2018 Hyundai ELANTRA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Hyundai ELANTRA has 396 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 5.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (35% of all complaints), specifically: car has intermittent problem with acceleration. will go into a fail safe mode, wont accelerate past 40-60 mph. i have had very close call on multiple accidents due to the fact i am unable to accelerate. my car lost power and could not pick up speed at all. this is a major safety issue and the . ⚠️ 11 fire reports filed.

11 fire reports 10 crash reports 5 injuries

396

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

5.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

138 complaints

35%

• CAR HAS INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATION. WILL GO INTO A FAIL SAFE MODE, WONT ACCELERATE PAST 40-60 MPH. I HAVE HAD VERY CLOSE CALL ON MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE FACT I AM UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. MY CAR LOST POWER AND COULD NOT PICK UP SPEED AT ALL. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND THE
• I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT WHEN THE "ENGINE HAS OVERHEATED" WARNING CAME ON, AFTER WHICH I MANAGED TO MAKE IT TO A LOCAL ROAD NEAR BEFORE THE CAR STALLED. I HAD IT TOWED TO A HYUNDAI CENTER THE NEXT DAY, WHERE THEY TOLD ME I HAD A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK AND THEY FIXED THE ISSUE. TODA
• ENGINE NOISE BECAME VERY LOUD OVER SEVERAL DAYS; TOOK TO DEALERSHIP WHICH TOLD ME A WELD IN THE EXHAUST PIPING SYSTEM HAD FAILED AND THAT THE EXHAUST PIPE HAD BROKEN OPEN. THEY SAID IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL FOR EXHAUST COMING INTO CABIN, ORDERED THE PART AND GAVE ME A LOANER, ON

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 7 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“CAR HAS INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATION. WILL GO INTO A FAIL SAFE MODE, WONT ACCELERATE PAST 40-60 MPH. I HAVE HAD VERY CLOSE CALL ON MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE FACT I AM UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. MY CAR LOST POWER AND COULD NOT PICK UP SPEED AT ALL. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND THE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

53 complaints

13%

• THESE NEW CARS DO NOT HAVE A MANUAL RELEASE FOR THE TRUNK ANYMORE - MAKING THEM EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN THE TRUNK IS BY RELEASING THE LEVEL ON THE VERY FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OR YOU MUST HAVE THE KEYS IN YOUR HAND. SO THE CAR IS PARKED AND MY SON GOES OUT WITH A FRIEND TO GET A POSTE
• I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MARCH 27 2018 THE CAR WON'T NEVER CHARGE UP MY PHONE. WHEN I USE MY CHARGER TO CHARGE MY PHONE. MY DAUGHTER HAS A GENESIS AND IT DOES THE SAME THING AND HER CHARGE IN CAR BLEW OUT MY PHONE I'M SCARE THIS ELANTRA GOING TO DO THE SAME IT WILL NOT CHARGE UNLESS THE PHONE IS
• THE AIRCONDITION INTERNAL CIRCULATION IS AUTOMATICALLY TURNING OFF AFTER FEW MINUTES

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“THESE NEW CARS DO NOT HAVE A MANUAL RELEASE FOR THE TRUNK ANYMORE - MAKING THEM EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN THE TRUNK IS BY RELEASING THE LEVEL ON THE VERY FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OR YOU MUST HAVE THE KEYS IN YOUR HAND. SO THE CAR IS PARKED AND MY SON GOES OUT WITH A FRIEND TO GET A POSTE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

42 complaints

11%

• I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MARCH 27 2018 THE CAR WON'T NEVER CHARGE UP MY PHONE. WHEN I USE MY CHARGER TO CHARGE MY PHONE. MY DAUGHTER HAS A GENESIS AND IT DOES THE SAME THING AND HER CHARGE IN CAR BLEW OUT MY PHONE I'M SCARE THIS ELANTRA GOING TO DO THE SAME IT WILL NOT CHARGE UNLESS THE PHONE IS
• CAR HAS INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATION. WILL GO INTO A FAIL SAFE MODE, WONT ACCELERATE PAST 40-60 MPH. I HAVE HAD VERY CLOSE CALL ON MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE FACT I AM UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. MY CAR LOST POWER AND COULD NOT PICK UP SPEED AT ALL. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND THE
• THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND MY TIRE PRESSURE WAS DISPLAYED AS 14 PSI ON MY BACK LEFT TIRE. I PULLED OVER AND LOOKED AT THE TIRE AND IT DIDN'T SEEM LOW. I PLUGGED MY PORTABLE TIRE AIR PUMP IN AND ATTACHED IT TO THE TIRE, AND THE GAUGE ON THE PUMP

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MARCH 27 2018 THE CAR WON'T NEVER CHARGE UP MY PHONE. WHEN I USE MY CHARGER TO CHARGE MY PHONE. MY DAUGHTER HAS A GENESIS AND IT DOES THE SAME THING AND HER CHARGE IN CAR BLEW OUT MY PHONE I'M SCARE THIS ELANTRA GOING TO DO THE SAME IT WILL NOT CHARGE UNLESS THE PHONE IS ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

24 complaints

• THE AIRCONDITION INTERNAL CIRCULATION IS AUTOMATICALLY TURNING OFF AFTER FEW MINUTES
• I BOUGHT THE CAR ABOUT A MONTH AGO. AND TODAY I EXPERIENCED THE CAR WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH WHEN I WENT TO ACCELERATE TO GO THE SPEED LIMIT OF 65 ON THE MAJOR HIGHWAY GOING INTO SALISBURY, MD THAT THE CAR WOULDNT SPEED UP. AND ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO HAVE DOWN SHIFTED A COU
• I HAVE A 2018 HYUNDAI ELANTRA HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY TRANSMISSION. WHEN IN TRAFFIC OR TAKING OFF FROM A STOP THE CAR SHUDDERS LIKE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAR WHEN YOU DON'T GIVE IT ENOUGH GAS. ALSO THE CAR DOES NOT WANT TO MOVE SOMETIMES WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL FOLLOWED BY SUDDEN ACCELERATION

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

“THE AIRCONDITION INTERNAL CIRCULATION IS AUTOMATICALLY TURNING OFF AFTER FEW MINUTES”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

23 complaints

• WHEN REFUELING THE VEHICLE, AND PLACING THE NOZZLE INTO THE GAS REFILL PORT, THE GAS WILL CUT OFF AS IF THE TANK IS FULL. ONLY WHEN THE GAS NOZZLE IS INSERTED 3/4 OF THE WAY INTO THE GAS REFILL PORT WILL THE GAS FLOW UNINTERRUPTED.
• AFTER A FULL STOP AND YOU PRESS ON THE GAS TO MOVE, AT TIMES THERE IS A PAUSE OF PERHAPS 5 SECONDS BEFORE YOU CAN START TO MOVE INTO TRAFFIC.
• PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG INDICATOR FLASHES AND WARNING SOUND INDICATES SEAT BELT IS NOT BUCKLED WHEN NOBODY IS IN THE SEAT. WHEN ACCELERATING, THERE ARE MULTIPLE HESITATIONS WHERE THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS IN PARK OR NEUTRAL. AFTER ABOUT 15-30 SECONDS, THE CAR STARTS ACCELERATING NORMALLY

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“WHEN REFUELING THE VEHICLE, AND PLACING THE NOZZLE INTO THE GAS REFILL PORT, THE GAS WILL CUT OFF AS IF THE TANK IS FULL. ONLY WHEN THE GAS NOZZLE IS INSERTED 3/4 OF THE WAY INTO THE GAS REFILL PORT WILL THE GAS FLOW UNINTERRUPTED.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 396 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: CAR HAS INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATION. WILL GO INTO A FAIL SAFE MODE, WONT ACCELERATE PAST 40-60 MPH. I HAVE HAD VERY CLOSE CALL ON MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE FACT I AM UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. MY CAR LOST POWER AND COULD NOT PICK UP SPEED AT ALL. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: THESE NEW CARS DO NOT HAVE A MANUAL RELEASE FOR THE TRUNK ANYMORE - MAKING THEM EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN THE TRUNK IS BY RELEASING THE LEVEL ON THE VERY FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OR YOU MUST HAVE THE KEYS IN YOUR HAND. SO THE CAR IS PARKED AND MY SON GOES OUT WITH A FRIEND TO GET A POSTE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MARCH 27 2018 THE CAR WON'T NEVER CHARGE UP MY PHONE. WHEN I USE MY CHARGER TO CHARGE MY PHONE. MY DAUGHTER HAS A GENESIS AND IT DOES THE SAME THING AND HER CHARGE IN CAR BLEW OUT MY PHONE I'M SCARE THIS ELANTRA GOING TO DO THE SAME IT WILL NOT CHARGE UNLESS THE PHONE IS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: THE AIRCONDITION INTERNAL CIRCULATION IS AUTOMATICALLY TURNING OFF AFTER FEW MINUTES
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)