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2010 Hyundai Elantra problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
15%
59 of 454 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2010 Hyundai Elantra. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 15% of relevant complaints.

Better than 94% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2010 Hyundai Elantra have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 59 of 454 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2010 Hyundai Elantra concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (15%). For comparison, the 2011 scores 32%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
59
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
454
this model year
Fires reported
13
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
4
49 crashes · 53 injuries

Complaints by component

STEERING233 · 51%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM58 · 13%
AIR BAGS52 · 11%
SERVICE BRAKES44 · 10%
POWER TRAIN34 · 7%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL25 · 6%

The years either side

2010
15%
59 of 454
2011
32%
121 of 461
2012
34%
181 of 675
2013
26%
290 of 1,335
2014
55%
195 of 393
2015
47%
111 of 263
2016
54%
142 of 300
2017
47%
345 of 792
2018
65%
199 of 334
2019
76%
145 of 255
2020
66%
150 of 259
2021
20%
20 of 131
2022
30%
26 of 118
2023
30%
46 of 167

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2010 Hyundai Elantra

What one owner reported

ENGINE08/10/2026FIRE
On XXX, my 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring experienced a severe fire in the engine compartment. I observed burning material/flames dripping from underneath the engine compartment before the fire spread upward. The fire caused extensive damage to the engine compartment and the vehicle is no longer drivable. After the incid…

One of 59 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2010 Hyundai Elantra?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2010 Hyundai Elantra, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

4 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module20V061000 · Feb 2020
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Elantra and 2009-2011 Elantra Touring vehicles. On February 21, 2020 Hyundai expanded the recall to include 46,425 model year 2007-2008…
steering: electric power assist system15V100000 · Feb 2015
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Elantra vehicles manufactured June 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010, and 2009-2010 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured November…
structure: frame and members14V310000 · Jun 2014
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured December 15, 2009, through May 7, 2012. The affected vehicles have a support bracket…
exterior lighting: brake lights: switch13V113000 · Apr 2013
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra,…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2010 Hyundai Elantra? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2010 Hyundai Elantra

Does the 2010 Hyundai Elantra have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 59 of 454 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2010 Hyundai Elantra concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (15%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2010 Hyundai Elantra?

No. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2010 Hyundai Elantra, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Hyundai Elantra years are better?

The 2010 has the lowest engine and transmission complaint share of the Hyundai Elantra years we track (15%). The other years run higher.

Should I buy a 2010 Hyundai Elantra?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2010 Hyundai Elantra shows no elevated engine or transmission pattern in owner complaints, which is a good starting point. It is still one car with its own history, so get an independent pre-purchase inspection and a vehicle history report before you commit.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.