NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 263 owner complaints for the 2020 Hyundai Elantra.
Recalled components: engine, wheels, and suspension. Most-described problem: the check engine light coming on (37 complaints, 14%), then stalling or shutting off (34). Most-reported area: engine (115 complaints, 44%; median mileage when it happened: 29,400).
Fewer complaints than a typical Elantra year
The 2020 drew 100 owner complaints in its first three years, against 101 for a typical Elantra year.
Years to avoid: 2013; best years: 2016 and 2019. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.
Risk: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Hyundai will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines.
The right-side rear wheel lug nuts may have been insufficiently tightened, allowing the wheel to detach from the vehicle.
Risk: A wheel detaching from the vehicle increases the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, tighten the lug nuts, free of charge. The recall began November 15, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-251-0871. Hyundai's number for this recall is 184.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019 Ioniq Hybrid and 2020 Elantra vehicles.
The lower control arm ball joint fasteners may have been insufficiently tightened allowing the ball joint to detach from the lower control arm.
Risk: A detached ball joint can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, tighten the ball joint fasteners, free of charge. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 185.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Elantra vehicles.
NHTSA listing: ELANTRA. Hyundai campaign 185.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2020 Hyundai Elantra.
What owners report
Owners have filed 263 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Elantra. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Check engine light37 · 14%
Median 47,500 miles at failure, from 16 reports with mileage
Median 29,400 miles at failure, from 34 reports with mileage
Powertrain49 · 19%
Median 5,000 miles at failure, from 24 reports with mileage
Exterior lighting28 · 11%
Electrical system27 · 10%
Steering20 · 8%
Brakes14 · 5%
Forward collision avoidance14 · 5%
Most named: warnings (9); adaptive cruise control (3)
Unknown or other27 · 10%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Hyundai Elantra recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2020 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2013 Elantra drew the most (347) and the 2020 drew 100.
Owner complaints
2020: 263 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Hyundai Elantra
Model year
Complaints
2010
455
2011
462
2012
676
2013
1,348
2014
396
2015
263
2016
300
2017
797
2018
335
2019
267
2020
263
2021
162
2022
159
2023
173
2024
64
2025
36
2026
4
Safety recalls
2020: 3 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Hyundai Elantra
Model year
Recalls
2010
4
2011
8
2012
5
2013
4
2014
2
2015
3
2016
2
2017
4
2018
1
2019
1
2020
3
2021
7
2022
8
2023
4
2024
2
2025
2
2026
4
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 263 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Hyundai Elantra, the problems described most are the check engine light coming on (37), stalling or shutting off (34), and engine failure or replacement (34). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2020 Hyundai Elantra safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2020 Hyundai Elantra earns 4 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2020 Hyundai Elantra?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2020 Hyundai Elantra.
How do I check if my Elantra has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Hyundai dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: ELANTRA, ELANTRA GT.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.