2015 Hyundai Elantra Engine
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
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Engine failure consistent with known Hyundai engine defect. Blue smoke, oil consumption, engine knock Mechanic autoscanned codes were P0300, PO301, PO302 Lost half quart of oil in 800 miles Fire risk acknowledged in recall documentation - undriveable car at Hyundai dealer in Salem NH, renting a car now as without any transportation Manufacturer denied repair based solely on VIN despite identical failure
2015 Hyundai Elantra is consuming oil. I have changed the oil on all of my vehicles ever since I have owned vehicles and this vehicle purchased used for my children and maintained by me is consuming oil requiring addition of +/- a quart of oil between trips from Baltimore, MD to New Haven, CT. Oil lamp on dashboard is lighting indicating low level of oil upon return to home just north of Baltimore December 15, 2025 after a trip north to New Haven CT November 29, 2025. Oil was topped off prior to trip back to school on November 28, 2025 and 16 days later after trip home on December 15, 2015, oil lamp on dash is lighting and oil level is low. There are no observations of oil leaking at home or in parking garage at New Haven, CT
My 2015 Hyundai Elantra fits the 'window' of Elantras where the engine transmission slips gears without notice. Hyundai dealers have been replacing transmissions at no cost, if the car is still under 100,000 miles, as part of a class action settlement. As the second owner, I have no warranty rights to get Hyundai to fix my car at no cost. This is despite the Hyundai dealer just today (Aug 20, 2025) here in Las Vegas was ready to replace my transmission at no cost until they found out I am the second owner. The car is still unsafe. The need is still relevant. The dealer was willing at first. Now I am faced with an unsafe vehicle forced to possibly pass in excess of $4,000 to fix an issue that has been know and litigated.
Vehicle routinely (3,000-5,000 miles, depending on oil used) maintained by qualified mechanics. Around 129,000 miles the engine began to knock / rattle. Mechanic was unable to determine the cause, but the rattle was only present between 0-40mph and would settle at higher speeds. Mechanic also noted the absence of sludge. Around 133,000 miles the vehicle stalled. The vehicle would start, but would stall again. Mechanic diagnosed timing chain failure and that the vehicle is burning oil. Vehicle has never indicated low oil, but it is now manually checked and burning about a quart of oil per 1,000 miles. Replaced timing chain and vehicle has continued to operate. Around 134,500 miles some power loss during low-speed acceleration and a slight engine rumble at lower speed. Mechanic diagnosed a wrist pin failure on cylinder 2. Vehicle may be inspected upon request. Vehicle stalls create some safety concerns, but have only occurred at low speeds. Vehicle timing chain was diagnosed by two different mechanics. When the vehicle was brought to a Hyundai dealership for a trunk latch recall in May of 2024 at 125,000 miles, no issues were noted. Vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance represenstatives since May of 2024, with no reported issues. No check engine notifications or warnings appeared until the vehicle stalled. Prior to slightly decreased acceleration, the only notable indicator of an issue is the persistent engine rattle (knock, piston slap). The engine rattle began in February of 2025.
Hello my vehicle developed a knock and it has become so much worse, I will not drive it. Hyundai has played games with me. My vehicle has been at Jenkins Subaru three times at Hyundai request. This third time my vehicle had to be towed to Jenkins Subaru. Now Hyundai tells me they will not repair my vehicle even though they have been aware with this lifter knock piston slap issue for quite some time now. I need help. I am [XXX] [XXX] and rely on this vehicle to get me to doctors appointments and general errands. I really don't know what to do. I am afraid to drive the vehicle because of fire issues and possibly staling out on the interstate and me getting hit by another vehicle. Please help. My vehicle now sits at Jenkins Subaru in Clarksburg wv and I have no way to bring it back to Fairmont wv. A 20 to 25 minutes trip could be deadly to to bring it home. Hyundai could have cared less that I had to had the vehicle towed to Jenkins Subaru, there reasoning is it has 104,000 miles on it. I told Hyundai they must make throw away vehicles then. Thank you [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Check engine light came on, the code says misfire on random cylinders, drives very rough. Took to mechanic and said timing chain is loose, which causes the “skipping” or misfire, and could snap at any moment (which is unsafe and could cause a wreck). Mechanic has 3 other Hyundai Elantra's with same problem. Around 2 grand fix.
While operating my 2015 Hyundai ELANTRA, the engine cuts out.. it just stalls out of nowhere without any signs or warnings its about to happen. As well as approximately 50% of the time the engine stalls the power steering also stops working. At this point I have to coast to the side of the road, put it in park, turn the key to the off position and then restart the car when this happens which is quite often. The worst its ever been was 8 times in a 25 minute/28 mile drive. This doesn’t only happen at fast or slow speeds. It’s completely random whether I’m going 15 mph in a school zone 25 to 40 mph through towns or 65 to 70 mph on highways. This is already extremely dangerous to happen. Going 15 to 40 mph but when you’re driving on a highway at 65 or 70 mph and the engine and power steering just stop and cut out, this is severely dangerous. I’ve been in contact with the Hyundai headquarters multiple times and they are not doing a single thing about it so my car has just been sitting for about 5 months now. Please help me hold Hyundai financially responsible for safety recall repairs. This manufacturer safety issue is unacceptable and my car has been very well maintained and has very low miles under 70k miles on a 2015
Was driving 2/6/24 and oil light came on. Engine smelled bad then entire car stopped working, e.g. brake pedal locked and the dashboard lit up. Ran over a median to manually stop the car. Had car towed to Hyundai dealership, who stated that an oil change from Firestone in 12/2023 was the culprit. Upon inspection the oil filter had a bulging gasket which was presumed to allow the car to slowly leak oil, leading to impending catastrophic engine failure. I appealed to Firestone and they completed an inspection and provided a report that showed the Hyundai engine itself was faulty and warped the oil filter based on detailed caliper measurements. In light of the Hyundai/Kia engine troubles, I wanted to submit a report in case my year and make and model make a recall list for engine issues.
I had a complete engine failure. The car had a loud knock sound and the engine shut off leaving the car inoperable.
The contact owned a 2015 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked outside his residence, it caught on fire. The contact stated the fire was emanating from the engine compartment. No one was injured during the fire. A volunteer fire department was notified and extinguished the fire. A fire department and police report were not filed. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the insurance; however, the contact stated the vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was not repaired and remains at the contact residence. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to restart. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with rod bearing failure and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but denied the engine replacement due to the vehicle having a Salvaged Title. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
The car engine seized on me. Went to work in the am and by the afternoon the car was non drivable. Had it tolled to a Hyundai dealership and couple of other car repair shops and they all confirmed that the engine has died. I haven't even had the car for a year. There was no indicators on the screen or any kind of warning such as an engine light. Good thing the car was in park when before it seized, otherwise I could have been driving it and could have happened on the road.
Complete engine failure at 129k miles, 3k miles after purchasing used off Hyundai car dealerships.
July 3rd - car was serviced at Humble Hyundai for engine recall July 8th- received email of recommended services needed for vehicle (only thing regarding engine were spark plug replacement) July 26th - car stalled while at red light July 27th - car was brought to Humble Hyundai for further diagnosis Aug 2nd - update regarding engine, cylinder 3 was not receiving enough pressure/low pressure Aug 7th- no longer covered under warranty, car is not operative, need to purchase new vehicle
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle started to shudder and lost motive power before the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle also lost power steering functionality and stopped in the right lane on the highway. The contact stated that she restarted the vehicle and was able to exit the highway. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled repeatedly while driving to the residence. The contact stated that while driving to an independent mechanic, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 72,561.
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
Engine stalled while going at-speed on major highway; high risk of crash if not restarted in time. Continuous repeating stalls. Hyundai inspected car twice; failed to fix the problem on the first attempt, refused to replace engine alleging that maintenance was negligent due to residue inside motor. Hyundai did not report any residue on the first inspection, and likely did not inspect engine thoroughly when stalling was initially reported to their mechanics. Odd noises from engine present for months prior to stalling.
My vehicle is just over 80k miles and has received regular maintenance services. Inspection available upon request. My engine would rattle during idle, stopped at a light, and sounded as if the RPM were increasing. I would have to turn my car off then back on for it to stop. No engine or warning lights. As this became more frequent, I also noticed a very intense shaking coming from the front passenger side of the vehicle while driving on the highway. The shaking was most intense as the car accelerated from 2k-3k RPM. It felt like I could have lost control. On 11/29/22, my car was towed to a repair shop because the engine would stall when I started my car. After examination they recommended I take it to a Hyundai dealer, determined the engine may need replaced and informed me of other recalls from similar models. When the vehicle was brought to the Hyundai dealer, they stated they could not replicate the issue - the engine would start without stalling - but they also speculated my problem was from a loose cable, and attempted to send my car home with me the same day. It is important to note that the battery cable was examined and was connected prior to bringing it in to the dealer. My car is not under recall so my request was taken lightly, they stated I had no engine issues. I pressed for them to address the rattling of my vehicle, for which they then told me I had a leak in my front left axle. Axle was repaired and car brought home. My car drove for about 212 miles before it started stalling again with multiple attempts to start it. When I was able to successfully turn the engine over, I drove it back to the Hyundai dealer on 1/02/23. They found no codes but determined the crank sensor needed replaced. After replacement, they informed me my vehicle still “acted up” once, so they have held onto the vehicle for the past month, letting it sit and occasionally test driving it. Still no answer to this irregular issue.
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, she heard a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the noise was intermittent at first but had become almost constant and would occur at various speeds. The contact stated that she recently saw white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. Additionally, the engine was revving high when started in the morning. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V226000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.
The engine failed under with under 100,000 miles on the car. It dies going under 20 miles per hour. This is a safety issue because it will die anywhere and can cause wrecks due to sudden failure. The vehicle was inspected Stivers Hyundai, and they could not determine what caused the failure. The problem was confirmed with the same dealer. There were no warning lamps or signs prior to the failure. Beneath, I am reporting the issue on the date it first occurred, though it has occurred multiple times since.
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, cylinder #3 misfired and check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 179,000.
Multiple times now, the vehicle has stalled while I am driving and turned off. Both my battery and alternator are still good, however this continues to happen. This happens at any speed, but most commonly at low speeds, while slowing down. This typically starts with the engine chugging or the car begins lurching instead of moving fluidly. As this is happening the light cluster will also flash and then go off or will illuminate the oil pressure warning light. I have had the oil level checked and can confirm this is also not an issue. The only way to get the car back on is to put the vehicle in park, and turn it over until it starts. It will normally start on the first try but at times it has taken several attempts. Additionally the car now produces a strong exhaust smell anytime I am driving it even though it has not done so before and there are no issues with my exhaust system currently. The vehicle currently has around 180,000 miles but from what I have read on this site there are many individuals experiencing this same issue with varying mileage. This is obviously a major concern as I have kept the vehicle maintained normally and this seems to have come out of nowhere and this is a significant safety hazard both for myself and others. As many have stated already in their complaints their vehicle has also experienced this exact issue while driving putting themselves and others in danger. The only fix I have seen on the site here is to replace the engine which is absurd given that this seems to be a manufacturer issue and not on the vehicle owner from what I can tell based on the number of related complaints that are the exact same issue.
When driving the car shuts off. The dash lights come on oil battery check engine. Once I stop and put the car in park and restart it it will start right back up. I will die anytime and anywhere. I've been on the highway and it just stops. It does it multiple times before I get to were I need to go. I was almost hit by a semi in traffic doing 40 because it died in the lane
The low-pressure oil light flickers at idle and then stalls the engine. This often happens at intersections while waiting for traffic to clear and then the car shuts off. The oil pressure has been tested and is at proper pressure. Additionally, the oil sending switch has been replaced. At this time the vin shows the engine is not eligible for manufacturer recall. It is my understanding that the engine shut off is by design as to preserve the engine from seizure. However, the root of the issue needs to be addressed as it is a major safety concern if the engine stops during idle in a busy intersection.
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated and stalled. The contact stated that he was able to navigate the vehicle off the roadway. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not covered under recall or warranty. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the gear shifter only operated in second gear (D2) and the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact stated that the shifter locked Mr. Transmission where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.
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The 2015 Hyundai Elantra has 55 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.