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Hyundai ElantraModel year report

2015 Hyundai Elantra Problems

Compared with other Hyundai Elantra years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

31/100 0.6× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
262filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
53,500miles, 127 complaints with mileage
Recalls
3campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
5 / 5stars overall
EPA fuel economy
30 mpgcombined, 1.8L 4-cyl FWD · 27 city / 36 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2015 Hyundai Elantra (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2015 Elantra most often describe engine problems: a ticking or knocking noise that can grow louder, followed in some cases by stalled power and an engine that has to be replaced. Many of these complaints come in between roughly 60,000 and 130,000 miles, and several owners say the noise started gradually, so it is easy to miss. Brake complaints are the second most common, including cases where the pedal went to the floor and the vehicle did not stop as expected, with some tied to the ABS recall notice.

  1. Engine

    Engine knock or ticking, then stalling and engine

    • 55 complaints (21%)
    • median 76,000 mi at 4.7 yrs old (36 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2016–2026

    Owners describe a ticking or knocking noise from the engine that starts quietly and gets louder over time, sometimes with the check engine light flashing and a loss of power while driving. Several were told by a dealer that metal debris was found in the oil or that the engine needed replacement; a few said the diagnosis was delayed or disputed until records were produced. Some report the engine stalled on the highway and had to be towed. Commonly reported from about 60,000 to 130,000 miles, with a few cases much earlier; owners often say oil changes were done on schedule.

    7 related service bulletins

    What to check: Have a mechanic listen for tick or knock at idle and after warm-up, and check oil level and condition for metal debris. Ask whether the knock sensor service campaign or any engine bearing inspection was performed and what the extended engine warranty status is for this vehicle.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Very loud ticking noise from engine. Would not stop when car was warmed up as I was originally told by the dealer in the fall or 2018. Continually got louder and louder and I knew it was not right. Took to dealer have been told needs a brand new engine. Faulty pistons.”

    NHTSA complaint #11193115, filed 2019-04, 71,000 miles

    “The engine on my car stalled while driving on the highway. I was able to pull over and get it started again. I turned around to go back home and it started knocking and stalled again. After that, it would not start again. I had it towed to a repair shop who said the engine was seized. They were able to get it started again but it was knocking loudly. I ended up having to replace the engine which cost close to $6000 for a used engine. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11267226, filed 2019-10, 126,700 miles
  2. Brakes

    Brake pedal goes to the floor, takes long to stop

    • 52 complaints (20%)
    • median 48,250 mi at 4.6 yrs old (22 state mileage)
    • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2015–2026

    Owners report pressing the brake pedal and having the vehicle keep rolling, in several cases needing the parking brake to stop it. Some mention the ABS warning light coming on beforehand, or hearing an unusual noise before braking changed; dealers or mechanics diagnosed a failed ABS module in some cases. Some complaints were filed after owners received the recall notice and could not get the part installed. Spread from about 15,000 to 100,000 miles, with several reports near or above 100,000 miles.

    Recall 23V651000

    What to check: Ask whether recall 23V651000 (ABS module) was completed and whether the ABS light has ever come on. During a test drive, check that the pedal feels firm and the vehicle stops straight.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Takata recall . Notice when pressing the breaks and hitting a bump in the road or man hole cover the brakes seem to release and skip forward losing control to some degree. I thought that it would be fix after installing brake pads and rotors but it still continues. I'm concerned what might happen during the winter in icey road or snow covered road conditions.”

    NHTSA complaint #11143714, filed 2018-10, 15,000 miles

    “I was on the beltway and the car in front of me was braking and I pressed my brakes to the floor and upon impact it was still rolling. We pulled over and I was unable to stop the car. I had to pull up the emergency brake to finally stop the vehicle.”

    NHTSA complaint #11073779, filed 2018-02, 58,000 miles
  3. Engine

    Stalling at stops, no restart or loss of drive

    • 62 complaints (24%)
    • median 82,000 mi at 4.8 yrs old (31 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2015–2026

    Owners report the engine cutting out at low speed or while idling, sometimes needing a restart to continue, and in a few cases failing to shift into gear or losing motive power. Several say dealers could not duplicate the problem, while others had sensors, fuel pump or throttle work done without a lasting fix. Reported from about 50,000 to 100,000 miles, often at stops, idle or low speeds.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: During a test drive, stop and idle for several minutes with the engine warm, and ask whether the car has ever needed restarting at a light or failed to start.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Car stalls when stopping or idling if you do not keep your feet on the gas. It does not happen in the first 10 mins of warming up the car but then happens for the remaining time. I have had a tune up, throttle body serviced, crankshaft sensor replaced, and fuel pump replaced. I have been trying to get this fixed for the last 3 years and nothing has helped.”

    NHTSA complaint #11395125, filed 2021-02, 86,000 miles

    “I was on the way to take my daughter to her sister's house, and the vehicle stalled while we were stopped because of traffic on the freeway. So, I had to put it in park or neutral, and turnover the car once I turned it off for a moment.”

    NHTSA complaint #11206983, filed 2019-05, 97,935 miles
  4. Steering

    Loss of power steering and steering that sticks

    • 22 complaints (8%)
    • median 44,300 mi at 3.4 yrs old (15 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2015–2026

    Owners describe the steering becoming difficult or feeling stuck, often at highway speeds or on gradual curves, with extra effort needed to turn the wheel. Several report a steering warning light along with a traction control light, and in some cases power steering returned after the car was restarted. A few had the wheel feel notchy at small corrections and said a dealer reset did not last. Mostly reported between about 15,000 and 90,000 miles, often noticed at highway speeds.

    What to check: Test drive on the highway as well as slow turns, looking for sticking or uneven effort, and ask whether any steering warning lights have appeared.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “While driving with my daughter back to college this january (2020) my husband and I both noticed that the steering on her 2015 Elantra was sticking. We only noticed it at highway speeds. It seemed to be fine at lower speeds and while we were driving in town once we got to her school. But it was really bad on the highway, especially once the car had been driven for 10 minutes or so. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11306736, filed 2020-02, 40,000 miles

    “Steering wheel has what feels like a notch in it. It sits right where you have to adjust the steering as you drive. You have to constantly compensate for this. I took my car to the dealer they reset something but it is back again.”

    NHTSA complaint #10911072, filed 2016-10, 15,000 miles

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 262 consumer complaints for the 2015 Hyundai Elantra. 127 of the complaints include a mileage, and 46% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 53,500 miles. Of all complaints, 27 involved a crash, 8 a fire, 25 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 148 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 15 Hyundai Elantra model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 31 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Suspension (9), Wheels (7), Exterior lighting (5), Engine cooling (3), Seat belts (3), Tires (3), Electronic stability control (1), Forward collision avoidance (1), Seats (1).

Example complaints

Engine: “We just bought the car two months ago from a used car dealership. My son was driving when all of a sudden all of the dash lights flashed on the car and the car stopped in the middle of the road. We had it towed to a car dealership nearby and they looked at the engine and said that the engine locked. Also, when you open up the hood of the car there's also oil on the inside of the hood of the car.”

NHTSA complaint #11256694, filed 2019-09, 98,000 miles

Brakes: “The electronic stability control (ESC) warning light came on and I brought the car in for servicing. The Hyundai service department said that it was related to the brakes. When I was ready to pick up the vehicle, the dealership called me and said the brake relay (which caused the problem and needed to be replaced) caused the brake lights to short and now I have to get them replaced as well.”

NHTSA complaint #11000825, filed 2017-06, 77,000 miles

Other or unknown: “Whenever it rains my trunk fills up with water. I through that maybe it was the lining on my vehicle but it is intact. When the trunks fills up it gets so high that it flows to the backs seats and soaking them. If not maintained properly it will cause a very bad odor and mold. It has happened when the vehicle was stationary in my driveway.”

NHTSA complaint #11310427, filed 2020-02, 87,000 miles

Steering: “While driving on the highway approximately 68 miles per hour I noticed an odd skipping in the steering. Eventually the power steering was gone and a steering warning light as well as the traction control warning light came on. We drove to a gas station, turned it off and when it was restarted, the power steering returned. The skipping continued and we have had 2 more instances of the power steering going out, both times at slow speeds which made it incredibly difficult to steer. …”

NHTSA complaint #11354960, filed 2020-09, 64,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

46% of the 127 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 28,800 and 86,500 miles.

15%0–109%10–2521%25–5020%50–7515%75–10015%100–1504%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (127 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 53,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

’14’16’18’20’2249’24’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2015 Hyundai Elantra. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Elantra · sedan FWD★★★★★5 / 4554 · 10.9% risk

Neighbouring years: 2014: same overall rating; 2016: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2015 Hyundai Elantra version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Elantra FWD1.8L 4-cyl6-speed automatic273731$2,150
Elantra FWD1.8L 4-cyl6-speed manual273630$2,250
Elantra FWD2.0L 4-cyl6-speed automatic243528$2,400
Elantra FWD2.0L 4-cyl6-speed manual243428$2,400
Elantra Limited FWD1.8L 4-cyl6-speed automatic273630$2,250

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2015 Hyundai Elantra → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 148 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 148 bulletins →

Other model years of the Hyundai Elantra

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2025224,0000534—Too new
20245615,5001534Too new to compareToo new
202310115,950253437 · TypicalToo new
202210223,825553551 · TypicalRising
202113219,750653570 · MoreStable
20202549,830343475 · MoreStable
201925250,400143220 · FewerRising
201828426,600043219 · FewerStable
201777044,000443284 · MoreFalling
201629354,964253035 · FewerStable
201526253,500353031 · FewerRising
201438655,500253042 · TypicalStable
20131,31445,3024532100 · MoreRising
201265462,30344–53280 · MoreStable
201143372,5005—3260 · TypicalStable
201038063,5003—2949 · TypicalFalling
200925477,6504—2840 · TypicalStable
200831554,0007—2872 · MoreFalling
200726773,0006—28Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200615567,9001—26Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200513750,0004—26Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200418230,5005—26Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200323461,1005—25Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200234272,0006—25Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200131573,0006—25Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200019754,5001—24Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199912891,0002—24Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19985572,0000—24Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199711573,0003—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199610092,0003—24Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1995112103,0001—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199476—2—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199324120,7000—22—Stable
199229—0——Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Hyundai Elantra model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2015 Hyundai Elantra?

Owners of the 2015 Elantra most often describe engine problems: a ticking or knocking noise that can grow louder, followed in some cases by stalled power and an engine that has to be replaced. The issues reported most often: Engine knock or ticking, then stalling and engine; Brake pedal goes to the floor, takes long to stop; Stalling at stops, no restart or loss of drive.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2015 Hyundai Elantra have?

NHTSA recorded 262 consumer complaints for the 2015 Hyundai Elantra as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2015 Hyundai Elantra is reported most often?

Engine is named most often, in 92 complaints (35% of the total), followed by brakes with 55.

Has the 2015 Hyundai Elantra been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2015 Hyundai Elantra do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2015 Hyundai Elantra 5 out of 5 stars overall. Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2015 Hyundai Elantra get?

The EPA rates the 2015 Hyundai Elantra (Elantra, 1.8L 4-cyl) at 30 mpg combined, 27 city and 36 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,250 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2015 Hyundai Elantra reported?

Among the 127 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 53,500 miles and the middle half falls between 28,800 and 86,500 miles; 46% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.