VehicleVerdict

1996 Hyundai Elantra engine problems

The 1996 Hyundai Elantra has 23 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 17% of the year's total, and roughly flat versus the prior model year.

23

Engine complaints

17%

Share of year

0

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

Elantra engine complaints by model year289 complaints1992: 8 complaints1993: 8 complaints1994: 9 complaints1995: 25 complaints1996: 23 complaints1997: 28 complaints1998: 16 complaints1999: 28 complaints2000: 54 complaints2001: 24 complaints2002: 13 complaints2003: 22 complaints2004: 16 complaints2005: 10 complaints2006: 6 complaints2007: 18 complaints2008: 41 complaints2009: 13 complaints2010: 20 complaints2011: 97 complaints2012: 140 complaints2013: 236 complaints2014: 163 complaints2015: 92 complaints2016: 110 complaints2017: 289 complaints2018: 139 complaints2019: 126 complaints2020: 103 complaints2021: 16 complaints2022: 10 complaints2023: 17 complaints2024: 8 complaints2025: 2 complaints
Elantra engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS ON WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT . THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INTO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO PINPOINT THE PROBLEM. *AK”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · June 6, 1997 · fire

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 1996 Hyundai Elantra have?

NHTSA has 23 complaints about the 1996 Hyundai Elantra engine — 17% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.