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: engine
223 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine, Dec 12, 2023
I own a 2018 Hyundai Sonata SEL. I purchased the car in 2020 with ~17,000 miles on it. At ~50,000 miles the engine begin burning oil. It has progressively gotten worse. I can’t bring myself to have anyone drive my car because of this issue. It is all to likely that the result of the car burning so much oil in a short period of time. That it can pose a serious risk to anyone driving the car if the oil wasn’t checked. This is not a common problem with many cars, this is a problem with Hyundai vehicles. The negligence of not issuing a recall for this is horrible. I have taken my car to private mechanics and Hyundai service centers. The response I get is “oh yeah they’re know for burning oil and there’s not much to do about it.” That’s a ridiculous response to situation like this for the thousands of owners. How long will it take to issue a recall, until a life is taken? When the issue could have been fixed by issuing a recall. Complete negligence on Hyundai and the NHTSA.
Engine, Dec 10, 2023
Purchased this vehicle with about 64K miles. Vehicle, as per CarFax report, has been meticulously maintained. Upon delivery, we changed the oil and filter with full-synthetic Amsoil. We ensured oil levels were appropriate prior to returning to service. No more than 1,000 miles later, roughly incurred in about a month, we checked oil levels again. This time, it required about 1.25 quarts to return it to the appropriate level .We did research and apparently, there is a class-action lawsuit filed by owners of Hyundai vehicles with this specific engine, the Theta II 2.4L 4-cylinder engine. Here's an article making reference to apparently your organization already looking into these complaints. [XXX] Could you please advise if the NHTSA will take the necessary steps to request Hyundai to issue a recall? I have found multiple articles where Hyundai is rejecting to take any action on their own, in most cases, advising their customers that such level of oil consumption is 'normal'. That clearly contradicts their own owner's manual guidelines. I own a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban 1500LT with 302K miles and the vehicle will go nearly 5K miles between oil changes while requiring no more than 1/2 quart of oil to keep it at the appropriate levels. I also own a 2019 Honda Accord 2.0T that normally requires oil changes every 10K miles and it seldom requires more than 1/8 of a quart to keep at the appropriate oil levels. There is definitely something definitely wrong with this engine type and requires governmental involvement to hold the manufacturer to provide adequate remediation. Thanks, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Nov 26, 2023
My 2018 Hyundai Sonata began running low on oil around May 2022 when the car had 86,400 miles on it. I informed the local dealership where I bought the car and had all maintenance completed. The dealership and myself contacted Hyundai Corp. Hyundai Corp approved oil consumption testing which resulted in an induction cleaning in Sept. 2022. This did not resolve the oil burning issue. The dealership service staff informed me that I was given a lifetime warranty on the engine and to keep driving it and putting oil in as needed until the engine failed and then to bring it to the dealership for replacement engine. There evidently was not a fix for the problem. Most recently I have been putting oil in the car every Sunday. I sent an email message to Hyundai Corp about a month ago to request to talk with a case manager regarding this excessive oil issue. In the meantime I have taken my car to the dealership for all suggested maintenance and informed them of the continued oil consumption. Before I received a response from Hyundai, my engine failed. I pulled out of my drive way and my car was stalling and would not accelerate properly then my engine light came on. I drove the car about a quarter mile down the road and turned around and came home in this very scary condition. This is a safety issue due to pulling out on a road with no power to accelerate. I had it towed to the dealership. I was give a case manager from Hyundai. My car has burnt valves and excessive carbon build up from excessive oil burning. Hyundai will not cover engine replacement costs, or buy back the vehicle. This vehicle is available for inspection. I'm not sure if I should leave it at dealership or have it towed home.
Engine, Nov 1, 2023
Engine is failing, stalls frequently. Dealership where I bought the car will not help, other dealership advised us to drive the car until the engine fails. I do not feel safe driving this car with my children.
Engine, Oct 30, 2023
I was driving and when I made a left turn I heard a sucking type of noise coming from the engine. I immediately made an appointment at my local Hyundai dealership, however they were booked for another month so I made it at my local mechanic shop. After inspection by the mechanic I was told and confirmed that the noise was a result of having barely ANY OIL LEFT IN MY ENGINE!!! Because the oil pan had a hairline crack in it and had leaked the oil out. My check engine light had never come on through this process. This is so dangerous because my engine could have eventually seized while being in traffic with potential harm to both myself, people in my car and other vehicle traffic!!! Also, WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH DAMAGE WAS DONE TO MY ENGINE AS A RESULT OF THIS!!! My engine can be ruined!!!
Engine, Sep 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH uphill, the vehicle shuddered. The check engine warning light and low oil pressure warning light were illuminated. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where an oil change was performed, and the spark plugs were replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: DP22003 (Engine). The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 77,347.
Power train, Engine, Sep 15, 2023
My car is misfiring, hesitating accelerating, severely shaking and vibrating which you can feel in the pedals and steering wheel, and the check engine light is on. This issue has been ongoing for over a week already. When the engine light first came on on 9/7, i pulled over on the side of the road and had a mobile mechanic check it out. The code was coming up as a bad ignition coil in cylinder 1. When he took out the coil and spark plugs, he saw scoring on the spark plug from oil as well as oil being consumed in the cylinder itself which has been causing my vehicle to misfire. The mobile mechanic stated on his invoice that I need a new engine. I took my car to Faulkner Hyundai on 9/11 and they said the best they can do is an oil consumption test even though they personally know I need an engine as well. I have not been able to drive the vehicle due to the ongoing issues, I am afraid for my life and safety that god forbid the car stalls out on the highway while I am traveling to or from work I could get into a major accident. They are putting my life in jeopardy.
Engine, Sep 11, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who retrieved DTC Code: P1326 and related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 20-01-024H-1 (Theta GDI Engine DTC P1326 - Engine Inspection / Replacement); however, the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.
Engine, Aug 23, 2023
Oil leaking, replaced gaskets Oil continues to burn at a fast rate. Putting up to 6qt oil extra every month. Oil changes have been regular. Dealership only cleaned engine and told me that was all they could do.
Engine, Aug 20, 2023
While I was driving the car shut off by itself.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 4, 2023
Car consumes TOO much oil. Even after I get an oil change I have to add more oil weeks later and the oil is always black. Several times the sensor has gone out on me on the hwy and I’m not able to accelerate or go over 35 miles which is extremely dangerous .
Other or unspecified, Engine, Aug 2, 2023
This vehicle consumes one quart of oil every 1000 miles. I have documentation to prove it. Hyundai has done their own asessments and claimed that it consumes less. There was a class action lawsuit filed in California for this issue.
Engine, Jul 25, 2023
My engine was burning oil, I was/ am up to date with my oil changes. The oil suddenly kept being dirty. My car broke down twice. One time oil was shooting out of the top of my engine and it was smoking. Hyundai claimed it was neglect and only accepted my paper copy of oil changes but not the ones on my debit card statement.
Engine, Jul 10, 2023, fire
I first reported issues with my vehicle to a local Hyundai dealer January 16, 2023. I was advised I couldn’t get an appointment until March 8, 2023. Since March 8, 2023 I have taken my car to the dealer my numerous times for a series of testing over the course of 3 months. I was advised my car was burning too much oil of oil per 1000 miles. I was also advised that the transvalve and engine needed to be inspected by an adjuster to determine a faulty engine in order to get approval from the manufacturer. My car was at the dealer for almost a week. On June 15, 2023 the Hyundai dealership advised the engine was faulty. I was also advised warranty approved for a new engine due to faulty engine/oil consumption. I was advised to pick up my vehicle from the dealership. On June 16, 2023 I picked up my vehicle. I was told by the dealership to keep driving my vehicle until the new engine came in due. I was denied a loaner/rental at the time even though they knew the car had a faulty engine. Immediately after leaving the dealership dealership my car started smoking. I pulled over immediately got out. The car caught on fire and burst into flames. This was a very dangerous safety risk. It caused panic attacks, anxiety, headaches, and lots of sleepless nights. If I hadn’t gotten out sooner I could’ve been severely injured or dead. The car is with the insurance company. A field investigation has been done by the insurance. They determined faulty engine and total loss if the vehicle. It is still available for inspection if needed. There were no warning lamps or messages before the car started smoking or caught fire.
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.
Engine, Jun 16, 2023
Oil consumption problem 2018 Hyundai Sonata
Engine, Jun 7, 2023
After only 38,000 miles, the engine seized up and failed to start. Has been a the dealership where I purchased it for 2 months and has yet to be looked at
Other or unspecified, Engine, May 30, 2023
When driving the car on the highway - "check engine - hybrid system" warning lights come on and indicate hybrid system issue and to shut car off immediately. Extreme safety issue as the car goes from highway speeds to 35MPH almost instantly. This has happened seven times now and Hyundai keeps indicating that technicians are following engineering guidance in fixing the issue related to the knock sensor. The seventh occurrence happened on May 23rd of 2023. First one was in December 2021. As Hyundai is unable to correctly fix the issue I have repeatedly asked for them to replace the car since it is an extreme safety issue but they will not do so. Still waiting for diagnosis of the latest occurrence from May 23rd. Hyundai does not acknowledge that this issue is of safety concern and just indicates that the issue has been fixed each time it occurs.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, May 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled in traffic. The vehicle was misfiring, and the RPM was abnormally elevated. While driving 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled again. There were no warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact was adding approximately two quarts of engine oil every two weeks. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Twin City Hyundai (3024 Alcoa Hwy, Alcoa, TN 37701, (866) 229-3953) but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000.
Engine, Apr 27, 2023
In January, At 65k miles I took my car in for an oil change. I informed them I was putting a quart of oil every month for the last 3 months just to keep the oil light off on my dash. Tech told me all Hyundais are burning oil and to just drive it until the engine blows and I’ll get a free engine replacement through Hyundai. The following month in February, I went to get my back brakes done. Mechanic told me I had no oil left in my car. They filled it up for me. In March, I took my car back to the dealership service center and demanded service. I was told I needed to do a combustion cleaning which would cost $700 and my extended warranty would not cover it because it’s considered general maintenance. I threw a fit and they agreed to do an oil consumption test. A few days ago I hit the 1k miles I was supposed to drive and took my car in for the first check. It was almost 2 quarts low and they said the next step in Hyundais flow chart is the combustion cleaning. They told me 1. It doesn’t actually clean anything and 2. Hyundai says this is the fix to the issue but it doesn’t actually fix anything. They said after, we would do another oil consumption test and then we could submit to Hyundai under “good faith” and ask for an engine replacement. I started researching and see this is a major issue with Hyundais and leave people with a blown engine and Hyundai refuses to cover anything. I traded it in today and got a new car, not a Hyundai!
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
Engine, Mar 13, 2023
The Engine Failed. It is currently sitting at the local Hyundai Dealership. As it pertains to my safety, the Engine failed while traveling on a Major Expressway in the morning on my way to work. Upon towing the vehicle to the dealership, it was effectively confirmed to me I am not the only person suffering from this problem. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership and determined to be an engine failure. No warning, no other symptoms prior to this incident.
Service brakes, Engine, Mar 3, 2023
As soon as I start to press on my brakes the vehicle starts violently pulsating and locks up. Took the dealership they said my rotors and brakes were fine and we're unable to give any reason for this. Without brakes I cannot stop my vehicle and it seems like a faulty ABS but no light on dashboard. The engine consumes nearly 5.2 qts of oil in 1000 miles. Being this is not normal I have no idea I was running out of oil as soon as I was changing it which could have led to my entire engine stalling out and causing me to wreck. It's putting my life as well as other people's on the roads and danger