Recalls
6campaigns
3 seat belt · 1 rear camera · 1 visibility
Source: NHTSA
Complaints
131filed
Owner reports, 2017–2026 shown
Source: NHTSA ODI
Crash tests
5★overall
★★★★★ Frontal 4★ · Side 5★ · Rollover 5★
Source: NHTSA NCAP
Fuel economy
54mpg combined
$1,209/yr at this week's prices
Source: EPA · EIA
Specs
1.6 L 4-cyl· Automatic
5 engine and transmission configurations
Source: NHTSA vPIC
Recalls (6)
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2021 Hyundai Elantra. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Listed for 2021 Hyundai Elantra. Not checked against your VIN.
Rearview Image May Not Display/ FMVSS 111
Back over prevention · sensing system · camera
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Santa Fe HEV, Elantra, Elantra HEV and 2022 Elantra N and Santa Fe PHEV vehicles. Due to a damaged printed circuit board, the rearview camera image may fail to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
- Consequence
- A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 271.
67.8% repairedof 226,118 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 24V879000
Listed for 2021 Hyundai Elantra. Not checked against your VIN.
Seat Belt Pretensioners May Explode
Seat belts · front
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Accent, 2021-2022 Elantra, and 2021-2022 Elantra HEV vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
- Consequence
- An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioner(s) with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 28, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 229. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall numbers 21V-796, 22V-069, 22V-218, and 22V-123 for Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles. All Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles already repaired under the previous recalls will need to have the new remedy completed.
88.7% repairedof 230,233 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 22V354000
Listed for 2021 Hyundai Elantra. Not checked against your VIN.
Seat Belt Pretensioners May Explode
Seat belts · front
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Elantra and 2020 Accent vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver and passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
- Consequence
- Exploding seat belt pretensioners can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed on May 31, 2022. A second notice will be sent once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 223. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall number 22V-354. Vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
Repair progress not yet reported6,240 vehicles potentially affected
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 22V218000
Listed for 2021 Hyundai Elantra. Not checked against your VIN.
Inadequate Windshield Bonding
Visibility · windshield
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Santa Fe, 2021 Sonata, and Elantra vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.
- Consequence
- A windshield that detaches from a vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will remove and reinstall the front windshield panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 216.
79% repairedof 26,413 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 21V00M000
Listed for 2021 Hyundai Elantra. Not checked against your VIN.
Seat Belt Pretensioner May Explode
Seat belts · front
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- 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 driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.
- Consequence
- An exploding seat belt pretensioner could project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 211 and 009G. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall numbers 22V-354 for Elantra and Elantra HEV vehicles, 22V-458 for Venue vehicles, and 23V-094 for Genesis vehicles. Elantra, Elantra HEV, Venue, and Genesis vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedies completed.
Repair progress not yet reported978 vehicles potentially affected
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 21V796000
Listed for 2021 Hyundai Elantra. Not checked against your VIN.
Seat Back Recliners Improperly Welded
Seats · front assembly · recliner
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Elantra vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat back recliners may have been improperly welded.
- Consequence
- An improperly welded seat back recliner could separate from the seat back frame during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the seat back frame assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 21, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-888-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 204.
98% repairedof 1,464 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 21V302000
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (131)
131 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The forward collision avoidance is mentioned most often.
8involved a crash
1involved a fire
3injuries reported
1deaths reported
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 131 |
|---|---|---|
| Forward collision avoidance | 32 | 24.4% |
| Electrical system | 30 | 22.9% |
| Unknown or other | 29 | 22.1% |
| Seat belts | 27 | 20.6% |
| Engine | 13 | 9.9% |
| Vehicle speed control | 10 | 7.6% |
| Service brakes | 8 | 6.1% |
| Power train | 7 | 5.3% |
| Lane departure | 6 | 4.6% |
| Exterior lighting | 5 | 3.8% |
How 2021 compares with other Elantra years
Best and worst Elantra years →2017767
2018283
2019251
2020252
2021131
2022101
202398
202454
202522
20262
| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 767 | 4 |
| 2018 | 283 | 0 |
| 2019 | 251 | 1 |
| 2020 | 252 | 3 |
| 2021 | 131 | 6 |
| 2022 | 101 | 5 |
| 2023 | 98 | 2 |
| 2024 | 54 | 1 |
| 2025 | 22 | 0 |
| 2026 | 2 | 1 |
This year (2021)Other yearsStill collecting reports
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 5 stars overall
Overall★★★★★
Frontal crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 4★★★★★☆
Side crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 5★★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
RolloverRollover risk 10.1%★★★★★
Compare fairly. Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Ratings apply to the tested configuration.
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2021 Hyundai Elantra 4 dr fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 54 mpg combined
54
mpg combined
53
city
56
highway
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $1,250
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 165 g/mi
- EPA class
- Midsize Cars
What it costs you to run
$1,209per year
$101per month
278gallons a year
Miles ÷ 54 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 L 4-cyl · Automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 53 / 56 / 54 | $1,250 | 165 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · AV-S1 CVT | Front-Wheel Drive | 33 / 43 / 37 | $1,800 | 244 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · AV-S1 CVT | Front-Wheel Drive | 31 / 41 / 35 | $1,900 | 257 |
| 1.6 L 4-cyl · Automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 28 / 36 / 31 | $2,150 | 288 |
| 1.6 L 4-cyl · 6-speed manual | Front-Wheel Drive | 25 / 34 / 28 | $2,400 | 318 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2021 Elantra for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2021 Hyundai Elantra FAQ
How many recalls does the 2021 Hyundai Elantra have?
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns: 24V879000 (rear camera), 22V354000 (seat belt), 22V218000 (seat belt), 21V00M000 (visibility), 21V796000 (seat belt), 21V302000 (seat). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2021 Hyundai Elantra problems?
Owners filed 131 complaints with NHTSA. Forward collision avoidance (32), Electrical system (30), Unknown or other (29) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2021 Hyundai Elantra get?
EPA rates the 1.6 L 4-cyl · Automatic version at 53 city, 56 highway and 54 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2021 Hyundai Elantra get?
NHTSA rated the 2021 Hyundai Elantra 4 dr fwd 5 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 5 stars rollover (10.1% rollover risk).
How does the 2021 Elantra compare with other years?
Among the 2017–2021 Hyundai Elantra model years at least five years old, the 2021 drew the fewest complaints (131) and the 2017 the most (767). The 2021 drew 131. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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