HyundaiELANTRA UD2013Overview/hyundai/elantra-ud/2013/base/

2013 Hyundai ELANTRA UD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2013 Elantra.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 6-spd

The 2013 Hyundai Elantra is a passenger car equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission and EPA-rated fuel economy of 28 mpg city, 38 mpg highway, and 32 mpg combined, requiring 4.2 quarts of 5W-20 or 5W-30 API oil for routine service. Within the model’s documented history spanning 1992 to 2026, this model year registers the highest complaint volume at 1,325 owner-reported issues—predominantly steering-related—alongside four recalls, marking it as the most problematic iteration when compared to later production years such as 2025 with only 21 documented complaints.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182013

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.2 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy28/38/32 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 47 · 550 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 47 · 550 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnCIRCUITOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205-55R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Battery371103X100 alt 371103X565

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 6-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length178.3 in
Overall width70.1 in
Overall height56.7 in
Wheelbase106.3 in
Curb weight2789 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 62.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined28 / 38 / 32 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume96 cu ft
Cargo volume15 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Elantra of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.1–9.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.10 sec — 2013 SE Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2013SE Coupe 1.8L I-48.10 sec16.40 sec148 hpFWD
2013SE Coupe 1.8L I-48.10 sec16.40 sec148 hpFWD
2013GT 5-door Hatchback 1.8L I-48.30 sec16.50 sec148 hpFWD
2013GT 5-door Hatchback 1.8L I-49.70 sec17.20 sec148 hpFWD
2012GLS Sedan 1.8L I-47.80 sec16.00 sec148 hpFWD
2012GLS Sedan 1.8L I-48.90 sec16.70 sec148 hpFWD
2012Limited Sedan 1.8L I-49.50 sec17.10 sec148 hpFWD
2014GT 5-door Hatchback 2.0L I-47.90 sec16.10 sec173 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.2 qt of 5W-20 / 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 25.3-32.5 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidHyundai SP-IV
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.7
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-20 · 5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.2 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts145-152 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts87-94 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts14-17 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts22-25 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug25.3-32.5 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub177-199 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)640 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (Secondary Under Load)680 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (Secondary Under Load)100 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.64-.68 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5,900 ohms
Ignition Timing6 degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.16-1.27 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity3.04-3.75 oz
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature190 °F
Pressure Test14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature190 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)46.9-52.6 psi
Engine Compression164

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH FN3 (16 inch) CALIPER PR NOS. 1LH/1ZG
Torque Caliper to Bracket16-23 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle58-72 ft-lbs / 47-54 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Brake ApplicationWITH FN3 (16 inch) CALIPER PR NOS. 1LH/1ZG
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0002 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.001 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
113-16 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9013–16 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
120-23 ft. lbs., Step 2: 120-12520–23 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs at 105,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miBattery (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Fuel Tank (add fluid conditioner) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Vacuum Line (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect)
Every 37,500 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 105,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2013 Hyundai Elantra sits at the peak of a dramatic complaint spike within its generation, logging 1,325 federal complaints — nearly double the 672 recorded in 2012 and more than triple the 380 seen in 2014. This spike is concentrated in steering (181 complaints), engine (126), air bags (106), and hydraulic brakes (104), with 95 crash-related complaints and 30 fire complaints, suggesting broad rather than narrowly isolated problems. Recalls actually dipped to 4 (from 5 in 2012 and 7 in 2011), yet investigations held steady at 4, indicating regulatory scrutiny remained active even as formal recall actions did not fully address the volume of issues reported. The sharp decline to 380 complaints in 2014 implies Hyundai implemented meaningful corrections, but the data does not specify root causes for the 2013 spike. Given that the target year is the single worst-performing year in the entire multi-decade federal record by complaint volume, a used 2013 Elantra carries demonstrably elevated risk and is best approached with caution or avoided in favor of a 2014 or later model.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
151
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
4
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1,325
Owner complaints
95 involved a crash · 30 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1,325 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering181
Engine126
Air Bags106
Service Brakes, Hydraulic104
Service Brakes70
Unknown Or Other63
Exterior Lighting44
Electrical System33

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

17V769000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Pedals And LinkagesReported 30/11/2017

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Elantra sedan, coupe and GT vehicles. The brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the brake light switch plunger to remain extended when the brake… Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake pedal stopper pad, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 8, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai…

16V574000Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:SwitchReported 02/08/2016

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model 2013 Elantra vehicles manufactured December 1, 2012, to April 30, 2013. The brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the brake light switch plunger to… Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake pedal stopper pad with an improved part, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on September 30, 2016…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 151 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
DTN DL2026-04-10Air BagsThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of…
DTN DCS2026-04-10Air BagsThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety…
P33 OL2025-12-19Electrical SystemIn response to this trend, we engineered a software upgrade that addresses the social…
25-01-089H TSB2025-12-15Electrical SystemThis bulletin provides the service procedure for installation of a key cylinder…
25-01-089H DN2025-12-15Electrical SystemIn addition to the Anti-Theft software provided under Service Campaign 993 (TSB…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Elantra. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2013 Elantra take?

4.2 qt of 5W-20 OR 5W-30 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 2013 Elantra have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Elantra get?

EPA figures are 28 city / 38 highway / 32 combined mpg.