Hyundai Elantra gets a lot of praise because it is a beautiful, comfortable and powerful car. It’s a great model to have, but at times, owners may encounter some issues – for example, they may hear a Hyundai Elantra noise when accelerating. It can be quite frustrating and scary, especially if it’s a new car.

Many times, Hyundai Elantra vehicles make whining or humming noises when accelerating. This can happen because of an underlying problem with the car, which can be very dangerous. It may be caused by uneven tire wear, bad wheel bearing, tires with large tread blocks, transmission issues, power steering issues, a worn serpentine belt, a water pump problem, or a bad alternator.

So, how can you tell the exact cause? In this post we’ll go over Hyundai Elantra noises when accelerating so you can start fixing the issue as soon as possible.

Top Reasons Why You May Hear a Hyundai Elantra Noise When Accelerating

Noises during acceleration could be caused by problems with the tires, water pump, wheel bearing, transmission, alternator, and other things. Diagnosing the problem as soon as possible will prevent further damage or a potentially dangerous scenario

Uneven Tire Wear

Hyundai Elantra cars can make humming noises when the tire wear is uneven and worn. More often than not, this uneven wear makes noise when accelerating, and a lot of people mistake it for a bad wheel bearing.

But when tire scalloping or cupping happens, various dips or scallops appear around the tread, which shows an out-of-balance wheel. Usually, this means that you must replace the worn shock absorbers or different other components related to the suspension.

Bad Wheel Bearing

Humming noises in Hyundai Elantra cars may also be the result of a bad wheel bearing. Usually, you can hear the sounds in the cabin from the direction of the wheel that is affected.

Of course, when this is the case, there may also be other accompanying symptoms, like steering wheel vibrations, knocking noise when cornering, and others. If you keep accelerating, the humming noise will increase too.

You can replace the defective wheel bearing in your car, but it’s best to also replace the second bearing on the same axle. Both of these bearings had to deal with a lot of stress – therefore, it is likely for the second one to become defective shortly after. Replacing both at the same time will help you save some cash and prevent further problems.

Power Steering Problems

When the power steering pump becomes too low on fluid, it will start making whining noises. This is a very common reason behind Hyundai Elantra’s whining noises when accelerating. It’s essential to check the fluid level, and if it’s low, you will have to fill it back up until it reaches the factory fill line.

Another thing related to power steering that may cause a whining noise is the pump. You can test it by turning the wheel right and left while the vehicle is sitting. If the noise increases while turning, it shows that the power steering pump may be the problem and you must check it.

Defective Alternator

You might also hear a whining sound when the alternator is going bad. It’s easy to figure out if the alternator is the culprit, as the whining sound will also come with the battery light.

If you do not see the battery light, though, the alternator may not be the reason why your Hyundai Elantra starts making whining noises. At the same time, you should not fully rule it out.

Worn Serpentine Belt

The serpentine belt of the Hyundai Elantra is the one that takes motion from the crankshaft, then turns all of the accessories. A whining noise can be heard when it starts wearing out. If the serpentine belt is the problem, then you will hear the noise louder when starting the car.

Water Pump Problem

A water pump that starts going bad can also result in whining noises. The whine is usually deeper than the one caused by a defective alternator. You should check the water pump if this is the problem.

Transmission Issue

Another thing that may result in a humming noise from your Elantra is a transmission issue. This low-pitched sound will usually come through the floor, from under the car’s body. However, if this is why your car is making noise, there will be other symptoms accompanying the humming, such as erratic shifting, clunking noises, and others.

Tires with Larger Treat Blocks

The type of tire you are using with your car could also cause humming sounds when you are accelerating. This is especially true if you suddenly change the types of tires you are using. If they have large tread block patterns, then they will definitely cause more noise while on the road, which is not surprising.

Winter tires and off-road ones tend to be noisier when you accelerate, and this occurs due to the amount of air that passes through the patterns.

Conclusion

Hearing a Hyundai Elantra noise when accelerating can be very frustrating, and you must deal with the issue as soon as you can. Hopefully, this article helped you find the issue so you can enjoy your amazing car again.

FAQs

Can my car’s spark plugs make ticking noises?

It is possible to hear some ticking sounds when the wires are loose, or the spark plugs are damaged. To find out if this is the issue, you should check the spark plugs while the engine is off and cool.

Can the whining noise be caused by my Elantra’s stereo?

Sometimes, the stereo of a Hyundai Elantra may be making a whining noise due to something called “alternator whine”. This causes a voltage drop between the alternator and the radio.