2011 Hyundai Elantra Engine Problems
Owners have filed 92 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, 21% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 81,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “knocking noise” (10% of reports).
- 92engine complaints
- 81,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 38%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Knocking noise: mentioned in 9 of 92 complaints (10%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 66 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 92 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 2 a fire.
Hyundai Elantra engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Elantra | 3 | 14% | 4,000 |
| 2024 Elantra | 8 | 15% | 43,000 |
| 2023 Elantra | 19 | 19% | 7,645 |
| 2022 Elantra | 11 | 11% | 28,913 |
| 2021 Elantra | 13 | 10% | 71,250 |
| 2020 Elantra | 108 | 43% | 32,500 |
| 2019 Elantra | 133 | 53% | 76,000 |
| 2018 Elantra | 141 | 50% | 38,000 |
| 2017 Elantra | 290 | 38% | 49,000 |
| 2016 Elantra | 111 | 38% | 73,000 |
| 2015 Elantra | 92 | 35% | 73,500 |
| 2014 Elantra | 166 | 43% | 82,500 |
| 2013 Elantra | 233 | 18% | 65,000 |
| 2012 Elantra | 139 | 21% | 68,585 |
| 2011 Elantra | 92 | 21% | 81,000 |
| 2010 Elantra | 15 | 4% | 91,250 |
| 2009 Elantra | 13 | 5% | 86,500 |
| 2008 Elantra | 24 | 8% | 112,283 |
| 2007 Elantra | 12 | 4% | 140,000 |
| 2006 Elantra | 2 | 1% | 80,540 |
| 2005 Elantra | 4 | 3% | 104,250 |
| 2004 Elantra | 5 | 3% | 99,597 |
| 2003 Elantra | 1 | 0% | 3,500 |
| 2002 Elantra | 2 | 1% | 80,300 |
| 2001 Elantra | 4 | 1% | 126,100 |
| 2000 Elantra | 6 | 3% | 30,750 |
| 1999 Elantra | 2 | 2% | 150,000 |
| 1997 Elantra | 1 | 1% | 189,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2011 Hyundai Elantra. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I have a Piston/Engine Defect according to the mechanic at the car shop. Any time any acceleration is applied you can hear the knocking. I believe it should be covered through the class action alleged that 2011-2016 Elantras engines (including the Limited trim) have a piston defect leading to…
Car stop working once I got home I notice while I was driving the car kept back firing and Jurking while driving .had a mechanic look at the car he tried to start it but it started and shut off..he even tried to jump start the car with the jumping cables but it will not start..he told me it was…
My engine completely stop working.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2011 Hyundai Elantras have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 92 owner complaints about engine for the 2011 Hyundai Elantra (21% of the 433 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Hyundai Elantra engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 81,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2011 Hyundai Elantra?
The most frequent phrase is “knocking noise”, in 9 of 92 complaints.
Other 2011 Hyundai Elantra problems
- Air Bags problems (77)
- Steering problems (75)
- Suspension problems (66)
- Electrical System problems (51)
See all 2011 Hyundai Elantra problems or engine problems across all Elantra years.