2022 Hyundai Elantra: What to check before buying
Owners have filed 139 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the seat belts, electrical, and transmission. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2022- Owner complaints
- 139
- Recalls
- 8
- Crashes reported
- 7
- 6 injuries
Your inspection sheet
Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2022 Hyundai Elantra: inspection sheet
Paperwork and questions
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/2
Walk-around and cabin
Engine off, key in hand0/1
Cold start, engine bay, and underside
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/1
Test drive
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/5
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
Which Elantra is it?
EPA figures for each version of the 2022 Hyundai Elantra. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4-cylGas | FWD | 31 mpg |
| 2.0L 4-cylGas | FWD | 37 mpg |
| 1.6L 4-cylHybrid | FWD | 54 mpg |
- The 2022 Hyundai Elantra was sold in three versions. Confirm which one this is from the window sticker, the engine cover, or the VIN report before you compare prices.
- On the hybrid, watch for the car moving off on electric power at low speed and for any hybrid system warning on the dash.
- Reset the trip computer at the start of the drive. A Elantra that averages well under the EPA 31 mpg combined on a mixed route may have an engine or tire problem.
Check the odometer against these mileages
Owners report these failures starting around the mileages below. A car inside one of these ranges deserves a closer look at that part, or records showing it was already fixed.
Horn stops working
10,000–10,500 miles
Transmission shudder and clutch faults
25,000–28,000 miles
Why these checks: what owners reported
NHTSA complaints for the 2022 Hyundai Elantra, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Seat belts28No crashes
Recall repairs stall because parts are not available. Nearly all reports concern federal recall campaign 22V354000 for the seat belt pretensioner, which may deploy in a faulty manner and injure occupants. Dealers confirm the part has not arrived, some owners call four dealers with no luck, and waits run from two months to half a year. Most of these owners have not had a failure. One separate report describes a belt that kept tightening and locking around a passenger's waist until it had to be cut.
Electrical25No crashes
The horn quits without warning, often around 10,000 miles. Some cars need repeat replacements, and one dealer reports replacing 7 horns. Rearview cameras show a blurry or blank image in reverse, and some owners are told their car is not eligible for the related recall. On hybrids, a "Check Hybrid System" warning cuts power at highway speed, limiting the car to 30 and then 20 mph. One owner links this to the 12-volt lithium battery. Other reports cover black display screens, forward safety warnings, and a dead battery at 32,000 miles.
Transmission141 crash
Hybrids show a "Check Hybrid System, Stop Safely" warning at highway speed and lose power, slowing to 20 mph until the 12-volt battery is reset. Software updates do not always end it. The 8-speed dual-clutch transmission shudders, slips, shifts harshly, and is slow to engage from a stop, with reports near 25,000 miles and one clutch failure at 28,000. Other reports describe stalling, a parked car that rolled out of a garage and hit another vehicle, a shifter moved into neutral without the brake pressed, and rodent-chewed transmission wiring.
Automatic emergency braking11No crashes
Automatic emergency braking activates with nothing ahead, sometimes bringing the car to an abrupt stop on the freeway. One driver reports neck pain after a hard stop, and false braking shows up as early as 5,500 miles. A second pattern is a "Check Forward Safety System" warning with code C162078, which points to a misaligned front radar and turns off collision avoidance and smart cruise control. Dealers often blame an impact, charge for the radar alignment, or say warranty coverage is void.
Brakes72 crashes
Emergency braking engages at highway speed with no traffic ahead and drags the car to a near stop, sometimes steering it sharply left as another car passes. Dealers usually cannot duplicate it. Two crash reports appear here. In one, the car surged forward while the driver braked in a parking lot, causing an injury. In the other, brake assist and the parking brake both failed with no warning lights. Other owners describe a wailing noise at low speed in reverse and calipers that stick and heat the rotors.
Acceleration and cruise control6No crashes
Engaging cruise control sometimes sets the speed to 110 or 120 mph instead of the current speed, and the car accelerates hard toward it. The steering wheel buttons will not lower the setting, so braking or switching cruise off is the only way out. Several owners say this happens more than 10 times, with no codes and no dealer able to reproduce it. Other reports describe sudden acceleration under light pedal pressure and cruise control shut off by a front sensor fault, code C162078.
Steering5No crashes
Power assist drops out and the wheel turns heavy, usually alongside a cluster of warnings for ABS, forward safety, stability control, and blind spot systems. One dealer traces the problem to an ABS sensor. In another case a flat tire triggered the warnings, and they stayed on after the tire was replaced, leaving a car with under 20k miles undrivable. One report filed here describes a hybrid battery warning and total power loss at 78 to 80 mph in the fast lane, with no hazard flashers working.
Airbags32 crashes
Only three complaints are filed here, and they do not form a clear pattern. One owner says the air bags failed to deploy in several collisions, including crashes in 45 mph zones, and that the automatic emergency call never contacted police. Another describes a deer strike at 68 mph at about 60,000 miles where the bags did deploy and the driver was injured. The third concerns the seat belt recall and the parts shortage that delays the repair.
In owners' own words
Excerpts from complaints Elantra owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
There is a recall on this vehicle, but Hyundai is prioritizing new, unsold cars over cars that are currently in use. It has been several months since the recall was announced, and I have seen many, many unsold cars repaired so that they could be sold, but haver yet to hear of any cars on the road and in use that have been repaired. Hyundai is prioritizing profits over the safety of their owners.
Filed with NHTSA, October 2022
Teenage daughter was in seat belt. Laid over a little when she sat back up the seat belt tighten around her waist and would not release. When tried to pull down from top it continue to tighten and lock around abdomen. With every small move it locked up more until there was no choice but you cut the belt because it was cutting off circulation.
Filed with NHTSA, August 2024
I didn't know the horn wasn't working. I was driving and a vehicle almost backed into me on the drivers door. I couldn't warn them that I was behind them I was fortunate to move before they backed into me. I haven't taken the car to the dealer. I searched on the internet to see if this was an isolated incident and I found hundreds of incidents of people reporting faulty horns on Hyundai vehicles. This should be a safety and a recall issue/
Filed with NHTSA, November 2025
Cluster screen was black. Lasted for 30 minutes the initial time. Happened again, lasted for 3 days before turning back on. No turn signal sound when using turn signals. No speedometer or any of the main screen shows. No blind spot indicator lights or sounds either. No engine lights or any other lights visible before this occures. Safety was absolutely at risk. Couldn't even tell the speed I was going .
Filed with NHTSA, April 2025
For the past 2 years my Forward Safety System light on has been on in my car. It has turned off and back on repeatedly but has now been on for about 6 months. Hyundai dealerships are estimated a week or two of labor to fix which is extremely expensive for rental cars and outlandish that I bought this brand new and it is already giving me issues. No damage has been had to the car in any way.
Filed with NHTSA, January 2025
The emergency braking system activated and began slowing down the car on two occasions: sometime in the fall of 2022 and on 09/01/2025. In both instances, I was driving about 65mpg on an interstate. There were no cars in front of me to cause the system to activate.
Filed with NHTSA, September 2025
How the 2022 compares with other Elantra years
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2022 ranks sixth for owner complaints among 8 Elantra years, close to the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
- Seat belts283
- Electrical2523
- Transmission1415
- Automatic emergency braking115
- Brakes74
- Acceleration and cruise control66
Where the 2022 fits in the Elantra's history
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2022 is the second model year of the Elantra's seventh generation (2021–2023).
Hyundai updated the Elantra for 2024, so a 2022 does not have those changes.
What changed for 2024 (not on a 2022)
- New exterior design enhancements
- Updated safety features
Recalls to confirm (8)
Recall repairs are free at any Hyundai dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
24V879000Backup cameraNov 2024
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Santa Fe HEV, Elantra, Elantra HEV and 2022 Elantra N and Santa Fe PHEV vehicles. Due to a damaged printed circuit board, the rearview camera image may fail to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility.".
Risk: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 271.
24V528000Fuel systemJul 2024
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Veloster N, 2019-2023 Genesis G70, 2022-2023 Elantra N, and Kona N vehicles. The fuel pump may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power.
Risk: A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update engine control module software. In addition, dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pump assembly, as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning September 9, 2024. Some interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 3, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 262 and 023G.
23V589000ElectricalAug 2023
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Elantra HEV vehicles. A software error in the motor control unit may cause unintended vehicle acceleration after the brake pedal is released.
Risk: Unintended vehicle acceleration can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the motor control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 29, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 248.
22V746000TransmissionOct 2022
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Sonata, Veloster N, 2022 Santa Cruz, Elantra N, and Kona N vehicles. The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.
Risk: Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 236.
22V632000AirbagsAug 2022
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2022 Elantra N and 2022-2023 Elantra vehicles. The emblem on the cover of the driver's front air bag may not have been welded properly, which can result in the emblem detaching upon deployment.
Risk: A detached air bag cover emblem may strike a vehicle occupant, which can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the air bag, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 14, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 234.
22V354000Seat beltsMay 2022
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Accent, 2021-2022 Elantra, and 2021-2022 Elantra HEV vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
Risk: An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
Fix: Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioner(s) with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 28, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 229. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall numbers 21V-796, 22V-069, 22V-218, and 22V-123 for Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles. All Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles already repaired under the previous recalls will need to have the new remedy completed.
22V218000Seat beltsApr 2022
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Elantra and 2020 Accent vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver and passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
Risk: Exploding seat belt pretensioners can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed on May 31, 2022. A second notice will be sent once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 223. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall number 22V-354. Vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
22V123000Seat beltsMar 2022
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2022 Elantra and Elantra HEV vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front passenger-side seat belt pretensioner may explode upon deployment.
Risk: An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 19, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 220. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-796 and 22V-069. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall number 22V-354. Vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
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2022 owner complaints, side by side
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