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2004 Hyundai Elantra Recalls, Complaints & Specs

5 safety recalls list the 2004 Hyundai Elantra, and owners have filed 182 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

5
safety recalls
182
owner complaints to NHTSA
24 / 2
complaints citing a crash / fire
24–26
MPG combined (EPA)

5 safety recalls for the 2004 Hyundai Elantra

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Air bags

    NHTSA 05V479000 Reported 2,105 vehicles potentially affected HYUNDAI CARIBBEAN-PUERTO RICO

    Certain vehicles equipped with an advanced air bag system. The occupant classification system (ocs) installed in the right front seat of the vehicle may misclassify a child restraint seat (crs) as an adult. This may occur if the crs is installed after an adult has been seated in the right front seat. If there has not been a 'key on' '…

    Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the vehicle's ocs electronic control unit (ECU) to remove the feature that may cause the crs to be recognized as an adult. The recall began on november 15, 2005. Owners may contact hyundai of…

  2. Air bags

    NHTSA 05V395000 Reported 231,160 vehicles potentially affected HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY

    Certain vehicles equipped with an advanced air bag system. The occupant classification system (ocs) installed in the right front seat of the vehicle may misclassify a child restraint seat (crs) as an adult. This may occur if the crs is installed after an adult has been seated in the right front seat. If there has not been a 'key on' '…

    Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the vehicle's ocs electronic control unit (ECU) to remove the feature that may cause the crs to be recognized as an adult. The recall began on october 31, 2005. Owners may contact hyundai at…

  3. Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)

    NHTSA 04V370000 Reported 582 vehicles potentially affected HYUNDAI CARIBBEAN-PUERTO RICO

    During an insurance institute for highway safety (iihs) offset frontal barrier impact test, it was determined that fuel tan damage could occur. On certain passenger vehicles, a vapor tube hose clamp that is located near the fuel tank may not be positioned properly and could cause fuel leakage.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the position of the vapor tube hose clamp ears and correctly position the clamp, if necessary. The recall began on october 5, 2004. Owners should contact hyundai de puerto rico at 1-800-981-0188.

  4. Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)

    NHTSA 04V208000 Reported 44,530 vehicles potentially affected HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY

    During an insurance institute for highway safety (iihs) offset frontal barrier impact test on certain passenger vehicles, fuel spillage occurred as a result of fuel tank damage caused by contact between a vapor tube hose clamp ear and the fuel tank. The vapor tube hose clamp ear was found to be mispositioned and facing toward the fuel…

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the position of the vapor tube hose clamp and correctly position the clamp, if necessary. Owner notification began on may 24, 2004. Owners should contact hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.

  5. Air bags

    NHTSA 03V322000 Reported 75 vehicles potentially affected HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY

    On certain vehicles, if the front passenger seat is unoccupied or is occupied by someone lighter than 56.4 pounds, the passenger air bag is deactivated and will not deploy if a crash occurs. However, the occupant classification sensor may incorrectly interpret that a seated adult is an infant seat and deactivate the passenger air bag if…

    Remedy: The occupant classification sensor will be reprogrammed.

182 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2004 Hyundai Elantra have filed 182 complaints with NHTSA; 24 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 26 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 45,113 miles. Complaints peaked in 2004 with 67 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Rapid rusting of rear subframe cross member. Car rarely gets driven in snow or even bad weather. Went from minimal signs of rust to looking pretty rotted within the past year. Saw recalls on similar H”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 1, 2024 · Unknown or other

“Vehicle 2004 hyundai involved in accident on the street, this vehicle owner was belted when the accident occurred, the airbags deployed, this vehicle owner sustained severe injuries including fracture”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 14, 2019 · Air bags

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2004 Hyundai Elantra (Elantra Hatchback). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined24–26 mpg
City / Highway21–24 / 29–31
FuelRegular
EPA classCompact Cars, Midsize Cars
Engine4 cyl, 2 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Hyundai Elantra model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Hyundai Elantra model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1992 Hyundai Elantra029
1993 Hyundai Elantra024
1994 Hyundai Elantra276
1995 Hyundai Elantra1112
1996 Hyundai Elantra3100
1997 Hyundai Elantra3115
1998 Hyundai Elantra055
1999 Hyundai Elantra2128
2000 Hyundai Elantra1197
2001 Hyundai Elantra6315
2002 Hyundai Elantra6342
2003 Hyundai Elantra5234
2004 Hyundai Elantra5182
2005 Hyundai Elantra4137
2006 Hyundai Elantra1155
2007 Hyundai Elantra6267
2008 Hyundai Elantra7314
2009 Hyundai Elantra4254
2010 Hyundai Elantra3379
2011 Hyundai Elantra5433
2012 Hyundai Elantra4653
2013 Hyundai Elantra41,314
2014 Hyundai Elantra2384
2015 Hyundai Elantra3262
2016 Hyundai Elantra2293
2017 Hyundai Elantra4767
2018 Hyundai Elantra0283
2019 Hyundai Elantra1251
2020 Hyundai Elantra3252
2021 Hyundai Elantra6131
2022 Hyundai Elantra5101
2023 Hyundai Elantra298
2024 Hyundai Elantra154
2025 Hyundai Elantra022
2026 Hyundai Elantra12

Checking a specific 2004 Hyundai Elantra

How do I know if my 2004 Hyundai Elantra has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 5 campaigns currently list the 2004 Hyundai Elantra; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Hyundai dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 03V322000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Hyundai models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.