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2001 Hyundai Elantra Recalls & Complaints

6

open safety recalls on record

Serious

445 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 1.24 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious08V533000

Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module-Inactive

THIS CONDITION ONLY RELATES TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT MOUNTED SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS AND MAY PREVENT SEAT MOUNTED SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT DURING A CRASH WHERE SUCH DEPLOYMENT SHOULD OCCUR.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CLIPS AND REVISED SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS ATTACHMENTS UNDER THE DRIVER'S AND FRONT PASSENGER'S SEATS. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2008, AND WILL BE SENT OUT IN SIX MAILINGS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MY 2001-2002 ELANTRA VEHICLES. MOVEMENT OF THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS MOUNTED UNDER EACH FRONT SEAT, POSSIBLY CAUSED BY CONTACT FROM MATERIALS PLACED UNDER THE SEAT, MAY RESULT IN AN ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE THAT WOULD CAUSE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION.

Serious08V532000

Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module-Inactive

THIS CONDITION MAY AFFECT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONTAL AIR BAGS AND MAY PREVENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT DURING A CRASH WHERE SUCH DEPLOYMENT SHOULD OCCUR.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE COVER OVER THE VEHICLE'S AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR. THE RECALL OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 30, 2008, AND LETTERS WILL BE SENT OUT IN SIX MAILINGS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MY 2001 ELANTRA VEHICLES. IF A LIQUID IS SPILLED IN THE AREA OF THE CUPHOLDER ON THE CENTER CONSOLE, IT MAY SEEP THROUGH THE CONSOLE OPENING FOR THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER AND THEN DRIP ONTO THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR. THE SPILLED LIQUID MAY CONTAMINATE THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE AND ITS ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TO THE AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS AND CAUSE THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) WARNING LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE.

Serious09V125000

Suspension:Front:Control Arm

THE FRACTURING OF THE CONTROL ARM COULD AN OWNER'S CONTROL OVER THEIR VEHICLE THAT MAY raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS FOR CORROSION DAMAGE. IF SPECIFIED LEVELS OF INTERNAL CORROSION DAMAGE ARE FOUND, THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEW FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS INCORPORATING ADDITIONAL HOLES IN THE UPPER AND LOWER PANELS. IF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS DO NOT REQUIRE REPLACEMENT, THE DEALER WILL ADD DRAINAGE HOLES TO THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND WILL TREAT THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS WITH RUST-PROOFING MATERIALS TO ARREST THE INTERNAL CORROSION PROCESS. THESE PROCEDURES WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 17, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-633-5151.

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 160,904 MY 2001-2003 ELANTRA AND MY 2003 TIBURON VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ROAD SALT USED DURING THE WINTER MONTHS IN THESE JURISDICTIONS MAY RESULT IN INTERNAL CORROSION AND THINNING OF THE STEEL IN THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS. THE CORROSION MAY PROGRESS TO THE POINT WHERE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM'S UPPER AND LOWER PANELS BECOME PERFORATED. A PERFORATED FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM MAY FRACTURE BETWEEN ITS BALL JOINT ATTACHMENT AND THE FORWARD AND REARWARD PIVOT ATTACHMENTS TO THE CHASSIS.

Serious03V257000

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

FLUID LEAKAGE COULD RESULT IN REDUCED BRAKING CAPABILITY raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPOSITION THE REAR BRAKE TUBES SO THEY DO NOT CONTACT THE MOUNTING BRACKETS, INSTALL BRAKE TUBE CLIPS TO CONTROL THE LOCATION OF THE REAR BRAKE TUBES, AND APPLY ANTI-CORROSION MATERIAL TO THE TUBES IN THE AREAS WHERE CONTACT WITH THE MOUNTING BRACKETS MAY HAVE OCCURRED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON OCTOBER 13, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE REAR BRAKE TUBES PASS BEHIND THE FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER. TWO STEERING GEARBOX MOUNTING BRACKETS ARE WELDED TO THE CROSSMEMBER. ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS), THE REAR BRAKE TUBES COULD CONTACT BOTH STEERING GEARBOX MOUNTING BRACKETS. ON VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH ABS, THE REAR BRAKE TUBES MAY CONTACT ONLY THE LEFT MOUNTING BRACKET. CONTACT BETWEEN THE REAR BRAKE TUBES AND THE STEERING BRACKETS COULD CAUSE WEAR AND CORROSION THAT COULD RESULT IN BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE.

Serious00V332000

Air Bags:Side/Window

NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE SIDE AIR BAGS COULD raises the risk of INJURY DURING A CRASH WHERE SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IS INTENDED.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TWO SATELLITE SENSORS.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM SIDE AIR BAG SATELLITE SENSORS INSTALLED WERE IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED, CAUSING THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE AND THE SIDE AIR BAGS TO NOT DEPLOY AS INTENDED IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Serious03V496000

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

CONTACT BETWEEN THE REAR BRAKE TUBES AND THE STEERING GEARBOX MOUNTING BRACKETS MAY RESULT IN REAR BRAKE TUBE WEAR AND CORROSION, raises the risk of BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPOSITION THE REAR BRAKE TUBES, INSTALL BRAKE TUBE CLIPS, AND APPLY ANTI-CORROSION MATERIAL TO THE REAR BRAKE TUBES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 22, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO AT 1-800-633-5151.

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE BRAKE TUBES FOR THE REAR BRAKES CAN CONTACT THE STEERING GEARBOX MOUNTING BRACKETS.

Complaint volume

445 this model-year 7 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

100Crashes
10Fires
78Injuries
1Deaths

Across 445 complaints. Severity Index 1.24.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Air Bags52 · 12%Air Bags · Frontal39 · 9%Suspension35 · 8%Suspension · Front20 · 4%Air Bags · Frontal · Sens…19 · 4%Steering17 · 4%Suspension · Front · Cont…17 · 4%Air Bags · Side/Window13 · 3%
  1. Air Bags — 52 reports
  2. Air Bags:Frontal — 39 reports
  3. Suspension — 35 reports
  4. Suspension:Front — 20 reports
  5. Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module — 19 reports
  6. Steering — 17 reports
  7. Suspension:Front:Control Arm — 17 reports
  8. Air Bags:Side/Window — 13 reports
  9. Electrical System — 13 reports
  10. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 11 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (1) · 1996 (3) · 1997 (3) · 1998 · 1999 (2) · 2000 (1) · 2001 · 2002 (6) · 2003 (5) · 2004 (5) · 2005 (4) · 2006 (1) · 2007 (6) · 2008 (7) · 2009 (4) · 2010 (3) · 2011 (5) · 2012 (4) · 2013 (4) · 2014 (2) · 2015 (3) · 2016 (2) · 2017 (4) · 2018 · 2019 (1) · 2020 (3) · 2021 (6) · 2022 (5) · 2023 (2) · 2024 (1) · 2025

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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