There are 9 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2005 Hyundai Elantrain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Passenger airbag sensor registers when someone sits down, but randomly turns off and displays “Passenger Airbag Off” light for a couple minutes before turning off again. Vehicle was inspected by an authorized Hyundai service center and no codes were produced. No indicated problems prior to the first incident.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF WHICH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED TO FUNCTION AS WELL AS THE SPEEDOMETER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER YET TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS AN INTERNAL ELECTRONIC FAULT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,510.
WHEN I ARRIVED HOME THAT NIGHT I THOUGHT I HAD LEFT MY LIGHTS ON BECAUSE MY BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ON. I CHECKED MY LIGHT SWITCH AND ALL MY LIGHTS WERE OFF EXCEPT FOR MY BRAKE LIGHTS. I LOOKED UP ON THE INTERNET TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY WAY TO FIX IT AND I FOUND THE RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. *TR
MY CAR STALLS. THIS FIRST STARTED HAPPENING WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, MY CAR WOULD STALL BUT WOULD START RIGHT UP. NOW IT IS HAPPENING WHEN I TURN INTO PARKING LOTS OR MAKING A TURN ONTO ANOTHER STREET. MY CAR STALLS, I PUT IT IN PARK AND IT STARTS BACK UP AGAIN. THE MOST FRIGHTENING TIME WAS A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN A BUSY STREET ABOUT 40-45 MPH AND MY CAR JUST SUDDENLY STALLED. I WAS VERY SCARED THAT SOMEONE WOULD REAR-END ME. THE PROBLEM IS IT HAPPENS INTERMEDIATELY. THE MECHANICS CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET IT TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO EXCEPT TRADE IT IN WHICH I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO DO. *TR
THE CAR WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF FOR ABOUT 7 HOURS. THE LEFT TAILLIGHT AND BUMPER AREA AS WELL AS THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL WELL BURST INTO FLAMES. THERE IS FIRE DAMAGE TO THE WINDSHIELD, WINDSHIELD WIPER, WHEEL WELL, FRONT LEFT TIRE, LEFT TAILLIGHT, BUMPER, TRUNK LID AND SPOILER. THE STRIP THAT RUNS ALONG THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROOF FROM THE WINDSHIELD TO THE REAR WINDOW AND THE WIRE UNDER IT HAS DAMAGE BY THE REAR WINDOW. *TR
BATTERY CHARGE KEEPS DRAINING IN A 2005 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY 3X, ALTERNATOR WORKS WELL BUT IF THE CAR SITS WITHOUT STARTING FOR LONGER THAN 24 HRS IT WILL DRAIN THE BATTERY, THE BATTERY HAS NOT BEEN FROZEN AND HOLDS A CHARGE WHEN TESTED INDEPENDENTLY, VEHICLE IS USED ONLY FOR PAVED DRIVING, AND WE DO NOT USE SALT ON THE ROADS HERE DURING THE WINTER, ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS HAVE TESTED FINE BUT I CANNOT AFFORD TO BRING THE CAR IN TO A SHOP FOR A FULL DIAGNOSTIC AT THIS TIME, THIS ISSUE BEGAN BACK IN OCTOBER 08 WITH NO WARNING AND HAS CONTINUED THROUGH THE WINTER AND NOW IN SPRING. IS THERE ANY POSSIBLE EXPLANATION? I AM NOT A MECHANIC AND SO WOULD NOT EVEN CONSIDER DOING ANY WORK BESIDES MINOR MAINTENANCE. *TR
AFTER FINISHING DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND REMOVING KEYS FROM IGNITION THE CAR WILL DING, THE SAME DING THAT HAPPENS IF YOU LEAVE YOUR KEYS IN THE IGNITION. IF I EXIT THE VEHICLE AND TRY TO LOCK THE DOORS AND ARM THE ALARM WITH THE REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY THE CAR WILL NOT LOCK OR ARM THE ALARM, IF I TRY TO MANUALY USE THE KEYS TO LOCK THE VEHICLE IT UNLOCKS THE CAR. THE ONLY WAY THAT I CAN FIX THIS IS IF I TURN THE CAR BACK ON AND THEN TURN IT OFF. THIS OCCURS TOTALY RANDOMLY AND OCCURS ABOUT ONCE EVERY MONTH. IT STARTED ABOUT 6-8 MONTHS AFTER I GOT THE CAR IN MARCH 2006. ITS NOT THAT BIG OF A HASSLE NOW EXCEPT SOMETIME I MIGHT GO TO LOCK THE CAR AND THINK IT LOCKED WHEN IT DIDN'T. I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE THE START OF A BIGGER ELECTRICAL PROBLEM BECAUSE I AM ALSO HAVING THE AIRBAG ISSUE THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING. *AK
WITH THE A/C ON THE HEADLIGHTS WILL DIM BRIEFLY AT DIFFERENT TIMES JUST FOR A MOMENT. A COUPLE OF TIMES THE HAVE GONE ALL THE WAY OUT BRIEFLY. THE LIGHTS WILL DIM ENOUGH THAT PEOPLE THINK I'M FLASHING MY LIGHTS AT THEM. THIS PROBLEM ONLY OCCURS WITH THE A/C ON, THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM IS WHEN THE A/C COMPRESSOR CUTS ON IT TAKES A LOT OF VOLTAGE TO TURN IT ON, AND THE HEADLIGHTS DIM BRIEFLY. DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER THIS PROBLEM CAN HAPPEN EVERY HALF MILE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ON GOING. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND THE SAID EVERY THING CHECKS OUT OK, ITS JUST THE NATURE OF THIS BRAND OF CAR. *JB
DT:THE CONTACT STATED CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE HOURS PRIOR TO THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THIS WAS NOT ARSON. THE CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP AND HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED EITHER BY THE DEALERSHIP OR INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026