1996 Hyundai Elantra Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Elantra years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 27th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 100 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Hyundai Elantra. That ranks 27th out of 32 Elantra model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (20 complaints, 20%). Complaints mention 11 crashes, 3 fires, 2 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 100owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Hyundai Elantra problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 20 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 20 | 20% | 81,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 14 | 14% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 14 | 14% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 13 | 13% | 98,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 12 | 12% | 22,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 7 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 3% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 2% | 115,750 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Hyundai Elantra recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The evaporative emission control systems can apply excessive vacuum to the fuel tanks during the canister purge cycle. If excessive vacuum is applied, minor fuel tank distortion can result. A small crack could develop on the upper fuel tank surface. The "check engine" light would then illuminate and, in some cases, the vehicle driver may notice a gasoline odor.
Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will pressure check the vehicle's fuel tank to determine if it has cracked. If the fuel tank has cracked, it will be replaced.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The evaporative emission control systems can apply excessive vacuum to the fuel tanks during the canister purge cycle. If excessive vacuum is applied, minor fuel tank distortion can result. A small crack could develop on the upper fuel tank surface. The "check engine" light would then illuminate and, in some cases, the vehicle driver may notice a gasoline odor.
Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will pressure check the vehicle's fuel tank to determine if it has cracked. If the fuel tank has cracked, it will be replaced.
Visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor
Problem: The windshield wiper motor circuit breaker electrical contacts were contaminated during assembly.
Risk: This contamination interferes with the electrical circuit continuity and prevents the windshield wiper motor from operating. Inoperative windshield wipers can contribute to reduced visibility during inclement weather increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will remove the contaminants from the windshield wiper motor circuit breaker contacts.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Fuel cap replacement campaign 36 (SQ00003) — opened Feb 2, 2000, still open, led to recall 00V095001.
- Windshield wiper failure (PE97002) — opened Jan 17, 1997, closed Feb 27, 1997, led to recall 97V026000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 hyundai elantra. The valve stems on the vehicle constantly fail and cause the tires to flatten. While driving 40 mph, the valve stem failed and flattened the tire. On may 22, 2008, while driving 65 mph, the valve stem failed again, the tire lost air, and the rear of the…
Windshield wiper arm - location point that connects to the linkage stripped causing it in wet weather to send the wipers to go completely go out pass the end of windshield. *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 hyundai elantra. The contact smelled a strong odor of gasoline coming from the vehicle. She took her vehicle to the dealer and they found no failures. Four years later, the dealer replaced the vehicle according to nhtsa campaign id number 00v095002 (fuel system…
Driver's side door handle and window handle(manual windows) broke. There was no abnormal usage--just normal wear. However, the interior plastic handles are poorly made. What if i have to exit the car quickly in an emergency???*ak
Consumer received nhtsa recall 00v09002 concerning fuel tanks, but never took the vehicle to the dealer for recall repairs. Six months later consumer took the vehicle to the dealer for recall repairs, and mechanic informed consumer that recall repairs had been done already. Consumer claimed that…
Other Hyundai Elantra years
← 1995 Elantra · 1997 Elantra →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Elantra | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 Elantra | 22 | 0 |
| 2024 Elantra | 54 | 1 |
| 2023 Elantra | 99 | 2 |
| 2022 Elantra | 102 | 5 |
| 2021 Elantra | 132 | 6 |
| 2020 Elantra | 254 | 3 |
| 2019 Elantra | 251 | 1 |
| 2018 Elantra | 283 | 0 |
| 2017 Elantra | 768 | 4 |
| 2016 Elantra | 293 | 2 |
| 2015 Elantra | 262 | 3 |
| 2014 Elantra | 386 | 2 |
| 2013 Elantra | 1,314 | 4 |
| 2012 Elantra | 653 | 4 |
| 2011 Elantra | 433 | 5 |
| 2010 Elantra | 380 | 3 |
| 2009 Elantra | 254 | 4 |
| 2008 Elantra | 314 | 7 |
| 2007 Elantra | 267 | 6 |
| 2006 Elantra | 155 | 1 |
| 2005 Elantra | 137 | 4 |
| 2004 Elantra | 182 | 5 |
| 2003 Elantra | 234 | 5 |
| 2002 Elantra | 342 | 6 |
| 2001 Elantra | 315 | 6 |
| 2000 Elantra | 197 | 1 |
| 1999 Elantra | 128 | 2 |
| 1998 Elantra | 55 | 0 |
| 1997 Elantra | 115 | 3 |
| 1996 | 100 | 3 |
| 1995 Elantra | 112 | 1 |
See all Hyundai Elantra problems by year, every Hyundai model, or the Hyundai VIN decoder.
Similar Hyundai models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Hyundai Elantra?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, power train, air bags problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 20 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Hyundai Elantra?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Hyundai Elantra a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Elantra model years, the 1996 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.