10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 4 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 5 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 66,805 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Elantra. While driving 20 mph, the steering wheel seized without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and the steering returned to normal. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 36,000. Updated 09/27/16
- Jamaica, NY, USA
No damage, but I need to report the Hyundai practice. While I was on a highway, eps lamp came on and steering became really tough. Once I pulled over and re-started the car, the lamp went off and I could steer without any problems. I found out that my car was actually recalled for the eps system, so brought my car to a dealer. The dealer told me that the campaign is 'closed', they need to charge me to diagnose the problem..... 'wait, I just need to get whatever you fixed for the recall notice"' no, the campaign is closed so we need to diagnose the system, and if nothing is wrong, we cannot do anything. Is this practice correct" they said they found additional issues with the steering sensors but it's included in the diagnostics package....
- Camden, NJ, USA
The contact owned a 2008 Hyundai Elantra. While driving approximately 15 mph going around a bend, the steering ability seized. The contact crashed into a parked vehicle, rolled back, and struck another parked vehicle. The air bags did not deploy and the contact's head struck the windshield. The brakes also failed to respond. A police report was filed. The following day, the contact went to the hospital due to a severe headache and fever. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot by the police, towed to an independent mechanic, and then towed to the contact's residence. After the manufacturer was notified, the vehicle was towed by a third party investigator to their facilities. The vehicle was destroyed. The approximate failure mileage was 145,000. Updated 05/31/16
- Burlington, MA, USA
Car loses power when driving car at low speed, car just shuts down and would need to place in park and restart the car, also lost power steering while driving car on the freeway, card wheel locked and car lost all power, was able to place it in park and restarted it, but was with out power steering, car shakes when driving passed 70 miles an hr.
- San Diego, CA, USA
I was driving on a freeway when my eps light came on and when I began to exit my car did not want to steer. I took my foot off the gas and strongly steered right. At the stop sign I took both hands on the steering wheel and made a left turn. Every turn home was difficult. They power steering was not working.it was almost impossible to steer the car. I called the dealership and I started the car and it steered fine. I went to the dealer and they put it on the diag. Checck and they say it is C1290 steering torque sensor. At 74,000 miles you cant steer your car" you gotta be kidding me. They say it is not warranted but $2310 please will repair the problem. Its not a recall item like campaign 127 because its a different part. ????"
- Menifee, CA, USA
I bought my car new in 2008 -- single owner all this time. Was driving the car about 30mph in residential area when all of sudden the eps light came on and power steering completely failed. Manually steered the car to nearby garage, where they found an error code in the electronic power steering module. Google search showed Hyundai had a recall for this, and this recall was performed on my car back in May. Started car back up, problem was gone, so brought car to Hyundai dealer, and they will run diagnostics and contact Hyundai for next steps. I called Hyundai myself and was given a complaint number: 8206849. Apparently what they did on my recall visit in May 2015 did not prevent this problem from happening. It was scary and dangerous to have happen -- this is absolutely a safety issue.
- Methuen, MA, USA
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Elantra. While driving at 45 mph, the vehicle lost all steering capabilities. The contact crashed the vehicle into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was not filed. The contact was injured, but did not require medical attention. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the power steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the remedy failed to correct the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,000.
- Lanham, MD, USA
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that the power steering failed without warning. The failure caused the contact to use excessive force to maneuver the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the steering column and steering column assembly needed to be replaced. The repairs were made to the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 45,594.
- Beacon, NY, USA
My vehicle was turning a corner and the power steering assist shut down totally, I was unable to steer my vehicle. The eps light lite up on the dashboard. It took two people, my boyfriend and myself to steer the vehicle to the curb, but only with a great deal of effort on both of our parts.
- Los Angeles, CA, USA
I was making a right turn onto the street I live on, thankfully I was going pretty slow, as I was turning when all of a sudden my steering wheel locked up and I was unable to steer my vehicle. Thankfully I was the only one on the road otherwise id have hit an oncoming car as I wasn't able to maneuver my car, regardless of how hard I tried to turn the steering wheel. The eps was lite up on my dashboard when I was able to stop and look at the dashboard. I had the car towed to the dealer, who told me my car was manufactured one month earlier than the current recall #127 and I would be responsible for the repair and tow. I was not willing to drive my vehicle again until this issue was fixed, had this occurred on the freeway I wouldn't be here to issue this complaint rather I would be dead or severely injured hospitalized for who knows how long if I had managed to live once the vehicle crashed.
- Los Angeles, CA, USA
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that the eps warning light illuminated and the vehicle was unable to be steered. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 36,000.
- Clemson, SC, USA
I was driving for about 15 minutes at a speed of under 30 mph in heavy traffic when my power steering suddenly locked and could not be engaged. The eps light on my dash went on and I was able to get the car home as I was only about 1 mile from home. The Hyundai dealer I called to pick up the car said it was my fault because I missed a recall. I have checked over the Elantra 2008 recalls and none of them say anything about steering. Can you tell me if the car will ever be safe to drive again after the dealer repairs it and does it really have anything to do with one of the Hyundai recalls.
- Jamaica, NY, USA
Driving car approximately 2 minutes after turning it on when the red eps light turned on and the power steering went out. Could barely move the steering wheel, as the wheel appeared to lock. This also happened about 1 year ago, exact circumstances. When I turned it off and then on again, it went away. Thankfully, I was in a parking lot when this occurred each time. Keep vehicle in good service condition - regular flushes, fluids maintained at appropriate levels, oil changes, brakes and tires replaced as needed. Did have the brake light sensor replaced - once due to recall, and again when the one provided by the recall failed, causing the brake lights to stay on, which in turn drained my battery - had to replace the battery as a result as well at my own expense.
- Milwaukee, WI, USA
I turned on the engine just like any other normal morning and it appeared that the wheel was stuck. I turned hard to the left and heard a cracking noise. I further turned the wheel left to merge onto the street, when I realized I had no steering. I proceeded to try and drive and the vehicle stalled and would not let me drive forward. With great effort, I was able to get it back in to park and park it on the curb. I was lucky no one was around, as the stalling and inability to steer was a scary incidence. This issue needs to be a recall as it is very risky to drive the vehicle if you can get it to turn at all....so far it will only let me drive in reverse and make right hand turns.
- Sacramento, CA, USA
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Elantra. While driving approximately 60 mph, the electronic power steering indicator illuminated and the vehicle became difficult to steer. The failure occurred four times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
- Pike, NH, USA
This past Saturday, May 10, 2014 I was driving my four year old daughter home from soccer class and all of a sudden my steering went out. After avoiding an accident with woman behind me, I realize that the steering wasn't out but had become very difficult. The eps light on the dash was on and I learned that the power steering had gone. We took the car to our local mechanic to see if it was a simple thing like a fluid change. He informs us that the steering is computerized, that there is a service bulletin about the power steering in our car and we should take it to our dealer and it shouldn't cost anything to reprogram.
- Baldwin, NY, USA
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving 25 mph, the power steering warning light illuminated as the steering wheel became hard to turn. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where a diagnostic was performed which located the failure at the steering column. The contact also stated that the failure was previously experienced and the dealer reprogrammed and cleared the computer system, but the failure was not corrected. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 44,348 and the current mileage was 66,967.
- Dedham , MA, USA
The power steering failed while driving my 2008 Hyundai Elantra at the speed limit on a 4 lane, non divided highway in rush hour traffic. I was driving my car to work in normal morning rush hour traffic.there was no warning. While moving at the speed limit, the steering wheel locked up and lost all power to the car.this is a dangerous situation. I had no prior warning of any type that the steering was defective or would fail. It failed while the vehicle was moving. This incident could have had very dire results.
- San Diego, CA, USA
The eps light came on and the power steering was gone.
- Bristol, VA, USA
- Jamaica, NY, USA