Most common 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring problems
Share of the 29 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Hyundai Elantra Touring complaints by model year
Best Elantra Touring years: 2013, 2009. Years to avoid: 2010. Compare all years →
2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring recalls (3)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Elantra and 2009-2011 Elantra Touring vehicles. On February 21, 2020 Hyundai expanded the recall to include 46,425 model year 2007-2008 Entourage and 2007 Santa Fe vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the vehicle's main junction box to prevent the risk of an ABS short-circuit while the car is turned off, free of charge. The recall began April 2, 2020.
Structure › Frame and members
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured December 15, 2009, through May 7, 2012. The affected vehicles have a support bracket attached to the headliner that may become displaced during a side curtain airbag deployment.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will apply adhesive strips to the headliner, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2014. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring:
Headliner Bracket Detachment
Hyundai is conducting a safety recall to reinforce the attachment of the metal support bracket to the headliner assembly in approximately 35,000 model year (MY) 2010-2012 Hyundai Elantra Touring vehicles built from December 15, 2009 through May 7, 2012 (see NHTSA recall 14V-310 for more information).These Elantra Touring vehicles have a common headliner bracket design while the earlier MY 2009-2010 Elantra Touring…
What 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring owners say
Speed control & acceleration
Was parked in a parking lot of a drug store for maybe 10 minutes. Started the car and backed out of parking space. When I put the car in drive to go forward the car accelerated to a very high speed and ran into two parked cars. With help I tried to back out of the space but when I went forward the car once again accelerated to a high speed damaging my car and the two other cars. Several years back I pulled into a parking lot to mail a letter. When I put the car in reverse to back out of the parking lot, the car accelerated at a high speed and backed into a snow bank. I thought at the time that I had accidentally stepped on the accelerator instead of the break but read the exact same experience from a Hyundai owner.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring. While driving 20 MPH, the vehicle independently accelerated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. On several occasions, while the vehicle was stopped at a traffic light, the rpms revved while the brake pedal was being depressed. The vehicle was taken to herb chambers Hyundai of auburn (located at 735 southbridge st, auburn, ma 01501, [phone]) to be diagnosed. The dealer cleaned the throttle body, but the failure recurred. Additionally, the throttle body was replaced by an independent mechanic, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.
Engine & cooling
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring. While driving 20 MPH, the vehicle independently accelerated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. On several occasions, while the vehicle was stopped at a traffic light, the rpms revved while the brake pedal was being depressed. The vehicle was taken to herb chambers Hyundai of auburn (located at 735 southbridge st, auburn, ma 01501, [phone]) to be diagnosed. The dealer cleaned the throttle body, but the failure recurred. Additionally, the throttle body was replaced by an independent mechanic, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring. While driving various speeds, an abnormal ticking noise was heard coming from the vehicle. The contact mentioned that the noise was persistent. Luther burnsville Hyundai (14700 buck hill rd, burnsville, mn 55306, [phone]) informed the contact to bring the vehicle in to be diagnosed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the pistons were causing the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.
Brakes
Initial issue was automatic speed control (cruise cntrl), will not stay engaged. Cruise no longer works in any way other than to turn it on. This issue began around jan 2017. Next issue is ESC off light intermittently comes on and will not reset without restart. Latest issue is the 3rd brake light is the only brake light working. The brake lights and ESC issue began around March 2018.
While driving on a two lane road around 45 MPH the front driver's side wheel suddenly and repeatedly locked up causing the tire to skid and the steering to pull to the left. At the same time the car slowed very quickly to 5 MPH and almost caused the driver behind me to slam into the back of my car. I was not applying the brake pedal during this incident. This is a very dangerous issue and needs to be investigated immediately. Similar occurrences have happened about once per month in the past year. I have brought the car to Hyundai service and explained the problem but they cannot duplicate the problem and "find nothing wrong". I have noticed that when the problem is happening if I turn off the ESC the problem will go away and I can resume normal driving speed once again.
2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 23 / 30 / 26 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 23 / 30 / 26 |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring a good car?
Based on 29 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 Elantra Touring rates average: 1.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Elantra Touring at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring?
The speed control & acceleration — 7 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the engine & cooling (5) and brakes (4).
How many recalls does the 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring, the most recent from February 4, 2020 (control unit/module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Hyundai Elantra Touring?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2013 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2010. See the full Hyundai Elantra Touring years comparison.
At what mileage do 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 54,000 miles; 44% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.