2005 Hyundai Elantra recalls and problems

The 2005 Hyundai Elantra has 4 recalls and 137 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is air bags.

How the 2005 compares

Low

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Low complaint count among 27 Elantra model years — 21st most.

4recalls

137complaints

30crashes

3fires

26injuries

50,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

4 recalls

Exterior Lighting

Jul 21, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V280000 · 3,011 vehicles

Problem: 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 deactivate the cruise control when the brake pedal is depressed.

Original NHTSA wording

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 DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Risk: Any of these malfunctions could lead to a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch free of charge. The recall began on September 2, 2009. Owners May contact Hyundai of Puerto Rico customer service at 1-787-999-4310.

Hyundai of Puerto Rico recall no.91B026.owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Air Bags

Oct 17, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V479000 · 2,105 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Risk: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will reprogram the vehicle's ocs electronic control unit (ECU) to remove the feature that May cause the crs to be recognized as an adult. The recall began on November 15, 2005. Owners May contact Hyundai of Puerto Rico at 1-800-981-0188.

Hyundai pr recall no. 073.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Air Bags

Sep 12, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V395000 · 231,160 vehicles

Original NHTSA wording

Risk: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will reprogram the vehicle's ocs electronic control unit (ECU) to remove the feature that May cause the crs to be recognized as an adult. The recall began on October 31, 2005. Owners May contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.

Hyundai recall no. 073.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Steering

Apr 28, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V187000 · 277 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Risk: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the steering gearbox assemblies on these vehicles free of charge. Owners were contacted by telephone beginning on April 8, 2005, and instructed not to drive their vehicles. Hyundai will arrange to pick up and return their vehicles after repair. Owners May contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.

Hyundai recall no. 069.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Air Bags71

Vehicle Speed Control14

Engine10

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2005 vs. other Hyundai Elantra years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2005. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2005 Hyundai Elantra have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2005 Hyundai Elantra, the latest from Jul 21, 2009 (exterior lighting). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Hyundai Elantra?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention air bags (71), vehicle speed control (14), service brakes (11). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.