Model year report

2000 Hyundai Elantra: what breaks, and at what mileage

What breaks on the 2000 Hyundai Elantra

On the 2000 Hyundai Elantra, the failure owners report most often is other engine problem, with 30 reports on file. The earliest to appear is airbag failed to deploy in a crash, reported by a median of 35,000 miles. Overall it scores 69 out of 100, high risk for a 2000.

High risk for a 2000 — 99th riskiest of the 327 2000 vehicles we can rate. 259 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.

What breaks on the 2000 Hyundai Elantra

Owners have reported 47 named failure modes on the 2000 Hyundai Elantra, and the three most-reported carry 26% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.

Other engine problem leads with 30 reports and about 0.7 per 1,000 vehicles.

Other electrical problem follows with 19 reports, usually reported between 31k to 90,000 miles. 1 of those report mention a fire.

Other visibility problem follows with 19 reports, median 30,000 miles.

By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (45), electrical (33) and airbag (28).

When these failures get reported

106 of the reports on the 2000 Hyundai Elantra came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 48,000 miles.

Cumulatively, 50% by 50,000 miles, 91% by 100,000 miles and 99% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 1 filed above the top of the chart.

The busiest stretch is between 30,000 and 40,000 miles, which alone holds 20% of the dated reports.

42% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.

Median

Other engine problem

31k
Other electrical problem

83k
Other visibility problem

31k
Seat belt or retractor failure

82k
Other powertrain problem

57k
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash

37k
Other body or interior problem

99k
Engine sensor failure

55k
Window regulator or power window failure

37k
Other wheel or tire problem

49k
Misfire or rough idle

29k
Water pump failure

8k

Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens

Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 47. The full list is in the table below.

How reports accumulate

Share of reports filed by each mileage

half by 48k

Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 1 report came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.

Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Dashed the median reported mileage

Severity, and what it costs

Across the named modes, 26 mention a crash, 2 a fire and 22 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.

The average severity weight across every report on this year is 5.20, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.

What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other engine problem at $300–$4,000, other electrical problem at $250–$2,000, other visibility problem at $150–$1,400 and seat belt or retractor failure at $200–$900. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.

30% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.

Every reported failure mode

Mileage figures are percentiles of owner-reported readings. Click a column to sort.
Failure mode	System	Reports	With reading	25th	Median	75th	Per 1,000	Typical repair	Severity
Other engine problem	engine	30	7	—	31k	—	0.7	$300–$4,000	High
Other electrical problem	electrical	19	9	31k	83k	90k	0.5	$250–$2,000	Moderate
Other visibility problem	glass	19	7	—	31k	—	0.5	$150–$1,400	Moderate
Seat belt or retractor failure	airbag	14	5	—	82k	—	0.3	$200–$900	High
Other powertrain problem	transmission	14	6	—	57k	—	0.3	$400–$4,500	High
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash	airbag	10	10	17k	37k	50k	0.2	$1,000–$5,000	Critical
Other body or interior problem	body	9	5	—	99k	—	0.2	$200–$2,000	Moderate
Engine sensor failure	electrical	7	3	—	55k	—	0.2	$180–$900	Moderate
Window regulator or power window failure	body	7	4	—	37k	—	0.2	$250–$900	Moderate
Other wheel or tire problem	wheels	7	2	—	49k	—	0.2	$200–$1,500	High
Misfire or rough idle	engine	6	2	—	29k	—	0.1	$250–$1,600	Moderate
Water pump failure	cooling	6	6	—	8k	—	0.1	$500–$2,200	High
Stalling while driving	engine	5	5	—	84k	—	0.1	$300–$2,500	Critical
Wiring harness or short circuit	electrical	5	0	—	—	—	0.1	$400–$3,500	High
Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin	emissions	5	3	—	63k	—	0.1	$250–$2,000	High
Other fuel system problem	fuel	5	1	—	80k	—	0.1	$300–$2,200	High
Other brake problem	brakes	5	1	—	10k	—	0.1	$300–$1,800	High
Other suspension problem	suspension	5	2	—	54k	—	0.1	$350–$2,000	Moderate
Other speed control problem	adas	5	1	—	26k	—	0.1	$250–$2,000	Critical
Radiator or coolant leak	cooling	4	2	—	51k	—	0.1	$350–$1,900	High
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault	airbag	4	1	—	51k	—	0.1	$300–$1,600	High
Thermostat failure	cooling	3	3	—	93k	—	0.1	$250–$900	Moderate
Complete transmission failure	transmission	3	1	—	5k	—	0.1	$2,800–$8,000	Critical
Premature brake pad or rotor wear	brakes	3	3	—	12k	—	0.1	$300–$1,400	Moderate
Rust or structural corrosion	body	3	2	—	123k	—	0.1	$500–$6,000	High
No-start or intermittent start failure	engine	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$200–$1,800	Moderate
Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure	fuel	2	1	—	97k	—	0.0	$250–$1,800	Moderate
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure	electrical	2	2	—	41k	—	0.0	$700–$3,000	High
ABS module or sensor failure	brakes	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$500–$2,400	High
Tire blowout or tread separation	wheels	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$200–$1,500	Critical
Tail light, brake light or signal failure	lighting	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$100–$900	Moderate
Wiper or washer failure	glass	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$120–$800	Moderate
Other lighting problem	lighting	2	1	—	60k	—	0.0	$120–$1,200	Moderate
Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure	engine	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$1,200–$4,500	Critical
Head gasket failure	engine	1	1	—	38k	—	0.0	$1,400–$4,000	Critical
Transmission will not engage a gear	transmission	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$1,500–$6,000	Critical
Manual clutch or hydraulics failure	transmission	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$900–$2,800	Moderate
Shifter, linkage or stuck-in-park failure	transmission	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$250–$1,400	High
Fuel pump failure	fuel	1	1	—	86k	—	0.0	$600–$2,600	High
Loss of braking	brakes	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$400–$3,000	Critical
Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure	steering	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$700–$2,600	High
Steering column or shaft failure	steering	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$600–$2,500	Critical
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure	suspension	1	1	—	86k	—	0.0	$400–$2,200	High
Door latch or handle failure	body	1	1	—	120k	—	0.0	$250–$1,200	High
Catalytic converter failure	emissions	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$900–$3,500	Moderate
Headlight failure or clouding	lighting	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$150–$1,800	Moderate
Other steering problem	steering	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$350–$2,400	High
Unclassified problem	other	26	7	—	60k	—	0.6	—	Moderate

Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.

How often, against how many were built

Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2000 Hyundai Elantra draws about 6.2 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 83rd percentile of complaint rates among 2000 vehicles we can rate.

That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.

The working figure is 41,494 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2000 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.

What owners wrote

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.

Recalls on the 2000 model year

NHTSA has issued 1 recall campaign covering the 2000 Hyundai Elantra, affecting an estimated 41,494 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.

The campaigns cover electrical system:wiring. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.

Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.

00V259001

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

165,977 vehicles 2000-09-11

Defect: Vehicle description: some sonata vehicles equipped with 2.5 liter v-6 engines and all elantra model vehicles may have experienced intermittent low-speed engine stalling, which could occur if the maf (mass air flow) sensor electrical signal is interrupted as a result of engine vibration transmitted to the maf sensor connector wiring harness.
Consequence: This condition can cause the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will re-route the maf sensor connector wiring harness.

Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.

How it ranks in the 2000 field

The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.

Risk score against the rest of the 2000 field

Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.

Left fewer and less serious reports
Right more, or worse
Marker this vehicle

Where 2000 sits in the model line

High risk for a 2000 — 99th riskiest of the 327 2000 vehicles we can rate. The comparison is always within the same model year, so an older car is never penalised for having had longer to break.

Across the 30 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 1998 comes out best at 60 and 2020 worst at 82, with 2000 itself at 69.

If the model year is negotiable, 1998, 1996, 2025, 2005, 1999, 1997 and 2007 score lower than 2000 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.

Within the 1996–2003 generation specifically, 1998 is the strongest year at 60 and 2001 the weakest at 69.

Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.

Risk score by model year, out of 100

Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.

Within the 1996-2003 generation, 1998 Hyundai Elantra scores best at 60 and 2001 Hyundai Elantra worst at 69.

What to look at before buying one

The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: airbag failed to deploy in a crash from about 17k and other electrical problem from about 31k.

On a 2000 Hyundai Elantra with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether airbag failed to deploy in a crash has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.

None of this is a diagnosis. It is a list of what other owners of the same model year reported, ordered by when they reported it, which is a good place to point an inspection and a poor place to stop.

What this page cannot tell you

259 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.

Of those 259 reports, 106 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 41% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".

Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.

And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.

Questions this page answers

What are the most common problems with the 2000 Hyundai Elantra?

The most-reported failures are other engine problem (30 reports, median 30,000 miles), other electrical problem (19 reports, median 85,000 miles) and other visibility problem (19 reports, median 30,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.

At what mileage do 2000 Hyundai Elantra problems start?

Airbag failed to deploy in a crash is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 35,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 15,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 48,000 miles.

Is the 2000 Hyundai Elantra reliable?

It scores 69 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 99th riskiest of the 327 2000 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2000 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.

Which year of the Hyundai Elantra is best?

Within the 1996–2003 generation, 1998 scores best at 60 out of 100 and 2001 worst at 69. Same body, same engines, different luck.

Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.

What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car

Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt 20 August 2026 Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed