2018 Hyundai Sonata problems
Owners have filed 556 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Hyundai Sonata. Engine is the most reported problem area, at 41% of complaints. Next are electrical system (11%) and drivetrain & axles (7%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 556 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 41% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 26 and 19
- Injuries and deaths
- 28 and 1
- Typical mileage
- 20,000 miles 201 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 99 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 30 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 22 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 12 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 9 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 12 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 7 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 7 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 3 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 201 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 20,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 24,000 miles (69 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 26 complaints mention a crash; 19 complaints mention a fire; 28 injuries reported; 1 death reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2018 ranks 10th most-complained-about out of 34 model years of the Hyundai Sonata with enough data (350 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 1 safety recall campaign.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
The contact owned a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, a pedestrian alerted him that the vehicle was on fire. The contact noticed that the rear portion and driver side of the vehicle was on fire. While traveling around a curve the brakes became inoperable the contact jumped out of the vehicle. he contact sustained injuries to his left shoulder and leg and medical attention was provided. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle continued to roll as it was burning.
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.
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.
My 2018 sonata will not start when temp drops below 20 deg f. It has happened 3 times this winter and when it warms back up to 40 to 50 degree it will start. When I turn the key on all the lights on the dash light up like normal. I can move hear selector and turn wheel. But the starter will not engage nothing is heard not a click or a shirt. Is this common problem?
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated the trunk failed to open while using the key fob and the controllers on the interior of the vehicle. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the trunk latch had failed, and the emergency cable associated with the trunk needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 44,176.