2018 Hyundai SONATA
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2018 Hyundai SONATA has 540 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 6.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (40% of all complaints), specifically: purchased new 2018 sonata sel model in california. while driving, the transmission starts to hard downshift when the brake is applied. i found out that this hard downshifting and jolting/thumping of engine and transmission only occurs when coming to a stop at speeds between 10 to 15mph. it can be . ⚠️ 18 fire reports filed.
540
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
6.8x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
ENGINE
218 complaints- • PURCHASED NEW 2018 SONATA SEL MODEL IN CALIFORNIA. WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION STARTS TO HARD DOWNSHIFT WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS HARD DOWNSHIFTING AND JOLTING/THUMPING OF ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ONLY OCCURS WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 10 TO 15MPH. IT CAN BE
- • DEALER INSTALLED DOWNLOAD #953 PURSUANT TO A HYUNDAI RECALL. AFTERWARDS THE CAR WENT INTO "LIMP" MODE AS IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM, AND CANNOT BE DRIVEN. DEALER DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX THIS, AND IS HOLDING MY CAR AND WAITING FOR HYUNDAI IN CALIFORNIA TO COME UP WITH ONE. MINE WAS SECOND CAR THAT MORNI
- • I HAD AN OIL CHANGE ON FRIDAY 1/18/2019 THE NEXT DAY I'M DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE USING CRUISE CONTROL AND MY CAR CUT MY CRUISE CONTROL OFF AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND MY CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER 20MPH EVEN WITH THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. THE SCREEN IN MY CAR POPPED U
“PURCHASED NEW 2018 SONATA SEL MODEL IN CALIFORNIA. WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION STARTS TO HARD DOWNSHIFT WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS HARD DOWNSHIFTING AND JOLTING/THUMPING OF ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ONLY OCCURS WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 10 TO 15MPH. IT CAN BE ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRICAL
60 complaints- • 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
- • 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
- • 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 ANOTHE
“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”
— NHTSA complaint filing
OTHER
59 complaints- • I BOUGHT MY 2018 SONATA IN JANUARY 2018. I HAVE NOTICED THAT IT TENDS TO HESITATE WHEN MAKING TURNS ESPECIALLY RIGHT TURNS. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS RANDOMLY WHEN ACCELERATING FROM STOP OR SLOW MOTION. LAST WEEK, I SLOWED DOWN TO TAKE A NEAR 90 DEGREE LEFT TURN. THE SPEED LIMIT IS 25 MPH ON THIS ROAD. TH
- • 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
- • THE LANE DEPARTURE WARNING SOUND DOES NOT HAVE ADEQUATE VOLUME AND THERE IS NO OPTION OR SOFTWARE ADJUSTMENT TO INCREASE THIS VOLUME ACCORDING TO HYUNDAI CORPORATE OR MY LOCAL DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. WITH INCREASED AGE OUR HEARING ABILITY MAY BE LESS THAN WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER, MIXED IN WITH FLUC
“I BOUGHT MY 2018 SONATA IN JANUARY 2018. I HAVE NOTICED THAT IT TENDS TO HESITATE WHEN MAKING TURNS ESPECIALLY RIGHT TURNS. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS RANDOMLY WHEN ACCELERATING FROM STOP OR SLOW MOTION. LAST WEEK, I SLOWED DOWN TO TAKE A NEAR 90 DEGREE LEFT TURN. THE SPEED LIMIT IS 25 MPH ON THIS ROAD. TH”
— NHTSA complaint filing
TRANSMISSION
39 complaints- • THROTTLE RESPONSE: FEELS LIKE THE OLD VEHICLES WITH A FLAT SPOT IN THE CARBURETOR ACCELERATOR PUMP. THE "THREE SECOND' RULE APPLIES WHEN THE THROTTLE PETAL IS PUSHED. THERE IS A SERIOUS HESITATION AS THE ENGINE TENDS TO FALL FLAT BEFORE ACCELERATING. HAS TO DUE WITH THE SIX SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMIS
- • PURCHASED NEW 2018 SONATA SEL MODEL IN CALIFORNIA. WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION STARTS TO HARD DOWNSHIFT WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS HARD DOWNSHIFTING AND JOLTING/THUMPING OF ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ONLY OCCURS WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 10 TO 15MPH. IT CAN BE
- • I HAD A RECALL PERFORMED ON MY CAR. 'HYUNDAI CAMPAIGN 953 PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT '. 10 MILES AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED MY CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE AND IS BARELY DRIVEABLE. THE RECALL IS SUPPOSED TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN LIMP MODE DUE TO ROD BEARING WEAR. MY CAR HAS 5,560MILES ON IT AND THE ENGINE IS
“THROTTLE RESPONSE: FEELS LIKE THE OLD VEHICLES WITH A FLAT SPOT IN THE CARBURETOR ACCELERATOR PUMP. THE "THREE SECOND' RULE APPLIES WHEN THE THROTTLE PETAL IS PUSHED. THERE IS A SERIOUS HESITATION AS THE ENGINE TENDS TO FALL FLAT BEFORE ACCELERATING. HAS TO DUE WITH THE SIX SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMIS”
— NHTSA complaint filing
FUEL SYSTEM
30 complaints- • THROTTLE RESPONSE: FEELS LIKE THE OLD VEHICLES WITH A FLAT SPOT IN THE CARBURETOR ACCELERATOR PUMP. THE "THREE SECOND' RULE APPLIES WHEN THE THROTTLE PETAL IS PUSHED. THERE IS A SERIOUS HESITATION AS THE ENGINE TENDS TO FALL FLAT BEFORE ACCELERATING. HAS TO DUE WITH THE SIX SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMIS
- • MY 2018 SONATA WILL NOT START WHEN TEMP DROPS BELOW 20 DEG F. IT HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES THIS WINTER AND WHEN IT WARMS BACK UP TO 40 TO 50 DEGREE IT WILL START. WHEN I TURN THE KEY ON ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH LIGHT UP LIKE NORMAL. I CAN MOVE HEAR SELECTOR AND TURN WHEEL. BUT THE STARTER WILL NOT ENG
- • IN FEB 2020 MY SONATA WENT INTO SAFE MODE AFTER EXITING HIGHWAY AND DEALER ENDED UP REPLACING "KNOCK SENSOR". IN DECEMBER 2020 MY ENGINE "STUTTERED" THROWING ME FORWARD AS IF I HAD HIT BRAKES HARD. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR MESSAGES OCCURRED AND AFTER A FEW SECONDS CAR ACTED NORMALLY MOSTLY. A FEW DAY
“THROTTLE RESPONSE: FEELS LIKE THE OLD VEHICLES WITH A FLAT SPOT IN THE CARBURETOR ACCELERATOR PUMP. THE "THREE SECOND' RULE APPLIES WHEN THE THROTTLE PETAL IS PUSHED. THERE IS A SERIOUS HESITATION AS THE ENGINE TENDS TO FALL FLAT BEFORE ACCELERATING. HAS TO DUE WITH THE SIX SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMIS”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 540 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ENGINE: PURCHASED NEW 2018 SONATA SEL MODEL IN CALIFORNIA. WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION STARTS TO HARD DOWNSHIFT WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS HARD DOWNSHIFTING AND JOLTING/THUMPING OF ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ONLY OCCURS WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 10 TO 15MPH. IT CAN BE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: 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
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐OTHER: I BOUGHT MY 2018 SONATA IN JANUARY 2018. I HAVE NOTICED THAT IT TENDS TO HESITATE WHEN MAKING TURNS ESPECIALLY RIGHT TURNS. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS RANDOMLY WHEN ACCELERATING FROM STOP OR SLOW MOTION. LAST WEEK, I SLOWED DOWN TO TAKE A NEAR 90 DEGREE LEFT TURN. THE SPEED LIMIT IS 25 MPH ON THIS ROAD. TH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐TRANSMISSION: THROTTLE RESPONSE: FEELS LIKE THE OLD VEHICLES WITH A FLAT SPOT IN THE CARBURETOR ACCELERATOR PUMP. THE "THREE SECOND' RULE APPLIES WHEN THE THROTTLE PETAL IS PUSHED. THERE IS A SERIOUS HESITATION AS THE ENGINE TENDS TO FALL FLAT BEFORE ACCELERATING. HAS TO DUE WITH THE SIX SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMIS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Hyundai SONATA — Year Comparison
How does 2018 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 540
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 18
- Crash reports
- 21
- Injury reports
- 25
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
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