1998 Hyundai Elantra problems
Owners have filed 75 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Hyundai Elantra. Engine is the most reported problem area, at 21% of complaints. After that come transmission (17%) and air bags (9%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 75 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 21% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 10 and 0
- Injuries and deaths
- 6 and 0
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What the data shows
Safety-related details: 10 complaints mention a crash; 6 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1998 ranks 31st most-complained-about out of 34 model years of the Hyundai Elantra with enough data (53 complaints in that window).
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Consumer was driving in a 35MPH zone , and a car pulled out in front and consumer hit the passenger's side of the other vehicle. Front end of car was damaged. Took to dealer, and the consumer's insurance company wanted to write it off as totalled.
Was traveling 35-40MPH when another vehicle went through stop sign, and hit consumer's vehicle. Then, elantra rear ended first vehicle. Upon impact, air bags failed to deploy. Driver hit the steering wheel. Driver received emergency treatment. Vehicle totaled.
Dt: consumer purchased two sets of firestone supreme tires for two different vehicles. All eight tires had tread separation, each occurred at different times. Dealer only honored the warranty for the first seven tires. The last tread separation caused the vehicle to be totaled, causing injury to consumer's child. On the eighth tire dealer told the consumer that he had to send the tire and all claim information to the corporate office, to be treated as a property damage claim.
I recently purchased a 1998 hyundai elantra. The problem I have is sporadic and without warning. The vehicle is equipped with an automatic transmission. At any given time the vehicle will jerk to almost a complete stop as if someone has pulled the emergency brake on. This will happen at various speeds and happens whether or not the check engine light is on. I have parked the vehicle as it frightens me to drive more than 20 MPH. I use my vehicle frequently for my employment and have been renting a vehicle.
After entering a highway my elantra came to a complete stop on the highway from 65 MPH and the engine died. I later had to replace the front brakes and wheel bearings on the side I swerved into and I'm sure that is what caused the problem. I heard a woman complain about this same situation that happened to her twice to a dealership mechanic while she was having the transmission on her elantra checked out. I think this problem results from there being no lock on the shifter between neutral and drive.