2018 Hyundai Elantra
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 282 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 12th highest complaint count among 26 Elantra model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 12 involved a crash and 7 involved a fire. 6 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints: engine
144 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine, Jul 14, 2020, fire
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.
Steering, Service brakes, Engine, May 23, 2020
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
Engine, May 2, 2020
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.
Engine, Apr 26, 2020
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
Engine, Jan 16, 2020, crash, fire
GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT BUT THERE WAS IMMEDIATELY AN ENGINE FIRE
Engine, Oct 29, 2019
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.
Engine, Aug 22, 2019
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.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 24, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL BANGING NOISE EMERGING FROM THE VEHICLE OVER SEVERAL WEEKS. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE EXHAUST PIPE WAS LOOSE AND DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KEARNY MESA HYUNDAI (4797 CONVOY ST, SAN DIEGO, CA 92111, (858) 278-7100) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXHAUST ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,086.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Jun 1, 2019
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.
Engine, Apr 4, 2019
WHEN ACCELERATING WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY THROTTLE INPUT, THE ENGINE EMITS EXCESSIVE PINGING AND RATTLES NOISES. IT SOUNDS LIKE "SPARK KNOCK". NO MATTER WHAT BRAND OF FUEL OR OCTANE I RUN THE CAR ON, THE ENGINE MAKES THESE PINGING AND RATTLING NOISES. I'VE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT. TWICE SO FAR TO ADDRESS THIS CONCERN. I WAS INFORMED THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY HEAR THE NOISE, BUT CANNOT DIAGNOSE IT BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ISN'T ILLUMINATED. ON THE SECOND VISIT, THEY TOLD ME IT IS A NORMAL NOISE FOR THE CAR. HAVING OWNED A HANDFUL OF VEHICLES OVER THE YEARS, THIS NOISE IS INDICATIVE OF SPARK KNOCK. IF THE PROBLEM IS INDEED EXCESSIVE SPARK KNOCK, THIS CAN LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE, CAUSING SUDDEN LOSS OF ALL POWER. AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE ONLINE AND SPEAKING WITH OTHER OWNERS, IT IS APPARENT TO ME THAT IT IS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2018 HYUNDAI ELANTRA SEDAN. I WOULD LIKE HYUNDAI TO INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND COME UP WITH A FIX. THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE BRAND-NEW OFF THE DEALER LOT. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 4,000 MILES.
Engine, Mar 12, 2019
I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW WITH 20 MILES. I AM THE ONLY OWNER. WHEN I BOUGHT I NOTICED THE ACCELERATION ISSUE. I INFORMED THE DEALER 10 DAYS OWNING IT THERE IS AN ISSUE ON THE ACCELERATION. I PRESS GAS I CAN HEAR THE NOISE ON ENGINE AS IF I WAS PRESSING GAS AND THE CAR IS ON PARK. IT HAPPENED AGAIN RIGHT BEFORE THE FIRST MAINTENANCE. THEY ASSURED ME THEY CHECKED IT AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE. I WAS RECENTLY ON THE HIGHWAY I WAS DRIVING BUT I HAD TO SLOW DOWN DUE TO TRAFFIC. WHEN SPEED PICKED UP I TRIED TO PICK UP SPEED AND AGAIN HIT THE GAS PEDDLE AND THE CAR WAS'NT MOVING
Other or unspecified, Engine, Nov 28, 2018
CAR SPUTTERS AT IDLE, ACTING LIKE IT'S GOING TO CUT OFF. DOES NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY, BUT ONLY INTERMITTENTLY. ONE DAY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I COULD NOT ACCELERATE AND IT WOULD SPUTTER AT LIGHTS. DROVE IT STRAIGHT TO ADVANCE TO GET THE ENGINE LIGHT CHECKED; NOTHING CAME UP. STARTED THE CAR AGAIN AND IT DROVE FINE, LIKE NOTHING HAD HAPPENED. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY. THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. FINALLY, AFTER LETTING IT IDLE AWHILE, WERE ABLE TO GET A CODE ON THE COILS. REPLACED THEM ALL. CAR WAS RUNNING FINE AFTER THAT. THE SPUTTERING AT IDLE HAS NOW STARTED AGAIN.....LESS THAN 2 MONTHS LATER.
Engine, Nov 12, 2018
DOES NOT HEAT UP QUICKLY ENOUGH IN COLD TEMPS. IT TOOK 15 MINUTES AT 38 DEG FAHRENHEIT, CITY DRIVING BEFORE THE TEMP GAGE SHOWED NORMAL OPERATION TEMP.
Steering, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Nov 8, 2018
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.
Exterior lighting, Engine, Oct 31, 2018
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
Engine, Oct 21, 2018
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.
Engine, Oct 3, 2018
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.
Engine, May 18, 2018
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.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Engine, May 14, 2018
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.