Hyundai Elantra VIN Check

NHTSA holds 7,813 owner complaints on the Hyundai Elantra from 1,304 production runs; the worst run has 62, the typical one 6.

NHTSA complaint records · 7,813 complaints · 1,304 runs · 1992–2026 · Updated Nov 4, 2026
Quick answer

The most-reported Elantra run is 5NPDH4AE3DH (2013 builds) with 62 complaints, 10.3× the typical run. Engine problems make up 21% of reports; 2013 is the worst model year at 17.7 complaints per run; NHTSA lists 57 recall campaigns for Elantra model years 1994–2026.

Which build runs owners report most

A production run is the first 11 characters of the VIN: plant, model year, body and engine. The Hyundai Elantra has 1,304 of them on record. The five runs at the top of this table hold 4% of every Elantra complaint on file.

FIG.01·Hyundai Elantra — complaints by production run
Production run (VIN 1–11)YearComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
5NPDH4AE3DH••••••20136265
5NPDH4AE9DH••••••2013605—
5NPDH4AE1DH••••••2013583—
5NPDH4AE2DH••••••20135753
5NPDH4AE4DH••••••20135631
5NPD84LF0HH••••••2017541—
5NPDH4AE0DH••••••20135131
5NPDH4AE6DH••••••20135151
5NPDH4AEXDH••••••20134813
5NPD84LF7HH••••••2017463—
5NPD84LF8HH••••••2017451—
5NPD84LF1HH••••••20174431
ROWS 12·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records, grouped by VIN prefix

Each of the other 1,292 Elantra runs has 44 complaints or fewer. ForCar has checked 535 Elantra VINs so far, most often 2017, 2018, 2020 builds; 28 of them belong to one of the 12 runs above.

Which model years to check twice

Complaints per production run, so a year that simply sold more does not top the list. On the Hyundai Elantra the gap between build years is 10.4×: a 2013 car draws 17.7 complaints per run, a 2021 one 1.7.

FIG.02·Hyundai Elantra — complaint rate by model year
YearPer runComplaintsRunsCrashes
20251.122204
20241.753324
20231.798597
20221.5100666
20211.7128768
20205.32464620
20195.22484812
20185.82764812
201710.57497135
20166.32844521
20155.92474224
20146.73665532
201317.711846783
201212.46074943
20118.43934712
201010.33393331
20099.72322423
200817.52801636
200710.72352219
20065.31382625
ROWS 20·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Heaviest year here is 2013 at 17.7 complaints per run; lightest is 2025 at 1.1. The 2025 line is still collecting reports, so it reads low.

What to inspect on this car

One system accounts for 21% of everything Hyundai Elantra owners report: Engine, 1,582 of 7,813 complaints. Start the pre-purchase inspection there.

FIG.03·Hyundai Elantra — most-reported systems
SystemComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
Engine15824275
Air Bags11514297
Steering1041709
Electrical System9763562
Service Brakes96412843
Unknown Or Other7884130
Power Train590181
Suspension510222
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Recalls to check against your VIN

NHTSA has 57 recall campaigns on the Hyundai Elantra; the 6 below cover build years 2007 to 2015. These are for the model and year; whether one is still open on a given car, only that VIN can tell.

FIG.04·Hyundai Elantra — recall campaigns
CampaignComponentModel years
23V651000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module2011–2015
20V061000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module2007–2010
13V113000Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch2007–2010
13V115000Air Bags:side/window2011–2013
15V100000Steering:electric Power Assist System2008–2010
11V143000Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control Module-inactive2007–2009
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA recall campaigns

23V651000 was opened in 2023 on cars built from 2011: 12 years on the road before the recall.

The Elantra against its rivals

The Elantra draws 6 complaints per production run; the Toyota Camry 5.7, the Toyota Prius 13.3 and the Nissan Altima 9.3.

FIG.05·Hyundai Elantra VIN check vs rivals
ModelComplaintsRunsPer runInvolved a crash
Hyundai Elantra7,8131,30469.4%
Toyota Camry15,7582,7885.715.3%
Toyota Prius10,79781113.37.9%
Nissan Altima13,5141,4559.35.3%
ROWS 4·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

How serious were they

Of the 7,813 reports on the Hyundai Elantra, 9.4% involved a crash against 5.8% across all vehicles, above the norm.

FIG.06·Hyundai Elantra — complaint severity
OutcomeHyundai ElantraAll vehicles
Complaints filed7,8131,115,966
Involved a crash738 (9.4%)64,194 (5.8%)
Involved a fire178 (2.3%)26,974 (2.4%)
Injuries reported61358,013
Deaths reported142,728
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Crash-related reports run 62% above the all-vehicle rate.

Upgrade to Pro

You know what it is. Find out what it's worth.

  • Exact value for this VIN, adjusted for mileage
  • The original window sticker and factory options
  • Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
  • Decode a whole list of VINs at once
  • No ads, no tracking — and much more
Free plan available — no credit card needed

How this check works

The file behind this page holds 1,115,966 complaints filed with NHTSA between 1981 and 2026, across 298,921 production runs. The Hyundai Elantra share of that is 7,813 complaints over 1,304 runs, 0.7% of everything on record.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a Hyundai Elantra VIN for free?

Enter the 17 characters above. ForCar matches the first eleven, the production run, against 7,813 NHTSA complaints from 1,304 Elantra runs and 57 recall campaigns. No account, no card.

Which Elantra production run has the most complaints?

5NPDH4AE3DH, a 2013 build, with 62 complaints, 6 of them after a crash. The typical Elantra run has 6.

Which Elantra years have the most complaints?

Per production run, 2013 is heaviest at 17.7 complaints per run and 2025 lightest at 1.1.

Does the Elantra get more complaints than the Toyota Camry?

Yes: 6 complaints per production run for the Elantra against 5.7 for the Toyota Camry.

How many Elantra complaints involve a crash?

9.4% of 7,813 reports, against 5.8% across all vehicles; 178 involved a fire.

Complaint and recall records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Per-run rates computed by ForCar. Federal data covers safety only — title, odometer and insurance history are not included. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
Found this useful?

Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.

Prefer ForCar →