Certain vehicles may develop a bearing noise within the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) column worm shaft assembly. If bearing noise is heard, follow the procedure in this bulletin to replace the worm shaft bearing.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2020 Hyundai Elantra steering problems
severe Owners of the 2020 Hyundai Elantra have filed 19 NHTSA complaints about the steering at roughly $700 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See steering across all vehicles →
Complaints
19
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
| Model year | steering complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 Elantra | 19 |
| 2017 Elantra | 71 |
| 2018 Elantra | 15 |
| 2019 Elantra | 9 |
| 2020 Elantra (this page) | 19 |
| 2021 Elantra | 5 |
| 2023 Elantra | 3 |
| 2024 Elantra | 7 |
5crashes
1fire
2injuries
What stands out
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 4 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering steering on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Certain vehicles may develop a bearing noise within the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) column worm shaft assembly. If bearing noise is heard, follow the procedure in this bulletin to replace the worm shaft bearing.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Certain vehicles may develop a bearing noise within the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) column worm shaft assembly. If bearing noise is heard, follow the procedure in this bulletin to replace the worm shaft bearing.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Certain vehicles may develop a bearing noise within the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) column worm shaft assembly. If bearing noise is heard, follow the procedure in this bulletin to replace the worm shaft bearing.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Certain vehicles may develop a bearing noise within the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) column worm shaft assembly. If bearing noise is heard, follow the procedure in this bulletin to replace the worm shaft bearing
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2020 Hyundai Elantras describe several steering issues:
Grinding and whirring in the steering column at low speeds or while turning, traced to worm gear shaft or worm shaft assembly problems. Multiple owners report this as a known issue with a service bulletin, but Hyundai has not issued a recall despite its prevalence. Repair costs cited were over $500; owners were denied reimbursement.
Steering assist failures and stiffness changes happen at highway speeds (40–70 mph), with the wheel becoming suddenly stiff or dangerously soft, causing loss of vehicle control and near-crashes. One owner's steering wheel dropped completely on the highway at 70 mph, cutting all power to the car.
Steering pull and wander to the left or right, unpredictable and sporadic, occurring at all speeds without clear cause. One incident involved sudden rightward pull at unknown speed leading to a crash into an electrical pole; another involved leftward wander on the highway ending in a head-on collision with a tree.
Steering input lag or unresponsiveness—wheel held straight despite driver turning it, or delayed response while turning.
Steering wheel position and adjustment issues: wheel not sitting straight on assembly, or adjustment lever failing to lock position, causing the wheel to move around while driving.
Owners report difficulty getting service appointments and dealerships unable to diagnose or replicate problems. One owner was charged $1,178 for parts needed to complete a recall remedy on a theft-damaged vehicle.
Same Hyundai Elantra steering reports on nearby years: 2017 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Worm gear shaft grinding and noise
Rubbing, grinding, or whirring noise from steering column, worse at low speeds or during turns. Associated with worm gear shaft or worm shaft assembly degradation.
When: Low speeds, while turning, stationary or slow speeds; one owner noted issue present before purchase from prior owner
Symptoms owners cite: Rubbing or whirring noise from steering column; Grinding noise when turning left or right; Noise progressively louder over time; Noise at highway or street speeds
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership replaced steering assembly column; cost cited over $500 for worm gear shaft replacement. One owner's repair was completed by dealership but Hyundai corporate refused reimbursement despite service bulletin documenting the issue.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Hyundai service bulletin exists documenting worm gear shaft issue; however, no recall issued. Hyundai corporate refused reimbursement for repairs.
Steering assist failure and stiffness changes
Sudden and unpredictable changes in steering wheel resistance, from extremely stiff to very soft, causing jolts and loss of control at highway speeds. In one severe case, steering wheel dropped completely at 70 mph and lost all power.
When: Speed range 40–70 mph on highway; one incident at 70 mph
Symptoms owners cite: Abrupt stiffness change from stiff to very soft; Sudden jolts of vehicle left or right; Complete steering wheel drop and loss of power; All power to car cut off; Vehicle difficult to steer after initial repair; Steering problems worsened after dealership repair attempt
Repairs/costs cited: One owner had steering assembly column replaced at dealership; steering problems worsened post-repair. Same owner returned for second repair and electrical problem also diagnosed. Dealership unable to schedule prompt appointment due to staffing.
Steering pull and wander
Vehicle pulls unexpectedly to the left or right, or steering wheel wanders, causing loss of control and crashes. Occurs sporadically and unpredictably at low, medium, and highway speeds.
When: All speeds (low, medium, highway); one incident at unknown speed while decelerating to stop; another at 55 mph on highway
Symptoms owners cite: Car pulls suddenly to right; Steering wheel wanders left or right; Vehicle does not hold the road at speeds over 45 mph; Suspension and steering not working well at 45 mph or faster; Sudden rightward turn at stop sign leading to crash into electrical pole; Sudden leftward wander on highway at 55 mph leading to head-on collision with tree
Steering input lag and unresponsiveness
Steering wheel input does not produce expected vehicle response. Vehicle continues straight despite driver turning wheel, or wheels delay responding to steering input.
When: While turning at low speeds; one incident in left turn lane at low speed
Symptoms owners cite: Car not turning despite steering wheel being turned left; Vehicle continues straight in turn lane despite steering input; Delayed steering response requiring hard braking to avoid collision
Steering wheel position and adjustment failure
Steering wheel does not sit centered on assembly or adjustment mechanism fails, causing wheel to move around while driving and loss of proper steering geometry.
When: Present from initial ownership in some cases; issue noted before purchase from prior owner in at least one case
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel does not sit straight; Steering wheel adjustment lever does not work or does not lock; Steering wheel moves around while driving; Steering wheel flopping around on highway
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reported adjustment lever stopped working after dealership steering assembly column replacement.
Steering stiffness—general difficulty
Steering wheel becomes stiff and difficult to turn, making vehicle difficult or unsafe to maneuver. Diagnosed at around 4,000 miles in one case.
When: At 4,000 miles; at all speeds in reported cases
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel very stiff at all speeds; Vehicle difficult to steer; Driver does not feel confident in handling or safe maneuvering
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership unable to diagnose issue under warranty.
Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) malfunction
Lane keeping assist system over-corrects or moves steering wheel left and right repeatedly without driver input, creating dangerous and uncontrollable steering behavior on freeways.
When: On freeway in traffic; present shortly after purchase in at least one case
Symptoms owners cite: LKA moving steering wheel right and left repeatedly; Over-correction by LKA system; Steering wheel moved by LKA without driver input on freeway in downtown traffic
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reported receiving paperwork after purchase showing prior accident and repair (0–5 miles, repair completed before purchase) but LKA issue persisted or recurred.
Synthesized from 19 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Hello, I have a 2020 Hyundai Elantra [XXX] Vin. The car has a major problem with the steering and suspension at speeds over 45 mph. I am talking with [XXX] at this time after dialing [XXX] at Hyundai cust care (case #[XXX]). She told me she is on the West Side location. I asked where is that and she stated she is unable to let me know where. The car does not hold the road and the…
There is a grinding in my steering column, worse at lower speeds. I have spoke to Hyundai about this and several other shops and they said this is a common recall for Elantras and there is a barring that is in the recall. However, my VIN is not in this common recall. If this is a common recall on Elantras in my year range, wouldn't ALL Elantras have the option to have to corrected not just…
Had steering trouble with your 2020 Hyundai Elantra?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2020 Hyundai Elantra?
It's a meaningful issue. 19 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Based on the 19 complaints filed, steering issues most often appear around 6,560 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2020/Hyundai/Elantra.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.