2018 Hyundai Elantra Complaint Log

Engine internal parts failure causing the car the to become a danger to the occupants of the vehicle and to others on the road the 1.6 litter gdi Engine is known for having Engine problems but little is said about the 2018 tgdi 1.6 litter in the hyundai elantra sport having the same issues. I thought I was getting a safe car for my wife and my children I guess I was wrong. We are second owners of the car we bought it from carmax and we got the max care extended warranty they knew hyundai had engine problems sold us the car without revealing any information about the problems and the when the engine problems accrued they along with another actual hyundai dealer have done everything in their power not to help so I'm stuck paying $16,000 for a car that does not run. I am extremely disappointed in their willingness to accept any responsibility for the faulty engine they $3,600 out of my pocket just for them to check out the engine to see if the would replace it which would not be reimbursed. That is a lot of money just to throw in and hope they'll fix it if not a new motor is $10,000. We don't have $13,600 just laying around. This engine issue has to be addressed I'm sure there are other people having this issue. Thank you for your time

I purchased this car as a used car at CarMax in July 2022 and it drove fine for about 10,000 miles, but starting in February 2023, my engine started to misfire. The first misfire happened when I started my car. I was told by my local mechanic that I needed a new engine after a compression test was run. My engine misfired a 2nd time while I was merging on the highway and a third time while I was starting my car. I only have 68,975 original miles on my car. The first 2 misfires illuminated the check engine light and the third misfire illuminated the check engine light, the battery light and oil pressure light, however my mechanic didn't find any codes with my third misfire. My car regularly rough idles and has a delay when I accelerate as well.

I fill up my oil at regular service intervals. When i drive my car after 3500 miles if i turn the engine stalls. This is dangerous due to loss of power. This has happened multiple times.

Engine is defective and using excessive amounts of oil and will eventually fail or seize resulting in catastrophic failure or leaving customer with a lemon that they still own on. Hyundai hasn't issued a recall for this make and model but should have. As a result, been forced to constantly check the oil levels, and oil must be added to the engine more frequently than even the owner’s manuals recommend. MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (ENGINE LIGHT) suddenly came on at 123K miles. When engine light appeared, customer checked oil level which revealed low/no oil. Engine oil pressure warning light fails to come on dashboard display. Oil change had been scheduled months in advance but not due until about another 770 miles. Customers must suffer through extremely long wait times often 3-4 months later for service appointment at dealership even just for an oil change. The customer also expected to leave vehicle for up to a week or longer just for a diagnosis meanwhile footing the cost to rent a vehicle. Customer having to service vehicle elsewhere for diagnostic only for code to clear temporarily before reappearing. Major issues cannot be addressed timely dealerships, leaving customer with one of two options: drive the car until it fails or foot the bill for a $10,000 engine replacement outside of any Hyundai dealership. Engine should be recalled & replaced under warranty.

ENGINE COMPLETLY STALLED WHILE DRIVING, WAS PARKING IN A PARKING GARAGE, AND WAS DRIVING UP ON AN INCLINE TO PARK AND MY CAR JUST STALLED AND ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE PRESENT PRIOR TO, AND ALL POWER WAS STILL ON. I WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LANE, BLOCKING CARS IN. I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT AND IT STARTED UP WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS AND AS IF NOTHING JUST HAPPENED. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR AND WILL BE HAVING IT INSPECTED IMMEDIATELY

Passenger seatbelt alarm will sound randomly even when nobody is in the passenger seat.

Without any warning, the vehicle suddenly shut off while driving in a very busy intersection. It was able to be started two times as we tried to get out of the way of other moving vehicles but it eventually had to be towed. There were no warning lights that appeared on the vehicle to give us any indication something was wrong. It was towed to the dealership and we were told that there was engine damage, the engine needed to be replace and that it would not be covered.

My car was stolen because of how easy it is to start it without a key.

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, smoke and an oil leak coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 93,000.

My daughter is in college in Tallahassee. About 4 months ago, she told me that when she presses the accelerator, the car doesn’t go as fast as it should. In July 2022, the car was serviced in Tallahassee at the dealership; however, none of this is reflected on the receipt. In November she came home to Palm Beach County, on her way back, she told me that she was having the same issue when she pressed the accelerator. She made it to Tallahassee and I had her take it to the dealership. The Service Manager called me and said she had gone over the recommended miles for an oil change and this may have caused damage to the engine; however, he decided to change her oil and spark plug which coated about $318. She drove the car for a few days and noticed a loud tapping noise; also, the car rolls in all gears, and the same issue with when pressing the accelerator. Upon taking it back to the dealer, they told me that the engine would have to be replaced at a cost of $9500. The car had sat at the dealer since November 14, 2022 because no one would call back; provide updates after I started questioning the issues with other vehicles like this one based on my research. In addition, I was told the manufacturers warranty did not apply to my daughter’s car because she was the 2nd owner. I had the car towed today, November 30, 2022 to AAMCO. It is available if needed. This issue has put my daughter at risk because Tallahassee is very hilly. The vehicle not getting enough speed to drive up a hill, pass vehicles or possibly be hit from behind puts my daughter and others at risk. The dealership has indicated there is a problem with the engine that will require it to be replaced. The vehicle was inspected by Werner Hyundai in Tallahassee who said there was an issue with the engine. It is now at AAMCO. Outside of my daughter indicating the problem, I am not aware of any other warnings.

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the contact crashed into a deer causing severe damage to the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. No injuries were sustained. No medical attention was required. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 163,000.

My headlights on left side (low beam)and right side (high beam) have each burned out three times. My high mounted brake light has been replaced at least five times as well as my left and right brake lights. Now both of my tag lights went out and a right tail light. Also brakes keep grinding even after I replaced pads and rotors and NTB National Tire is telling me it’s in electrical braking system or calipers. My car had 94,000 miles on it and I’ve never had any car have caliper problems with low mileage.

Financed last year (2021) at 38,000 miles, financing a vehicle i wish I knew to do research before hestitly excepting my first offer, first waring was on the test drive. The car had to be towed back to dealership because the battery was dead. In the sub-zero cold, the battery with read low and this causes electrical issues, from remote start not working to unable to open the doors. The more common and reaccuring issue that is getting worst is the lack of excellaration when taking off. Realizing this drastic difference recently, I know there is some thing happening, but I have not had much good customer service when I have brought issues to dealership and services center. Also issues with harness for the back left lights. The harness that holds the bulb keeps burning out. Dealer has never fixed when I immediately experience this issue and they just replaced the bulb twice until they realized the real problem and told me it would cost me $160

The car has a security vulnerability where the car is able to start without the key being present. Also, the engine will shutter randomly (car will shake) when in idle. This happens especially the first few minutes from a cold start.

While driving lost acceleration, car stalled multiple times. No dash light on at all when this happens. Having to add oil to my engine between oil changes.

Paint is peeling off the hood in 2 very large, growing spots. Nothing has struck the hood, the paint is lifting and flaking off all on its own. The color is Pearl White.

There is no immolizer the car can stolen with usb cord

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a loud sound coming from underneath the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, there was smoke coming from the front end of the vehicle. Another driver alerted her son that there was a flash of flame coming from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer informed her that the vehicle was out of warranty and offered to cover 60% of the repair cost. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Car paint delamination (roof), Pearl White color. Car is 4 years old, 51,000 miles, garage kept. Paint peeling off of roof down to car metal. This delamination should not be occuring at all with a 4 year old car. Have contacted Hyundai Corporate with pictures. Claim number issued. Contacted local dealership where I purchased car new in April 2018. They have taken pictures, sent information , pictures to Hyundai Corporation. Waiting to hear what action Hyundai Corporation will take to correct issue

My Elantra was taken by theft. Rear driver side door broken. Ignition harness torn apart and the car was driven away from my senior living home parking lot on July 23rd at 3 P.M. Police were called but car was taken off the lot before they arrived. I received call from police on July 27th that the car was in an impound lot in St. Paul. Drivers side front tire blown out, wheel severly damaged. Some body scratched in left rear. Front passenger seat badly stained. Other damage unknown. Vehicle been at Walser Hyundai since about August 1st. Shop waiting for parts for repairs.

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that after refueling, the fuel gauge indicated that the fuel economy was 20 miles/gal. The contact stated that the fuel economy should have been 28 miles/gal. The contact stated that the fuel gauge was proving an incorrect reading. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.

I noticed around 97k miles that car just died as I turned left out of a parking lot at low speed. Thought nothing of it at first maybe I hit the keys with my knee. Then it happened again at 101k and recurred consistantly always within 1000 miles of an oil change at the scheduled interval in the manual. Then at 117k it did it again but when I started the car it developed a loud knock. I got the car home and took it to my mechanic and they said that the engine would need replaced. This is incredibly dangerous as it happens while traveling at speed and you lose control of power steering and acceleration.

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed; however, the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 106,000.

While driving, the acceleration stopped working and loud clanging noises were heard in the engine. There were no warning lights, nothing. I was driving on a busy road and the lack of acceleration created a major safety hazard for me and the vehicles around me. I eventually pulled over and restarted the car. It happened three more times on the way home. I got the car to my local mechanic and he said that it was the engine and it needed to be replaced. He saw this many times before on this model and told me to bring it to the dealer. I had the car towed to the Hyundai dealer/service center in Milford, Connecticut. I am waiting for them to look at it. I know that this has happened to many others with a 2018 Elantra and I am very upset that the car failed.

UNKNOWN - for the past several months, since my car hit the 70,000 mileage mark, my check engine light has come on while experiencing hard idling, delayed acceleration/power while driving - particularly on gradual inclines and hilly roads. I would suspect it has something to do with the power or fuel system. I have changed oil twice and had a diagnostic test done and mechanic is unable to pinpoint issue since it is not consistent.

My husband was driving the car when all of a sudden it stalled during morning rush hour traffic. As traffic zipped by us he quickly put the car in neutral and started the car. When it turned back on the car made a loud knocking noise. He proceeded to drive back home where it stalled one more time. When he was getting close to the house the knocking noise got louder. He then called our local Hyundai dealership and they stated that they would not inspect the car for well over a week. We then had a mechanic come over the house to take a look at it. The mechanic stated that we didn’t have any oil left in the engine. Even though we had an oil change three months, the engine had burned through all of the oil. We bought oil to fill the engine but chose not to drive the car anymore out of fear for our safety and of messing up the engine any further. The car has not been inspected yet by the manufacturer, but we are speaking to Hyundai Consumer Affairs about it. Also, before the incident and at the time of, there was no lights or warnings for the engine or that it was missing oil.

The engine suddenly started stalling at stop sign or red lights at random times and the engine immobilizer light came on along with check engine and oil light. This was dangerous when turning left at an intersection. Car would be fine after restarting the car. Other times the ESC malfunction light would show while driving and the engine would not accelerate properly on the highway and the engine would also start jerking at times. Dealer said they could not fix it as this was an intermittent issues and they could not reproduce the issue when given for repair. Dealer and company did not agree to do a complete check and replace sensors, etc.

Starting summer 2021, we began having an issue with the parking lights randomly coming on and off when the car is parked (engine off and car locked). The dealer could not duplicate the issue and therefore did not repair anything. The car went to college with our daughter and mostly sat parked and was rarely checked on. Now that she is home for the summer, we are again aware of the problem. The safety issue began on Saturday June 18, 2022 when the headlights spontaneously turned off while driving at night on a dark road. TWICE! I am trying to work through the local dealer to remedy the issue; however, they say there is no known issue. In the meantime, I am reporting it here. My daughter was able to get the headlights to turn back on by turning the control knob until they came on. Other details: The headlight control is always in the Auto position. The steering column has had two prior warranty repairs. The first time it was completely replaced. The second, they did some other repair that I am unsure of the details. Given the wiring goes through the steering column I can't help but wonder if it is somehow related. The dealer of course says it is not.

I just purchased this car on may 10 2022 after only having it a week engine light came on.startes to loose power and shake really bad. Took to shop replaced spark plugs and some other .think that was just a week ago .now while driving to day car just cuts of now don't wants to start.no waring lights just died .wondering do I have a lemon.

My brake lights kept burning out. I replaced them and they burned out the same day. It seems that the wire harness is corroded. I believe this is a manufacturer issue.

Steering wheel of my 2018 value edition elantra periodically locks up and won't turn left or right.. and car has to be taken to a stop and turned on and off to reset it. The star bushing located in the bottom of the steering column has a known issue among many elantra owners of being defective in elantras.

Multiple events of engine shutoff while driving. This results in loss of power braking, power steering and any acceleration. This occurs both at highway and non-highway speeds. This is obviously a safety concern, as, until the engine is restarted, there is difficulty in safely manuevering the vehicle. The engine may or may not be immediately able to restart. This occurs with the vehicle in gear during normal driving conditions (IE, driving at a steady speed on flat road) This is accompanied by multiple CEL faults relating to CCV timing, engine misfire, etc. This was a known issue in prior engine revision (Theta 2.0L), and appears to be subject to a recall of the same engine (Nu 2.0L) in other models. This vehicle was taken to the local dealer and confirmed to need an engine replacement with a similar failure mechanism as the Theta 2.0L (failed lubrication of pistons resulting in premature wear leading to early failure resulting in misfire/"piston slap")

At slow speeds car just shuts off engine. Starts back up but does it constantly. Also the engine lifters are starting to make noises like a clacking someone said it was a defective motor.

I have been having issues with my car since November 2021. My car would not go over 35 miles per hour, if I let my car sit for a couple of days I would have to jump my car. My check engine light came on and then 10 minutes later went off. So I finally got it in to the Hyundai dealership after months of them not having enough mechanics. So they did a multipoint inspection and came back saying the catalytic converter needed to be replaced even though no codes in the system. So I was coming back from Florida when my car stopped accelerating on the highway and my check engine light. So I had to take the long way home which means no highways and anytime I stopped I had to throw my hazards on until it would pick up any speed. I took it to Jiffy Lube in SC and that's when my car was reading 8 different misfire codes so I did my tune up with them and that is when I was told that my engine valve was cracked and dumping oil on my spark plugs and coil pack. Yesterday my engine valve replaced and another set of spark plugs in 2 weeks and it is still reading misfire codes and still no change in acceleration. I have only had my car 4 years and my catalytic converter should not be gone. I have not really moved my car in 10 months because my husband passed and I had 2 surgeries. My family can't take another loss if something happens to me because of this car.

Engine stalls while driving. No warning, intermitted full shut down of the engine. Can happen multiple times in a row, only making it a few hundred feet before stalling again. The only remedy is to put the car in park and start the engine again, however, that is not always easy to do when on the road, and the car can only drift and brake. It is not safe when the car stalls, especially in traffic -- can be dangerous to myself and others on the road if I am unable to pull the car over or get it to start up again on the interstate. I have been to a mechanic, and 2 dealerships who claim they cannot replicate the problem, and even when it stalled in the parking lot when I was leaving, there were no error codes on the computer. This being said, without a code or a proper diagnosis, I am at a standstill because "nothing can be done or authorized' by Hyundai without a code. I have been suggested by both dealerships to try and run it and 'kill the engine' because it is still under warranty for another 15,000 miles--but this puts myself and other drivers at risk because the car is unsafe to drive. There is a code from July 16, 2020, a little less than 2 months before I purchased the car about an engine light, this has yet to be addressed. This problem appeared out of nowhere one day while driving on the interstate and has been an issue ever since.

The car is very easy to steal. Company I work for had to hire security to stand at the gates because of so many thefts. They call themselves "The Kia Boys". The cars are so easy to steal that kids 13 and younger are stealing them. There is even a tik tok video that went viral showing how steal them quickly. Hyundai refuses to issue recall saying only that the newer models won't have same problem, but that doesn't help people who are losing their vehicles that are still paying on them. These teenagers are wrecking the cars and getting killed. And some have also been killed by the people they're stealing from. https://www.google.com/amp/s/abc6onyourside.com/amp/news/local/columbus-police-homicide-of-teen-is-linked-to-operation-game-over-car-theft-ring https://www.google.com/amp/s/jalopnik.com/two-thirds-of-milwaukee-s-stolen-cars-are-made-by-kia-o-1848174995/amp

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the dealer replaced several unknown sensors; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced due to oil clogging the valves. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 64,644.

The air bag warning light randomly comes on disabling the air bags. It seems to turn on when the passenger seat gets moved forward or backward fast. In looking into this, it would appear Hyundais over the years have had this issue. It turns off sometimes when some one sits in the seat.

I've had several issues over the years with this vehicle but nothing too major but more so a nuisance. Such as the car hesitating when accelerating, light bulbs constantly burning out on the vehicle within less than a year of being replaced by myself , etc. It is now April 2022 and vehicle problems begin arising, I heard a weird noise coming from the engine (after much personal research learned this is a knocking sound). Which also happens to be the same issue from the prior year models. One day while out running errands the car just completely dies and goes into limp mode while I was turning onto a busy street (very dangerous). I drove it a very short distance back & forth to work a couple of times because thats as far as I felt going safety wise. The engine jerked forward one day but still continued to run. Then one day on my way home from work when I began slowing down to turn into a driveway. The car completely died again. It went into limp mode enough for me to creep and barely park it where I ended up having to get out & push the vehicle. It doesn't turn over or start at all now. The car gave absolutely no warnings no codes for me to turn to regarding what was going on etc. Hyundai says in order for it to be covered under the warranty that I have to provide them with information. Which I have no problem doing. However based on the research that I've done from other Hyundai Elantra owners others have had similar issues. My Car is barely 4 years old & only has about 65,000 miles on it. I went with Hyundai's because I wanted something that would be safe and reliable especially because I had a child coming into the world at any moment. I ended up going with this vehicle which isn't even 5 years old & it has already become a lemon. Hyundai currently has the vehicle as I try to figure out what to do with it. Since I no longer feel safe driving it. There are no warning lamps etc that came on.

I'm really disappointed when I notice last Saturday that my car was stolen (Elentra SEL 2018). When I met the police officer he told me this is normal with Hyundai vehicles!! NORMAL!! Fortunately, the car has been recovered but it's undrivable. When I was with the truck driver who towed my car to my home, he told me "do you believe that I towed 7 cars from Hyundai/Kia in the last 24 hours!!!". Also, another truck driver, who towed my car from my home to the repairing shop, told me he towed 5 stolen cars (Hyundai/Kia) on the day I met him. I search on the internet and I found this is really a big issue, and people and tv news said that how it is easy for kids to steal a Hyundai car in a couple of minutes! I feel that I own a toy for kids or a piece of jerk NOT a VEHICLE!!! And of course, there is no recall from Hyundai to fix this problem.

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH and attempting to down due to traffic, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle skidded and the brake pedal became firm. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed with front and rear brake failure. The contact was informed that the rotors needed to be resurfaced and the brake fluid flushed and replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 93,148.

The contact owns 2018 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, she heard the seat belt warning alarm sound. The contact re-buckled her seat belt however, the seat belt chime was still audible. Additionally, the contact stated that the driver’s side door opened independently and later the trunk also opened independently. The contact also stated the battery had to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle had to be towed to the dealer due to a battery failure. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

While driving at night the headlights turn off. The headlights are set to auto at all times. The headlights will come back on when the switch is moved to the on position. This occurs almost nightly.

The paint is chipping and cracking and just falling off. It started on the hood now it’s going to around the windows seals and part of the roof.

Vehicle was locked with the keys removed from the vehicle. A back window was smashed and the vehicle was stolen. They were able to start the vehicle without keys. The vehicle was recovered and deemed to be a total loss by the insurance adjuster.

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the vehicle began to shake and vibrate and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that two cylinders were misfiring. No further information was available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 55,000.

In regards to my 2018 Hyundai Elantra Limited currently with 47000 miles, driving and noticed the a/c temp display which also controls fan speed stopped working, display was blank. Checked all other electrical equipment inside car with no problem except that the heated seat function didn't work also.while doing an exterior inspection noticed that all lights except the headlights worked.After the interior and exterior inspection and no error codes or indicators on the dash, I had the alternator, battery and starter checked along with probe testing every fuse in the car and under the hood checked and everything was fine. The Car has been perfect up to this point which is alarming because if the headlights go out while driving at night or in the rain this is a safety problem and driving citation. My only indication of when this happens is if the a/c control display goes out. The problem is intermittent and Hopefully it won't happen again and I couldn't find any other similar things like this happening to others.

Whenever I come to a complete stop engine dies. At traffic light's, stop sign's, when I'm in reverse and stop to put it in drive, and when I park the car. This happened with a 2015 Sonata I had last year and it ended up being the motor had metal shavings from manufacturing. I thought Hyundai resolved this problem year's ago but, I have a 2018 doing the same thing the 2015 did.

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed however, the vehicle did not drive smoothly. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of oil and fuel. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

My car will shut off as I’m driving it. I was going thru a busy intersection and my car turned off, I was in my car with my 3 babies traffic backed up and almost got slammed into. I had to get out and push my car to the side of the road. The check engine light started flashing then the whole dashboard started flicking