CarComplaints.com Notes: We're not used to seeing any major problems with Hyundai, which makes the early signs of trouble with the 2013 Elantra very surprising, in a bad way.

Early trends show problems with the steering wandering / pulling to one side along with premature tire wear. Elantra owners have tried sensor adjustments, wheel alignments, even replacing axles, most with no luck. Hyundai has made vehicle buybacks through arbitration, but that rarely works out well financially for owners in the end.

Also there is a pattern of complaints about the 2013 Elantra brakes grinding at very low mileage. It seems there was a bad batch of OEM pads & rotors, but so far Hyundai is not doing a recall. Instead Hyundai issued a TSB & dealers have been replacing pads & rotors on a per-complaint basis.

The final straw is that for several years in a row, Elantra owners report significantly lower gas mileage than the EPA estimates, & there's a small trend of engine problems.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
8 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
70,000 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2013 Hyundai Elantra steering problems

steering problem

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2013 Hyundai Elantra Owner Comments (Page 2 of 13)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #230

Oct 302020

Elantra

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The problem is in the steering and yes it is available upon request for inspection. My safety and that of anyone riding is at risk because the problem persists and it's progressively worse. There's a knock/pull/resistance whenever the steering turns slightly or fully either way. Yes the problem has been confirmed. The vehicle has been inspected by an independent business owner, and contractor. There were no warning signs or indicators of the problem, it started approximately 2020 but was slightly less pronounced than it is now and has become increasingly worse.

- Washington , DC, USA

problem #229

May 312023

Elantra

  • miles
The contact-??s daughter owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became firm. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact not to drive the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Athens, AL, USA

problem #228

May 162023

Elantra

  • miles
While driving the steering made a clunking noise and the ability to turn the steering wheel was affected. At low speeds the steering wheel is pulling and feels like there is a loose spot in the turning radius of the steering. After researching, the possible issue is the 926-990 Flexible Steering Coupler.

- Fredericksburg, VA, USA

problem #227

Apr 092023

Elantra

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The steering coupler is out

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #226

Mar 272023

Elantra

  • miles
I have replaced the lights and battery many times and something keeps draining it. The outside brake lights sometimes stay on. So does the front running lights. The car sometimes wants to stall and when I press on the gas pedal it finally catches but still seems like it is going to shut down. The steering column has a really bad clicking in it and doesn-??t seem to be tight anymore.

- Chapin, SC, USA

problem #225

Mar 092023

Elantra

  • miles
Steering coupling failed. Hyundai is repairing this defective part on other models of the Elantra, but will not on the Elantra Gt. Makes no sense as it is the exact same defective part.

- Rancho Cucamonga, CA, USA

problem #224

Mar 122023

Elantra

  • 130,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact's daughter was driving at approximately 70 MPH when she heard an abnormal "pop" sound come from under the floorboards. The contact said that as she was following the road on a right hand curve the vehicle steering was not responding to her steering correction to follow the turn. The contact said that his daughter lost control and spun the vehicle 180 degrees and crashed into a guard rail. The contact stated that she did not notice any warning lights. The vehicle hit the guard first with the front driver's fender and then the entire driver's side hit the guard rail and all forward momentum stopped. The police had arrived on scene and wrote a report. The daughter had not suffered any injuries, however the vehicle was undrivable and was towed to a towing lot. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The contact's insurance provider declared the vehicle a total loss. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V311000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

- Russell, KY, USA

problem #223

Mar 022023

Elantra

  • miles
When I turn the wheel there is a loud clunking noise

- Lebanon, PA, USA

problem #222

Mar 062023

Elantra

  • miles
I own a 2013 hyundai elantra with around 53k miles at the time of making this complaint. My problem was that the steering coupler failed and would cause the steering wheel to make a clunking noise when steering left and right. Also when i go over a bump my steering wheel would vibrate and on top of that my car would sometimes drift slightly left or right which puts me at risk for an accident. thankfully i didn-€™t get into one. From what i-€™ve heard this is a common problem with these cars and had the coupler replaced which seems to fix the problem and am upset i had to fork out over 600$ to fix it at a hyundai dealer on the day of March 6 2023 and i was hoping i was covered under a warranty but per the hyundai dealer employee he said i wasn-€™t covered since the warranty expired. i wasn-€™t the first original owner of the car so the car is past the 10 year warranty period per the dealer employee, i owned it for about 5 years. wish hyundai would extend the warranty or recall this problem on these trash cars.

- Sylmar, CA, USA

problem #221

Jan 012023

Elantra

  • miles
Something in the steering wheel is messed up. When the wheel is turned even a few centimeters, it makes a loud clicking noise like something is not attached correctly. It causes the car the shake when going over bumps/pot holes.

- Alpharetta, GA, USA

problem #220

Jan 272023

Elantra

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Unknown The steering clicks and pulls back unexpectedly. No control on steering wheel works

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #219

Jan 042023

Elantra

  • miles
2013 Elantra GT steering coupler has broken due to poor design and plastic materials. Dealership stated this has been a common issue in other Elantra and Sonata models and has apparently been covered with an additional 10years on the extended warranty on all models of Elantra except the GT. The broken coupler causes a clicking sound in the steering and eventually leads to the steering locking and can be a serious safety issue. This model should be included in the warranty as it has already been an identified safety issue on other models. No warning lights or notification on the dash, but loose handling on the road and I was told by my mechanic that continued driving and wear and tear would lead to the steering locking up and potential accident in the future.

- Gainesville, FL, USA

problem #218

Dec 012022

Elantra

  • miles
The steering coupler has gone out on the car, resulting in a clicking/clunk noise when moving the steering wheel. Confirmed by two separate independent service centers who were able to replicate the problem and identify the issue. The part costs $13.99 to replace but looking at a cost of over $500 to replace for labor.

- White House, TN, USA

problem #217

Jan 032023

Elantra

  • miles
I noticed extra play in the steering when I turned the wheel (either direction.) At first, it was minor but over time, the play and noise in the steering got worse. I took it to Tire Choice to have it examined and was told the steering couple was bad and should be replaced but referred me back to a dealer as they felt the repair should be covered. I was told that it is not covered and the repair is costly. I am not able to afford the repair and am concerned about the safety of continuing to drive this vehicle but it is the only car I have.

- Powells Point, NC, USA

problem #216

Aug 012022

Elantra

  • miles
Steering wheel coupler deteriorates and needs to be replaced. All 2007-2015 Elantra sedans have received an extended warranty for this common issue but the 2013 Elantra coupe was left out

- West Orange, NJ, USA

problem #215

Dec 092022

Elantra

  • miles
Starting in 2020, my 2013 Elantra GT, with very low mileage still less than 40K today, started to develop clicking sound when I turned the wheel. This year, the clicking sound is getting louder and more frequent. Today, I was advised by the mechanic who performed the required annual safety inspection that "steering wheel coupler" should be fixed ASAP. After doing some research this is a well known problem caused by the disintegration of the "steering wheel coupler" in the power steering motor. I received a quoted price of $599 from Hyundai Chantilly (dealer) in VA to fix it as it will take about 2.5 hours. I believe this Hyundai cross-models-cross-years wide issue should have been covered by the manufacturer extended warranty to avoid steering lockup accidents.

- Vienna, VA, USA

problem #214

Oct 012022

Elantra

  • 122,007 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while his granddaughter was driving at an unknown speed, there was an abnormal clunking noise detected in the steering wheel. The contact stated that while he was driving there was a lot of play in the steering wheel and inside the vehicle. The vehicle was driving roughly, and he could feel the bumps in the road. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering coupler needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified about the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 122,007.

- Acworth, GA, USA

problem #213

Sep 012022

Elantra

  • miles
My car only has low miles for the year. The coupling at the base of the steering shaft is loose causing me to not have full control over my steering. I especially feel it going over rough patches of road. It has affected my alignment causing the car to list right when straight. I-€™ve seen mechanic shops and they have seen the same issue many times with this year and make.

- Plainview, NY, USA

problem #212

Sep 252022

Elantra 4-cyl

  • miles
My 2013 was stolen because of defective car. The manufacturer choose to sip safety for dollars they could have place a immobilizer in all Hyundai form 2011 until current but did not in the United States, but in Canada it is a must have item.

- Columbus , OH, USA

problem #211

Sep 302022

Elantra

  • miles
My wife's car has had some play in the steering wheel for about 20,000 miles. It currently has 135,000+. I wrote it off as normal wear and tear. Recently it has started having a clunking noise and a little more play. I researched this and found that this is a common problem on a few years of Hyundai cars. It is the steering coupler in the steering motor on top of the steering column. I even saw posts that said that their vehicles steering had actually locked up while driving. I have tried contacting Hyundai motors themselves and all I get is an automated response. I have contacted the dealership and there is no recall or safety bulletin, or that's what I'm being told. It is a $10-$20 part but $400+ in labor to fix it. I don't have that kind of money laying around but I am scared to let my wife drive it more than a few miles. In my eyes this is a severe safety issue and think this should be taken very seriously by Hyundai but they don't seem worried at all. Myself I would like to have a safe car for my wife and not have to worry if she is going to be OK.

- Morganfield, KY, USA

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