2018 Hyundai ELANTRA GT

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2018 Hyundai ELANTRA GT has 73 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (38% of all complaints), specifically: car shut off while on the highway randomly started shaking. all lights turned on check engine,motor oil light battery light. car shut off to the point where i couldn't accelerate. so imagine being on the highway and your car shuts off randomly while your in motion and cant accelerate to merge to the. ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.

1 fire report 1 injury

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

28 complaints

38%

• CAR SHUT OFF WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY RANDOMLY STARTED SHAKING. ALL LIGHTS TURNED ON CHECK ENGINE,MOTOR OIL LIGHT BATTERY LIGHT. CAR SHUT OFF TO THE POINT WHERE I COULDN'T ACCELERATE. SO IMAGINE BEING ON THE HIGHWAY AND YOUR CAR SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY WHILE YOUR IN MOTION AND CANT ACCELERATE TO MERGE TO THE
• I BOUGHT A 2018 HYUNDAI GT SPORT 3 MONTHS AGO. SINCE DAY ONE CAR HAS BEEN STALLING AND HAVING A HARD TIME STARTING. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 75MPH AND THE CAR JUST TURNED OFF NO WARNING. I CALLED THE DEALER IN MY AREA LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE STARTING ISSUES AND THE STALLING ISSUES WITH THE CAR I
• I WAS DRIVING ON A THE INTERSTATE GOING 75 MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD THUMPING NOISE FROM THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE, I LOST POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES AND THE CAR SHUT OFF. I HAD TO STRUGGLE TO MANEUVER AND STOP THE CAR TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. IT WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER THAT DISCOVERED THE TIMING CHAI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“CAR SHUT OFF WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY RANDOMLY STARTED SHAKING. ALL LIGHTS TURNED ON CHECK ENGINE,MOTOR OIL LIGHT BATTERY LIGHT. CAR SHUT OFF TO THE POINT WHERE I COULDN'T ACCELERATE. SO IMAGINE BEING ON THE HIGHWAY AND YOUR CAR SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY WHILE YOUR IN MOTION AND CANT ACCELERATE TO MERGE TO THE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

8 complaints

11%

• Oil drips on driveway. Warning sensors for blind spots disfunctional.
• The collision warning system has failed 4 or 5 times since I bought the car new in March of 2019. When the system stops working, the warning "Check BSD" appears on the driver's display. A couple of times the system started working without service. Other times service was required. The last time Hyu
• The collision warning system has failed 4 or 5 times since I bought the car new in March of 2019. When the system stops working, the warning "Check BSD" appears on the driver's display. A couple of times the system started working without service. Other times service was required. The last time Hyu

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“Oil drips on driveway. Warning sensors for blind spots disfunctional.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

7 complaints

10%

• GAS TANK INDICATOR ARROW ON DASH POINTS TO WRONG SIDE OF CAR. POINTS TO PASSENGER SIDE, SHOULD POINT TO DRIVER SIDE.
• THE AEB SYSTEM DOES NOT SHOW ANY WARNINGS OR ATTEMPT TO STOP THE CAR. I DO NOT DRIVE AROUND TRYING TO MAKE THIS FEATURE WORK BUT AFTER GETTING THE NEW CAR I DID REALIZE IT WAS NOT DETECTING ANYTHING WHILE MY OTHER CAR DETECTS AND STOPS FINE IN THE SAME SCENARIO. I HAVE GONE TO THE HYUNDAI SERVICE
• Driving down the freeway when my engine starting making strange noise before a boom occurred from the front of the car and completely shut off. No warning lights either

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“GAS TANK INDICATOR ARROW ON DASH POINTS TO WRONG SIDE OF CAR. POINTS TO PASSENGER SIDE, SHOULD POINT TO DRIVER SIDE.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

5 complaints

• On Thursday evening, 4/28/22, I noticed engine knocking, and engine died while driving. Checked oil, and there was no oil in the car. Added oil, drove car to work the following day. Still engine noise, and dying on freeway. I never had any "check engine" or "low oil" warning lights come on to al
• We were driving the car and all of a sudden it would only go 30 mph and starting making a noise, pulled over and car would not go anymore. I took to a shop authorized from my carmax care program and it was diagnosed as rod bearings broken in the engine. This is a know issue with this model and Hyun
• Engine, power train, malfunction changing my speed control. No warning lights, first ticking noise from engine then knocking loud noise from engine. Noticed ticking about 4 days ago at first, today on freeway going 60-70 mph just changed to loud knocking, immediately engine warning starts to flash o

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“On Thursday evening, 4/28/22, I noticed engine knocking, and engine died while driving. Checked oil, and there was no oil in the car. Added oil, drove car to work the following day. Still engine noise, and dying on freeway. I never had any "check engine" or "low oil" warning lights come on to al”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

4 complaints

• CAR SHUT OFF WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY RANDOMLY STARTED SHAKING. ALL LIGHTS TURNED ON CHECK ENGINE,MOTOR OIL LIGHT BATTERY LIGHT. CAR SHUT OFF TO THE POINT WHERE I COULDN'T ACCELERATE. SO IMAGINE BEING ON THE HIGHWAY AND YOUR CAR SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY WHILE YOUR IN MOTION AND CANT ACCELERATE TO MERGE TO THE
• THE AEB SYSTEM DOES NOT SHOW ANY WARNINGS OR ATTEMPT TO STOP THE CAR. I DO NOT DRIVE AROUND TRYING TO MAKE THIS FEATURE WORK BUT AFTER GETTING THE NEW CAR I DID REALIZE IT WAS NOT DETECTING ANYTHING WHILE MY OTHER CAR DETECTS AND STOPS FINE IN THE SAME SCENARIO. I HAVE GONE TO THE HYUNDAI SERVICE
• 18000 MILES ON THE CAR STARTED HEARING AIR COME FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER WAS FAULTY NO RECALL ON THE 2018 ELANTRA GT BUT THERE IS ON THE 2017. CAR LOOSING POWER AND SLIPPING TRANSMISSION. DEALER WAS PLANNING TO CHARGE FOR THE INSPECTION OF A

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 73 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: CAR SHUT OFF WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY RANDOMLY STARTED SHAKING. ALL LIGHTS TURNED ON CHECK ENGINE,MOTOR OIL LIGHT BATTERY LIGHT. CAR SHUT OFF TO THE POINT WHERE I COULDN'T ACCELERATE. SO IMAGINE BEING ON THE HIGHWAY AND YOUR CAR SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY WHILE YOUR IN MOTION AND CANT ACCELERATE TO MERGE TO THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: Oil drips on driveway. Warning sensors for blind spots disfunctional.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: GAS TANK INDICATOR ARROW ON DASH POINTS TO WRONG SIDE OF CAR. POINTS TO PASSENGER SIDE, SHOULD POINT TO DRIVER SIDE.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: On Thursday evening, 4/28/22, I noticed engine knocking, and engine died while driving. Checked oil, and there was no oil in the car. Added oil, drove car to work the following day. Still engine noise, and dying on freeway. I never had any "check engine" or "low oil" warning lights come on to al
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)