YearToAvoid

2016 Hyundai Elantra Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

47/100

#9 most-complained of 16 Elantra years

The 2016 Hyundai Elantra has a Complaint Index of 47, ranking 9th worst out of 16 model years, and is rated Good relative to other Elantra years. It has 292 complaints, 2 recalls, and no do-not-drive recalls, with Engine complaints (42% share) as the top problem area.

Complaints
292
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
22 / 5
Injuries / deaths
17 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
30
27 city / 36 hwy

Top 2016 Hyundai Elantra problems

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

  1. Engine123 (42%)
  2. Other54 (18%)
  3. Structure & Body32 (11%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain31 (11%)
  5. Electrical System27 (9%)
  6. Airbags26 (9%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires22 (8%)
  8. Fuel System20 (7%)
  9. Brakes19 (7%)
  10. Steering19 (7%)

What owners report

  • Airbags deployed with fire or failed to deploy during low-speed and moderate-speed collisions, including one crash at 25 mph and another at 45 mph.
  • Owners describe electrical fires starting spontaneously while the vehicle was parked, with one case at 11,000 miles destroying the car and two neighboring vehicles.
  • Some drivers report the brake pedal feeling unresponsive or the car briefly accelerating instead of stopping during slow turns.
  • Visibility complaints describe poor rear and side sightlines from mirror placement and door frame design, contributing to backing-up collisions.
  • One owner reported the engine causing a sudden lurch and loss of control while parking, leading to a crash into a fixed object.
  • Structure and body complaints include reports of smoke and fire emerging from underneath the car after a loss of power while driving.
2016 Hyundai Elantra complaints: complaints filed per quarter232015 Q32017 Q12018 Q32020 Q12021 Q32023 Q12024 Q32026 Q2
384 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2015 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2024 Q2 (23).

2016 Hyundai Elantra recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 26V307000May 14, 2026Airbags3,493 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra and 2016 Elantra GT vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may rupture during deployment.

    Risk: An air bag inflator that ruptures may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or passengers, increasing the risk of injury or death.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the air bag inflator, as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 3, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated August, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 300. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 16, 2026.

  2. NHTSA 24V146000Feb 23, 2024Structure & Body186,588 vehicles

    Latches/locks/linkages:trunk lid:latch

    Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."

    Risk: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the trunk latch base sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 5, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 256.

2016 Hyundai Elantra fuel economy and fuel cost

City
27 MPG
Highway
36 MPG
Combined
30 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,150
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.

2016 compared with other Elantra years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2014Caution73382229
2015Caution53262328
2016Good47292230
2017Avoid87767430.5
2018Good40282030.5

All Hyundai Elantra years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Hyundai Elantra reliable?
Relative to other Elantra model years, the 2016 is rated Good, with a Complaint Index of 47 and rank 9th out of 16 years from worst to best. It has fewer complaints (292) than several other years, including 2013's 1,313.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Hyundai Elantra?
Engine issues make up the largest share of complaints at 42%, followed by Structure & Body at 11% and Transmission & Powertrain at 11%. NHTSA lists a median mileage of 72,000 for engine-related complaints.
Does the 2016 Hyundai Elantra have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2016 Elantra: one for a driver's airbag inflator that may rupture during deployment, and one for a trunk latch that may fail to open from inside. Neither is classified as a do-not-drive recall.
How does the 2016 Elantra compare to other years?
The 2016 Elantra's Complaint Index of 47 is lower than 2013 (100), 2012 (93), and 2017 (87), all rated Avoid. It's higher than 2021 (7) and 2024 (0), which are rated Best.
What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Hyundai Elantra?
The 2016 Elantra gets 30 mpg combined (27 city / 36 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,150 according to EPA data.

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.