Complaint volume
271 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2018 Hyundai Elantra Complaints
271 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra, grouped by component category.
271 Total complaints
11 Crash reports
7 Fire reports
6 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are engine, unknown or other, air bags. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 11 crash reports, 7 fire reports, 6 injury reports, and 1 fatality report. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 90 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 41,237 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to engine, unknown or other, air bags?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2018 Hyundai Elantra?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2018 Hyundai Elantra
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2018 Hyundai Elantra complaints?
11 Crash
7 Fire
6 Injury
1 Fatality
20 Towed
6 Medical attention
What are the most common 2018 Hyundai Elantra complaint categories?
ENGINE 80
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 29
AIR BAGS 8
STEERING 8
STRUCTURE 8
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 7
POWER TRAIN 6
WHEELS 6
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 5
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 5
271 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2018 | STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. ALSO, WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED LEFT OR RIGHT, IT VIBRATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL DEALERS INCLUDING TONY HYUNDAI WAIPAHU (94-1299 KA ULKA BLVD, WAIPAHU, HI 96797), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, BUT DID NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,400. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,400 |
| Oct 2018 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ENGINE | ON 10/13/2018 I TURNED IGNITION ON CAR TO START AND THE CAR BEGAN RUMBLING AND BUMPING AND THE SHUT DOWN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS STATIONARY IN MY PARKING SPACE AT HOME WHEN THIS HAPPEN...IT ALSO BEGAN BUMPING AND DRAGGING IF TO SHUT DOWN AGAIN ON 10/20/2018. EACH TIME CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP..NEXT, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHEN BLANK WHILE DRIVING ON 10/20/2018. NOW THIS TIME IT WAS DRIVEN TO DEALER, THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE MAL FUNCTION. THIS WAS ON 10/23/2018 AND 10/29/2018 AT LYNNES HYUNDAI..ON 10/16/2018 VECHICLE WAS TOWED TO HUDSON HYUNDAI FOR THE SAME BUMPING. THEY SAID THE TECH FOUND A SHORTAGE IGNITION COIL AND A CYLINDER MISFIRED AND HE CLEARED THE CODES. COMING HOME FROM LYNNES ON 10/29/18 AFTER THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH CAR, IT BEGAN TO RUMBLE AGAIN. I AM NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS CAR. WHAT IF YOUR IN HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC AND IT SHUTS DOWN AND YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES BLACK.COULD BE A TRAGEDY, IF NOT SOMEONE'S DEATH | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,672 |
| Oct 2018 | WHEELS | SOME WHISTLING NOISE IS COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL, MY VEHICLE IS BRAND NEW AND I FOUND THE ISSUE WHEN THE MILEAGE IS AT 17 AND WHEN I WAS DRIVING AT FREEWAY AT SPEED 45 MPH OR HIGHER. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15 |
| Oct 2018 | POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE AIRCONDITION INTERNAL CIRCULATION IS AUTOMATICALLY TURNING OFF AFTER FEW MINUTES | Crash: No Fire: No | 57 |
| Oct 2018 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE BLINDSPOT MONITOR IS NOT RECOGNIZING THE BIG TRUCKS | Crash: No Fire: No | 37 |
| Oct 2018 | ENGINE | VEHICLE TOOK TWELVE MINUTES TO CLEAR FROST FROM WINDOWS AT 30 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN PARKING LOT AT IDLE. VEHICLE STARTED TO SHOW SIGHS OF DEFROST AT SIX MINUTE MARK. VEHICLE WAS DROVE ONE MILE AFTER CLEARING OF WINDOWS AND NEVER WENT ABOVE FIRST MAKE ON ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,200 |
| Oct 2018 | ENGINE | ENGINE NOISE BECAME VERY LOUD OVER SEVERAL DAYS; TOOK TO DEALERSHIP WHICH TOLD ME A WELD IN THE EXHAUST PIPING SYSTEM HAD FAILED AND THAT THE EXHAUST PIPE HAD BROKEN OPEN. THEY SAID IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL FOR EXHAUST COMING INTO CABIN, ORDERED THE PART AND GAVE ME A LOANER, ON 10/2, SAYING THE EARLIEST I COULD REASONABLY EXPECT TO HAVE MY CAR BACK WOULD BE 10/18. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,400 |
| Sep 2018 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | WHEN REFUELING THE VEHICLE, AND PLACING THE NOZZLE INTO THE GAS REFILL PORT, THE GAS WILL CUT OFF AS IF THE TANK IS FULL. ONLY WHEN THE GAS NOZZLE IS INSERTED 3/4 OF THE WAY INTO THE GAS REFILL PORT WILL THE GAS FLOW UNINTERRUPTED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 150 |
| Aug 2018 | WHEELS | WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND HIGHWAYS WITH GROVES IN CEMENT THE VEHICLE SWAYS SIDE TO SIDE | Crash: No Fire: No | 20 |
| Aug 2018 | STEERING | WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY, SPEEDS OF 70MPH VEHICLE SWAYS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, HARD TO STEER, SEEMS WORSE WHEN CEMENT/PAVEMENT HAS LINES IN IT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15 |
| Aug 2018 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | I AM DRIVNG DOWN THE HIGWAY AND I HAVE IT ON CRUISE AND IT WILL JUMP UP IN SPEED BY 3-7 MILES AND THAT IS GOING STRIGHT NOT DOWNHILL OR UP HILL THEN WHEN I TRY TO SLOW DOWN USING CRUSE IT WILL NOT SLOW DOWN I HAVE TO ALL MOST BREAK THE BUTTON WHEN TRYING TO SLOW DOWN AND IT NEVER DID THAT BEFORE THIS JUST STARTED TO HAPPING | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,500 |
| Jul 2018 | SEAT BELTS | PASSENGER SEAT-BELT ALARM WILL GO OFF OCCASIONALLY WHEN NO ONE IS SITTING IN THE VEHICLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2018 | STEERING,SUSPENSION | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWERVE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO #1 COCHRAN HYUNDAI OF MONROEVILLE (4520 WILLIAM PENN HWY, MONROEVILLE, PA 15146, (877) 211-5526) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,200. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,200 |
| Jun 2018 | STEERING,SUSPENSION,WHEELS | WAS NOT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEST DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY UPON PURCHASE. WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE HOME AND GOT IT UP TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE FLOATS, OR SWAYS LEFT AND RIGHT LIKE ITS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. HYUNDAI HAS TOLD ME UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS JUST THE WAY THE VEHICLE RIDES, THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE BECAUSE I FEEL THAT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IF YOU ADD WIND IN THE EQUATION IT IS A CONSTANT FIGHT THE KEEP THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT OR IN ITS LANE. DROVE 650 MILES PLUS TO GET THIS RESOLVED AND NO RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MET. THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO SWAY AND FLOAT MORE ON PAVED HIGHWAYS, BLACK TOP IS A LITTLE BETTER BUT STILL THE SAME. I WAS GIVEN A LOANER ELANTRA SAME YEAR AND THE SAME ISSUE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 25 |
| May 2018 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2018 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM AND FORWARD COLLISION WARNING FUNCTION. *LD *JS | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2018 | ENGINE | I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT WHEN THE "ENGINE HAS OVERHEATED" WARNING CAME ON, AFTER WHICH I MANAGED TO MAKE IT TO A LOCAL ROAD NEAR BEFORE THE CAR STALLED. I HAD IT TOWED TO A HYUNDAI CENTER THE NEXT DAY, WHERE THEY TOLD ME I HAD A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK AND THEY FIXED THE ISSUE. TODAY, LESS THAN A WEEK LATER, I WAS DRIVING AND ABOUT TO GO ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE "ENGINE HAS OVERHEATED" WARNING CAME ON AGAIN. I FELT LIKE IT WOULD BE TOO DANGEROUS TO CONTINUE DRIVING IN CASE THE CAR STALLS AGAIN AT NIGHT ON A FREEWAY, AND AM WAITING ON A RESPONSE FROM HYUNDAI TO EITHER FIX OR REPLACE THE CAR. | Crash: No Fire: No | 450 |
| May 2018 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | CAR HAS INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATION. WILL GO INTO A FAIL SAFE MODE, WONT ACCELERATE PAST 40-60 MPH. I HAVE HAD VERY CLOSE CALL ON MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE FACT I AM UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. MY CAR LOST POWER AND COULD NOT PICK UP SPEED AT ALL. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND THE CAR DEALERSHIP WILL NOT HELP ME. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,200 |
| Apr 2018 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MARCH 27 2018 THE CAR WON'T NEVER CHARGE UP MY PHONE. WHEN I USE MY CHARGER TO CHARGE MY PHONE. MY DAUGHTER HAS A GENESIS AND IT DOES THE SAME THING AND HER CHARGE IN CAR BLEW OUT MY PHONE I'M SCARE THIS ELANTRA GOING TO DO THE SAME IT WILL NOT CHARGE UNLESS THE PHONE IS OFF. WHEN MY PHONE IS ON IT KEEPS MAKING FLICKERING SOUND. THE LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF ON MY LIGHTER ADAPTER AND MY PHONE WILL NOT CHARGE. SO I THINK IT'S ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. I HAVE TRY DIFFERENT PHONES BUT WHEN I TOOK IT TO STIVERS. [XXX] THE MECHANIC TESTED HIS PHONE AND HE SAID IT WORKS FINE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO PLEASE HELP. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2018 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THESE NEW CARS DO NOT HAVE A MANUAL RELEASE FOR THE TRUNK ANYMORE - MAKING THEM EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN THE TRUNK IS BY RELEASING THE LEVEL ON THE VERY FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OR YOU MUST HAVE THE KEYS IN YOUR HAND. SO THE CAR IS PARKED AND MY SON GOES OUT WITH A FRIEND TO GET A POSTER OUT OF THE TRUNK AND SHUTS THE DOOR ON HIS HAND BY ACCIDENT. - OR SHOULD I SAY THE TRUNK CAME DOWN ON HIS HAND AND LOCKED HIS HAND INSIDE! AND NOW HE CAN'T OPEN THE TRUNK DOOR - AND NEITHER CAN HIS FRIENDS BECAUSE THERE IS NO MANUAL RELEASE ANYMORE! AND THEY ARE ALL TO YOUNG TO KNOW THERE IS A RELEASE ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. IF I HAD NOT BEEN CLOSE BY - MY SON WOULD HAVE LOST HIS LITTLE PINKY FINGER. IT WAS CUT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BONE. WHEN I CALLED HYUNDAI TO LET THEM KNOW - THE FIRST AND LAST RESPONSE WAS, "MA'AM, COULD YOU CALM DOWN BEFORE WE CONTINUE?" I SAID "SURE. I AM GOING TO CALM RIGHT DOWN AND CALL THE PRESS." AND I HUNG UP AND HAVE ALREADY NOTIFIED ABC, NBC AND THE AUTOMOTIVE NEWS - THIS IS SO DANGEROUS. HOW COULD ANYONE ALLOW NEW CARS TO HAVE NO MANUAL WAY TO OPEN THE TRUNK ANYMORE. THIS IS NOT EVOLUTION OF THE AUTO INDUSTRY. THIS IS A HUGE STRAP BACKWARD AND IT COULD REALLY PROVE TO BE HARMFUL TO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE. IT'S ONE THING TO SHUT THE DOOR ON YOUR FINGER OR HAND - BUT A DOOR THAT CAN NOT BE OPENED ... WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD THEY COME UP WITH THIS FAUX PAS? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM | Crash: No Fire: No Injuries: 1 Medical attention | 1,200 |
| Jan 2018 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (EMPIRE HYUNDAI INC, 428 PLEASANT ST, FALL RIVER, MA 02721, (508) 673-7646) MORE THAN TWICE, BUT THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE AND DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE DUE TO NO DTC. IN ADDITION, A SERVICE TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD PROVIDE A FOLLOW-UP RESPONSE TO DETERMINE A SOLUTION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50. *TT *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 250 |
| Jan 2018 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | THE HEADLIGHTS BEAMS HARDLY REACH ACROSS AN INTERSECTION.. THEY DO NOT ILLUMINATE ROAD SIGNS LIKE SPEED LIMIT, AND STREET NAME SIGNS.. ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE ON RURAL ROADS THAT HAVE DIPS IN THEM UNLESS YOUR SLOW DOWN TO 15MPH (NOT GOOD WHEN THE SPEED LIMIT IS 45 ON THESE ROADS.... THE HEADLIGHTS DISAPPEAR ON SUBURBAN STREETS AS WELL... THE FIRST IMAGE THERE ARE TWO STOP SIGNS .. ..YOU CAN SEE THE POST THEY ARE ON BUT CAN YOU SEE THE SIGNS ? THE SECOND IMAGE SHOWS THE BEAMS OF THE CAR ON A FENCE .. THE CAR IS PARKED 26' AWAY FROM A 74" HIGH FENCE IM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AT NIGHT.... YOU CANT SEE STOP SIGNS.. YOU CAN SEE THE LEGS OF PEDESTRIANS BUT NOT THEIR TORSOS | Crash: No Fire: No | 100 |