repaired · 2023 Q3
Trunk lid: latch
Risk. A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
2018 Hyundai SonataProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 375 owner complaints about the 2018 Hyundai Sonata, most often about the engine. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 21V-619 the manufacturer reports only 56% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 22, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2018 Hyundai Sonata has problems
375 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
212Engine12 crash/fire/injury
60Electrical system8 crash/fire/injury
40Power train4 crash/fire/injury
32Fuel/propulsion system1 crash/fire/injury
22Exterior lighting
19Vehicle speed control
17Structure
14Service brakes
14Engine and engine cooling
6516 other systems9 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 212 | 12 |
| Electrical system | 60 | 8 |
| Power train | 40 | 4 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 32 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 22 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 19 | 6 |
| Structure | 17 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 14 | 4 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 14 | 0 |
| 16 other systems | 65 | 9 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2018 Hyundai Sonata recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Hyundai.
Mileage at failure
When do engine problems start?
20kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 58 engine complaints. 88% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 37% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
35under 30k miles51under 100k miles7100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Engine
10 owners mentioned a cost$600median
Middle half: $516 – $925
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2018 vs. every other Sonata year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sonata median. How we score
11162922263662349491242762053201992021651,0476964254603453,3801,5591,9217501,157730769375163183135988848174
'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2018 Hyundai Sonata safety ratings
2018 Hyundai Sonata 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (10.5% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: Optional
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2018 Hyundai Sonata, and the recalls they led to.
- Loss of Motive PowerNo recall
- Electrical overstressLed to recall 20V-024
In owners' words
What Sonata owners report
Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The paint is peeling off the car, when I went to the dealership they said this is a known problem for 2015-2018, but they can't fix it there is no recall. It is causing rust. The valve cover gasket…
Hyundai dealership confirms I am in need of a new engine due to large oil consumption which is a known issue on 2018 Hyundai Sonata engines. Hyundai will not approve repairs because I am the second owner and vehicle is out of the 5 year warranty period. I only have 52K miles on my vehicle.
Since I had Service Campaign 9C2 completed, the car hesitates to start, does a mini-lurch upon cold start and runs rough. Two weeks ago, it was put in park, lurched backwards, then died. The starter and battery have been replaced but this has not helped. The car ran fine before this update was done.
Own a 2018 Sonata?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.