YearToAvoid

2006 Hyundai Elantra Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

10/100

#19 most-complained of 21 Elantra years

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

The 2006 Hyundai Elantra has 155 owner complaints and 1 safety recall on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 10 out of 100 — #19 highest of 21 Elantra model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is airbags (56 complaints, 36% of the total). Complaints report 28 crashes and 23 injuries.

Complaints
155
Recalls
1
Crashes / fires
28 / 0
Injuries / deaths
23 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
24
21 city / 29 hwy

Top 2006 Hyundai Elantra problems

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

  1. Airbags56 (36%)
  2. Electrical System48 (31%)
  3. Brakes33 (21%)
  4. Engine17 (11%)
  5. Structure & Body14 (9%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain8 (5%)
  7. Visibility & Wipers7 (5%)
  8. Fuel System3 (2%)
  9. Other3 (2%)
  10. Steering3 (2%)
2006 Hyundai Elantra complaints: complaints filed per quarter92006 Q32008 Q32010 Q32012 Q22014 Q22016 Q22018 Q22020 Q4
196 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2006 Q3 to 2021 Q3; peak 2014 Q1 (9).

2006 Hyundai Elantra recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 09V280000Jul 21, 2009Electrical System3,011 vehicles

    Exterior lighting

    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.

    Risk: 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.

2006 Hyundai Elantra fuel economy and fuel cost

City
21 MPG
Highway
29 MPG
Combined
24 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,700
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.

2006 compared with other Elantra years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Good5137425
2006Good10155124
2007Good30267627.5
2008Caution65314727.5

All Hyundai Elantra years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2006 Hyundai Elantra a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2006 Hyundai Elantra ranks #19 of 21 among Elantra model years (Complaint Index 10/100, verdict: Good). It has 155 complaints and 1 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Hyundai Elantra?
The most reported problem areas are airbags (56 complaints), electrical system (48 complaints), and brakes (33 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 67,900 miles.
Does the 2006 Hyundai Elantra have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2006 Hyundai Elantra, most recently reported 2009, covering electrical system.
What is the fuel economy of the 2006 Hyundai Elantra?
EPA rates the 2006 Hyundai Elantra at 24 MPG combined (21 city / 29 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,700. 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.