RecallMyCar

2005 Hyundai Elantra Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 2005 Hyundai Elantra, and owners have filed 137 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

4
safety recalls
137
owner complaints to NHTSA
30 / 3
complaints citing a crash / fire
24–26
MPG combined (EPA)

4 safety recalls for the 2005 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. Exterior lighting

    NHTSA 09V280000 Reported 3,011 vehicles potentially affected HYUNDAI CARIBBEAN-PUERTO RICO

    Hyundai is recalling 3,011 model year 2005-2007 elantra, tucson, sonata, azera and accent vehicles. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to fail to illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause the brake lights to remain illuminated when the brake pedal is released. A defective stop lamp switch may…

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch free of charge. The recall began on september 2, 2009. Owners may contact hyundai of puerto rico customer service at 1-787-999-4310.

  2. 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…

  3. 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…

  4. Tie rod assembly (steering)

    NHTSA 05V187000 Reported 277 vehicles potentially affected HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY

    Certain passenger vehicles may have been built with threaded portions of the steering gearbox assembly's left and right inner ball joint assemblies that contain internal cracks in the material structure.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the steering gearbox assemblies on these vehicles free of charge. Owners were contacted by telephone beginning on april 8, 2005, and instructed not to drive their vehicles. Hyundai will arrange to…

137 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2005 Hyundai Elantra have filed 137 complaints with NHTSA; 30 describe a crash and 3 describe a fire. Reports cite 26 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 60,378 miles. Complaints peaked in 2006 with 18 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“UNKNOWN On January 24,2026, I was thankfully traveling only about twenty mph a block from my home and something happened in the front drivers side suspension that caused me to almost hit three parked”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 11, 2026 · Steering

“I have a 2005 hyundai elantra that the front and rear subframe/ suspension crossmembers are completely rotted out. There is a safety recall that I found online for 2003 elantras for this same problem,”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 26, 2025 · Suspension

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2005 Hyundai Elantra. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined24–26 mpg
City / Highway21–23 / 29–31
FuelRegular
EPA classMidsize 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 2005 Hyundai Elantra

How do I know if my 2005 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. 4 campaigns currently list the 2005 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 05V187000).

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.