HYUNDAI ELANTRA · model year

2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

300 NHTSA complaints, 19 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

4 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2019HYUNDAIELANTRA carries 300 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 19 crashes, 5 fires, 8 injuries, and 1 fatality. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 4/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 4/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2019 ELANTRA is engine with 110 filings, followed by exterior lighting (50) and electrical system (34). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 5 investigation files overlapping the 2019 ELANTRA. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

300
Complaints
19
Crashes
5
Fires
8
Injuries
1
Deaths
2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. Overall composite: 4.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 4.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 4.0 ★
  • Side Crash 4.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 4.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

300 filings

Crashes Reported

19 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 4/5 — Strong NCAP rating · Front: 4/5 · Side: 4/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE110
EXTERIOR LIGHTING50
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM34
UNKNOWN OR OTHER24
STEERING9
POWER TRAIN9
SEAT BELTS6
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS6
SERVICE BRAKES5
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS5
WHEELS4
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM3
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION3
STRUCTURE:BODY3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING3

Recalls (1)

21V30100028/04/2021

ENGINE

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.

Recent Complaints

20260216ENGINE

2019 Elantra has been experiencing oil loss. The last oil change on 14 Feb 2026 at 57400 miles. Checked the oil today 16 Feb 2026 after 266 miles and it was a quart low. It appears that oil consumption is a know issue with Hyundai year and model.

20260210ENGINE

Engine burning oil

20260127EXTERIOR LIGHTING

The brights are not working properly, the light indicates they are on but there is no change in the light it projects.

20260121ENGINE

The contact's mother owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while his mother was driving approximately 20 MPH, there was an abnormal banging sound coming from the engine compartment before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was pushed to the side of the road to safety. The vehicle was towed to the residence and then towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with piston damages and a punctured hole in the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

20260113ENGINE

While driving back into town on the interstate, my oil plug fell out of my car. It was not known at the time the oil plug was what fell out. I remember hearing a clunk underneath my car. About 5-10 minutes after I heard the noise, my oil light flashed, and I could feel my car unable to accelerate further. I pulled over to the side of the road and my engine stalled. I had it towed to a body shop. The next morning, they called and said the oil plug was missing and there was no damage to my undercarriage. My engine was ruined and I was quoted $9,400 for the repair, which is probably more than the value of my car, effectively totaling it. My last oil change was November 12th, 2025 where my odometer was at 82,633. This occurred after 3,393 miles and about 2 months from this most recent oil change. I had not seen oil leaking from my vehicle well before this happened, and I had no indicator lights on or flashing well before this incident. My engine has not previously been checked for HYUNDAI

20260113UNKNOWN OR OTHER

While driving back into town on the interstate, my oil plug fell out of my car. It was not known at the time the oil plug was what fell out. I remember hearing a clunk underneath my car. About 5-10 minutes after I heard the noise, my oil light flashed, and I could feel my car unable to accelerate further. I pulled over to the side of the road and my engine stalled. I had it towed to a body shop. The next morning, they called and said the oil plug was missing and there was no damage to my undercarriage. My engine was ruined and I was quoted $9,400 for the repair, which is probably more than the value of my car, effectively totaling it. My last oil change was November 12th, 2025 where my odometer was at 82,633. This occurred after 3,393 miles and about 2 months from this most recent oil change. I had not seen oil leaking from my vehicle well before this happened, and I had no indicator lights on or flashing well before this incident. My engine has not previously been checked for HYUNDAI

20251226EXTERIOR LIGHTING

My headlights high beams stopped working .I found a recall called a dealer said it was out of warranty . how do you differentiate a car built when there was a problem with high beams going out .The replacement would cost over one thousand dollars I already have to use a club because immobilizer installed in car I hade the update. But both of there are safety issues.

20251220ENGINE

I own a 2019 Hyundai Elantra Value Edition . 2.0L 1999CC L4. A few weeks ago we started with really cold/snowy weather and as I’m driving I’ve noticed weird knocking sound that sounds like a Ford F250 starting up. Today while stopped in traffic with the vehicle idling, the 2019 Hyundai Elantra cut off into the battery mode as if I just have my car running off of my battery (ex: roll windows up) and all of the lights on the dash board on. I put my car on the break to turn my car off and it went back into drive mode, it didn’t shut off. I tried accelerating my car went no where, within a few minutes it did it multiple times. I called the local dealer and was informed that there were no recalls associated with the VIN. I let Hyundai Webb aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 197,000.

20251220POWER TRAIN

I own a 2019 Hyundai Elantra Value Edition . 2.0L 1999CC L4. A few weeks ago we started with really cold/snowy weather and as I’m driving I’ve noticed weird knocking sound that sounds like a Ford F250 starting up. Today while stopped in traffic with the vehicle idling, the 2019 Hyundai Elantra cut off into the battery mode as if I just have my car running off of my battery (ex: roll windows up) and all of the lights on the dash board on. I put my car on the break to turn my car off and it went back into drive mode, it didn’t shut off. I tried accelerating my car went no where, within a few minutes it did it multiple times. I called the local dealer and was informed that there were no recalls associated with the VIN. I let Hyundai Webb aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 197,000.

20251211ENGINE

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact was frequently checking the engine oil level after noticing that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil between oil changes. The contact was frequently topping off the engine oil. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine, and the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact then stated that the oil warning light started flashing on the instrument panel, and the contact pulled over and had the vehicle towed to the residence. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact later discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (ENGINE); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was notified of the failure, and the contact was provided an estimate for a diag

20251210ENGINE

My 2019 Hyundai Elantra sel had catastrophic engine failure at 95k. I was riding at 40mph on the highway when the engine failed. It had zero warnings lights whatsoever before it happened. I was barely even able to make it off the road. I had it towed to the dealer. They said it was a rod bearing. My catalytic converter also failed. They said I was burning oil which again had no idea I was since I didn’t smell it nor did I have an engine light. However the dealer said my vin wasn’t part of the recall.

20251130ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Driver side lock cannot be opened. Defect

20251130UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Driver side lock cannot be opened. Defect

20251122UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Electric Horn is not working Horn issue Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 25-BE-005H published on Hyundai Tech Info under Hyundaidealer.com but it does not include 2019; It includes 2020 -2022 model years

20251122ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Electric Horn is not working Horn issue Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 25-BE-005H published on Hyundai Tech Info under Hyundaidealer.com but it does not include 2019; It includes 2020 -2022 model years

20251121ENGINE

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while stopped in traffic with the vehicle idling, the vehicle vibrated, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that for the rest of the drive, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. While the contact was entering a driveway, the vehicle stalled. The contact waited for several minutes before being able to restart the vehicle. The contact then drove to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The independent mechanic informed the contact that the engine was making an abnormal rattling sound and the piston oil ring had failed. The vehicle was not repaired; however, an oil change was performed. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that there were no recalls associated with the VIN. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately

Mileage: 126,000

20251111ENGINE

The engine in my 2019 Hyundai Elantra failed at approximately 66,000 miles. The vehicle began to idle roughly, lose power, and eventually stalled and would not restart. It was first inspected by an independent mechanic, who suggested a possible electrical issue. I then took it to a Hyundai dealership, where they later confirmed the engine was blown due to internal failure. I had a new warranty after refinancing, which required the car to be driven a minimum number of miles before coverage could be used. The engine failed when I was only a few miles short of that requirement. The warranty representative from the refinancing company confirmed in a voicemail that while they could cover work already completed (fuel pump), they could not cover the engine. The Hyundai technician also recommended returning the vehicle to the dealership for a new engine. The dealership had previously noted the vehicle was only a few miles outside warranty coverage and even suggested they could “drive the car

20251109CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER

A safety recall performed by Hyundai automotive company was completed on 10.4.2022 to remedy a known security flaw in Kia/Hyunai vehicles made between 2011 and 2022. This recall was performed successfully by a certified Hyundai dealer. Since this, the vehicle has been stolen not once, but twice. The security sytem that should be in place to prevent the ease of theft has not been effective. This has put us as owners at risk of financial harm by lack of access to a vehicle on multiple occasions. Additionally this has continued to be a public safety concern as this has put the lives and safety of others at risk when thieves are easily able to steal these vehciles and drive recklessly around a city. The problem has been reproduced by a dealership when they had to store the vehicle, locked, and were able to start the car with just a USB stick in March 2024. Additionally this issue has been reproduced by a thief again in September 2025 when a second theft occured. The vehicle has been

20251027EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Subject: 2019 Hyundai Elantra – High Beam Headlight Failure and Warranty Denial To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to document and request review of an ongoing issue with my 2019 Hyundai Elantra regarding an inoperable high-beam headlight system and the handling of my warranty claim. Shortly after a warranty period service, my vehicle’s high beams stopped working correctly. I reported the issue to my Hyundai dealership as soon as it occurred, while the vehicle was still within warranty coverage. The vehicle was inspected by Hyundai, but the warranty claim was denied without a satisfactory explanation. Following Hyundai’s denial, I filed a complaint through the BBB Auto Line, providing the same information and documentation, but the claim was again denied. After researching further, I discovered that Hyundai has issued a service campaign (T5G – Headlamp High Beam Repair) for certain 2019–2020 Elantra models addressing the exact same defect—an inoperable high-beam fu

20251016ENGINE

Yes, it put people at risk by breaking the engine and throwing oil on the highway. The engine simply opened a hole in the block. There was no light and yes the car is currently in inspection at Hyundai focus on these cars because Hyundai complicates a lot to try to get out of warranty.

Compare 2019HYUNDAIELANTRA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA have?
The 2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA has 300 NHTSA complaints, 19 crashes, 5 fires, 8 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA?
The 2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 4/5, front crash rating of 4/5, side crash rating of 4/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA?
Yes, the 2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is ENGINE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA?
The most-complained component for the 2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA is ENGINE with 110 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EXTERIOR LIGHTING and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA has an NHTSA safety rating of 4/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.