2008 Hyundai Elantra Steering
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
DRIVING CAR APPROXIMATELY 2 MINUTES AFTER TURNING IT ON WHEN THE RED EPS LIGHT TURNED ON AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. COULD BARELY MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL, AS THE WHEEL APPEARED TO LOCK. THIS ALSO HAPPENED ABOUT 1 YEAR AGO, EXACT CIRCUMSTANCES. WHEN I TURNED IT OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN, IT WENT AWAY. THANKFULLY, I WAS IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THIS OCCURRED EACH TIME. KEEP VEHICLE IN GOOD SERVICE CONDITION - REGULAR FLUSHES, FLUIDS MAINTAINED AT APPROPRIATE LEVELS, OIL CHANGES, BRAKES AND TIRES REPLACED AS NEEDED. DID HAVE THE BRAKE LIGHT SENSOR REPLACED - ONCE DUE TO RECALL, AND AGAIN WHEN THE ONE PROVIDED BY THE RECALL FAILED, CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO STAY ON, WHICH IN TURN DRAINED MY BATTERY - HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY AS A RESULT AS WELL AT MY OWN EXPENSE. *TR
I TURNED ON THE ENGINE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER NORMAL MORNING AND IT APPEARED THAT THE WHEEL WAS STUCK. I TURNED HARD TO THE LEFT AND HEARD A CRACKING NOISE. I FURTHER TURNED THE WHEEL LEFT TO MERGE ONTO THE STREET, WHEN I REALIZED I HAD NO STEERING. I PROCEEDED TO TRY AND DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT LET ME DRIVE FORWARD. WITH GREAT EFFORT, I WAS ABLE TO GET IT BACK IN TO PARK AND PARK IT ON THE CURB. I WAS LUCKY NO ONE WAS AROUND, AS THE STALLING AND INABILITY TO STEER WAS A SCARY INCIDENCE. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL AS IT IS VERY RISKY TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IF YOU CAN GET IT TO TURN AT ALL ....SO FAR IT WILL ONLY LET ME DRIVE IN REVERSE AND MAKE RIGHT HAND TURNS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED WHICH LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED AND THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED AND CLEARED THE COMPUTER SYSTEM, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,348 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,967.
I HAD STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION. I STARTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND IT BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. I NOTICED THE EPS SENSOR ON THE DASHBOARD WAS ON. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR STRANGE SOUND. I WAS PROBABLY GOING 5 MPH SINCE, THERE APPEARED TO BE NO POWER IN CAR. I PULLED OVER LEAVING THE VEHICLE ON. I PRECEDED TO MAKE MY WAY HOME. HAVING NO REAL ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE. I AM VERY FORTUNATE THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS STILL A GOOD DISTANCE FROM VEHICLE. I DID HEAR A CLICKING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEN I MADE A LEFT TURN. I TOOK INTO TO THE DEALER IN 2011, THEY WE'RE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE SOUND. AT THAT TIME IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THAT IS THE ONLY WARNING I COULD OF POSSIBLY HAD THERE WAS SOMETHING UNSAFE ABOUT THE VEHICLE. *TR
THE EPS LIGHT CAME ON AND THE POWER STEERING WAS GONE. *TR
THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA AT THE SPEED LIMIT ON A 4 LANE, NON DIVIDED HIGHWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I WAS DRIVING MY CAR TO WORK IN NORMAL MORNING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC.THERE WAS NO WARNING. WHILE MOVING AT THE SPEED LIMIT, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND LOST ALL POWER TO THE CAR.THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAD NO PRIOR WARNING OF ANY TYPE THAT THE STEERING WAS DEFECTIVE OR WOULD FAIL. IT FAILED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE HAD VERY DIRE RESULTS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE CONTACT MOVED THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY, SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, WHO STATED THAT THE MAIN COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION POWER AND POWER STEERING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DECELERATED AND APPLIED FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON ROAD. ALMOST WRECKED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EPS WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE RESET. THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE, BUT ADVISED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,660 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,900.
THIS IS A FOLLOW-UP TO ODI NUMBER 10395729, POWER STEERING FAILURE ON A 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THIS SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED THREE DAYS AND 26 MILES DRIVEN AFTER THE INITIAL REPAIR BY THE DEALERSHIP. IN THIS CASE, I WAS IDLING IN THE LEFT HAND TURNING LANE OF A 6 LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY, WAITING IN A LINE OF CARS FOR A LEFT-TURN GREEN ARROW. THE STEERING WHEEL TWITCHED, TRIED TO ROTATE REALLY, IN MY HANDS, THEN FELT LOCKED. I LOOKED AT THE DASHBOARD AND THE RED EPS LIGHT WAS ON. I HAD RESEARCHED HYUNDAI EPS LIGHT PROBLEMS ON THE INTERNET SINCE MY FIRST INCIDENT, AND SOME POSTERS RECOMMENDED TURNING OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTING THE CAR TO ACTIVATE THE STEERING AGAIN. I TRIED THIS AND THE EPS LIGHT DID GO OUT WHEN THE CAR RESTARTED, AND THE FEELING OF STEERING WHEEL CONTROL RETURNED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE OFF THE HIGHWAY BUT GOT NO MORE THAN 1/4 MILE TOTAL BEFORE THE STEERING LOCKED AGAIN AND THE EPS LIGHT WAS ON AGAIN. I DRIFTED TO THE CURB AND RESTARTED THE CAR AGAIN. THE STEERING CAME BACK ON AGAIN, AND I PROCEEDED ABOUT ANOTHER 1/4 MILE AT SLOW SPEED BEFORE THE STEERING LOCKED AGAIN AND THE EPS LIGHT REAPPEARED. I RESTARTED THE CAR AGAIN AND THIS TIME WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE LAST BLOCK TO MY HOME AND PULLED TO THE CURB. WHILE IDLING THERE, THE EPS LIGHT CAME ON AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AGAIN. I CALLED THE DEALER FOR ASSISTANCE, AND THEY RETURNED MY CALL AND TOLD ME TO CALL HYUNDAI ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE FOR A TOW. THE DEALERSHIP KEPT THE CAR SEVERAL DAYS AS THEY NEEDED TO ORDER A PART. THE WORK ORDER STATES '13090 SOP PART, REPLACE STEERING COLUMN, PART # 56310-2H300, SHAFT C1290 TORQUE SENSOR ABD'. IN ONE MONTH OF DRIVING SINCE THIS REPAIR, I HAVE HAD NO RED EPS LIGHTS, NO STEERING FAILURE. HOWEVER, THE STEERING WHEEL DOES CONTINUE TO TWITCH ON ITS OWN, SOMETIMES WHILE IDLING, SOMETIMES WHILE MOVING. I FEEL THE DEALERSHIP HAS TREATED ME FAIRLY, BUT I REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT THE LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES OF THIS DEFECT. *TR
THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA AT THE SPEED LIMIT ON A 4 LANE, NON DIVIDED HIGHWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I WAS DRIVING MY CAR TO WORK IN NORMAL MORNING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I WAS ABOUT 7 MILES INTO A NORMAL 10 MILE COMMUTE. THERE WAS NO WARNING. WHILE MOVING AT THE SPEED LIMIT, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. MY INITIAL THOUGHT WAS THAT THE CAR HAD SOMEHOW STALLED. I RAPIDLY PUMPED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN AND WARN OTHER CARS. IT IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, SO I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR. I HEARD THE ENGINE REV, SO I REALIZED IT WAS POWER STEERING FAILURE, NOT A STALL. I CONTINUED TO PUMPED THE BRAKES AND FOUGHT WITH THE STEERING TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. I AM OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE DRIVEN CARS THAT DID NOT HAVE POWER STEERING, BUT STEERING IN THIS CONDITION WAS MORE DIFFICULT THAN THAT. I SLOWED THE CAR WITHOUT INCIDENT AND MANAGED TO PULL IT INTO A PARKING LOT. I REALIZED THAT THE PARKING LOT WAS CONNECTED TO A SIDE STREET AND WAS ONLY A BLOCK AWAY FROM THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, SO I DROVE THE CAR ONTO THEIR LOT. THE DASHBOARD SHOWED ONE RED LIGHT, 'EPS". ONLY AFTER STEPPING OUT OF THE CAR DID I REALIZE HOW SHAKEN UP I WAS, IT WAS PROBABLY POOR JUDGMENT TO DRIVE EVEN THAT ONE BLOCK. I LEFT THE CAR FOR THEM TO SERVICE. FROM THE SERVICE WRITE-UP: UPON INSP TECH FOUND STEERING ANGLE SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE. CODE C1259, & C1290 PRESENT. TECH REPLACED SENSOR & CLEARED CODE. OPER TO MFR SPEC. THE DEALERSHIP DID THIS UNDER WARRANTY, NO CHARGE. THEY ALSO PERFORMED 2 OTHER RECALLS RELATED TO AIRBAGS WHILE THE CAR WAS THERE. I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW FROM THIS DEALER AND THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES TO EVER SERVICE IT. I HAVE NO REASON TO FAULT THE DEALER, I APPRECIATE THEIR WORK. FOR THE CAR HOWEVER, THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAD NO PRIOR WARNING OF ANY TYPE THAT THE STEERING WAS DEFECTIVE OR WOULD FAIL. IT FAILED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE HAD VERY DIRE RESULTS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND RIDING OVER UNEVEN PAVEMENT HE HEARD A LOUD RATTLING NOISE FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE LINK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE LINK WAS REPLACED ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION. A FEW DAYS AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE MADE THE RATTLING NOISES STARTED TO OCCUR AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
MY 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WITH 19,000 MILES ON IT SUDDENLY LOST POWER AS I WAS CROSSING A RAILROAD TRACK. (10/2010) I IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO START IT AGAIN AND IT DID START BUT AS I DROVE ON, THE ENGINE SEEMED TO "MISS" THEN KEEP GOING, THEN "MISS" AGAIN. IT DID THIS FOR ABOUT 2 BLOCKS WHEN I STOPPED AT A GAS STATION. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOWED IT. THEY CALLED TO SAY THAT THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A "STEERING" PROBLEM AND THE BRAKE AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGED. I GOT ANOTHER CALL SEVERAL DAYS LATER SAYING THE CAR WAS READY TO PICK UP. THIS WAS FOLLOWED A FEW HOURS LATER BY ANOTHER CALL SAYING THEY HAD TEST DRIVEN THE CAR AND IT FAILED. THEY SAID THEY WERE IN TOUCH WITH THE REGIONAL OFFICE FOR HELP. I CALLED THEIR CONSUMER AFFAIRS DEPT. AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SERVICE DEPT. HAD FAILED TO PERFORM ONE OF SEVERAL TESTS REQUIRED TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THEY WERE TO CALL ME WITHIN 1-3 DAYS. IT IS DAY 2 NOW AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING. I DO NOT TRUST HYUNDAI AND WANT TO GET RID OF THE CAR. I HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED A "CONSUMER REP" WHO WILL NOW BE THE ONLY PERSON I WILL BE ALLOWED TO TALK TO REGARDING THE CAR. IF THE ENGINE SHUT-DOWN HAD OCCURRED ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY OR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THROUGH WHICH I WAS ABOUT TO GO, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I AM NOT WILLING TO DRIVE A CAR THAT IS DANGEROUS. CAN I BELIEVE HYUNDAI WHEN/IF THEY TELL ME MY CAR HAS BEEN FIXED????? I DOUBT IT! *TR
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE STEERING LOCKED RENDERING THE CAR UNSTEERABLE, RESULTING IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING BEGAN TO VIBRATE WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS OF MAY 30, 2008, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 104.
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Quick Summary
The 2008 Hyundai Elantra has 42 Steering complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.