Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Hyundai Elantra owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
While backing up in reverse, the brake did not work. Instead the car accelerated and the engine reved up to what seem to be a very high speed. The car stopped when it smashed into our other car, which was about 4 feet behind it. It was about 5 pm on a dry road. My husband was wearing work boots at the time. There was only a few scratches on the rear bumper. The hood of the other car was pushed in. Our mechanic could not find computer codes or any other problems. The Hyundai dealer also said there were no issues he knew of. Other acceleration problems with elantras we read about make us think the brake and accelerator design on these cars are too close together. They seem to be only about 3- 4" apart, where other makes are at least 6" apart. We believe his boot May have gotten stuck on the gas when switching to the brake. …
I had an accident when I first purchase the car which I have always felt the car should have stop sooner. The brake did not stop right away and it only stop when I hit the truck which very little damage was done to the truck but my hold front was damaged. The car has been repair but right now today the brakes do not stop sometime like it is suppose too. I can put on the brakes and get that same thump that I felt when I had the accident and it will take a while for the car to stop. I sometimes pull closer to the curb in case it don't stop so I can hit the curb instead of another car. Also the car does not heat up after warming up it takes almost a half an hour before the heat kicks in when you put in on heat but it will heat up when it warms up if you turn the dial to the air conditioning sign.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact mentioned that a crash was prevented due to the failure. In addition, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to switch gears. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the spark plugs and the wires needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
When my wife was trying to apply the brake on a 2006 Hyundai Elantra her foot contacted both gas and brake pedals, which resulted in crashing into building in front of a parking space. Personally I had experienced this a couple of times prior to the accident. The gas pedal is slightly higher and close to brake pedal and it appears to be very easy to push both down. I almost drove into the side of an oncoming car entering the road. On my Toyota highlander the brake pedal is higher than the gas pedal , maybe the transition to this other pedal arrangement is part of the issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that the exterior brake lights remained illuminated even when the brake pedal was not depressed. The dealer was not contacted. Upon conducting research, the contact was made aware of NHTSA campaign number: 13V113000 (service brakes, hydraulic, exterior lighting) as a possible explanation for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not associated with the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Elantra. While driving in the rain and depressing the brake pedal, the brakes failed to respond. Also, the contact heard a clunking noise when the pedal was depressed. The contact noticed that the brake light housing was melted. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 09V280000 (exterior lighting). The failure mileage was 163,468.
Annual safety check today revealed all of the break lighting was not working on our 2006 Hyundai Elantra. Checked fuse and bulb and all are working. Searched this website and found recalls for many models and years of Hyundai, but not this particular year and model. I noticed also that the left and right turn signal lights would operate without the key in the ignition. These issues were resolved with the instalation of a new switch
Tl*- on 01/05/07 the contact took the vehicle to dealer in danville, virginia because the brake pedal was getting stuck on the floor , and the dealer replaced the master cylinder. The contact stated that on 01/06/07 while driving 35-40 MPH h applied the brakes, but the vehicle continued to accelerate, causing the vehicle to crash into a tree. The contact could provide pictures of the vehicle , as well as an accident report.
My 2006 Hyundai Elantra brake lights have stopped functioning all of a sudden. I replaced both bulbs and nothing changed. There is a safety recall for this model vehicle for a brake light switch malfunction and describes in detail the exact problem with my car but my VIN does not appear to qualify for this campaign.
My passenger occupancy sensor no longer detects the presence of a passenger, so my passenger airbag is always on, when the seat is both occupied or unoccupied. Also, my brake light switch no longer works, so my brake lights do not turn on when I depress the brake pedal. Both of these issues occur incessantly.
Brake complaints in other Elantra years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2006 Hyundai Elantra?
NHTSA has 32 complaints about the brakes of the 2006 Hyundai Elantra, 21% of the model year's 155 complaints. The component named most often is pedals and linkages (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Hyundai Elantra brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2006 Hyundai Elantra, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2006 Hyundai Elantra brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 86,000 miles, and 23% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.