Complaint volume
364 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 Sonata Complaints
364 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Hyundai Sonata, grouped by component category.
364 Total complaints
18 Crash reports
13 Fire reports
9 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, electrical system,engine. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 18 crash reports, 13 fire reports, 9 injury reports, and 1 fatality report. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 139 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 37,794 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, electrical system,engine?
- 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 Sonata?
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 Sonata
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2018 Hyundai Sonata complaints?
18 Crash
13 Fire
9 Injury
1 Fatality
28 Towed
6 Medical attention
What are the most common 2018 Hyundai Sonata complaint categories?
ENGINE 115
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 33
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 15
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 15
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 11
STRUCTURE 11
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 9
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 8
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 8
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 7
364 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The White paint is peeling off the vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2018 Sonata has white paint peeling on hood of car - only 29,930 miles on car | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2023 | STRUCTURE | White paint peeling off vehicle body in large sections | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2023 | ENGINE | I own a 2018 Hyundai Sonata SE. The car now has 60,000 miles on it. I first reported to the Hyundai Dealership that my valves are "chattering" with acceleration up to 35 mph. I was advised my engine was low on oil. I completed a oil change and valves are still chattering. I was advised that the engine is dirty and I would have to pay for an engine cleaning at $350.00 After the cleaning the valves stopped chattering for about 1000 miles then the noise came back. I was then told to complete an oil consumption test. Part 1 of the test my car burned 2 quarts in 1000 miles. Part 2 with a cleaning my car burned .5 quarts after a cleaning, so it passed the oil consumption test. I was told by the dealership that after a couple of oil changes or around 6000 miles the car will burn oil again at the rate of over 1 quart per 1000 miles. The also told me that I would have to do the oil consumption test again. The dealership stated that the engine is faulty and and engine replacement is what needs to happen to correct the problem versus this band aid fix. I was also advised if I wanted to speed up the process don't check the oil between oil changes because it will burn 5 quarts of oil before the next oil change. This will cause the engine to lock up. THE ENGINE IS FAULTY IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2023 | ENGINE | My vehicle is unable to accelerate past 65mph. I had it towed to a local repair shop whom ran a diagnostic and they are advising there is a hyundai/kia recall on engine. To my knowledge, I was not advise by Hyundai of any recall when my spouse reached out to Hyundai directly. I was on the highway with family traveling back from Christmas vacation when the incident occurred. There was a crash ahead due to the rain so traffic had slowed down. Once I drove passed the accident and attempted to accelerate the engine light appeared I could no longer accelerate. Very scary when your on a 4 lane highway hours away from home. I was able to pull off to the nearest exit for safety as it rained. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2023 | STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2018 Hyundai Sonata Sport+ with 23K miles that has White Pearl exterior paint. The paint (W8 or WW8) is peeling off from several locations (Hood and Roof). This has been a know issue with this type of paint on Hyundai vehicles but manufacturer is not taking any responsibility that paint or paint job is defective. One can google this issue and thousands of user complaints are there of different forums and messaging boards. Example: https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-hyundai-sonata-paint-peeling/185473/7 https://www.reddit.com/r/Hyundai/comments/zt5lsk/warranty_extension_for_1718_elantrasonata_white/ | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2023 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving 70 mph, he heard an abnormal noise, and the vehicle began to vibrate. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to park the vehicle at a nearby parking lot. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 50,000 |
| Jan 2023 | AIR BAGS | Hello im jesus ochoa on December 2 of 2022 i had a car accident i went underneath a simi truck and my air bags didnt deployed on my 2018 hyundia sonata and im worry of the new car i have from hyundai if the air bag didnt deployed on my 2018 hyundia | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | Unknown |
| Dec 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | This car will not start when it is cold. I have only had this car for over one year and four months. The car ran perfect up until we began to have extreme cold weather. This is so dangerous because it could be an emergency and my car will not start. I have done my research and discovered that this is an ongoing issue with Hyundai. And nothing has been done about it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | For the past 3 Oil changes, I find myself having to add 5 quarts of oil to my car after driving over 1,000 miles from getting my oil change. This third oil change I have added 15 quarts of oil to my car due the check oil light comes on. When I first purchased this car in March 2021, I didn’t experience this issue. I’ve never had to add oil to my vehicle before an scheduled oil change. Whalen the oil is checked due to the light coming on, it’s boned dry. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2022 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | My car started leaking oil from the oil drain bolt area. I took it to the dealer and they said the oil pan had a defect, they called it a “weld crack”. A quick internet search shows that this is a very widespread issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE | My car was serviced at Hyundai dealer for other problems while my car was being serviced the service department said they fixed a recalled latch on trunk I never had problems with trunk before the so called recall was fixed Now my trunk is stuck close and pops open and is very hard to close once open you have to slam it shut once shut it will not open I had a tail light out I press the button to open the trunk and after riding around for Three Days it popped open and I fixed the tail light within 3 weeks the tail light is out again and my trunk is still stuck shut I called the dealership and it’s seems as though it’s not important and been giving appointments so far away | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | Loss of power on highway or during normal driving possibly due to oil pan assembly according to odi 11481745. This has cause near-miss accidents on highway on ramps a number of times. Separate issue, when the outside temp is at our below 30°F the starter can fail to turn over resulting in a car that won't start even with jumper cables applied. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2022 | ENGINE | Purchased Certified Used 2018 Hyundai Sonata in March of 2021. Engine oil light came on at 36,863 miles in July of 2021, and I took car to repair shop. I was told that these cars (2018 Hyundai Sonata) excessively burn oil -- though under 60K miles was "early" -- and that it would need to be constantly monitored. Car went through four quarts of oil before next oil change at 42,437 miles. Took car to local Hyundai dealership and was told there was a "crack in my oil pan" (though there were no oil spots in my driveway or garage that would point to an oil leak from a pan). Pan was replaced. Engine oil light came on again (despite problem being "solved") TWO MONTHS LATER AT 44,129 miles. I put a minimum amount of oil into the engine and drove over to dealership to have issue resolved. They told me it was sparkplugs, which they replaced. Checked oil level at each gas fill up. Car went through FIVE quarts of oil before oil change at 47,432 miles!!!! Five quarts in 3,000 miles. Dealership now states I must get approval from Hyundai to do an oil consumption test. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2022 | STRUCTURE | White paint has started to peel off the body. Vehicle is past warranty (>3 years, >36,000 miles) and Hyundai refused to deal with it. It has been a known problem that their pearl white paint easily peels off the body down to the steel but they refuse to issue a recall for it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2022 | ENGINE | The contact's son owned a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while her son was driving at 68 MPH with a passenger in the front passenger seat, he noticed a burning odor and he noticed smoke coming inside the cabin through the AC vents. There was no further information provided. The contact's son pulled into a gas station and saw fire underneath the hood. The contact's son and the passenger immediately exited the vehicle. The contact's son was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of bystanders who used fire extinguishers. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was then repossessed by the auto financing bank. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the failure was caused by a missing oil cap. The failure mileage was unknown. | Crash: No Fire: Yes Towed | Unknown |
| Oct 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | We drive a 2018 Hyundai Sonata with Hyundai Quartz White Pearl (W8) paint. It has 62000, so just out of regular warranty. Last week I noticed that we were missing a huge chunk of paint on the roof. As a regular passenger of this car, neither of us noticed anything wrong with it until it was gone. It looked like it just bubbled up suddenly and peeled off. We took it into our local Hyundai Dealer and they told us it was out of the 36k mi. paint warranty. They didn't even look at it. We paid for an extended warranty because they served us so well on our other Hyundais up to that point. I called the consumer line like they suggested and found no recalls. When I tried to get a human, I was met with silence. No indication that the call had gone through. I went next door to there collision center and got an estimate anyway. The man there didn't have to see any more than one picture to know that it was a Hyundai. They service multiple of that owner's various different branded dealerships. Obviously, this wasn't his first rodeo with this problem. He quotes $1200 to put a bandaid on the problem. However, there are numerous incidents of consumers facing the same issue with there Hyundai/Kia vehicles. I have a friend who had the same problem on a similar year Acura with pearl paint. I'm filing this complaint because it is obvious that Hyundai/Kia are not going to own up to this. The first class action suit was dismissed and the problem persists. They are still using the paint to this day and the same delamination problems keep appearing. I do not want to be driving down the road and have a huge slab of paint fly off and hit someone else's windshield. This issue needs to be investigated before someone gets hurt, not after. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2022 | FIRERELATED | The contact owned a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle caught fire without warning. No warning lights illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. The fire department was notified and was able to extinguish the fire. The origin of the fire was unknown. The contact sustained a burn to her inner left ankle. Medical attention was required. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was deemed totaled by the insurance. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000. | Crash: No Fire: Yes Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | 112,000 |
| Oct 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | The incident occurred within my garage when I attempted to start my car and the starter went out producing a burnt smell and spark within motor. After letting the car cool down I put the car in neutral and had it towed to the nearest garage. I thought vehicle could have started a fire inside my garage and home. I have contacted the manufacture and initiated a case incident report awaiting a call back from Hyundai motor company. There were no waring lights or issues with the car the car before incident. The vehicle is under warranty but the dealership stated, they could assist since I took the car to a garage and had a mechanic work on vehicle. The disposition was the vehicle had a faulty started starter, but this incident has a huge safety flag. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2022 | ENGINE | 2018 Hyundai Sonata SEL-Cylinder Misfire with engine oil consumption. It is a hazard to drive a vehicle that can cut off or engine lock up while driving. The same applied to 2014 -2015 Hyundai and Kia vehicles. Hyundai and Kia were required to replace the motors in those vehicles. Due to vehicles been unsafe to drive. The vehicle is currently at the dealership now. First was told that engine was going to be replace under warranty. Due to problem of lack of compression. But will not replace engine. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2022 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the key fob was accidently left inside the trunk but the trunk lid remained locked. The contact indicated that the feature preventing the key from becoming locked inside the trunk failed due to the trunks locking mechanism malfunctioning. The vehicle was previously serviced under the NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V619000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages) however, the failure occurred. The local dealer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage 70,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 70,000 |
| Sep 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Engine takes a long time to start up, about 10-15 seconds of pushing the start button starts engine which is probably not good for the car. Also, the car jolts/ wants to stop while driving. Has been an ongoing issue since the week of 9/5/22. Loss of motor power issue sounds like what is going on with my 2018 Hyundai Sonata vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2022 | TIRES | The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Sonata equipped with Hankook Tires, Tire Line: Kinergy ST, Tire Size: 205/65/R16, DOT Number: (N/A). The contact stated that three of the four tires had failed. While the vehicle was in for a Vehicle State Inspection, it was discovered that the rear passenger’s side tire was deformed and wobbly which cause the vehicle to fail the inspection. Additionally, while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle started shaking violently. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and stopped the vehicle. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the rear driver’s side tire had experienced a blowout. Additionally, the third tire was discovered to be deformed. The cause of the failure was not determined. The tire dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 28,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 28,000 |
| Sep 2022 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES,ENGINE | The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated the vehicle had failed to start. On other occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was not running correctly, bucking, lost motive power and stalled. Additionally, the door and trunk failed to lock securely. There were no warning lights illuminated. A signal was sent to the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the fuel pump failed and caused the starter to burn out and drain the battery. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided a case number and referred the contact to the local dealer for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 23,944. | Crash: No Fire: No | 23,944 |
| Sep 2022 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | My 2018 Hyundai Sonata GDI Engine stop working while I was driving on the freeway without a warning prior to the issue. It never gave me a heads up in advance that the engine needed service. No check engine light to alert me that an issue needed attention. I learned about the engine problem when my engine stop working while I was on the freeway. I heard a loud noise coming from the engine and within seconds my RPM started going down and my car started loosing power while I was driving on the freeway. At the same time my check engine light came on and it was flashing. At that moment I realize something bad was happening with my motor. The check engine light was not on before that. It never alerted me before that, and when it came on flashing on and off it was already too late because my engine was dying and it died and didn't turn back on after I pulled over in the side of the freeway. I was so scared. The cars where going so fast and very close to my car with little room to pull over. The high velocity of the others cars where making my car cradle from the wind. It was so terrifying for me and my little dog i had with me. My seat belt stop working a few weeks before my engine died, and the thought of me getting hit by another car without a seat belt on. I've never been scared for my life like I was on that day. Hyundai dealer sold me a car with a bad engine. I was putting atleast 1 quart of oil every other week sometimes every week in the past year until just recently. I've only had it for 3 years since I bought it and I was putting 1 quart of oil every month in the beginning and with time the consumption of oil increased and increased more with time. Hyundai service my car for an oil gasket last year that should've been cover under warranty, but made me pay for it. I made it aware to them about the excessive oil consumption and told them it wasn't normal how much oil the car was consuming but they denied to service my car under warranty. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |