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2018 Hyundai Elantra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 182.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

91 reports with mileage · 190 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 140 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

12 crash reports7 fire reports6 injury reports

Engine complaints

140 reports
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36,668 miles · Aug 29, 2020
Engine

I ATTEMPTED TO START MY CAR AND WHEN I DID IT EVERY LIGHT ON THE DASH WAS LIT UP AND THE GEAR SHIFT WAS STUCK IN PARK. IT HAPPENED ABOUT TWO WEEKS PRIOR AND I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND ON A FEW TIMES AND IT WORKED BUT THIS TIME IT DIDN'T SO I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER CAME HE USED S…

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I ATTEMPTED TO START MY CAR AND WHEN I DID IT EVERY LIGHT ON THE DASH WAS LIT UP AND THE GEAR SHIFT WAS STUCK IN PARK. IT HAPPENED ABOUT TWO WEEKS PRIOR AND I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND ON A FEW TIMES AND IT WORKED BUT THIS TIME IT DIDN'T SO I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER CAME HE USED SOME SORT OF TOLL HE HAD TO UNLOCK THE GEAR SHIFT WHICH ALLOWED IT TO BE DRIVEABLE. OF COURSE WHEN THE DEALERSHIP LOOKED AT IT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE BUT THEY FOUND THAT THE IGNITION COIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND DID SO.

NHTSA ODI #11352010

40,000 miles · Jul 16, 2020
Electrical SystemEngineStructureFire

ON JUNE 29,2020 MY 2018 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WITH ONLY 40,000 HAD A ENGINE FIRE AND TOTALED MY ENTIRE CAR THAT WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF INSIDE OF MY GARAGE

NHTSA ODI #11339703

14,000 miles · Jul 14, 2020
EngineFire

THE ENGINE SEIZED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD AND IT STARTED SMOKING. THE CAR JUST STOPPED AND THE ENGINE COULD NOT BE STARTED AGAIN. THE CAR DID NOT WARNING OF OVER HEATING OR OF THE CAR NEEDING TO BE SERVICED. I BROUGHT THE CAR USED AND IT WAS TWO MONTHS AFTER I MADE THE PURCHASE THAT THIS HAPPENED.

NHTSA ODI #11339427

Mileage unknown · May 23, 2020
EngineService BrakesSteering

ENGINEERS SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. WHEN SPEEDS AT OR OVER 65 IN FWY STEERING WHEEL BECOMES UNSTABLE WHEELS START VEERS OFF ROAD, HAVE TO HOLD TIGHT GRIP ONTO STEERING WHEEL. WHEN BRAKING AT SUDDEN STOPS WHEN BRAKE THE CAR SKIDS. VERY SCARY SITUATIONS. CONCERN FOR MY SAFETY AND SAFETY OF MY CHILDREN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11325653

15,020 miles · May 2, 2020
Engine

IN NOVEMBER 2018, I TURNED ON MY CAR, AND THE ENTIRE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. I TURNED IT BACK OFF, THEN ON. IT SHOOK AGAIN, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LINE WAS ON. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY SAID SINCE THE LIGHT WASN'T FLASHING, I COULD DRIVE IT OVER. TURNED IT ON, NO ISSUES, DROVE OVER. THEY READ THE CODE AND REPLACED THE IGN…

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IN NOVEMBER 2018, I TURNED ON MY CAR, AND THE ENTIRE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. I TURNED IT BACK OFF, THEN ON. IT SHOOK AGAIN, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LINE WAS ON. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY SAID SINCE THE LIGHT WASN'T FLASHING, I COULD DRIVE IT OVER. TURNED IT ON, NO ISSUES, DROVE OVER. THEY READ THE CODE AND REPLACED THE IGNITION COIL. MILEAGE WAS 12,884. THIS MORNING (MAY 2), THE CAR TRIED TO TURN ON, BUT COULDN'T (LIKE A DYING BATTERY). OIL, ENGINE, AND BATTERY LIGHTS ALL CAME ON. WAITED A FEW MINUTES, TRIED AGAIN, SAME ISSUE. THE THIRD TIME, IT FINALLY STARTED, BUT SHOOK VIOLENTLY FOR A COUPLE SECONDS. NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. CALLED THE DEALER, THEY SAID TO DRIVE IT OVER. THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, AND SAID IT CAN'T POSSIBLY BE THE IGNITION COIL, AND CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR ME. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS JUST OVER 15,000 MILES. ALL MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN DONE BY THE DEALERSHIP PER THE SCHEDULE. I USED THE CAR THE EVENING OF MAY 1 WITH NO ISSUES, AS WELL AS FOR A 45 MINUTE DRIVE ON APRIL 29, SO, I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S THE BATTERY, EITHER. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL OF CAR. I AM AFRAID IT WILL BREAK DOWN SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN MY DRIVEWAY AND LEAVE ME STRANDED OR IN DANGER, SUCH AS AT AN INTERSECTION.

NHTSA ODI #11323046

20 miles · Apr 26, 2020
Engine

IN FEBRUARY 16 DRIVING IN FREEWAY AT 67 MILES AND THE ENGINE LIGHT COME ON AT 10468 AND BLINKS WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE LOSS SOME OF POWER AND PULLED OVER TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND ATTEMPTED TO STAR ENGINE AND TOOK 5 CRANKS TO START ENGINE NEXT DAY FEBRUARY 17 TAKE TO DEALER AND THE DEALERSHIP TOOL ME NO FAULTS CODES IN THE SYS…

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IN FEBRUARY 16 DRIVING IN FREEWAY AT 67 MILES AND THE ENGINE LIGHT COME ON AT 10468 AND BLINKS WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE LOSS SOME OF POWER AND PULLED OVER TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND ATTEMPTED TO STAR ENGINE AND TOOK 5 CRANKS TO START ENGINE NEXT DAY FEBRUARY 17 TAKE TO DEALER AND THE DEALERSHIP TOOL ME NO FAULTS CODES IN THE SYSTEM BEFORE TOKE TO DEALERSHIP USE SCANNERS HAVE 2 GENERICS CODES PO128 (TERMOSTART NO OPEN PROPERLY) THE OTHER CODE NO POSIBLE YO READ DUE TO LIMITED SCANNER . THE DEALER THE DEALERSHIP THE ADD B 90C042R1 ELANTRA ECM SOFTWARE UPDATE (20-01-008H AND NO MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE CODES O THE UPDATE IN SATURDAY'S APRIL 18 2020 AT 9:10 AM THE ENGINE LIGHT COME ON AGAIN THIS CASE NO ENGINE LOSS OF POWER APPEARS GO HOME AND RECHECK THE CODES AND SAME CODES AT MILEAGE 11539

NHTSA ODI #11322303

57,000 miles · Jan 16, 2020
EngineCrashFire

GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT BUT THERE WAS IMMEDIATELY AN ENGINE FIRE

NHTSA ODI #11299711

29,000 miles · Oct 29, 2019
Engine

CAR CONTINUOUSLY SAYS IT OVERHEATING. FIRST TRIP TO DEALERSHIP COULD REPLICATE THE ISSUE. SECOND TRIP A MONTH LATER. REPLACED HEAD GASKET DUE TO LEAK AND EXHAUST PIPE. CURRENTLY SITTING IN IT WAITING FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. STILL OVERHEATING NOT EVEN A WEEK LATER ALSO NOW PUTTERS AND SHAKES WHEN I TRY TO START IT.

NHTSA ODI #11276973

59,000 miles · Aug 22, 2019
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE ON AN INCLINE, THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE METAL SHAVINGS WERE FOUND IN THE ENGINE. THE DEALER ALSO TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO RECREATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE ON AN INCLINE, THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE METAL SHAVINGS WERE FOUND IN THE ENGINE. THE DEALER ALSO TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO RECREATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V568000 (ENGINE). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

NHTSA ODI #11245834

12,000 miles · Jun 1, 2019
Electrical SystemEngineService Brakes

MY HYUNDAI ELANTRA BRAKE PEDAL FLUTTERS WHEN I PRESS IT TO STOP GIVING OFF A LOUD NOISE AND DOESN'T ALLOW ME TO BRAKE AT TIMES. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER BUT THEY SAY NO ISSUES HAVE BEEN FOUND. WHAT CAN I DO. I'M CONCERNED THE PRIOR RECALL ON THE THE 2017. HERE IS THE LINK. HTTPS://WWW.CARS.COM/ARTICLES/RECALL-ALERT-2017-HYUND…

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MY HYUNDAI ELANTRA BRAKE PEDAL FLUTTERS WHEN I PRESS IT TO STOP GIVING OFF A LOUD NOISE AND DOESN'T ALLOW ME TO BRAKE AT TIMES. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER BUT THEY SAY NO ISSUES HAVE BEEN FOUND. WHAT CAN I DO. I'M CONCERNED THE PRIOR RECALL ON THE THE 2017. HERE IS THE LINK. HTTPS://WWW.CARS.COM/ARTICLES/RECALL-ALERT-2017-HYUNDAI-ELANTRA-1420693395015/. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING THE CAR SEEMED TO STALL.

NHTSA ODI #11217251

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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