Hyundai Elantra: Brake Light Switch Failures (2007–2011)
At a glance
Fault summary
Older Elantras were subject to official campaigns for brake light switch failures — brake lights stuck on or off, and shifter interlock problems. Verify completion by VIN.
- Affected system
- Electrical
- Severity
- High Structured severity term
- Urgency
- Urgency not yet verified
- Can I drive?
- Drive with caution Severity depends on the exact presentation — see the symptoms and mechanic notes below.
- Repair/cost band
- $ · Minor Estimate band only — actual cost varies by region, parts availability and labor rates.
- Vehicle applicability
- Elantra
- Evidence/confidence
- Source notes available See source & evidence notes below
Short answer
Older Elantras were subject to official campaigns for brake light switch failures — brake lights stuck on or off, and shifter interlock problems. Verify completion by VIN.
SeverityHighDrive?Drive with cautionRepairDIY – Easy
Can I still drive with this?
Drive with caution
Severity depends on the exact presentation — see the symptoms and mechanic notes below.
SeverityHigh
HighWhat the records show for the Hyundai Elantra
Records held for the model years this page covers — open a year to see its issue areas, official records and codes:
All model years of the Hyundai Elantra in the Problem Explorer
Record counts are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold. They show where records exist, not how likely this fault is.
Common symptoms
- Brake lights stay on or never light
- Shifter won't move from Park intermittently
- Cruise control won't engage
Likely causes
- Switch failures addressed by official campaigns on affected VINs
Diagnosis checks
Check campaign status by VIN; the switch itself is a quick, low-cost replacement.
Used-car buyer warning
Recalls and service campaigns have applied to some years. Always run the exact VIN through the official recall database (NHTSA in the US, DVSA in the UK, Transport Canada, or the Australian vehicle recalls database) before relying on any summary.
Repair actions / cost band
$ · Minor
Estimate band only — actual cost varies by region, parts availability and labor rates.
View documented evidence for the Hyundai Elantra 20,683 official records held across recalls, bulletins, investigations and complaints.
Source & evidence notes
- Pattern drawn from widely documented owner reports and service literature for this model and year range.
- Counts and rates are deliberately not stated; verify the specific VIN's history independently.