2016 Hyundai Elantra GT recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Engine

  The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Elantra GT. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact stated that there was an abnormal burning odor inside and outside the vehicle. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was later towed to the residence where an independent mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The local dealer and manufacturer were not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.

  Jul 1, 2023 · 140,000 miles
• Engine

  The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Elantra GT. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed and determined that the vehicle had a experienced a failure with the piston rings related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine). The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

  May 25, 2023 · 57,000 miles
• Service brakes

  The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Elantra GT. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH and depressing the brake pedal to stop the vehicle, the braked malfunctioned, and the vehicle failed to slow down. The contact shifted to park and turned off the vehicle to avoid crashing into the rear of a truck. After restarting the vehicle, the brakes operated normally. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 69,000. The VIN was not available.

  Sep 1, 2022 · 69,000 miles
• Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel

  The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Elantra GT. The contact stated that the instrument panel software was previously replaced by an independent mechanic as the instrument cluster lights were inoperative. The contact stated while her daughter was driving 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact's daughter was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart after several attempts. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure…

  Oct 15, 2021 · 40,000 miles
• Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Oil/lubrication › Oil cooler

  The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Elantra GT. The contact stated that while her wife was driving 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact's wife was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact's wife was unable to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The co-workers of the contact's wife inspected under the hood and noticed that there was no engine oil in the vehicle. However, the contact stated that she had recently completed an oil change. The contact's wife added engine oil in the vehicle with assistance. The contact stated that upon attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle emitted an abnormally loud sound. The…

  Aug 17, 2022 · 82,623 miles
• Seats

  The contact's wife owns a 2016 Hyundai Elantra GT. The contact stated that while attempting to install a safety seat, he noticed that the rear seat hinge assembly pin had detached and the rear seats were not attached to the frame of the vehicle. The dealer was made aware of the failure and the contact purchased the hinge assembly pin to replace it himself. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000. The VIN was unavailable.

  Mar 17, 2022 · 115,000 miles
• Engine

  The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Elantra GT. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the engine made abnormal loud knocking sounds. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that he veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the engine threw a rod through the engine block and destroyed the engine. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that they would cover a percentage of the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 77,170.

  Dec 2, 2020 · 77,170 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.