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2015 Hyundai Elantra: engine and transmission complaints

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
47%
110 of 236 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

47% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2015 Hyundai Elantra are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 58% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 26 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 42%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
110
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
262
this model year
Fires reported
8
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
3
27 crashes · 25 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE92 · 35%
SERVICE BRAKES55 · 21%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER48 · 18%
STEERING26 · 10%
HYDRAULIC26 · 10%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM23 · 9%

The years either side

2010
15%
59 of 454
2011
32%
121 of 460
2012
34%
181 of 674
2013
26%
290 of 1,334
2014
55%
193 of 391
2015
47%
110 of 262
2016
54%
142 of 299
2017
47%
343 of 790
2018
64%
196 of 330
2019
76%
143 of 253
2020
66%
148 of 257
2021
20%
20 of 129
2022
29%
25 of 116
2023
30%
46 of 166

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

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other compact cars with no elevated signal in 2015

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE08/11/2026
Failed engine due to class action recall
ENGINE07/13/2026
I purchased the vehicle from a private party on 8/18/21 with 38,310 miles. Almost immediately after owning the vehicle I noticed the engine oil level was low.. The owner had said she had just got an oil change so I thought maybe the shop just left it low. Then I noticed it low again a month later, and that was the star…
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE05/22/2026
The engine failed on a 2015 Hyundai Elantra with approximately 71,000 miles. The vehicle has an open, unresolved safety recall (Recall 251, NHTSA #23V651000) for an ABS module brake fluid leak that Hyundai has acknowledged but has not provided a remedy for. The vehicle is currently at an independent repair facility and…

Three of 110 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (3)

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe…
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside.…
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra and 2016 Elantra GT vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may rupture during deployment.

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2015 Hyundai Elantra

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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.