HYUNDAI SONATA · model year

2018 HYUNDAI SONATA

507 NHTSA complaints, 23 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

5 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2018HYUNDAISONATA carries 507 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 23 crashes, 18 fires, 28 injuries, and 1 fatality. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 5/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2018 SONATA is engine with 190 filings, followed by unknown or other (56) and electrical system (54). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 37 investigation files overlapping the 2018 SONATA, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

507
Complaints
23
Crashes
18
Fires
28
Injuries
1
Deaths
2018 HYUNDAI SONATA — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2018 HYUNDAI SONATA. Overall composite: 5.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 5.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 5.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 5.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

507 filings

Crashes Reported

23 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 5/5 — Top NCAP rating · Front: 5/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE190
UNKNOWN OR OTHER56
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM54
POWER TRAIN32
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM23
EXTERIOR LIGHTING21
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL17
SERVICE BRAKES13
STRUCTURE:BODY11
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING11
STEERING9
SEAT BELTS8
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES8
VISIBILITY/WIPER5
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING5

Recalls (1)

21V61900006/08/2021

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Sonata, 2016-2018 Sonata Hybrid, 2018-2020 Accent, and 2016-2017 Azera vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of F

Recent Complaints

20260219ENGINE

The oil pan is starting to crack, a small drip is now happening but dealership says it could spilt and cause the engine to seize while driving. The pan looks very flimsy compared to my Ford and Toyota.

20260214ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

To Whom It May Concern, My name is [XXX] , and I am formally escalating serious ongoing issues with my 2018 Hyundai Sonata. Despite repeated attempts to resolve these concerns through the dealership, my vehicle continues to experience excessive oil consumption, engine failures, and additional mechanical issues, all while under warranty. I am now seeking immediate corporate intervention. Timeline of Events and Mismanagement: •2024(~62000 miles): First reported oil leak and excessive oil consumption. Directed to complete multiple 1,000-mile oil consumption tests. I complied fully. •2024: Repeatedly redirected between service advisors, received conflicting instructions, misleading guidance, and poor communication. No effective resolution was provided. •2025: Completed extensive additional diagnostic testing as requested. Despite full compliance, no clear corrective action was taken. •2024–Present: Vehicle brought to Hyundai on US 19 in New Port Richey approximately 13–15 times

20260214ENGINE

To Whom It May Concern, My name is [XXX] , and I am formally escalating serious ongoing issues with my 2018 Hyundai Sonata. Despite repeated attempts to resolve these concerns through the dealership, my vehicle continues to experience excessive oil consumption, engine failures, and additional mechanical issues, all while under warranty. I am now seeking immediate corporate intervention. Timeline of Events and Mismanagement: •2024(~62000 miles): First reported oil leak and excessive oil consumption. Directed to complete multiple 1,000-mile oil consumption tests. I complied fully. •2024: Repeatedly redirected between service advisors, received conflicting instructions, misleading guidance, and poor communication. No effective resolution was provided. •2025: Completed extensive additional diagnostic testing as requested. Despite full compliance, no clear corrective action was taken. •2024–Present: Vehicle brought to Hyundai on US 19 in New Port Richey approximately 13–15 times

20260205ENGINE

While driving the vehicle, I repeatedly must check and put oil in. (On average once per week) I took the car to an auto shop where I was told that the engine was bad and I must get a new one. I kept driving, putting oil in as needed, then the car in the middle of driving started to shudder and the check engine light came on. I parked the car and haven't driven it since

20260129FireENGINE

Unknown what system failed. The vehicle is at an impound lot and can be inspected on request. Police and fire department were on the scene. Police did provide a report # , and fire department provided a fire rescue case number. Safety of driver was put at risk due to the fire and potential for burning or even death. Other drivers could have been at risk if traffic had not allowed for quick movement to side of the road. No warning lamps had been on prior to the drive and none prior to fire. First indication was a burning smell while driving. As pulling over, another driver honked to alert to fire he could see from rear of ca,. before I noticed the flames. Upon getting out of car first flames I saw appeared to be coming from under passenger side of car. The fire department arrived about 15 minutes after pulling to side of the road. The car was fully engulfed in flames. They then extinguished the fire. Police saw vehicle and insurance will examine. Apparently this is a known issue in Hyun

20260129FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Unknown what system failed. The vehicle is at an impound lot and can be inspected on request. Police and fire department were on the scene. Police did provide a report # , and fire department provided a fire rescue case number. Safety of driver was put at risk due to the fire and potential for burning or even death. Other drivers could have been at risk if traffic had not allowed for quick movement to side of the road. No warning lamps had been on prior to the drive and none prior to fire. First indication was a burning smell while driving. As pulling over, another driver honked to alert to fire he could see from rear of ca,. before I noticed the flames. Upon getting out of car first flames I saw appeared to be coming from under passenger side of car. The fire department arrived about 15 minutes after pulling to side of the road. The car was fully engulfed in flames. They then extinguished the fire. Police saw vehicle and insurance will examine. Apparently this is a known issue in Hyun

20260129FirePOWER TRAIN

Unknown what system failed. The vehicle is at an impound lot and can be inspected on request. Police and fire department were on the scene. Police did provide a report # , and fire department provided a fire rescue case number. Safety of driver was put at risk due to the fire and potential for burning or even death. Other drivers could have been at risk if traffic had not allowed for quick movement to side of the road. No warning lamps had been on prior to the drive and none prior to fire. First indication was a burning smell while driving. As pulling over, another driver honked to alert to fire he could see from rear of ca,. before I noticed the flames. Upon getting out of car first flames I saw appeared to be coming from under passenger side of car. The fire department arrived about 15 minutes after pulling to side of the road. The car was fully engulfed in flames. They then extinguished the fire. Police saw vehicle and insurance will examine. Apparently this is a known issue in Hyun

20260111AIR BAGS

The three airbags in the car (on the driver's weel, driver's knee, and the passenger's side) deployed while driving on a normal street at a speed of 50 miles/hour. This is an unexpected behavior of a car at a normal speed. I need help to fix this car and know what is the reason this happened.

20260109ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle started to vibrate roughly. The contact felt the vibration in the steering wheel. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact slowed down and pulled off the roadway. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and was able to shift to drive(D); however, the vehicle was hesitating and failed to accelerate as needed. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic at speeds no greater than 40 MPH. The mechanic scanned the vehicle and retrieved codes for a misfire in the engine. The mechanic advised the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact requested an engine replacement that was denied by the manufacturer. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.

Mileage: 138,000

20260106ENGINE

Engine oil consumption issues. My 2018 Hyundai Elantra falls within the dates of this issue. I had an oil consumption issue done and the dealership claimed it passed. I have to put oil in my car every 3 weeks and change spark plugs at the same time because of engine leaking oil in to them. My engine light is always on, knocking and pinging sound, poor performance issues, and blue smoke coming out of tail pipe. I have stuck on the side of the highway several times and have misses work because of the ongoing issues with the engine. How can a oil consumption issue pass and i have all these issues. I have spent several hundreds of dollars on oil, spark plugs, frequent oil changes and tows. There was only 85,000 miles when I started to notice the problem and had only owned it for 6 months.

20251228ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Intermittent no-crank, no-start condition. Dash lights illuminate, push-button start produces no response. Brake pedal applied. Vehicle becomes immobilized without warning. I’ve been stranded on multiple occasions. Unable to commute to work, or home. Most recently on December 19,2025 the car completely shut off while driving on the highway.

20251228UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Intermittent no-crank, no-start condition. Dash lights illuminate, push-button start produces no response. Brake pedal applied. Vehicle becomes immobilized without warning. I’ve been stranded on multiple occasions. Unable to commute to work, or home. Most recently on December 19,2025 the car completely shut off while driving on the highway.

20251222ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while receiving an oil change, the technician advised that the oil level was very low. The contact stated that the low oil warning was intermittently illuminated. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where an oil consumption test was performed. The contact was advised that the vehicle was operating normally. The contact stated that the low oil warning light was illuminated again. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer, and the oil level was topped off; another oil consumption test was suggested. The contact researched online and related the failure to a known issue of oil consumption that could lead to engine failure. The contact called the manufacturer and asked about an engine replacement because the vehicle was still under warranty. The manufacturer informed the contact that a combustion cleaning had to be performed to determ

Mileage: 103,235

20251221UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Excessive oil consumption. I am routinely getting notifications of low oil about 1,000 miles before the oil change is due. When I bring it in for an oil change it is nearly empty. No signs of leaks anywhere.

20251217CrashFatalAIR BAGS

I am Detective [XXX] #XXX with Austin Police Department Vehicular Homicide Unit and I worked a fatal crash [XXX]. The damage to the vehicle two vehicle should not have caused a death. The airbag became detached from the steering wheel and impaled into the drivers chest. I do have pictures but they are crime scene pictures and pictures of the decedent so I am not attaching them but if someone contacts me I can arrange that. I do not know the speed but I am going to image the module next week. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20251216ENGINE

While driving on the highway, my 2018 Hyundai Sonata experienced sudden loss of engine power and became undrivable. The failure occurred without warning at approximately 86,500 miles. At the time of the incident, there were two children in the vehicle, and the breakdown occurred at night in cold temperatures (approximately 20°F). An authorized Hyundai dealership later diagnosed zero compression in cylinder 3 and confirmed a cracked piston, recommending full engine replacement. The sudden loss of power while driving created a safety risk due to traffic conditions and environmental exposure.

20251216POWER TRAIN

While driving on the highway, my 2018 Hyundai Sonata experienced sudden loss of engine power and became undrivable. The failure occurred without warning at approximately 86,500 miles. At the time of the incident, there were two children in the vehicle, and the breakdown occurred at night in cold temperatures (approximately 20°F). An authorized Hyundai dealership later diagnosed zero compression in cylinder 3 and confirmed a cracked piston, recommending full engine replacement. The sudden loss of power while driving created a safety risk due to traffic conditions and environmental exposure.

20251216FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

While driving on the highway, my 2018 Hyundai Sonata experienced sudden loss of engine power and became undrivable. The failure occurred without warning at approximately 86,500 miles. At the time of the incident, there were two children in the vehicle, and the breakdown occurred at night in cold temperatures (approximately 20°F). An authorized Hyundai dealership later diagnosed zero compression in cylinder 3 and confirmed a cracked piston, recommending full engine replacement. The sudden loss of power while driving created a safety risk due to traffic conditions and environmental exposure.

20251205ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer advised the contact to have an oil change performed and then return the vehicle after 1,000 miles of driving. The contact stated that after returning the vehicle to the dealer, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 99,000.

Mileage: 99,000

20251202ENGINE

I bought this vehicle as a certified pre-owned from a Hyundai dealership on 09/10/2022 with 32,677 miles. Around 85,000 miles, it began burning an excessive amount of oil—about two quarts per month. Now, with approximately 101,000 miles, it still burns two quarts weekly, oil is being expelled from the muffler, and the exhaust has started to glow red. I have tried contacting Hyundai but have not received any response.

Compare 2018HYUNDAISONATA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2018 HYUNDAI SONATA have?
The 2018 HYUNDAI SONATA has 507 NHTSA complaints, 23 crashes, 18 fires, 28 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2018 HYUNDAI SONATA?
The 2018 HYUNDAI SONATA received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 5/5, front crash rating of 5/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2018 HYUNDAI SONATA?
Yes, the 2018 HYUNDAI SONATA has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 HYUNDAI SONATA?
The most-complained component for the 2018 HYUNDAI SONATA is ENGINE with 190 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2018 HYUNDAI SONATA safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2018 HYUNDAI SONATA has an NHTSA safety rating of 5/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.