Most common 2005 Hyundai Elantra problems
Share of the 137 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 →
2005 Hyundai Elantra recalls (4)
Exterior lighting
Hyundai is recalling 3,011 model year 2005-2007 elantra, tucson, sonata, azera and accent vehicles. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch May cause the brake lights to fail to illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or May cause the brake lights to remain illuminated when the brake pedal is released.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch free of charge. The recall began on September 2, 2009. Owners May contact Hyundai of puerto rico customer service at 1-787-999-4310.
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.
Steering › Linkages › Tie rod assembly
Certain passenger vehicles May have been built with threaded portions of the steering gearbox assembly's left and right inner ball joint assemblies that contain internal cracks in the material structure.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the steering gearbox assemblies on these vehicles free of charge. Owners were contacted by telephone beginning on April 8, 2005, and instructed not to drive their vehicles.
What 2005 Hyundai Elantra owners say
Air bags all 71 →
The contact owns a 2005 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the air bag warning light illuminated intermittently. The contact was made aware of various recalls for similar vehicles. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in an air bag recall. The dealer was made aware of the failure and confirmed there was no active recalls on the vehicle for the air bags. The contact scheduled a service appointment for the vehicle to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.
Passenger airbag sensor registers when someone sits down, but randomly turns off and displays "Passenger Airbag Off" light for a couple minutes before turning off again. Vehicle was inspected by an authorized Hyundai service center and no codes were produced. No indicated problems prior to the first incident.
Speed control & acceleration
On December 10, 2011, I was turning from northbound gary av. Onto eastbound lawrence ave. At approximately 5 MPH. While I was turning my accelerator stuck the engine sped out of control to at least 40 MPH. I swerved to avoid hitting a truck turning onto gary and my car went over the south curb.. And my attempts to break were failing all this time... I crashed through a fence into somebody's back yard went down hill about 50 feet and ran into a tree. I then turned off the ignition. The airbag did not deploy. The investigating bloomingdale police officer started the car and the accelerator was still stuck in the wide open position. The body shop personnel also confirmed the accelerator was stuck.
Tl contact owns a 2005 Hyundai Elantra. While making a turn at 5 MPH into a parking lot, the vehicle suddenly accelerated without intent. The vehicle crashed into the town building causing minor damage to the building. The front end of the vehicle sustained major damages and could not be driven away from the crash site. The airbags did not deploy at the time of impact, and the passenger of the vehicle suffered minor injuries to the shoulder. The manufacturer was notified and stated that they would investigate the accusation of unintended acceleration further. No repairs had been made. The failure and current mileages were under 33,419.
Brakes
Tl*- the contact owns a 2005 Hyundai Elantra . On April 24, 2009 while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the preceding vehicle braked unexpectedly. When the consumer applied her brake they failed to work and she crashed into the back of the vehicle. She experienced minor injuries, but her children who were passengers were unharmed. She has not had previous issues with the vehicle. She did however mention hearing a squeaking noise about twice prior to the crash, but was not sure if it was related to the brake failure. The current mileage was 47000. Updated 05/18/09. Updated 05/19/09.*b
I purchased my Hyundai Elantra 4 door sedan, VIN [redacted], on August 31, 2005. When I took the vehicle in to the dealership for the first oil change at 3500 miles there was a brake fluid leak detected in the rear wheel cylinders. They were both replaced at that time under warranty. On February 4, 2006, I took my vehicle in for the 15000 mile check and once again there was a brake fluid leak discovered and both rear wheel cylinders were once again both replaced under warranty. If these items are defective, Hyundai should issue a recall rather than simply putting out a technical service bulletin. There are apparently two (2) such bulletins in existence: 1. 04-50-010 nov 04 brakes - rear drum brake wheel cylinder leak inspection, and 2. …
2005 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: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Hyundai Elantra a good car?
Based on 137 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Elantra rates better than average: 51% 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 2005 Hyundai Elantra?
The air bags — 71 complaints, 52% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the speed control & acceleration (14) and brakes (11).
How many recalls does the 2005 Hyundai Elantra have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2005 Hyundai Elantra, the most recent from July 21, 2009 (exterior lighting). 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 2005 Hyundai Elantra problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 50,000 miles; 46% 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.