Car · Hyundai problems

2018 Hyundai Elantra problems

284 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (51% of them). NHTSA also lists 67 service bulletins and 1 recall campaign.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 6. Deaths: 1.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 284 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling146 · 51%
• Other or unknown54 · 19%
• Electrical system43 · 15%
• Power train (transmission and drive)24 · 8%
• Fuel system23 · 8%
• Exterior lighting16 · 6%
• Steering16 · 6%
• Body and structure15 · 5%

12 smaller areas not shown (72 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 67 repair bulletins from Hyundai for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. 26-EM-016HReceived October 14, 2026

   Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption.

2. Z05 OLReceived September 9, 2026

   Certain vehicles may exhibit excessive paint peeling or bubbling of the primer/paint film on the exterior metal body panels: hood, fender(s), roof, door(s), quarter panel(s), and tailgate/trunk.

3. 26-BD-002H DNReceived May 8, 2026

   Some Hyundai vehicles with exterior white paint may exhibit peeling or bubbling on metal body panels: hood, fender(s), roof, door(s), quarter panel(s), and tailgate/trunk.

4. 25-BD-012HReceived November 12, 2025

   Information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp.

5. 25-01-054HReceived August 19, 2025

   Electrical system

   Certain 2017-2019MY Elantra (AD, ADA) vehicles equipped with 2.0L ATK engines may be unable to complete diagnosis of the OBD-II Fuel System Readiness Monitor.

6. 25-BD-004H OLReceived June 14, 2025

   Certain 2015 - 2018 model year Elantra, 2015 - 2019 model year Sonata, 2017 - 2021 model year Tucson, 2017 - 2018 model year Santa Fe Sport, 2019 model year Santa Fe, 2021 - 2023 model year Santa...

7. 25-01-024H-1Received May 27, 2025

   Some vehicles may exhibit a loss of connectivity or interruptions in the middle of using Bluelink Service functions.

8. 24-AT-002HReceived April 16, 2024

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   A procedure to diagnose and replace, if necessary, an automatic transmission with Incorrect Ratio DTC (transmission clutch slip in gear above limit) listed on Page 2.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra. Recall repairs are free at a Hyundai dealer.

1. 18V891000December 14, 2018

   Electrical system

   The panoramic sunroof motor may be incorrectly programmed, preventing the sunroof from detecting an obstacle while closing.

See all 1 recall for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Elantra will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 146 complaints · 51%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 43 complaints · 15%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Power train (transmission and drive) 24 complaints · 8%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Fuel system 23 complaints · 8%

• Fuel pump replacement$370 to $1,075
• Fuel injector replacement (one injector)$170 to $820
• EVAP purge valve replacement$80 to $240
• Gas cap replacement$5 to $95

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

0 of 17 characters

Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

Get quotes for your Hyundai Elantra

Tell us the job and your ZIP. Free, takes a minute.

Job

ZIP

WhenAs soon as possibleThis monthJust planning

Your name

Phone

Email

Add a phone, an email, or both.

Anything we should know? (optional) I agree that Fair Price and the car repair shops and lead marketplaces listed on our Partners page, or their agents, may call and email me at the number and email I provided about my request, including by automated technology, even if my number is on a Do Not Call list. Ticking this box is how I give this consent. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms. Get quotes

Fair Price is not a contractor or a repair shop. Who sees your request

2018 Hyundai Elantra: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2018 Hyundai Elantra?

Of the 284 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra, 146 (51%) name engine and engine cooling, and 43 (15%) name electrical system. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2018 Hyundai Elantra reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 12 of the 284 complaints as involving a crash and 7 as involving a fire. They also reported 6 injuries and 1 death. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2018 Hyundai Elantra have?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra. Recall repairs are free at a Hyundai dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 67 repair bulletins for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra.

More

• 2020 Elantra problems
• 2019 Elantra problems
• 2017 Elantra problems
• 2016 Elantra problems
• 2015 Elantra problems
• 2014 Elantra problems
• 2013 Elantra problems
• 2012 Elantra problems
• 2011 Elantra problems
• 2010 Elantra problems
• 2018 recalls
• All Hyundai recalls
• Hyundai problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.