I am reporting a recall remedy failure involving my 2016 Hyundai Elantra under Hyundai Recall 256 / the federal safety agency Recall 24V‑146 (trunk latch pawl defect). The McCarthy Olathe Hyundai dealership in Olathe, KS marked the recall as “completed,” but the trunk latch still does not open and the defect persists exactly as described in the recall notice. After the recall was marked complete, I returned to the dealership because the trunk still would not open. The dealership told me the issue was “trunk lid damage” from a prior accident and advised me to replace the trunk lid at my own expense. I paid for the trunk lid replacement, but the trunk still did not function. When I returned again, the dealership changed their explanation and said the problem was actually “rear frame damage,” and that they had been wrong to tell me to replace the trunk lid. Which I have audio recordings of but am unable to upload due to format restrictions. Despite these conflicting explanations, the recall defect remains unresolved, and I have been without trunk access for over a year. I contacted Hyundai Corporate (MyHyundai USA), but they responded that this was “not a part issue covered under warranty.” This appears to be a misunderstanding, because this is not a warranty claim — it is a recall remedy failure. The recall was marked complete even though the defect persists, and the dealership’s misdiagnosis led me to pay for repairs that did not address the recall defect. This situation has caused financial loss, safety concerns, and prolonged inability to access the trunk, spare tire, emergency equipment, and cargo space. I am requesting the federal safety agency to document this recall remedy failure and dealership misdiagnosis.
The worst 2016 Hyundai Elantra problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine113
- Transmission31
- Airbags26
- Electrical22
- Fuel system20
- Steering19
- Acceleration18
- Body18
- Brakes15
- Locks13
- Suspension10
- Wheels10
- Lights9
- Driver assistance7
- Visibility6
- Seat belts3
- Tires2
- Seats1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2016 Hyundai Elantra
Stalling 36Check engine light 31Knocking 29Engine failure 22Loss of power 15Jerking 12No deployment 9Won't start 9Transmission failure 7Headlights 6Hesitation 6Oil consumption 6Fuel smell 5Power steering loss 5Slipping 5
Trouble codes owners of the 2016 Hyundai Elantra mention
P0722 2
Recalls 2
Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra and 2016 Elantra GT vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may rupture during deployment.
- Risk
- An air bag inflator that ruptures may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or passengers, increasing the risk of injury or death.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the air bag inflator, as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 3, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated August, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1‑855‑371‑9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 300. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on on May 16, 2026.
Recall number 26V307000 · Recall details
Latches/locks/linkages: trunk lid: latch
- What is wrong
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
- Risk
- A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the trunk latch base sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 5, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1‑855‑371‑9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 256.
Recall number 24V146000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 2016 Hyundai Elantra
Defect investigations
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the federal safety agency received a petition letter dated October 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (ETC) system on certain Kia vehicles resulting in the opening of DP21-003. Accordingly, Model Year (MY) 2005-2016 Kia Optima/K5, MY 2006-2015 Kia Sorento, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Elantra, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Santa Fe, MY 2006-2015 Hyundai Sonatas are all part of the subject population. The petition was originally filed as a Vehicle Owner Questionnaire that can be reviewed at under reference (ODI) number 11439675.On November 12, 2021, ODI opened Defect Petition DP21-003 to evaluate the petitioner?s request. ODI performed trend analyses of the VOQs related to vehicle speed control issues for all the subject vehicles and found that none of the 52 Model/Model Year Hyundai/Kia vehicles demonstrated any actionable trend that warranted an investigation.Petitioners submitted 1119 VOQs and non-VOQ cases in which sudden uncommanded acceleration (SUA) or loss of motive power (LOMP) incidents were alleged.For the 1119 reports, 220 were incidents involving crashes, from which 69 subject Hyundai-Kia vehicles were inspected by Hyundai/Kia dealer technicians, Hyundai/Kia engineers, and/or third-party representatives.ODI found the inspections identified no vehicle defects related to the ETC system.Of the 220 crash-involved reports, 13 Event Data Recorder (EDR) records were downloaded successfully and 11 of those indicated driver error: (i.e.) pedal misapplication.A condition where the accelerator pedal is mistakenly applied instead of the brake pedal when the driver wants to stop the vehicle.In addition, ODI reviewed a scientific journal paper published in Forensic Science International in 2016 by Mr. Park et al ., as well as related test videos. ODI does not believe there is any evidence of uncontrollable SUA occurrences in any of the tests reviewed. the federal safety agency's Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (OVSC) reviewed the allegations regarding the potential noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 124.Based on the information provided, the Agency concludes there is insufficient information for us to determine if a possible non-compliance exists.Finally, both Hyundai and Kia informed ODI that all their vehicles manufactured after 2012 were equipped with an ETC management system, in which the engine speed will go to idle when the system sees signals from both the brake pedal and accelerator pedal at the same time; this is commonly known as the brake-throttle override system.After thoroughly assessing the material submitted by the petitioner, information already in the federal safety agency's possession, information submitted by Hyundai and Kia in response to an Information Request letter, and the potential risks to safety implicated by the petitioner's allegation, the federal safety agency does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. After full consideration of appropriate factors, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing the federal safety agency?s reasons for denial of the petition will be published.
DP21003
Technical service bulletins for the 2016 Hyundai Elantra 134
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Excessive paint peeling or bubbling of the primer/paint film on the exterior metal body panels: hood,...
- Peeling or bubbling on metal body panels: hood, fender(s), roof, door(s), quarter panel(s), and tailgate/trunk
- Peeling or bubbling on metal body panels: hood, fender(s), roof, door(s), quarter panel(s), and tailgate/trunk
- This TSB references the Op codes to use for claim submission and the Parts required based on the vehicle’s...
- This TSB references the Op codes to use for claim submission and the Parts required based on the vehicle’s...
- Certain 2015 – 2018 model year Elantra, 2015 – 2019 model year Sonata, 2017 – 2021 model year Tucson, 2017...
- Excessive paint peeling or bubbling of the primer/paint film on the exterior metal body panels: hood,...
- Description: Certain Hyundai vehicles with exterior white paint may exhibit peeling or bubbling on metal...
- Some Hyundai vehicles may be equipped with a parking distance warning (PDW) sensor(s) that may trigger...
- Higher-than-expected engine oil consumption
2016 Hyundai Elantra fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8L 4‑cyl | FWD | 27-28 | 36-37 | 30-31 |
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | FWD | 24 | 34-35 | 28 |
What 2016 Hyundai Elantra owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The motor started to make a ticking noise 5 months earlier. 5 months later at 180,000 miles a borascope finding, reveled all 4 cylinder walls were worn related to cylinder slap. Called Hyundai dealership and was told ithe car is too old and the milage too high for a warranty coverage.
Vehicle stalls while driving which is very dangerous. All dashboard lights go on prior to stalling. No engine light is on. Knocking sound coming from engine. Dealer states engine needs to be replaced. Car has been serviced regularly despite that Hyundai denies engine replacement. The knocking sound that engine does is common between this model and year but mysteriously there has not been engine recalls.
P0420 P0441 P0014 P1326 C1260 C1688 C2130 These are the codes that's affecting my car
Engine burned oil and had knocking sound, despite having regular oil changes. Stalked out while driving took to dealer initial said it was covered by the exerted coverage but ultimately denied. It had 111,000 miles on it. I believe this engine has the same issues as the others.
The oil light & check engine started flashing. Took it to the auto shop. The mechanic stated that the oil level is very low and the engine has a bad lower-end knock. Removed the oil filter and found metal debris in the oil. No oil leaks were found under the vehicle at all. Oil is being burned out through the exhaust. The vehicle needs an the ngine replacement.
Transmission P0731 code. Vehicle will not shift into 1st gear when idle but will stay in 3 or 4 gear. Speedometer would indicate high speed when pressing on accelerator. At traffic light when light turn green car rev but would not shift into gear. Has only 130K miles. Car was towed to dealer and required a new transmission.
2016 Hyundai Elantra (75k miles) experiences severe, un-commanded Loss of Propulsive Power and a Severe Drivetrain Instability Hazard. At steady highway speeds, the automatic transmission completely loses hydraulic pressure, slips out of gear, and unexpectedly drops into a temporary "neutral." The engine suddenly revs up to high RPM on its own while losing all forward acceleration. After coasting helplessly, it violently slams back into gear, causing the vehicle to lurch forward. This also happens from a complete stop.The vehicle's OBD-II system fails to illuminate the Check Engine Light or store fault codes during these flares, providing zero warning before a loss of propulsion.This dangerous transmission slipping has occurred intermittently for several years. I repeatedly took it to an authorized Hyundai dealership to address this crash hazard. Because there was no active Check Engine Light, the dealership dismissed my concerns, refused to document it, and sent me away without a diagnosis. Recently, the service department acted in bad faith by misrepresenting my warranty terms (falsely claiming it was only 7 years) and refusing a live-data diagnostic scan. The bad faith dealership was Murdock Hyundai of Murray in [XXX], specifically the service manager Tyler as well as Krateton. The car is a verified vehicle under the Hyundai Nu 1.8L Piston Slap Class Action Settlement (TXXK Campaign). An official safety escalation case is open with Hyundai Motor America under my corporate case number XXX. I request a federal safety investigation into premature transmission pressure failure in 2016 Elantras, as this vehicle is entirely unsafe to operate. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My driver side window has not been working for almost 3 years now. I have taken it to 4 mechanics and they fix it but only last a couple days. They have all say they can’t really do anything about it since they need an original piece. My AC is another issue I have that I have tried fixing 3 times now. The same issue happens they fix it and it last about a week or so. The longest it has lasted was 2 weeks. The mechanics each say it needs a new compressor and I’ve bought 3 new compressor already. I’m not sure what to do anymore.
The car turns off while driving it without warning or anything. Place where I got it don’t want to fix it
Compare the 2016 Hyundai Elantra
Elantra vs Ford FocusElantra vs Honda CivicElantra vs Toyota CorollaElantra vs Volkswagen JettaElantra vs Nissan SentraElantra vs Chevrolet CruzeElantra vs Mazda MAZDA3Elantra vs Subaru Impreza
Other model years
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Questions about the 2016 Hyundai Elantra
Is the 2016 Hyundai Elantra reliable?
Owners have filed 293 complaints about the 2016 Hyundai Elantra, close to a typical Elantra model year.
What is the 2016 Hyundai Elantra year score?
The 2016 Hyundai Elantra scores 72 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Hyundai Elantra: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Hyundai Elantra?
Engine and cooling, with 113 complaints, typically around 73,000 miles. Next is transmission (31).
How many recalls does the 2016 Hyundai Elantra have?
2 recalls, covering air bags and latches/locks/linkages.
What year does the Hyundai Elantra have bad engine?
The Hyundai Elantra model years with the most engine complaints are 2017 (294 complaints), 2013 (235 complaints) and 2014 (168 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2016 Hyundai Elantra get?
Official estimates for the 2016 Hyundai Elantra range from 28 to 31 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.8L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 27-28 city and 36-37 highway.
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Check its historyHyundai Elantra in the news
- Hyundai recalls 2026 Elantra and 2026 Tucson Hybrid over macpherson strut problem (24 vehicles)
- Hyundai recalls 2026 Elantra, 2026 Venue and 2026 Elantra Hybrid and other models over wheels lugs/nuts/bolts/studs problem (17 vehicles)
- Hyundai extends warranty coverage on 2015-2019 Sonata, 2015-2018 Elantra and 2017-2021 Tucson and other models (unknown or other)