Most common 2004 Hyundai Elantra problems
Share of the 182 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Hyundai Elantra complaints by model year
Best Elantra years: 2025. Years to avoid: 2013, 2017, 2012, 2018, 2011. Compare all years →
2004 Hyundai Elantra recalls (5)
Air bags
Certain vehicles equipped with an advanced air bag system. The occupant classification system (ocs) installed in the right front seat of the vehicle May misclassify a child restraint seat (crs) as an adult. This May occur if the crs is installed after an adult has been seated in the right front seat.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the vehicle's ocs electronic control unit (ECU) to remove the feature that May cause the crs to be recognized as an adult. The recall began on November 15, 2005.
Air bags
Certain vehicles equipped with an advanced air bag system. The occupant classification system (ocs) installed in the right front seat of the vehicle May misclassify a child restraint seat (crs) as an adult. This May occur if the crs is installed after an adult has been seated in the right front seat.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the vehicle's ocs electronic control unit (ECU) to remove the feature that May cause the crs to be recognized as an adult. The recall began on October 31, 2005.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
During an insurance institute for highway safety (iihs) offset frontal barrier impact test, it was determined that fuel tan damage could occur. On certain passenger vehicles, a vapor tube hose clamp that is located near the fuel tank May not be positioned properly and could cause fuel leakage.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the position of the vapor tube hose clamp ears and correctly position the clamp, if necessary. The recall began on October 5, 2004. Owners should contact Hyundai de puerto rico at 1-800-981-0188.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
During an insurance institute for highway safety (iihs) offset frontal barrier impact test on certain passenger vehicles, fuel spillage occurred as a result of fuel tank damage caused by contact between a vapor tube hose clamp ear and the fuel tank.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the position of the vapor tube hose clamp and correctly position the clamp, if necessary. Owner notification began on May 24, 2004. Owners should contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Air bags
On certain vehicles, if the front passenger seat is unoccupied or is occupied by someone lighter than 56.4 pounds, the passenger air bag is deactivated and will not deploy if a crash occurs.
Remedy: The occupant classification sensor will be reprogrammed.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2004 Hyundai Elantra:
Post-crash fuel tank leak
Pe04-041 was opened to investigate a fuel leak incident that occurred during an insurance institute for highway safety (iihs) frontal crash offset test on the subject vehicle.this investigation revealed that the vapor tube hose clamp ear was mispositioned and facing toward the fuel tank, which enabled the vapor tube hose clamp ear to puncture the fuel tank and the fuel tank to leak stoddard fluid during the iihs…
What 2004 Hyundai Elantra owners say
Air bags all 114 →
Vehicle 2004 Hyundai involved in accident on the street, this vehicle owner was belted when the accident occurred, the airbags deployed, this vehicle owner sustained severe injuries including fractured vertebrate of lumbar 1 and 2 and fractured ribs, note no other vehicle was involved, this vehicle owner side swiped a tree and sustained minimal damage to the front end, this vehicle owner was treated at the scene, transported to the emergency room was hospitalized for 7 days; currently, receiving out patient care with scheduled medical appointments, this vehicle owner is not cleared to return to work at this time, and for at least 9 weeks. The faulty airbags failed to keep this driver safe, and severely injured him. He suffered 2 broken back bones, a broken rib, scrapes and bruises. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Hyundai Elantra. While driving at approximately 40 MPH during inclement weather, the vehicle skidded and crashed into a concrete barrier. The air bag warning light illuminated, but the air bags did not deploy. The contact did not sustain any injuries. The contact did not disclose if a police report was filed or not. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 131,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Engine & cooling
On 11/26/07 the car got overheated, engine check light came on and engine shut down on the highway, coolant leaked out, car towed in. Bridgeport key Hyundai replaced coolant temperature sensor on 04/11/08 the car stalled on the highway without engine light coming on, coolant leaked out, engine failure caused a collision with another vehicle from the back. The car was towed in, it needs engine replacement. We believe the coolant repairs to be defective. Dealer denies our claim and blames engine failure on poor maintenance. I have read a number of reports about Hyundai engine stalling/coolant leak. In addition ABS/TCS light has been coming on with the brake pedal vibrating and making noise. Car wouldn't stop as requested especially on wet, icy surface. Dealer cannot locate the problem please investigate both defects.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Hyundai Elantra. While driving various speeds, the throttle positioning sensor failed on more than one occasion. Upon deceleration, the vehicle accelerated without warning. The contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle accelerated rapidly. In addition, the contact described the brake pedal as having a "dead spot", thus the vehicle accelerated on its own after the brake pedal was depressed. On one occasion, there was an increase in the rmps that was directly related to the worn position sensor. The contact independently replaced the positioning sensor. Millennium Hyundai (265 north franklin st, hempstead, ny 11550) was made aware of the failure and acknowledged the failures. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was 105,000.
Seat belts
I have contacted customer care and was told it's standard to remove a front seat and give the car back until they get parts for the recall I feel this could cause air bag systems not to be active and also without the seat the cars ability to hold up in a crash is reduced due to missing components that provide some structural support all I have requested was a rental car for the time it takes to perform my recall as I do not feel safe driving a car without a front seat I have had the dealer decline my request and said if I want it done the seat will be removed and the car given back to me is this a safe practice for a dealer to remove a seat that has one of the side air bags in it and advise the owner to drive the car as normal? …
"Takata recall " well I never really thought about vehicle recalls until the death of a young girl and a few others. My car has problems with it when I'm driving to work at 4 am in the morning about 5 miles there and back and one of the problems is my air bag light is on has been on for about 2 weeks, my suspension is dangerous and my seat belt is not safe because it some what works. I really want to be safe and I want my family safe.
2004 Hyundai Elantra engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 23 / 31 / 26 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 29 / 24 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Hyundai Elantra a good car?
Based on 182 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 Elantra rates average: 25% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Elantra 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 2004 Hyundai Elantra?
The air bags — 114 complaints, 63% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal › sensor/control module. Next are the engine & cooling (16) and seat belts (12).
How many recalls does the 2004 Hyundai Elantra have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2004 Hyundai Elantra, the most recent from October 17, 2005 (air bags). 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?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2025. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2013, 2017, 2012, 2018 and 2011. See the full Hyundai Elantra years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 Hyundai Elantra problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 31,000 miles; 57% 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.