2017 Hyundai Elantra Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about rear and front door latches that stop releasing from either the inside or outside handle, usually after a few years of use. Engine complaints are the second large group, typically misfires and shaking traced to ignition coils or spark plugs, and a smaller set of reports of stalling, oil consumption and internal engine wear. Most complaints in the sample arrive between roughly 30,000 and 100,000 miles.

1. 1
   Body and structure

   Door will not open from inside or outside (latch failure)

   • 181 complaints (24%)
   • median 65,500 mi at 4.0 yrs old (54 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $825 (median of 12 quotes)
   • filed 2017–2026

   Doors — most often the rear passenger doors — stop unlatching entirely, so the handle does nothing from inside or outside even though the door is unlocked. Owners describe it starting suddenly after the car was parked, then spreading to a second or third door. Complaints say dealers did not cover the repair under warranty and quoted several hundred to over a thousand dollars per door; a few owners report hitting under the handle to get it to release. Reported across a wide range, from about 25,000 to 120,000 miles, with many between 50,000 and 85,000 miles.

   What to check: Open and close every door from both the inside and outside handle, including after locking and unlocking with the fob, and ask whether any latch has already been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car was parked in my driveway, prior to a trip. A passenger was unable to open the right rear door with the outside or inside handle. The inside locking control moved normally, both manually and with electrical lock control, but I still cannot open the door in any way. This is safety related as the failed door would prevent egress in an emergency.”

   NHTSA complaint #11408439, filed 2021-04, 80,000 miles

   “The driver side and passenger side rear door door not open it just stopped opening. I can not unlock it at all. I wan coming out of a store with my kids and they could not get in. The driver side was about 4 months age in september. And not in december the passenger side.”

   NHTSA complaint #11378026, filed 2020-12, 74,687 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Stalling or cutting out while driving

   • 206 complaints (27%)
   • median 55,000 mi at 3.6 yrs old (77 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,900 (median of 16 quotes)
   • filed 2017–2026

   Complaints describe the engine shutting off while driving, sometimes at speed or in traffic, with or without the check engine light, and sometimes restarting only after being shifted into park. Several owners report dealers could not duplicate the problem, while others were told the engine needed teardown or replacement due to internal wear or metal debris in the valvetrain. Spread from about 32,000 to over 160,000 miles, with many reports in the 60,000 to 120,000 mile range.

   What to check: Check for engine noise, oil level and any history of engine replacement or teardown, and ask whether the car has ever stalled or needed restarting while moving.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The car cuts off while driving.it stalls n traffic like it won't go n I almost have been hit several times.there is no check engine light on.very dangerous n scares me when I drive cause u never know when it's going to cut off n traffic or while turning.”

   NHTSA complaint #11343647, filed 2020-08, 92,580 miles

   “The car has been stalling since last february, mostly during turns, and while deaccelerating. Sometimes it idles rough and stalls at traffic lights. I took it to my dealer back then, and they told me the problem was caused by metal shavings from the engine plugging the valve that regulates fuel. I had performed regular oil changes and the dealer believed that the problem was caused by a manufacturing defect. The dealer contacted Hyundai, and Hyundai refused to remedy the defect. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11383295, filed 2020-12, 110,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine misfire, shaking and loss of power

   • 155 complaints (20%)
   • median 39,000 mi at 3.4 yrs old (65 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,700 (median of 11 quotes)
   • filed 2017–2026

   Owners describe the car shaking or shuddering, the check engine light coming on, and a loss of power or speed, often at highway speeds. Complaints frequently mention ignition coils and spark plugs being replaced, sometimes repeatedly, with the symptom returning within days or months. Some reports describe jerkiness or hesitation on acceleration that dealers attributed to fuel injectors, the throttle position sensor or camshaft timing parts. Mostly reported between roughly 30,000 and 100,000 miles; several owners describe repeat repairs within a short period.

   What to check: Ask for service records showing whether coils and plugs were replaced and how recently, and scan for stored codes on a test drive that includes a highway run.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 2017 Hyundai elentra 2.0 lose power and start jacking. I was told to change coils and stark plugs. This always happens on highway. I change them in may 2019. My car started jacking again this month. I brought new stark plugs from Hyundai dealership today.”

   NHTSA complaint #11298472, filed 2020-01, 90,000 miles

   “In february 2020, my check engine light came on after my car began to shake violently and lose speed as I drove on the city streets and highways.the serviceman replaced the coils in my car. Within a week, my car started to shake and lose speed again. I took it back to the dealership where they fixed it again to no avail. In early march, my car was still experiencing the same problems: shaking violently and losing speed as I drove on both the highway and on city streets. I chose to try a different service center. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11354514, filed 2020-09, 58,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Oil consumption and low oil pressure

   • 127 complaints (16%)
   • median 75,000 mi at 4.1 yrs old (41 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,600 (median of 15 quotes)
   • filed 2017–2026

   Owners report the engine using noticeably more oil than expected, adding oil between changes with no visible leak, and in some cases a low oil pressure light shortly after an oil change. Complaints also describe abnormal engine noises and bearings or other internal parts being diagnosed as worn despite regular oil changes. Reported mostly from about 90,000 miles upward, including several reports past 150,000 miles.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the oil level and look for a fuel or burnt smell on the dipstick, and ask how often oil has been added between changes; service bulletins describe an inspection and cleaning procedure for high oil consumption.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The car is serviced every 3000 miles with an oil change. I was driving to work one day and my tires squalled and my engine locked up and would not start. The engine had to be replaced do to the main bearings failing.”

   NHTSA complaint #11329718, filed 2020-06, 120,000 miles

   “Piston rod bearings and main crankshaft bearings. According to dealership the bearings are bad even though I had oil changed at dealership every 5000 mile during the first yr of ownership and oil changed every 3000 miles after that.”

   NHTSA complaint #11416068, filed 2021-05, 160,000 miles
5. 5
   Brakes

   Stiff brake pedal with reduced braking

   • 74 complaints (10%)
   • median 31,500 mi at 2.7 yrs old (40 state mileage)
   • 14 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2016–2026

   Owners describe the brake pedal feeling firm or hard to press, with the car not slowing as expected; some used the parking brake to stop. Complaints mention dealers finding no fault, a brake circuit switch replacement, or relating the symptom to a recall covering loss of power brake assist. Reported from under 20,000 miles up to about 75,000 miles.

   Recall 17V063000

   What to check: Ask whether recall 17V063000 for the brake booster was completed, and test the pedal feel with the engine running at a stop.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “This is my third Hyundai and for some reason my front breaks were completely shot and I had to spend $567.65 to have them replaced. After searching other cars this should not have happened this early especially with almost all highway driving. I had been thinking about another Hyundai, but with this problem I am thinking maybe a different brand may be better. This problem had not occured before.breaks were repaired at dealer otherwise I might just lose my warrenty. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11373005, filed 2020-11, 36,853 miles

   “The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal felt stiff while depressed. Additionally, the vehicle failed to slow down as intended. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that prior to the failure, the brake pads and rotors were replaced. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11667135, filed 2025-06, 63,000 miles

Buying note. Check every door latch works from both handles before buying, since that repair comes up often and is usually paid by the owner. On the engine side, review oil change records, check the oil level, and confirm any open recalls were performed.

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.