2023 Hyundai Elantra Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about driver-assistance electronics misbehaving: the forward collision system braking on its own and the rear-view camera feeding a distorted or blank image. A recurring horn failure and reports of the engine shutting off while driving come up nearly as often, and several complaints describe transmission shuddering or harsh downshifts that dealers called normal. Most of these reports arrive at low mileage, within the first year or two of ownership.

1. 1
   Forward collision avoidance

   Automatic emergency braking engages with no obstacle ahead

   • 14 complaints (14%)
   • median 30,000 mi at 3.5 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2022–2026

   Complaints describe the vehicle applying the brakes by itself, most often when another car passes in an adjacent lane at a higher speed, and sometimes on a clear road with nothing in front. Owners say the warning chime and brake application arrive together, and that the car can slow sharply or stop in highway traffic. Several report the feature was set to its active assist mode and that no turn signal was in use; dealers who looked at the cars often said they could not reproduce the event. Complaints do not consistently state mileage; many describe the braking happening at highway speed, and several say it repeats over months of driving.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: During a test drive, ask to try the forward collision and blind-spot assist settings on a multi-lane road and see whether the car brakes unprompted. Ask the dealer whether any front camera calibration or software work has been done, and check for stored camera-related fault codes.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The vehicle applies automatic emergency brakes when another vehicle passes close by from behind in an adjacent lane, when the Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist, feature is set to “Active Assist.” The owner’s manual states that this feature operates when the turn signal is turned on in the direction of the detected vehicle. However, my experience shows that the car applies brakes even when the turn signal is off and the vehicle is driving straight within its lane, without changing lanes. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11616853, filed 2024-09

   “car applies emergency brakes when another vehicle passes close by at higher speed from behind in adjacent lane when the blind spot collision feature in my car is set to Active Assist . As per the owner’s manual page number 7-46 to 7-52, the collision assist is designed to operate when turn signal is turned on in the direction of detected vehicle. Also, it is mentioned that the audible warning will sound. In actual scenario car is applying breaks even when turn signal is off, driving straight, no lane change. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11594963, filed 2024-06
2. 2
   Other or unknown

   Horn stops working (intermittent or complete)

   • 19 complaints (19%)
   • typically at 2.2 yrs old
   • filed 2023–2026

   Owners report the horn going silent with no warning, sometimes intermittently and sometimes for good, and in a few cases failing again after replacement. Complaints describe dealers replacing the horn or finding nothing wrong when the sound returned during the visit, and some owners mention the repair was covered under an extended warranty for the part. Several note the failure means the car cannot be used to warn other drivers and may not pass a state inspection. Reported from the first weeks of ownership through the first couple of years, with some failures noted around 30,000 miles and again later.

   7 related service bulletins

   What to check: Press the horn on a test drive, including a second press a minute later, since the failure is often intermittent. Ask whether the horn assembly has been replaced and whether the extended warranty coverage for this part has already been used on the car.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My horn continues to short out. It has happened five or more times in two years. (I purchased this car in 2023 and the day I purchased it, I was driving home and found out that the horn had lost sound, I called the dealership and they told me to bring it up the next day. When I brought it up the next day it started working again and they couldn't figure out what was wrong. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11710138, filed 2026-01

   “Horn just stopped working! Fuses are intact. I see this is a consistent complaint for this model. Cannot pass safety inspection and I’ve only had the car for a year”

   NHTSA complaint #11631085, filed 2024-12
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Rear-view camera flickers, shows green or goes blank

   • 6 complaints (6%)
   • median 50 mi at 0.5 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 2023–2026

   Complaints describe the backup camera image flickering, turning green or distorted, or dropping out entirely while reversing. Owners say it can be intermittent at first and then constant, and in one case the rear sensors also failed to alert with an object directly behind the car. Dealers reportedly replaced the display unit in some cases, while others were told the part was not covered because no recall applies to this model year. Often reported within the first several thousand miles, sometimes within days of purchase, and in other cases after a year or more of use.

   What to check: Put the car in reverse and look at the screen in daylight and in low light, watching for flicker or a green tint. Ask whether the camera or head unit has been replaced, and test the rear parking sensors against a wall or a helper standing behind the car.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On multiple accounts did I find my 2023 Hyundai Elantra SEL rear camera not working. Now it displays a green screen and I’ve tested it but with someone directly right behind me while in reverse (not moving) the sensors aren’t going off. This is a huge safety concern for a lot of people who own Elantras”

   NHTSA complaint #11672351, filed 2025-07

   “I have a 2023 Hyundal Elantra SEL and my rear camera starts flickering and also goes blank frequently. In fact nowadays it is rarely working. I understand that there was a recall for 2021 and 2022 but not for 2023 yet. However it seems the issue continues with 2023 as well cause when I google I see I am not the only one having this issue. I called the dealership and because I am out of warranty they say they will charge as there is no recall for 2023.”

   NHTSA complaint #11772755, filed 2026-10
4. 4
   Engine

   Engine shuts off while driving

   • 11 complaints (11%)
   • median 290 mi at 1.2 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 2023–2026

   Owners describe the engine quitting without warning while the car is moving, sometimes with a chime and a message on the cluster telling them to shift to neutral and restart. Several say the car then would not restart immediately or lost power steering and brake assist as it coasted, and one mentions a loud noise at the moment it happened. Complaints say dealers either could not duplicate the event or pointed to the idle stop and go system as a possible cause with no repair available yet. Reported from the first months of ownership onward, in city traffic, while reversing and at highway speed.

   Recall 23V526000

   What to check: Ask whether the idle stop and go pump controller recall has been completed on the car, and request any service records mentioning stalling or a no-start condition. Note during a test drive whether the engine restarts cleanly after the idle stop function shuts it off.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On two occasion vehicle abruptly shuts down leaving me with no control of vehicle. 1st incident , i was turning corner when car made a loud screeching noise and completely shut down ,i had no control over breaks or steering. Car sat for several hours before i could start it up, i did attempt to drive it down the street. I called to have vehicle looked at by dealership. They were unable to duplicate what happened . …”

   NHTSA complaint #11556275, filed 2023-11

   “I was on a delivery yesterday when this first occurred. I put my car into reverse and proceded to back up when my engine cut off suddenly and a loud warning came on , on my dash by the steering wheel it said ... engine off, shift to neutral and restart. That is what I did and it restarted and I continued on with my deliveries. Then the exact same thing happened again today so I called the dealership and they said there is a recall with the isg system that could be the issue but no resolution yet so there's nothing they can do. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11691213, filed 2025-10
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission jerking, harsh downshifts and slipping

   • 10 complaints (10%)
   • median 20,600 mi at 1.4 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2023–2026

   Complaints describe clunking and jerking while slowing to a stop, harsh downshifts, hesitation when pulling away and a shudder under acceleration. One owner reports the transmission seizing in gear with the engine revving and the car losing power at highway speed, and another describes the car not engaging gear when the driver expects it. According to the complaints, dealers performed software resets and relearns or said the behavior was normal for the transmission. Mostly reported between roughly 5,000 and 50,000 miles, with some symptoms appearing in the first year of ownership.

   What to check: Drive the car slowly to a stop several times and feel for clunking or lurching, then accelerate from a rolling stop to check for hesitation. Ask if any transmission software updates or relearns have been performed and whether the fluid has been serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I purchased a 2023 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid 2023 on December 15, 2023, and since early ownership I have experienced persistent jerking/clunking while slowing to a stop, harsh downshifts, hesitation during braking, and rough transitions between electric and engine power. The issue was first documented around 5,744 miles and continued through approximately six to eight repair/work orders, where dealerships repeatedly described the condition as normal hybrid/DCT behavior while performing software resets, adaptive relearns, and diagnostic checks. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11738642, filed 2026-05

   “The transmission is slipping to the point that I have almost gotten in several accidents due to impatient drives and the car not engaging in gear like it should. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11640818, filed 2025-02

Buying note. This model year draws a lot of low-mileage complaints about the driver-assist electronics, the horn and the rear camera, so check those items directly rather than relying on the inspection alone. Ask for the full service history, confirm whether the idle stop and go pump recall was completed, and budget time for a longer test drive that includes highway speeds and repeated stops.

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.