2016 Hyundai Elantra Problems, Recalls & Reliability
395 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Hyundai Elantra, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 21/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 73,000 miles.
Typical
Where 2016 sits among all Elantra years
What owners report
“There is an engine knock upon cold start. I have taken it to have it repaired 3 times and 3 times hyundai has refused to do anything.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Elantra
“Trunk latch won’t work, there is a recall on other models for this problem but they say this isn’t on recall”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Elantra
“I believe it is the transmission/ power train that failed. It slides gears and the engine stalls. While driving, I was almost hit because I could not speed up. I had to decelerate in order for the gear to not stutter.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Elantra
“Front headlights need replacing one monthly. Had it repaired at the dealership while still under factory warranty. I was told it was a wiring issue but several months after the problem still persists. The front highbeams and daylights have been replaced for going out (no longer working) 12 times in…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Elantra
“Driver's front side airbag did not deploy when car was hit at speed (on the passenger side) in intersection by another vehicle running a red light.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Elantra
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 152 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 55,485 miles. Half of those reports fall between 25,000 and 80,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
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.
Fix: 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…
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…
Fix: 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.…
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
130 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2016 Hyundai Elantra. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2016 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 2016 Hyundai Elantra reliable?
The 2016 Hyundai Elantra drew 395 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 21/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2016 Hyundai Elantra problems?
The top reported problems for the 2016 Hyundai Elantra are engine (112 complaints), other (59), and transmission & drivetrain (31).
At what mileage do 2016 Hyundai Elantra problems show up?
Owners most often report 2016 Hyundai Elantra problems around 55,485 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 25,000 and 80,000 miles.
Does the 2016 Hyundai Elantra have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 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.