1997 Hyundai Elantra Problems, Recalls & Reliability
196 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1997 Hyundai Elantra, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 12/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 1997 Hyundai Elantra has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 1997 sits among all Elantra years
What owners report
“Automatic transmission goes into low gear and gets stuck there periodically. Transmission also slips periodically.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Elantra
“Check engine light on since i bought the car.i have been in repeatedly for this to be corrected to no avail. Problems with transmission repeatedly. Engine was causing a vacuum and not allowing to car to shift.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Elantra
Recalls (3)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS CAN APPLY EXCESSIVE VACUUM TO THE FUEL TANKS DURING THE CANISTER PURGE CYCLE. IF EXCESSIVE VACUUM IS APPLIED, MINOR FUEL TANK DISTORTION CAN RESULT. A SMALL CRACK COULD…
Fix: DEALERS WILL PRESSURE CHECK THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK TO DETERMINE IF IT HAS CRACKED. IF THE FUEL TANK HAS CRACKED, IT WILL BE REPLACED.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS CAN APPLY EXCESSIVE VACUUM TO THE FUEL TANKS DURING THE CANISTER PURGE CYCLE. IF EXCESSIVE VACUUM IS APPLIED, MINOR FUEL TANK DISTORTION CAN RESULT. A SMALL CRACK COULD…
Fix: DEALERS WILL PRESSURE CHECK THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK TO DETERMINE IF IT HAS CRACKED. IF THE FUEL TANK HAS CRACKED, IT WILL BE REPLACED.
THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WERE CONTAMINATED DURING ASSEMBLY.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE CONTAMINANTS FROM THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER CONTACTS.
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
There is no summary currently available
Technical service bulletins
65 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and engine — are on file for the 1997 Hyundai Elantra. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1997 Elantra TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1997 Hyundai Elantra reliable?
The 1997 Hyundai Elantra drew 196 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 12/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 1997 Hyundai Elantra problems?
The top reported problems for the 1997 Hyundai Elantra are transmission & drivetrain (34 complaints), engine (28), and electrical (22).
Does the 1997 Hyundai Elantra have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 1997 Hyundai Elantra. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.