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
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Aug 5, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS FLASHED AND THE BRAKE AND REVERSE LIGHTS WENT OUT. THE CONTACT COULD NOT SEE THE ROAD AND SMELLED AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STANLEY PARMA HYUNDAI (7115 BROOKPARK RD, PARMA, OH 44129, (216) 749-2525) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE KNOCK SENSOR NEEDED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FIVE TIMES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED EACH TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO ELYRIA HYUNDAI (845 LEONA ST, ELYRIA, OH 44035, (440) 374-8700) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COMPUTER NEEDED AN UPDATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
Electrical system, Engine, Jul 24, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE EXITING THE INTERSTATE AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO LIMP MODE, JERKED, AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AUFFENBERG HYUNDAI (LOCATED AT 1300 CENTRAL PARK DR, O'FALLON, IL 62269, (618) 622-9001) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE NOX SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TECHNICIAN RESET THE COMPUTER, THE WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED, AND THE NOX SENSOR WAS CLEANED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER IN TX, BUT THE FAILURE CODE COULD NOT BE RECREATED. THE DEALER RESET THE COMPUTER AND REPLACED THE NOX SENSOR, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 15894913. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.
Electrical system, Engine, May 6, 2019
I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY AND LOST POWER, COULD NOT ACCELERATE, BLINKING ENGINE CAME ON AND ON MY SCREEN IT SAID "A POSSIBLE CONDITION WITH YOU ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM HAS BEEN DETECTED. A FULL SYSTEM CHECK RECOMMENDED TO BE DONE WHEN CONVENIENT. PLEASE CONTACT YOU LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR AN APPOINTMENT" I WAS ABLE TO GET TO AN AREA AND HAVE IT TOWED. THIS COULD OF BEEN VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS IF I HAD STILL BEEN ON THE FREEWAY DOING 70! I COULD NOT HAVE DRIVEN IT, IT WAS MISSING AND WOULDN'T GET ABOVE 20-30 MPH. I HAD THE KNOCK SENSOR SOFTWARE UPDATE DONE AT THE DEALER THE WEEK PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING. THE DEALER IS SAYING THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDS REPLACED AND WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH! MANY ON HERE HAVE WAITED MONTHS I HOPE THAT IS NOT THE CASE. I'VE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON HERE AND OTHER SITES THAT THIS IS HAPPENING AFTER THE UPDATE. MY CAR SEEMED FINE BEFORE THEY DID THE UPDATE. SOME PEOPLE NEED NEW ENGINES! HOW DO I KNOW THAT MY ENGINE DOESN'T HAVE DAMAGE, I ASSUME THAT HYUNDAI KNOWS SOMETHING SINCE WITH THE SENSOR UPDATE THEY EXTENDED MY 100K WARRANTY TO 120K. IT SAID THE SENSOR IS TO HELP CATCH POSSIBLE ROD BEARING WEAR AND EXTENDS WARRANTY MUST MEAN THEY EXPECT ENGINES TO HAVE PROBLEMS! WHAT IS GOING ON HERE AND WHY ISN'T THERE ANY OFFICIAL RECALL? MY CAR ONLY HAS 20K I DON'T EXPECT THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. I LEASED CARS FOR MANY YEARS BUT SINCE I'M CLOSE TO RETIRING I BOUGHT THIS WISH I WAS STILL LEASING SO I COULD GET OUT FROM UNDER THIS IN 2 YEARS!
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Apr 25, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME SLUGGISH, DECELERATED, AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE ABOVE 40 MPH. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NAPLETON'S VALLEY HYUNDAI (4333 OGDEN AVE, AURORA, IL 60504, (630) 851-2500) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRE HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND CASE NUMBER: 15704477 WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Electrical system, Engine, Apr 23, 2019
ON 03/23/2019, WHEN I WAS LEAVING A PARKING LOT MY CAR STARTED TO HESITATE AND WOULD NOT REV UP. I JUST TURNED OUT THE PARKING LOT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. MESSAGE CAME ON STATED IT NEED TO BE SERVICED. AT THE SAME TIME THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS NOT ABLE TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR BECAUSE IT WOULD JUMP LIKE CRAZY. I WAS ABLE TO GET BACK TO THE PARKING LOT SAFELY. I HAVE BEEN IN A RENTAL FOR A MONTH NOW AND AS OF 04/23/2019 I WAS TOLD THE PART IS ON BACK ORDER. THE WIRING HARNESS AND THE COMPUTER HAS TO BE REPLACED, BUT THE TECH STATED SINCE THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE THE ENGINE WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THE PART WILL BE IN ABOUT 3 TO 6 MONTHS. IF THE WIRING HARNESS DOES NOT WORK GOD ONLY KNOW HOW MANY MORE MONTHS IT WILL TAKE FOR A NEW ENGINE TO ARRIVE. THIS CAR WAS ONLY 9 MONTHS OLD BUT NOW 10 MONTHS OLD WITH ONE OF THE MONTHS BEING IN THE SHOP WAITING FOR REPAIRS.
Electrical system, Engine, Apr 10, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, IT SPUTTERED AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE OVER 30 MPH. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TITUS-WILL HYUNDAI (255 CARRIAGE LOOP SW, OLYMPIA, WA 98502, (888) 287-9396) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE AND WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE PARTS WERE ON BACKORDER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 15586896. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Engine, Mar 3, 2019
I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO DRIVE OFF WITH THIS 2018 SONATA 2.0T TRIM IN ENDING OF 2017. FAST FOWARD TO NOW, I HAVE BEEN HAVING ELECTRICAL, LIGHTING AND ENGINE PROBLEMS. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT, IT IS HARD TO SEE WHAT'S 30 FEET FROM YOU ON THE GROUND BECAUSE THERE'S SOME PARTS THAT THE LIGHT DOESN'T ILLUMINATE VERY WELL. WHEN I HAVE MY CAR'S INTERIOR LIGHTS ON AUTO MEANING TO TURN ON, WHENEVER I OPEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR, IT DOESN'T TURN ON. SOMETIMES MY HEADLAMPS WON'T TURN ON NEITHER, WHEN I PRESS THE UNLOCK BUTTON FROM MY KEYS. COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK AND STILL IS HAPPENING TO THIS DAY MY CARS ENGINE WILL START UP FUNNY OR START UP A COUPLE OF SECONDS LATE AFTER PUSHING THE START BUTTON. IT EVEN HAPPENS WHEN I LET MY CAR SIT FOR A DAY WITHOUT DRIVING. I'VE BEEN TO THE DEALER NOW AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE ISSUE WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTS AND I AM WAITING ON THEM TO GET ME SOME NEW LIGHTS FOR THE INTERIOR (PRETTY SURE THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM). I KNOW NOW THAT IT'S SOMETHING ELECTRICAL SEEING ALL THESE COMMENT/ISSUES LEFT ON HERE. I PAID TOO MUCH TO HAVE THIS HAPPENING TO MY CAR. MAYBE I SHOULD OF JUST STUCK WITH JAPANESE SMH. HELP PLEASE.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Engine, Feb 21, 2019
WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE AT NEARLY 70 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, MY CAR SUDDENLY FELT LIKE I HIT A BRICK WALL AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND BEGAN FLASHING. I WAS THEN UNABLE TO ACCELARATE PAST 55 AND FELT MY CAR HAD A VERY SLUGGISH RESPONSE WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL. I WAS NEARLY HIT BY ANOTHER CAR BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WARNING (BREAK LIGHTS) WHEN MY CAR IMMEDIATELY SLOWED DOWN. I THEN HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED 50 MILES FROM WHERE I WAS TO THE DEALERSHIP NEAR MY HOME. WHEN I BROUGHT IN MY CAR THEY SAID THEY HAD ANOTHER CAR WITH THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. I CALLED AFTER MY CAR HAD BEEN THERE FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE DAYS TO GET A STATUS UPDATE AND THEY SAID THEY STILL DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS CAUSING THE ISSUE, BUT THAT A THIRD VEHICLE HAD NOW BEEN BROUGHT IN FOR THE SAME ISSUE. TODAY A WEEK LATER, I CALLED TO GET AN UPDATE AND THE OTHER TWO VEHICLES THEY ARE FIXING WITH A NEW WIRING HARNESS; HOWEVER MINE THEY STILLL ARE UNSURE WHAT THE ISSUE IS. THIS IS NOW THE THIRD ISSUE I'VE HAD WITH MY CAR IN LESS THAN 13,000 MILES. PREVIOUSLY MY CAR WAS HAVING TROUBLE STARTING THE DEALER SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. ALSO MY FRONT RUNNING LIGHT BURNED OUT AT NEARLY 7K MILES.
Electrical system, Feb 8, 2019
I TOOK MY 2018 HYUNDAI SONTA SE IN FOR ITS FIRST OIL CHANGE WITH 3564 MILES ON IT. THEY DID A COMPUTER UPDATE AS PART OF A RECALL. I DROVE LESS THAN ( MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP, WENT TO PULL OUT FROM A STOP LIGHT. IT STARTED MISS FIRING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID IT HAD A CODE AND TGEY HAD TO CALL HYUNDAI TO FIND OUT WHAT TO DO. THEY GAVE ME A LONER AND TOLD ME THE WIRING HARNESS HAD TOO MUCH INTERFERENCE/STATIC IN IT AND THEY HAD TO ORDER A NEW ONE. VERY HARD TO BELIEVE A COMPUTER UPDATE WOULD CAUSE THE WIRING HARNESS TO GO BAD.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jan 31, 2019
CAR HAS KEYLESS START. WILL NOT START IN TEMPS BELOW 20 DEGREES F. HAS HAPPENED 4X IN 2 WEEKS. CAR IS 8 MOS OLD / LESS THAN 6K MILES. 1ST 3 TIMES EVENTUALLY STARTED BY RUNNING ENGINE. THE WARNING LIGHTS THAT SHOW ARE CHARGING SYSTEM (RAN ITSELF DOWN TO 57% BATTERY THIS TIME); ENGINE OIL PRESSURE AND MIL LIGHT. THE IMMOBILIZED INDICATOR IS ON BUT THEN GOES OFF. THE TANK IS FULL OF GAS. THE BLUE LINK APP CAN'T REMOTELY START THE CAR. IT STATES THAT THE REQUEST WAS NOT PROCESSED.