2011 Hyundai Elantra: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2011 Hyundai Elantra
On the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, the failure owners report most often is other engine problem, and the reports cluster around 82,500 miles. The earliest to appear is other wheel or tire problem, reported by a median of 25,000 miles. Overall it scores 71 out of 100, high risk for a 2011.
High risk for a 2011 — 138th riskiest of the 283 2011 vehicles we can rate. 590 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What owners report breaking
Owners have reported 58 named failure modes on the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, and the three most-reported carry 27% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Other engine problem leads with 61 reports, about 0.8 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 60k to 115,000 miles.
Other steering problem follows with 50 reports, usually reported between 26k to 110,000 miles. 1 of those report mention a fire.
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault follows with 46 reports, usually reported between 96k to 125,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (116), steering (75) and suspension (69).
When these failures get reported
394 of the reports on the 2011 Hyundai Elantra came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 70,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 31% by 50,000 miles, 74% by 100,000 miles and 97% 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 60,000 and 70,000 miles, which alone holds 10% of the dated reports.
23% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
In the order they tend to show up: other wheel or tire problem around 25k, other speed control problem around 27k, other steering problem around 55k and other electrical problem around 55k.
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 58. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
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
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 23 mention a crash, 10 a fire and 12 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 4.16, 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 steering problem at $350–$2,400, airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault at $300–$1,600 and strut, shock or spring failure at $500–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
24% 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
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other engine problem | engine | 61 | 45 | 60k | 82k | 114k | 0.8 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 50 | 32 | 26k | 55k | 111k | 0.6 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 46 | 30 | 96k | 114k | 125k | 0.6 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Strut, shock or spring failure | suspension | 36 | 28 | 62k | 79k | 99k | 0.5 | $500–$2,000 | Moderate |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 31 | 22 | 50k | 58k | 60k | 0.4 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 31 | 11 | 50k | 69k | 83k | 0.4 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 27 | 22 | 43k | 72k | 90k | 0.3 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 27 | 14 | 29k | 77k | 93k | 0.3 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 26 | 15 | 6k | 55k | 68k | 0.3 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 26 | 22 | 13k | 25k | 63k | 0.3 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Steering column or shaft failure | steering | 21 | 12 | 59k | 72k | 80k | 0.3 | $600–$2,500 | Critical |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 15 | 14 | 21k | 70k | 87k | 0.2 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 13 | 9 | 25k | 27k | 61k | 0.2 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 11 | 6 | — | 33k | — | 0.1 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 10 | 9 | 70k | 85k | 110k | 0.1 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 7 | 6 | — | 97k | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 7 | 4 | — | 60k | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 6 | 5 | — | 33k | — | 0.1 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure | suspension | 6 | 2 | — | 40k | — | 0.1 | $400–$2,200 | High |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 6 | 4 | — | 48k | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Alternator or charging system failure | electrical | 5 | 5 | — | 68k | — | 0.1 | $450–$1,600 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 4 | 3 | — | 99k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Loss of power steering | steering | 4 | 1 | — | 73k | — | 0.1 | $600–$2,800 | Critical |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 4 | 4 | — | 165k | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 4 | 3 | — | 100k | — | 0.1 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Oil leak | engine | 3 | 3 | — | 98k | — | 0.0 | $250–$2,200 | Moderate |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 3 | 3 | — | 33k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Engine knock or bearing noise | engine | 3 | 3 | — | 57k | — | 0.0 | $2,500–$9,000 | High |
| Piston, ring or cylinder wall damage | engine | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $3,000–$9,500 | Critical |
| Overheating | cooling | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| CV axle or driveshaft failure | drivetrain | 3 | 3 | — | 83k | — | 0.0 | $450–$2,200 | High |
| Parasitic battery drain | electrical | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Backup camera failure | infotainment | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Audio or connectivity failure | infotainment | 3 | 3 | — | 129k | — | 0.0 | $150–$900 | Low |
| Premature brake pad or rotor wear | brakes | 3 | 3 | — | 20k | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 3 | 1 | — | 140k | — | 0.0 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure | engine | 2 | 1 | — | 86k | — | 0.0 | $1,200–$4,500 | Critical |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 2 | 1 | — | 10 | — | 0.0 | $200–$900 | High |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 2 | 2 | — | 10k | — | 0.0 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 2 | 1 | — | 44k | — | 0.0 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Engine bay fire | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $4,000–$20,000 | Critical |
| Electrical fire or melted wiring | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 147k | — | 0.0 | $1,500–$9,000 | Critical |
| Complete engine failure or seizure | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 106k | — | 0.0 | $4,500–$12,000 | Critical |
| Lifter, cam or cylinder-deactivation failure | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 41k | — | 0.0 | $1,800–$7,000 | High |
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 1 | 1 | — | 87k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| Wheel bearing or hub failure | drivetrain | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Instrument cluster or gauge failure | infotainment | 1 | 1 | — | 105k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Master cylinder or brake booster failure | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $450–$2,200 | Critical |
| Brake line, hose or caliper failure | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,600 | Critical |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Lane keep or steering assist fault | adas | 1 | 1 | — | 105k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,600 | High |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 1 | 1 | — | 3k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Rust or structural corrosion | body | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $500–$6,000 | High |
| Door latch or handle failure | body | 1 | 1 | — | 57k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,200 | High |
| Air conditioning failure | hvac | 1 | 1 | — | 85k | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 45 | 33 | 39k | 65k | 105k | 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 2011 Hyundai Elantra draws about 7.6 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 90th percentile of complaint rates among 2011 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 77,500 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2011 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.
Other engine problem
The 2011 hyundai elantra 1.8liter engine makes a grinding then whining noise in the first few seconds of the first cold engine start of the day. On the day of sales delivery the vehicle made this noise for at least two minutes which prompted me to alert the salesman and lift the hood for closer inspection. The sales man replied "all the new engines make this sound, it will quiet down." I have asked another owner of the same vehicle if they noticed it. They have the same exact problem upon cold start up. We both have video documentation of the issue which can be viewed on you tube by searching for 2011 hyundai elantra engine noise. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 hyundai elantra. The contact stated that while stopped with the brake pedal depressed and the gear secured in drive, the vehicle lurched forward but would not accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. The technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 19,000. *tr
Other steering problem
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 hyundai elantra. While driving approximately 70 MPH, the contact abruptly applied pressure to the brakes and the vehicle shifted abnormally to the right lane. The failure was recurring. The dealer advised the contact that the vehicle was operating as designed and the manufacturer agreed however, took a complaint on the contacts behalf but provided not further assistance. The current mileage was 1,000 and the failure mileage was 10.
The computerized steering in this vehicle results in the wheels being pulled to the left or right. Dealer says that they can't find any problem; this is just a characteristic of the car. Possible safety issue here. *tr
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault
Tl* the contact owned a 2011 hyundai elantra. While traveling approximately 20 MPH, the contact's vehicle crashed head on into another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The driver sustained severe leg injuries that required medical attention and a right knee replacement. The manufacturer was notified, but no solution was offered. The failure mileage was 23,092. Updated 10/8/14*cn prior to the accident, the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, because the air bag light was on. She was informed, it was an electrical issue. The consumer never received a recall notice. Updated 10/15/14 according to hyundai, the vehicle performed as designed. They stated the frontal air bags were not intended to deploy during every impact that was generally directed against the vehicle's front end. Frontal air bas were designed to deploy when a vehicle sustained a sufficient forward deceleration to trigger the air bag sensor. The air bag sensor reacted to extreme deceleration of the vehicle's forward movement. Based upon the information provided, it appeared the vehicle was hit at an angular impact involving lateral…
Tl* the contact owned a 2011 hyundai elantra. While traveling approximately 20 MPH, the contact's vehicle crashed head on into another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The driver sustained severe leg injuries that required medical attention and a right knee replacement. The manufacturer was notified, but no solution was offered. The failure mileage was 23,092. Updated 10/8/14*cn prior to the accident, the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, because the air bag light was on. She was informed, it was an electrical issue. The consumer never received a recall notice. Updated 10/15/14 according to hyundai, the vehicle performed as designed. They stated the frontal air bags were not intended to deploy during every impact that was generally directed against the vehicle's front end. Frontal air bas were designed to deploy when a vehicle sustained a sufficient forward deceleration to trigger the air bag sensor. The air bag sensor reacted to extreme deceleration of the vehicle's forward movement. Based upon the information provided, it appeared the vehicle was hit at an angular impact involving lateral…
Recalls on the 2011 model year
NHTSA has issued 5 recall campaigns covering the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, affecting an estimated 236,503 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 service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electron, equipment:electrical, electronic stability control (esc) and suspension:front:springs:coil springs. 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.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
1,649,478 vehicles 2023-09-22- Defect
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
- Consequence
- An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
272,126 vehicles 2020-07-02- Defect
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Hyundai Elantra and Sonata Hybrid, 2012 Accent and Veloster vehicles. The 12V accessory socket outlet may have been over-tightened during installation, possibly disabling the thermal fuse and allowing the outlet to overheat with prolonged use, such as by using the Tire Mobility Kit air compressor to inflate a tire.
- Consequence
- An overheated accessory outlet increases the risk of fire.
- Remedy
- Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the Tire Mobility Kit accessory outlet plug with a direct-to-battery connection wire harness kit, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 193.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
155,000 vehicles 2015-12-23- Defect
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Elantra vehicles manufactured October 29, 2010, to October 25, 2011. Due to an electronic stability control (ESC) sensor malfunction, the brakes for one or more wheels may be applied unexpectedly and the engine power may be reduced. These symptoms will be accompanied by illumination of the ESC indicator lamp in the instrument cluster.
- Consequence
- If the one or more of the brakes are inappropriately applied, control of the vehicle may be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will verify the proper operation of the ESC sensors, and update the ESC system's calibration, free of charge. The recall began June 6, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 137.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS
28,157 vehicles 2015-10-07- Defect
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011 Elantra vehicles manufactured November 12, 2010, to March 31, 2011, and Sonata vehicles manufactured December 11, 2009, to February 28, 2010, originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Road salt may corrode the front coil springs, possibly resulting in the…
- Consequence
- If a front coil spring fractures, it may contact the tire, possibly puncturing it, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front coil springs, free of charge. Interim notifications were mailed on November 17, 2015. The recall began on January 6, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 133. Note: Vehicles that were previously registered in salt belt states but are currently registered elsewhere are eligible to be inspected and repaired.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
186,250 vehicles 2013-04-01- Defect
- Hyundai Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Elantra vehicles manufactured from November 12, 2010, through March 5, 2013. A support bracket attached to the headliner may become displaced during a side curtain airbag deployment.
- Consequence
- If the headliner support bracket makes contact with an occupant during a crash, it may cause a laceration injury.
- Remedy
- Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will apply adhesive strips to the headliner, free of charge. The safety recall began during April 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 109.
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 2011 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.
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
How 2011 compares with the other years
High risk for a 2011 — 138th riskiest of the 283 2011 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.
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 2011 itself at 71.
If the model year is negotiable, 1998, 1996, 2025, 2005, 1999, 1997, 2007, 2004, 2003 and 2002 score lower than 2011 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 2007–2013 generation specifically, 2007 is the strongest year at 66 and 2008 the weakest at 74.
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.
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 2007-2013 generation, 2007 Hyundai Elantra scores best at 66 and 2008 Hyundai Elantra worst at 74.
What the numbers say to check
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: other electrical problem from about 6k, other wheel or tire problem from about 13k, other powertrain problem from about 21k and other speed control problem from about 25k.
On a 2011 Hyundai Elantra with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other electrical problem 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.
Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.
What this page cannot tell you
590 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 590 reports, 394 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 67% 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".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
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 2011 Hyundai Elantra?
The most-reported failures are other engine problem (61 reports, median 82,500 miles), other steering problem (50 reports, median 55,000 miles) and airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault (46 reports, median 115,000 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 2011 Hyundai Elantra problems start?
Other wheel or tire problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 25,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 15,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 70,000 miles.
Is the 2011 Hyundai Elantra reliable?
It scores 71 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 138th riskiest of the 283 2011 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2011 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 2007–2013 generation, 2007 scores best at 66 out of 100 and 2008 worst at 74. 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 Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed