The 2024 Hyundai Elantra is a sedan with “customer-friendly features” and “a more unique, purposeful, and playful character,” says the automaker. But when drivers are told to take a coffee break every five minutes, or the horn is operable, they don’t find it playful or friendly. Those who experience a lack of acceleration or stalling complain that the Elantra is downright dangerous.
The most common complaints reported to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) about the 2024 Hyundai Elantra by the end of March 2025 are due to electrical system malfunctions (35%). The most common of these is a faulty horn, but there are also complaints about dash lights coming on randomly while driving and disabling safety features, as well as batteries draining overnight for no apparent reason. There are slightly fewer engine complaints (22%) including reports of lack of acceleration, stalling, and engines shutting off. Another issue that stands out is a warning to drivers to consider taking a break and having a cup of coffee!
Other components and systems owners have found fault with include forward collision avoidance, lane departure, the powertrain, suspension, tires, vehicle speed control, and visibility. The latter relates to spontaneous cracks in the windshield that the automaker claimed were “not due to a manufacturing defect.” One of the forward collision avoidance complaints describes how a 2024 Elantra crashed after the emergency brakes failed and the steering malfunctioned, causing them to veer into another vehicle.
There is one recall that affects 13,511 Hyundai Elantra, Venue, and Kona 2024 models. Issued in May 2024, the recall warns that an electrical short circuit may occur in the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve assembly, which can result in a loss of drive power. This, in turn, increases the risk of a crash.
There are many complaints of horns suddenly failing. In February 2025, an owner from Tennessee complained that the horn had suddenly stopped working five months after purchase. The dealer replaced a blown fuse. Within two months, it happened again. This time the dealer replaced the horn. “I’m not sure why my horn went out, but I need my horn. I was almost hit 3 different times and a horn would have let the other driver know I was there, so too close for my comfort!”
In January 2025, an owner from Illinois complained to the NHTSA after several near collisions. The horn failed on a “busy tollway just as a driver began to enter my lane from the right side. When I tried to engage my horn to warn him I was unable and had to slam on my brakes to avoid a collision. The driver behind me came within inches of rear-ending me and he swerved into another lane almost causing another collision. Then the original driver thought I was brake checking him and went around me and slammed on his brakes in retribution.” A new OEM horn was installed by Hyundai, but 10,000 miles later, the problem recurred, and he nearly crashed again. “Once again the dealer had to replace the defective horns with more of the same OEM horns that have been proven to be unreliable.”
The owner requested an alternative replacement horn, but the dealer refused. “I cannot allow any other family members to drive my $21,000 car for fear that they might not be as ‘lucky’ as I was in avoiding an accident.”
The same thing happened to an owner in New York. The horn was replaced, and when the problem recurred, the fuse was replaced. This didn’t solve the problem either!
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Lack of Acceleration and Engines Shutting Down
A Wisconsin resident whose business leases five Hyundai 2024 Elantra Blue hybrids, states that three of the five had problems stalling at low speeds. “Cars will suddenly not accelerate after stopping at a stop sign. (This is an) extreme danger for our drivers who are transporting developmentally disabled clients to outings and shopping, etc.” Hyundai replaced the throttle body but the same issues reappeared two days after the return of the cars. “Now, Hyundai is claiming the GPS units plugged in may be causing this, but (the) other 2 are not experiencing this issue .” The complaint states that the dealership refuses to do any further work on the vehicles unless the GPS units are removed. This is a Catch 22 because the business needs GPS units as per their insurance plan.
Problems with Vehicles Shutting Down
An owner who had only 8 miles on the clock states in a complaint that “while driving the engine turns off and all dashboard lights start flashing.” The vehicle stopped in the middle of the road, so the driver turned on the emergency lights to indicate to other drivers that he had a problem. “There were no warning lamps, messages, or problems prior (to the) failure. I took the vehicle back to (the) dealership for service maintenance and was informed (that) no problem was found.” The dealership maintained it was a one-time event and “they guaranteed me it wouldn’t happen again and unfortunately it did.”
An owner from Missippissi states that his 2024 Elantra shut off eight times in June 2024, while his wife was driving. The check engine came on “with a warning from the vehicle stating (there was) a possible issue with our Engine Control System. Shortly after, while on the roadway, at about 35-40 mph, the car completely shut off. Luckily my wife was going to a church and the church men were able to push her car safely, with our kids inside, off the roadway and into the parking lot.” After 12 days at the dealership, they “determined that the problem was caused by the open safety campaign (Bulletin 206) and the EGR Valve Assembly was replaced.” This is the one recall that affects the 2024 Elantra.
What Can You Do
If you think your 2024 Hyundai Elantra could be a lemon, it’s a good idea to get professional advice. If you contact Lemberg Law, we will assess your problems free of charge. A good yardstick to base your initial assessment on is that when a vehicle is a lemon, the problems will affect your use of the vehicle and its value.
We have helped many lemon car owners reach settlements with automakers and may be able to do the same for you. It’s not going to cost you anything because the law makes Hyundai pay the legal costs for lemon law cases. If you need help, please fill in our online contact form or call our Helpline.
About the Author:
Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
