Car · Hyundai problems

2010 Hyundai Elantra problems

380 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The most reported area is steering (51% of them). NHTSA also lists 37 service bulletins and 3 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 48. Deaths: 1.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 380 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Steering195 · 51%
• Electrical system48 · 13%
• Air bags46 · 12%
• Service brakes39 · 10%
• Power train (transmission and drive)32 · 8%
• Body and structure22 · 6%
• Speed control and throttle22 · 6%
• Engine and engine cooling20 · 5%

13 smaller areas not shown (78 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 37 repair bulletins from Hyundai for the 2010 Hyundai Elantra. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. 26-GI-004HReceived October 28, 2026

   Backup camera and sensors

   Some Hyundai vehicles may be equipped with a parking distance warning (PDW) sensor(s) that may trigger various DTCs and display warning messages on the instrument cluster, resulting in the PDW...

2. 26-EM-016HReceived October 14, 2026

   Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption.

3. 25-BD-012HReceived November 12, 2025

   Information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp.

4. 23-EM-005HReceived December 15, 2023

   Engine and engine cooling

   Important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services.

5. 22-EM-010HReceived August 5, 2022

   Engine and engine cooling

   Follow the guidelines outlined in this bulletin to inspect and clean or replace certain components of the engine intake system accordingly during engine short block or sub-assembly replacement.

6. 22-GI-006HReceived August 5, 2022

   Tires

   Effective June 2, 2008, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 110 (FMVSS 110) established a.

7. 21-BR-002HReceived April 7, 2021

   Equipment

   Best practice recommendations when performing brake service procedures.

8. 21-EM-004HReceived April 7, 2021

   Equipment

   The service procedure for engine connecting rod bearing clearance testing.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2010 Hyundai Elantra. Recall repairs are free at a Hyundai dealer.

1. 15V100000February 23, 2015

   Steering

   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.

2. 20V061000February 5, 2020

   Service brakes, hydraulic

   Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.

3. 13V113000April 1, 2013

   Exterior lighting

   In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction.

See all 3 recalls for the 2010 Hyundai Elantra, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Elantra will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Steering 195 complaints · 51%

• Tie rod end replacement (one side)$130 to $380
• Wheel alignment (four-wheel)$85 to $250

Electrical system 48 complaints · 13%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Air bags 46 complaints · 12%

• Airbag clockspring replacement$230 to $670
• Airbag / occupant sensor replacement$220 to $750

Service brakes 39 complaints · 10%

• Brake pad replacement (front)$190 to $400
• Brake rotors and pads (front)$320 to $790
• Brake pad replacement (rear)$180 to $420
• Brake caliper replacement (one wheel)$240 to $590
• Brake fluid flush$75 to $180

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2010 Hyundai Elantra: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2010 Hyundai Elantra?

Of the 380 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2010 Hyundai Elantra, 195 (51%) name steering, and 48 (13%) name electrical system. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2010 Hyundai Elantra reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 45 of the 380 complaints as involving a crash and 9 as involving a fire. They also reported 48 injuries and 1 death. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2010 Hyundai Elantra have?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2010 Hyundai Elantra. Recall repairs are free at a Hyundai dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 37 repair bulletins for the 2010 Hyundai Elantra.

More

• 2020 Elantra problems
• 2019 Elantra problems
• 2018 Elantra problems
• 2017 Elantra problems
• 2016 Elantra problems
• 2015 Elantra problems
• 2014 Elantra problems
• 2013 Elantra problems
• 2012 Elantra problems
• 2011 Elantra problems
• 2010 recalls
• All Hyundai recalls
• Hyundai problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.