1998 Hyundai Elantra Recalls
No NHTSA recalls on record for the 1998 Hyundai Elantra. That means NHTSA has no open safety campaign for this vehicle — it does not guarantee the absence of problems. Owners have filed 75 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Complaints by component
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“Car downshifts end engine revs. If put into reverse, forward transmission can then usually be selected. Can put foot on gas and engine/transmission will "idle/rev". *tr”
“After entering a highway my elantra came to a complete stop on the highway from 65 mph and the engine died. I later had to replace the front brakes and wheel bearings on the side I swerved into and I'm sure that is what caused the problem. I heard a woman complain about this same situation that…”
“I recently purchased a 1998 hyundai elantra. The problem I have is sporadic and without warning. The vehicle is equipped with an automatic transmission. At any given time the vehicle will jerk to almost a complete stop as if someone has pulled the emergency brake on. This will happen at various…”
“Dt: consumer purchased two sets of firestone supreme tires for two different vehicles. All eight tires had tread separation, each occurred at different times. Dealer only honored the warranty for the first seven tires. The last tread separation caused the vehicle to be totaled, causing injury to…”
“Dt: the contact stated he had problems filling the gas tank. When he tried to fill the gas tank the gas immediately began to spill out. The vehicle was taken to various mechanics, each mechanic gave a different reason for the problem. No solution has been successful in correcting the defect.*ak”
“Door latch inside has broken several times. I have to roll my window down to exit car. I have had the handle replace 5 times. When weather is cold, I can't exit vehicle due to the fact the electric windows freeze. I fear an accident might trap me in my car. *jb”
“The interior door latches are of poor construction and break easily and inhibit being able to get out of the vehicle. This is a safety problem that needs to be corrected. We have already had to replace the interior door latches once and need to have them replaced again now.*ak”
“Consumer stated rear view mirror popped out, hitting the consumer, and causing a collision. Dealer notified.*ak”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1998 Hyundai Elantra as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.