What are the most common problems with the 2015 Hyundai Elantra?

The engine group has the most complaints at 96, followed by brakes at 55. See the problems section above for what owners describe.

Does the 2015 Hyundai Elantra have recalls?

Yes, the by-year fact shows 3 recalls. The Recalls section on this page lists each one.

What is the gas mileage of the 2015 Hyundai Elantra?

See the fuel economy section on this page. It is built from EPA data.

Is the 2015 Hyundai Elantra reliable?

Owners filed 263 complaints with NHTSA. These are unverified reports and are not adjusted for sales, so read them with the safety section and the recall list.

Is 2015 the best year for the Hyundai Elantra?

See the by-year comparison on this page to compare complaints and recalls across model years.

2015 Hyundai Elantra Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 263 owner complaints on file for the 2015 Hyundai Elantra^[1]. The engine group has the most, with 96 complaints^[2].

263owner complaints^[1]

3recalls^[3]

27–31MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups owners name most often on this model year.

Engine. 96 complaints^[2]. In the stories we read, owners describe ticking or rattling noises, sudden stalling, and a dealer finding bits of metal in the oil. A few say the car needed a new engine.
Brakes. 55 complaints^[6]. Owners describe brake lights that stay on, a stuck rear caliper, and pedals that felt like they would not stop the car.
Unknown or other. 48 complaints^[7]. These reports do not fit a single component group.
Steering. 26 complaints^[8]. Owners describe a car that wanders at highway speed, a wheel that seems to stick near center, and a column that gets warm.
Electrical system. 23 complaints^[9].
Air bags. 23 complaints^[10]. Owners describe crashes where the air bags did not open, and one story where only some of them opened.
Power train. 18 complaints^[11].
Speed control. 15 complaints^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2015 Elantra is necessarily included.

Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module (26V307), May 2026. About 3,493 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: injury, death, an air bag that may not work as intended. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Trunk Lid › Latch (24V146), February 2024. About 186,588 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: injury. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip › Control Unit/Module (23V651), September 2023. About 1,649,478 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire, injury. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[15]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Elantra, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[16]	24 / 35 / 28	$2,400
Elantra, 2.0L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[17]	24 / 34 / 28	$2,400
Elantra, 1.8L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	27 / 37 / 31	$2,150
Elantra Limited, 1.8L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[18]	27 / 36 / 30	$2,250
Elantra, 1.8L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[19]	27 / 36 / 30	$2,250
Elantra Coupe, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[20]	24 / 34 / 28	$2,400
Elantra Coupe, 2.0L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[21]	23 / 34 / 27	$2,500
Elantra GT, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[22]	24 / 32 / 27	$2,500
Elantra GT, 2.0L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[23]	24 / 33 / 27	$2,500

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD^[5]	5	4	5	4	10.9%
5 HB FWD^[24]	5	4	5	4	10.9%

NHTSA lists these versions as not rated: 2 DR FWD^[25].

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2015 Hyundai Elantra with 1.8L 4-cylinder^[26]	145 hp
2015 Hyundai Elantra with 2.0L 4-cylinder^[27]	166 to 173 hp

How 2015 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Elantra model year. The 2015 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
1995	112	1
1996	100	3
1997	115	3
1998	55	0
1999	128	2
2000	197	1
2001	315	6
2002	342	6
2003	234	5
2004	182	5
2005	137	4
2006	155	1
2007	267	6
2008	315	7
2009	286	4
2010	455	4
2011	462	8
2012	676	5
2013	1,345	4
2014	396	2
2015	263	3
2016	300	2
2017	795	4
2018	335	1
2019	266	1
2020	262	3
2021	161	7
2022	159	8
2023	169	4
2024	62	2
2025	34	2
2026	4	2

NHTSA's counts for the Elantra show 263 complaints and 3 recalls for 2015^[3]. Among the 32 model years listed, 17 have fewer complaints than 2015 and 14 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2026 (4) and the most are for 2013 (1,345)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2015 Elantra?

NHTSA lists 263 complaints for this model year^[1]. Engine reports lead the list^[2], and brake reports come next^[6]. Air bag complaints include 17 crashes^[10]. These are unverified owner reports and one complaint can name several parts. Check the recall list on this page before you decide.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2015 Hyundai Elantra?: The engine group has the most complaints at 96^[2], followed by brakes at 55^[6]. See the problems section above for what owners describe.
Does the 2015 Hyundai Elantra have recalls?: Yes, the by-year fact shows 3 recalls^[3]. The Recalls section on this page lists each one.
What is the gas mileage of the 2015 Hyundai Elantra?: See the fuel economy section on this page. It is built from EPA data.
Is the 2015 Hyundai Elantra reliable?: Owners filed 263 complaints with NHTSA^[1]. These are unverified reports and are not adjusted for sales, so read them with the safety section and the recall list.
Is 2015 the best year for the Hyundai Elantra?: See the by-year comparison on this page to compare complaints and recalls across model years.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Hyundai Elantra

2013 1,345 complaints, 4 recalls
2015 this page
2016 300 complaints, 2 recalls
2017 795 complaints, 4 recalls
2018 335 complaints, 1 recall
2020 262 complaints, 3 recalls

Compare all model years of the Hyundai Elantra

Other Hyundai models from 2015

2015 Hyundai Genesis 306 complaints, 10 recalls
2015 Hyundai Sonata 1,207 complaints, 12 recalls

All Hyundai models

Similar cars from 2015: midsize cars

2015 Chrysler 200 1,993 complaints, 8 recalls
2015 Ford Fusion 1,066 complaints, 14 recalls
2015 Honda Accord 641 complaints, 6 recalls
2015 Kia Optima 1,021 complaints, 4 recalls
2015 Lexus GS 19 complaints, 1 recall
2015 Mazda 6 60 complaints, 3 recalls

All midsize cars we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 263 owner complaints on file for the 2015 Hyundai Elantra (27 mention a crash, 8 a fire, 25 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
96 complaints name the engine component group (1 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 74,500). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Hyundai Elantra model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Elantra, 1.8L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 27 city / 37 highway / 31 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,150. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 10.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
55 complaints name the brakes component group (7 crashes, 3 fires, 7 injuries, median mileage at failure 55,750). NHTSA vehicle records
48 complaints name the unknown or other component group (2 crashes, 2 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 43,000). NHTSA vehicle records
26 complaints name the steering component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 40,000). NHTSA vehicle records
23 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 49,900). NHTSA vehicle records
23 complaints name the air bags component group (17 crashes, 2 fires, 21 injuries, median mileage at failure 25,672). NHTSA vehicle records
18 complaints name the power train component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 67,002). NHTSA vehicle records
15 complaints name the speed control component group (5 crashes, 2 fires, 5 injuries, median mileage at failure 20,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 26V307, filed May 14, 2026: Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 24V146, filed February 23, 2024: Latches / Locks / Linkages › Trunk Lid › Latch. NHTSA recall database
Recall 23V651, filed September 22, 2023: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock / Traction Control / Electronic Limited Slip › Control Unit / Module . NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Elantra, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 24 city / 35 highway / 28 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,400. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Elantra, 2.0L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 24 city / 34 highway / 28 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,400. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Elantra Limited, 1.8L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 27 city / 36 highway / 30 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,250. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Elantra, 1.8L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 27 city / 36 highway / 30 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,250. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Elantra Coupe, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 24 city / 34 highway / 28 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,400. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Elantra Coupe, 2.0L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 23 city / 34 highway / 27 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,500. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Elantra GT, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 24 city / 32 highway / 27 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,500. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Elantra GT, 2.0L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 24 city / 33 highway / 27 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,500. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 5 HB FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 10.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 2 DR FWD: not rated. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2015 Hyundai Elantra with 1.8L 4-cylinder: rated 145 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2015 Hyundai Elantra with 2.0L 4-cylinder: rated 166 to 173 hp depending on version. www.epa.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2015 Hyundai Elantra: problems, recalls and fuel economy