2021 Hyundai Elantra: engine and transmission complaints
NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
20%
20 of 98 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2021 Hyundai Elantra. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 20% of relevant complaints.
Better than 86% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 31 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 16%).
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
What owners reported
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING06/25/2026
See attached document for complaint.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING04/14/2026
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was not repai…
ENGINE04/09/2026
Subject: Vehicle Safety Complaint – Engine Failure – Hyundai To Whom It May Concern, I am submitting a vehicle safety complaint regarding a serious engine failure involving my Hyundai vehicle. The engine experienced a failure significant enough to require replacement. This raises serious safety concerns, as sudden e…
Three of 20 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 (6)
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Elantra, Elantra HEV, Venue, Genesis GV80 and 2022 Genesis GV70 vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front dr…
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Santa Fe, 2021 Sonata, and Elantra vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been proper…
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Elantra vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat back recliners may have been improperly welded.
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2021 Hyundai Elantra
No elevated drivetrain pattern for this model year. That describes the model, not the car in front of you.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose.
6 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A engine already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
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.
