2018 Hyundai Elantra

This vehicle lacks an engine immobilizer, a defect that has made 2011-2022 Hyundai and Kia vehicles unusually susceptible to theft via a method widely publicized on social media as the "Kia Challenge." My vehicle was stolen using this method, driven approximately 30-40 miles, and abandoned. It was found stripped of parts, including the catalytic converter. This defect is already the subject of a nationwide class-action settlement (hyundaitheftsettlement.com) and a multistate Attorney General settlement. I am filing this report to ensure my vehicle/incident is included in NHTSA's records on this ongoing safety issue.

Alarming rate of oil consumption causes sudden loss of power / acceleration which definitely increases probably of causing an accident. Local repair shop confirmed extremely low oil level with no evidence of where oil went shortly after oil change and annual safety inspection. All the dashboard warning lights came on when it happened but low oil warning light came on prior to event. No warning whatsoever, just sudden loss of power and completely lit up dashboard.

I am writing to formally report a safety concern regarding my 2018 Hyundai Elantra. The vehicle has experienced a failure of the heater hose/pipe, which appears to be made of plastic and connected to a metal component. This failure has resulted in a coolant leak, creating a serious risk of engine overheating. This issue is not only inconvenient but also dangerous. A sudden loss of coolant while driving can cause the engine to overheat without warning, potentially leading to engine failure, loss of vehicle control, or leaving the driver stranded in unsafe conditions. This is especially concerning while driving on busy roads or highways. Based on my experience and discussions with repair professionals, this appears to be a known issue with this model, as the part is not widely available outside of Hyundai/Kia and may indicate a design flaw. A critical cooling system component should not fail prematurely under normal driving conditions. Given the safety risks associated with this defect, I believe this issue warrants further investigation and consideration for a recall or extended warranty coverage. Consumers should not be responsible for costly repairs caused by a potentially defective design. I respectfully request that Hyundai review this issue and provide assistance with the repair, as well as take appropriate action to ensure the safety and reliability of affected vehicles. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The car began stalling and started to become unresponsive while I was driving to work. While I was not 100% sure of what component was malfunctioning at the time, I suspected that it might be a timing chain problem because I had this same exact issue happen to to this car back in January 2025. I did not expect this issue to occur again because at the time of the previous problem, the dealership confirmed that issue was the timing chain and the VVT system, and replaced those components with new parts. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The car started stalling and sputtering, then became unresponsive while I was driving. If I were in a high-traffic area, I'm not confident that I would have been able to accelerate, stop, or safely pull over to the side of the road without putting myself and/or someone else in harms way. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, the car is currently at the dealership and they confirmed that the issue is the timing chain and the VVT system. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes, the car is currently at the dealership and they confirmed that the issue is the timing chain and the VVT system. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, there were absolutely no warning lights, messages, or symptoms prior to the failure.

Initial Fault Code: P0303 Replaced all 4 spark plugs and all 4 ignition coils. The check engine light extinguished momentarily but returned, logging P0303 and a new P0301 Replaced all 4 fuel injectors. CEL extinguished momentarily and then returned, logging P0303. Replaced the entire engine electrical harness. Concurrently, all related electrical components and connectors were meticulously cleaned with professional contact cleaner. CEL extinguished for significantly longer period of time, and then returned, re-logging P0303 and P0301. Thid suggested the ECU was "handshaking" with new components but re-logging the fault upon detecting the persistent core issue. A full compression test was performed. All cylinders reported results within specification. Using a borescope I inspected cylinder walls in piston tops. There was significant carbon residue buildup but nothing out of the ordinary for similar GDI engines. I still performed a PEA GDI specific chemical cleaning. It was a a little smoother afterwards, but the misfire persisted and CEL remained on. I also removed, cleaned, and tested common sensor faults, with no result. Also p0128 code and no start / electrical drain, and engine light started flashing numerous occasions had to stop the vehicle. I tried swapping the coils, but all that proved was that the coil was good, I did a power and ground test, it passed the connector had 12 plus volt power and a perfect resistance to static ground. The signal wire from the coil connector had perfect continuity to the ECU but had OL to chassis ground showing there was no short. A test light was used to see if anything was coming from the signal wire to the ignition coil and that test failed, there was no signal pulse. The diagnostic process has definitively proven a component-level failure inside the engine control unit. See attached file for more detailed information.

We were heading back to Ohio at Mile marker 8 75N Kentucky when we heard a boom. Then we saw smoke as my husband was pulling over. We jump out to get our child out of the car seat and at the same time a pickup truck pulls up with two guys. They yell that our cars on fire and began putting the fire out with a fire extinguisher. We had an oil change before we left Ohio by Valvoline. This area of the hwy isn't really patrolled and only has a volunteer fire department. A constable just happened to pass by US on the way to Indiana.

My husband filed a complaint about the lighting on his Hyundai sonata and I have a Hyundai Elantra that is doing the same thing. Twice now while I’ve been driving at night, my headlights have gone off an and come back on by themselves. They were off about 15 seconds each time. Then this week I had my back break light (the one close to the windshield) and the passenger side headlights go out suddenly. My car is a 2018 Elantra with 70k miles on it. I just got through replacing both headlights about a year ago when my car had 60k miles on it.

This has happened a couple of times where in the middle of driving, my car automatically shuts off, I can not turn my steering wheel I can not push the brakes, everything stops working. I have to wait till my car comes to a complete stop on its own, put the car in park, turn off the ignition, turn my keys and start my car again. Then it sometimes acts like there is no power to accelerate when I'm at a full stop. RPMs go crazy, but acceleration doesn't occur. No warnings have ever come up. I received an notice about a recall, but it's for 2019 Elantra and up. Mine is a 2018, but the issues for that recall is the same thing that is happening with my car. This is DANGEROUS and can lead to serious repercussions or even death. Something needs to be done to fix this. I don't not have thousands of dollars to pay for an issue with the manufacturer.

ON THE FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 45 MPH TRIED TO SPEED UP AND SWITCH LANES AS I PRESSED THE GAS YOU CAN HEAR THE ACCERATION BUT THE CAR DIDNT INCREASE IN SPEED THE WHOLE DASHBOARD WENT BLANK (BLACK). CAR WAS UNRESPONSIVE. ITS VERY DANGEROUS THAT THE CAR FALFUCTIONS IN CRITICAL CONDITIONS LIKE BEING ON THE FREEWAY. YES I HAVE TOOKEN IT TO HYUNDAI AND THEY NEVER FIND ANYTHING WRONG. ALSO AT TIMES THE CAR WONT EVEN TURN ON. NO TYPE OF WARING LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD.