..."

"TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN COMPLETING A LEFT TURN, THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL WOULD CONTINUE TO FLASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CON..."

"WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGH WAY I 29 N AT ABOUT 68-72 MPH THE BRAND NEW VEHICLE ENGINE STALLED ABRUPTLY AND THE STEERING WHEEL FROZE AND WE WERE STUCK IN THE DIRECTION THE STEERING WAS PREVIOUSLY TURNED IT AND IT MADE IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO STEER IT ON TO THE SHOULDER AND THE VEHICLE BEHIND U..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

When Does Each Component Fail?

Median mileage at complaint for top components.

Steering 268 complaints

25th: 10,950 mi Median: 40,000 mi 75th: 77,000 mi

Engine 229 complaints

25th: 39,500 mi Median: 65,000 mi 75th: 100,700 mi

Air Bags 165 complaints

25th: 38,600 mi Median: 70,000 mi 75th: 96,409 mi

Service Brakes 162 complaints

25th: 9,680 mi Median: 36,711 mi 75th: 80,450 mi

Electrical System 150 complaints

25th: 17,920 mi Median: 56,000 mi 75th: 87,000 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

CA: 223 FL: 163 TX: 129 NY: 103 PA: 87 NC: 84 GA: 83 IL: 80 OH: 79 VA: 63

Who Files Complaints?

0.8%

Original Owners

99.2%

Second+ Owners

Hyundai Elantra — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

Year	Complaints	Median Mileage	Top Issue	Crashes
1992	46	-	Automatic Transmission	1
1993	39	-	Engine	2
1994	110	-	Frontal	26
1995	179	-	Frontal	32
1996	138	92,000	Gasoline	11
1997	196	89,000	Automatic Transmission	26
1998	75	72,000	Gasoline	10
1999	183	92,750	Automatic Transmission	24
2000	259	48,000	Frontal	43
2001	445	69,000	Air Bags	100
2002	431	72,000	Air Bags	80
2003	310	65,500	Suspension	59
2004	209	31,000	Air Bags	32
2005	180	51,500	Air Bags	43
2006	209	68,250	Air Bags	37
2007	364	70,530	Visibility/Wiper	26
2008	423	55,409	Steering	57
2009	315	78,000	Steering	39
2010	494	62,000	Steering	67
2011	588	70,000	Engine	29
2012	911	60,000	Engine	72
2014	540	54,000	Engine	58
2015	344	50,550	Engine	45
2016	378	54,128	Engine	30
2017	1054	41,000	Engine	57
2018	385	23,892	Engine	14
2019	309	43,500	Engine	19
2020	294	6,200	Engine	28
2021	205	15,500	Warnings	11
2022	127	23,500	Seat Belts	5
2023	131	7,000	Unknown Or Other	11
2024	86	7,654	Unknown Or Other	11
2025	23	-	Unknown Or Other	4

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28