YearToAvoid

2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 6 Elantra Touring years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring has 75 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 100 out of 100 — the highest of 6 Elantra Touring model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is steering (38 complaints, 51% of the total). Complaints report 4 crashes, 4 fires, and 5 injuries.

Complaints
75
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
4 / 4
Injuries / deaths
5 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
26
23 city / 30.5 hwy

Top 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Steering38 (51%)
  2. Brakes12 (16%)
  3. Electrical System11 (15%)
  4. Suspension, Wheels & Tires10 (13%)
  5. Airbags6 (8%)
  6. Engine6 (8%)
  7. Visibility & Wipers4 (5%)
  8. Structure & Body2 (3%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain2 (3%)
  10. Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (1%)
2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring complaints: complaints filed per quarter62010 Q32012 Q42014 Q22015 Q42017 Q12019 Q22021 Q32022 Q4
94 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2011 Q2 (6).

2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 20V061000Feb 4, 2020Brakes476,111 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module

    Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Elantra and 2009-2011 Elantra Touring vehicles. On February 21, 2020 Hyundai expanded the recall to include 46,425 model year 2007-2008 Entourage and 2007 Santa Fe vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.

    Risk: An electrical short within the ABS Module may cause an engine compartment fire, even when the car is turned off, increasing the risk of an injury.

    Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the vehicle's main junction box to prevent the risk of an ABS short-circuit while the car is turned off, free of charge. The recall began April 2, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 188.

  2. NHTSA 15V100000Feb 23, 2015Steering204,768 vehicles

    Steering:electric power assist system

    Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Elantra vehicles manufactured June 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010, and 2009-2010 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured November 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010. The electronic power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may sense a discrepancy in the steering input signals and, as a result, disable the steering power assist.

    Risk: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Hyundai will verify the proper operation of the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) and update the EPS control unit, free of charge. The recall began April 14, 2015. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 127.

  3. NHTSA 14V310000Jun 10, 2014Structure & Body35,000 vehicles

    Structure:frame and members

    Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured December 15, 2009, through May 7, 2012. The affected vehicles have a support bracket attached to the headliner that may become displaced during a side curtain airbag deployment.

    Risk: If the headliner support bracket makes contact with an occupant during a crash, it may cause a laceration injury.

    Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will apply adhesive strips to the headliner, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2014. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 117.

See all 4 recalls for the 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring →

2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring fuel economy and fuel cost

City
23 MPG
Highway
30.5 MPG
Combined
26 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,500
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2010 compared with other Elantra Touring years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100200820092010201120122013
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2008No verdict010—
2009Good4032326
2010Avoid10075426
2011Avoid8029326
2012Caution6022126

All Hyundai Elantra Touring years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring ranks worst among Elantra Touring model years (Complaint Index 100/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 75 complaints and 4 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring?
The most reported problem areas are steering (38 complaints), brakes (12 complaints), and electrical system (11 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 54,195 miles.
Does the 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring, most recently reported 2020, covering brakes, steering, structure & body, and electrical system.
What is the fuel economy of the 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring?
EPA rates the 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring at 26 MPG combined (23 city / 30.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,500. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.