2018 Hyundai Sonata
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 373 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 12th highest complaint count among 26 Sonata model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 18 involved a crash and 13 involved a fire. 20 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Latches/locks/linkages, trunk lid, latchAug 6, 2021
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Sonata, 2016-2018 Sonata Hybrid, 2018-2020 Accent, and 2016-2017 Azera vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the trunk latch base, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 208.
Campaign 21V619000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: electrical system
60 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Electrical system, Aug 30, 2023, crash
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH the vehicle suddenly began sputtering and then completely stalled. The contact had to coast to the side of the road and noticed the check engine light illuminated. After approximately 10 minutes, the vehicle was able to restart. When starting the vehicle there would be a sputtering followed by the vehicle shutting off. The failure began to occur while idle as well. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse out of a parking spot the vehicle suddenly accelerated forward instead. As a result, the vehicle ended up crashing into a concrete light post. The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries or medical attention needed. The vehicle was able to be driven after. No police report was filed. The vehicle had been towed to the dealer who had stated that the starter relay issue may be the cause, however, because of not being able to duplicate the failure they were unable to give an official diagnosis. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 86,000.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Jul 4, 2023
My 2018 sonata has been stalling out while I’m driving more so when I accelerate.I have a baby that I’m scared to drive with in the car because it does it randomly. It has been happening more & more everyday. I got new parts/starter etc. No codes on dash. Have an appointment next week with Hyundai to take a look.
Electrical system, Engine, Apr 17, 2023
Was driving on freeway on the way back from visiting family in different state when rpms dropped off and suddenly lost power. Car began shuddering and check engine light started blinking. Put hazards on and somehow managed to pull over to shoulder. No problems with car or anything to indicate anything was wrong before this. Called to have car towed to dealership where they said there was a software problem and it was falsely indicating low oil levels. ECM was reset and software updated for $233 which they said fixed the problem. Said that carbon deposits may have caused the software to misread and that may have been why there was no indication of problems before. Hope so because i have a long drive back.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Mar 30, 2023
During the drive, check engine lights on then suddenly, HEV warning lights with turn off the engine with critical alert sound. I was drove again after attempting to start several times then again & again... It freaked me out when I drove on the highway, and yet to fixed & afraid to go to the dealer becase of cost & uncertain reasons. This could be big accidents on the highway.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 18, 2023
Knocking of the engine , engine light continues flashing , lack of acceleration finally feb of this year the turbo blew up an the car stop running all symptoms of knock sensor problems . I’m Taking it to Hyundai on Dixie on Monday in two days an I hope they don’t deny the federal recall an I will have to have a loaner car . They have told me the last 5 years my title was flawed last month they denied saying that an told me my warranty was voided with 41,000 on my car
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, Feb 6, 2023
I was driving on freeway and all dashboard warning started to flicker on and off simultaneously then my steering wheel locked in place. I was unable to stop or turn wheel and had to maneuver car until it came to a stop. I had to get it towed home. I spoke with dealership and asked me to tow it to them so they can look at it and gave me a report that mention nothing about what I originally told them it did while I was driving but pointed out everything else that was wrong with it that added up to more than $4,500.00 in repairs. Dealership guy got upset that I asked him to email rather than phone calls and didn’t want to answer anything through email only phone calls he was refusing service and kept pushing us to approve all the other expenses without telling me anything about why the car did what it did. He then told me that it was my fault since car was just passed over 100,000 miles and I should’ve known that was going to happen. Luckily nobody got hurt during this. My wife was pregnant at the time and thank goodness nothing bad happened and dealership guy was so unprofessional and rude and just wanted our money rather than help by giving us any answers.
Electrical system, Structure, Nov 17, 2022
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
Electrical system, Engine, Nov 10, 2022
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.
Electrical system, Engine, Oct 10, 2022
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.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 10, 2022
On May 03, 2022 at approximately 3:30pm I was traveling southbound on Arizona State Route 101 in Tempe, Arizona. I was going about 75 mph, and without no warning my car shut off. I had to pull off to the shoulder of the highway to avoid being struck by other vehicles, and also incase I lost control. My Hyundai picked up nails on 3 of the 4 tires in the process. I barely avoided a fatal accident due to the defect, which I had no idea about.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, May 4, 2022
I was stopped at a red light and when it turned green, I began to accelerate. The car stuttered and the check engine light was blinking. I pulled over and had Autozone run the code. The code is P1326, engine knock sensor. It was put into limp mode and it shook pretty bad in lower gears while accelerating. I had to pull over and let several cars pass me as I couldn't go above 2,000 RPMs. When I got home, I called roadside assistance and had it towed to the nearest dealership. That was this morning (5-4-2022). I just purchased this car used in the beginning of March. I don't have all the records since I just purchased the vehicle used. I just changed the oil last week.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Feb 5, 2022
The shark fin antenna assembly becomes dislodged from its base very easily and can fly off while driving or scraping ice off the roof with minimal force. Hyundai should do a better job attaching the outer shark fin plastic cover to its base.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Feb 5, 2021
THE LOCK FOR THE TRUNK , OPEN AUTOMATICLY , IT STAY LOCK AND WONT OPEN....
Electrical system, Jan 29, 2021
CAR WILL NOT START WHEN KEY TURNED IN IGNITION WITH NO SOUND WHEN THE WEATHER IS UNDER 30 DEGREES. HAD IT IN THE DEALER LAST WEEK AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. STILL HAPPENING SO ITS BACK IN THE DEALER FOR 3 CONSECUTIVE DAYS AND I CANNOT TALK WITH ANYONE IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. PHONE JUST RINGS THEN CUTS OFF. HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND FOUND OTHER 2018 SONATA ES OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE SOLUTION HAS BEEN THE IGNITION STARTER AND SOLENOID. WHEN REPLACED THE STARTING PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. THREE DAYS NOW AND HAVE NOT HEARD FORM THE HYUNDAI REPAIR SHOP IN BOWIE, MD. STILL HAVE MY CAR. SUCH INEFFICIENTLY WITH MECHANICS NOW DAYS.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Apr 29, 2020
I RENT THIS CAR FROM TOWER RENTALS I PAID 1300$ DAY BEFORE EASTER NO ONE WOULD COME GET IT FIX IT I'M IN QUEENS I GOT MONEY TOLLS AND GAS TOOK TO THEIR REPAIR SHOP IN BRONX YESTERDAY AFTER 4 HOURS THEY TOLD ME NOTHING WRONG SENT ME HOME AFTER THEY DID 50 MIN INSPECTION WHICH IT FAILED. THEY HAVE CAUSED ME TONS OF MONEY PARTS JUMPS TRAVEL TIME LOSS OF WORK AND DO NOT CARE OR REIMBURSE ME THE CAR SITS X TIME WON'T START AGAIN WITHOUT JUMP I SENT NUMEROUS EMAILS ASKING MY YEARLY RECEIPT ALL I'VE PAID STILL NOT GIVEN IT TO ME
Electrical system, Tires, Service brakes, Apr 23, 2020
2018 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RUSTY BRAKES. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAD ISSUES START DURING COLD WEATHER. IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT 15 MINUTES OR LONGER FOR THE VEHICLE TO TURN ON. THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED PREMATURELY. *JS
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Feb 26, 2020
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AT ABOUT 45MPH ON MY WAY TO WORK ON A HIGHWAY ROAD AND OUT OF NO WHERE IT JERKED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ABOVE 2,000 RPMS. WHEN THE CAR JERKED, IT WAS SO SUDDEN IT INJURED MY LOWER BACK. MY BACK HAS BEEN VERY SORE SINCE THIS INCIDENT. I THEN TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE AND HYUNDAI HAD NOT RECALLED MY SPECIFIC CAR. DEALER WAS ABLE TO REPLICATE THE ISSUE. THE CLEARED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. ONE MILE DOWN THE ROAD EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED. CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THEIR SHOP WITH NO ETA OF REPAIR.
Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Engine, Jan 23, 2020, fire
THIS CAR HAS A MIND OF IT ON WHEN I TURN ON HEAT THE RADIO STATION GOES STATIC VERY BAD ENGINE LIGHT KEEP COMING ON GO TO DEALERSHIP THEY KEEP ON RESET INSTEAD OF FIXING IT YESTERDAY MY STARTER BURN OUT .JUST OUT THE BLUE WITH NO WARNING SIGN IT WAS GOING OUT
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 22, 2019
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?
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Dec 17, 2019
ENTERTAINMENT SCREEN TURNS OFF AFTER A WHILE AND WILL RESET OR I HAVE TO TAP IT AND MAKE SURE IT GOES BACK ON AND DOES THIS OVER AND OVER AT TIMES. SMOKE COMES OUT EXHAUST WHEN PASSING A CAR SOMETIMES
Electrical system, Dec 2, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING, THE VISUAL ALARM SYSTEM AND AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT WORK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS, INCLUDING LAKE NORMAN HYUNDAI (704-274-3145, LOCATED AT 20520 CHARTWELL CENTER DR, CORNELIUS, NC 28031) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT ROAD TESTS WERE NOT ALLOWED ON SUCH VEHICLES. ONE OF THE DEALERS PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH TSB: GROUP BRAKE 18-BR-001. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,700. THE VIN WAS INVALID.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Nov 13, 2019
ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE WILL LOOSE POWER AND ABILITY ACCELERATE WITH A FLASHING ENGINE LIGHT. THESE INCIDENTS HAVE ALMOST CAUSED ME TO BE REAR ENDED THREE TIMES BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE ABOVE 60MPH IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON A BUSY INTERSTATE AND THE ABILITY JUST STOPS QUICKLY WITH NO WARNING. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAS BEEN HAVING THE RPMS DROP TO 0 AND SHOOT BACK UP WHILE BRAKING, AND WHILE DRIVING IT IS TOUGH TO ACCELERATE AND THEN YOU WILL FEEL A NOTICEABLE 'KICK' AND THE RPMS WILL SHOOT UP DRASTICALLY BEFORE IT WILL ACCELERATE. I HAVE HAD 2 SOFTWARE UPDATES DONE, A NEW WIRE HARNESS, KNOCK SENSOR CLEANING AND A KNOCK SENSOR REPLACEMENT. THE ENGINE CODE IS ALWAYS THE SAME 1326.
Electrical system, Engine, Sep 25, 2019
JUNE 2019, AT ABOUT 11,500 MILES TOOK CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS TOLD DUE TO A RECALL, A SOFTWARE UPDATE NEEDED TO BE DONE. AT ABOUT 13,500 MILES, ENGINE LIGHT CAME IN, CAR WAS JERKING IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY AND LOST POWER. CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE LAST 62 MPH. CAR WAS SERVICED AND BLOCK SENSOR WIRE HARNESS WAS REPLACED. CAR WAS RETURNED AND AGAIN WHILE IN HIGHWAY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, LOST POWER, CAR WAS JERKING WHILE CHILD WAS IN THE CAR AND WHILE CAR WAS IN MOTION. CAR WAS SERVICED AND BLOCK SENSOR WAS REPLACED. AT ABOUT 18K MILES, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE ON HIGHWAY AND AGAIN WITH CHILD IN THE CAR AND CAR LOST POWER AND ALSO WAS JERKING WHILE IN MOTION. CAR WAS SERVICED AND ENGINE REPLACED. 3000 MILES LATER, AGAIN WHILE IN THE HIGHWAY, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, CAR LOST POWER AND WAS JERKING AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. CAR WAS SERVICED AND THE FOLLOWING DAY, WHILE ON THE EXPRESSWAY IN CHICAGO, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR LOST POWER AND WAS JERKING HARD WHILE IN MOTION. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP IN ROCKFORD IL. AFTER THE 4TH ATTEMPT TO REPAIR, LEMON LAW CLAIM WAS FILED WITH HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA WHICH THEY DENIED DUE TO MILEAGE. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. WHEN IT LOSES POWER THERE IS NO WARNING, NO BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON TO NOTIFY CARS BEHIND, AND WHILE IN THE BUSY EXPRESSWAY IN CHICAGO WAS VERY DANGEROUS. ALSO DANGEROUS TO HAVE CHILDREN IN THIS VEHICLE. HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING BUT REPAIRS AND IS IGNORING THE DANGEROUSNESS THIS PROBLEM. THIS OCCURRED ALL 5 TIMES WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. THE CODE THAT READS FOR THIS IS 1326 PER THE SERVICE RECORDS.
Electrical system, Sep 7, 2019
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON;ENGINE ERROR CODE 1326. CAR BEGAN STALLING. GOT IT TO DEALER WHO KNEW IT WOULD NEED A NEW WIRING HARNESS POSSIBLY A NEW ENGINE. THIS IS DANGEROUS WILL GET SOMEONE KILLED. THIS HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER EXITING THE HIGHWAY PULLING ONTO THE SERVICE ROAD.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Aug 10, 2019
"MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS ARE COMING ON THE DASH FOR ABS FAILURE."CAUSE: 5891R00 HYDRAULIC MODULE ASSEMBLY REPLACED. "SCAN TEST CODES C1741, C2402, C1360 DIAG SYSTEM. LINE CASE NUMBER 2019080600434 PERFORM VOLTAGE AND GROUND TEST PER TECH LINE FOUND ABS HYDRAULIC UNIT INTERNAL FAILURE, REPLACED ABS HYDRAULIC UNIT, PERFORM ALL CALIBRATIONS AND VARIANT CODING CLEAR CODES, RESET ADAPTIVES. PROBLEMS OF YELLOW LIGHT COMING ON ON DASH WAS DURING ACCELERATIONS AND TURNING CRUISE CONTROL ON