VehicleVerdict

2006 Hyundai Elantra lighting problems

The 2006 Hyundai Elantra has 39 lighting complaints filed with NHTSA — 19% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

39

Lighting complaints

19%

Share of year

0

Crash-involved

1

Related recalls

Lighting complaints by year

Elantra lighting complaints by model year74 complaints1992: 2 complaints1993: 1 complaints1994: 5 complaints1995: 2 complaints1996: 2 complaints1997: 5 complaints1999: 4 complaints2000: 4 complaints2001: 11 complaints2002: 19 complaints2003: 13 complaints2004: 2 complaints2005: 6 complaints2006: 39 complaints2007: 25 complaints2008: 24 complaints2009: 3 complaints2010: 5 complaints2011: 10 complaints2012: 18 complaints2013: 74 complaints2014: 10 complaints2015: 5 complaints2016: 9 complaints2017: 23 complaints2018: 16 complaints2019: 65 complaints2020: 27 complaints2021: 4 complaints2022: 1 complaints2023: 2 complaints2024: 3 complaints
Elantra lighting complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Related recalls

09V280000LightingJuly 21, 2009 · 3,011 units

Defect

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 3,011 MODEL YEAR 2005-2007 ELANTRA, TUCSON, SONATA, AZERA AND ACCENT VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A DEFECTIVE STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFT OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Consequence

ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-787-999-4310.

What owners report

“NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V280000 , I OWN A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA AND THE BRAKE SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE BRAKE LIGHTS WENT OUT AND MY CAR WAS NOT ONE OF THE ONES ON THE RECALL. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF A LOT OF OTHER ELANTRA OWNS THAT WERE NOT ON THE LIST FOR THE RECALL HAD THIS HAPPENING AND IF…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Lighting · May 1, 2011

Common questions

How many lighting complaints does the 2006 Hyundai Elantra have?

NHTSA has 39 complaints about the 2006 Hyundai Elantra lighting — 19% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls for the 2006 Hyundai Elantra lighting?

Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for this model year is tied to the lighting: 09V280000.

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.