Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Hyundai Elantra owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated during acceleration with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to several independent mechanics who diagnosed that the engine and battery needed to be replaced. The dealer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
El carro aveces pone los frenos muy duros y no se detiene. El mismo se acelera solo y en otras ocasiones baja las revoluciones hasta apagarse. Aveces comienza a temblar y prende la luz de check. A n desconozco si ha sido evaluado anteriormente por alg n especialista. Tambi n el mismo demora en prender algunas veces. Me gustar a saber si el mismo puede ser evaluado por alg n y especialista ya que entiendo que no es muy seguro el mismo. Me gustar a saber cu l es el costo de esto para as guardar el presupuesto para el mismo. Le agradecer me dejen saber. Gracias anticipadas
Car stop working once I got home I notice while I was driving the car kept back firing and Jurking while driving .had a mechanic look at the car he tried to start it but it started and shut off..he even tried to jump start the car with the jumping cables but it will not start..he told me it was electrical..I have a brand new battery and a complete tune up on the car..I have not been able to drive the car in 3 weeks
I have been forced to park my car outside in case it catches on fire due to the faulty brake system that cannot be fixed. This puts my car in danger of vandalism and harsh winter conditions. This is unacceptable that Hyundai has not yet found a way to fix the dangerous brake system!!
The power steering stopped working while driving in 2019. The steering wheel jolted 1-2", the EPS light blinked and then remained lit. Maintaining control of the vehicle was strenuous, making it impossible to quickly maneuver, especially at low speeds. Safety of the driver and others on the roadways was negatively impacted by the sudden malfunction. The power steering became intermittent while driving, then completely failed. The vehicle was serviced by a Hyundai dealer/service department for diagnostics, but a diagnosis was inconclusive. To remedy, it was recommended to replace the power steering module. This was done, and it provided temporary resolution. Power steering suddenly became intermittent again. Another diagnostic appointment suggested to replace the entire steering column. This has not been done. There was no warning that the power steering would fail. …
My safety was a risk on August 25th as I was driving back home from work. As I was about to make a right turn, the wheel was hard to turn for second which resulted in me making a wider turn. Thankfully no other cars were around. As I parked, the wheel would swing back and forth and make a swishing sound when touched. A couple of weeks prior to the incident, I had a family friend conduct an oil change. I had mention to him about my steering wheel problem and my tire light being on- all of these problems started at the end of July). He said the steering issue is not normal and not good at all since it ruined the front of my tires. He said in order to fix the tires, I would have to get the steering problem checked and fixed first. He and my warranty recommend me to go to a certified mechanic since he didn't have the tools to properly diagnose and that I can get it fix through my warranty. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that she saw smoke coming from the trunk and from the door on the passenger side. She opened the door, the area from her dashboard all the way down to her gears was burned. The fire department and the police arrived and both filed reports. The fire department let the vehicle smoke out and diagnosed the issue as an electrical fire. The vehicle had a recall NHTSA campaign number: 20V393000 (equipment) for the same issue with the 12 volt accessory socket located inside the vehicle. The vehicle was currently still awaiting to be towed away by the manufacturer to email a letter for the claim to the contact. The dealer Smart Hyundai (1 Smart drive, white hall, ar 71602 [phone]) told the contact to call the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 147,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2011 Hyundai Elantra. While traveling approximately 20 MPH, the contact's vehicle crashed head on into another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The driver sustained severe leg injuries that required medical attention and a right knee replacement. The manufacturer was notified, but no solution was offered. The failure mileage was 23,092. Updated 10/8/14 prior to the accident, the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, because the air bag light was on. She was informed, it was an electrical issue. The consumer never received a recall notice. Updated 10/15/14 according to Hyundai, the vehicle performed as designed. They stated the frontal air bags were not intended to deploy during every impact that was generally directed against the vehicle's front end. …
I bought my Hyundai Elantra new in 2011 since owning the vehicle it's been a nightmare and I get very little if any help from the local Hyundai dealer. I have had numerous issues with the vehicle not starting (car is silent when I turn the key in the ignition, car cranks but won't turn over, engine starts but dies, car dies without any reason). I've brought up complaints and concerns to the local dealership but they are never of any help. I recently had to have the starter replaced but it was only replaced because my car one day wouldn't start at all. Since the replacement I am still met with my car not starting at least once a week if not more. Yesterday my sun roof would not close completely, it retracts a few inches from closing, this is not new to me, multiple intermittent electrical issues, such as is occurring now - the sun roof retracting on its own without any visible reason. …
Vehicle randomly does not start. When key is turned to position one lights, radio, windows, indicator lights all work as expected. When key is turned to start the engine nothing happens. The engine does not turnover or even attempt to turnover. The battery was replaced the first time this happened in April 2018. At that time I had the alternator and starter checked both were functioning properly. After repeated attempts to start the vehicle it has always started, eventually; it can take anywhere from 2 minutes to 30+ minutes for the engine to engage. When it first started occurring it happened pretty often. Prior to last Friday it had been a couple months since it took more than 30 minutes to start. I took the vehicle to another mechanic yesterday. Again starter, battery, alternator are all functioning properly. …
Electrical complaints in other Elantra years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2011 Hyundai Elantra?
NHTSA has 51 complaints about the electrical system of the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, 12% of the model year's 433 complaints. The component named most often is 12v/24v/48v battery (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Hyundai Elantra electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, though it has 5 recalls 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 2011 Hyundai Elantra electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 25% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 1 injury to electrical system 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.