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KLUNK
KLUNK

2018 Hyundai Elantra

The Verdict

46 Proceed with Caution

The 2018 Hyundai Elantra has 274 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are engine (154 complaints) and body (72 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 46/100, it earns a "Proceed with Caution" rating. If you're shopping for a Hyundai Elantra, consider the 2025 model year which has 92% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2025 has 92% fewer complaints

View the 2025 Hyundai Elantra dashboard →

46

Klunk Score: Proceed with Caution

About average for complaint volume. Research the specific issues before buying.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
2000626615519
2001122251283517
200216233934316
20031072555389
2004308118197
2005311079116
200626318287
20071363070228
200810246618224
20091662463188
201025742922831
20111924210110517
20122147419215230
201350721826125834
201481584417411
2015764327989
2016102104111715
2017315398929323
2018729301549
2019325731284
20205294110631
202168830164
202254617105
202337623204
20242421781
2025141230

By Category

Engine
154
Body
72
Electrical
30
Brakes
9
Transmission
9

By Severity

1
131
2
123
3
1
4
18
5
1

Worst Problems

Compare Against

See how the 2018 Hyundai Elantra stacks up against rivals.

Complaints

Engine 1

The engine in my 2018 Hyundai Elantra suffered a sudden internal failure at 118,444 miles. The vehicle began knocking, losing power, and running roughly. A dealership inspection confirmed heavy scoring on cylinders 1, 3, and 4, oil intrusion into the cylinders, and piston top slapping. The engine is not repairable and requires full replacement. This failure matches the known defect pattern of Hyundai’s Nu 2.0L MPI engine, which has widespread issues with piston ring wear, oil consumption, cylinder scoring, and internal mechanical failure. The failure occurred without warning/messages and created a safety hazard due to loss of power while driving. My VIN is not included in any recall, but the defect is identical to other Hyundai engine failures that have resulted in recalls and investigations. I am reporting this because the engine failure appears to be part of a larger safety‑related defect affecting this engine family.

25d ago
Engine 4

My daughter was in a parking lot and put her car in park, removed her keys and exited the vehicle. She walked around the vehicle and was removing her school bag and the car came out of park and rolled into another vehicle.

1mo ago
Electrical 2

Alarming rate of oil consumption causes sudden loss of power / acceleration which definitely increases probably of causing an accident. Local repair shop confirmed extremely low oil level with no evidence of where oil went shortly after oil change and annual safety inspection. All the dashboard warning lights came on when it happened but low oil warning light came on prior to event. No warning whatsoever, just sudden loss of power and completely lit up dashboard.

1mo ago
Engine 2

Engine has consumed an alarming rate of oil for years. I brought to a mechanic and they performed a $2,600 repair on engine. It ran fine for while and got much worse with oil consumption to the point that I needing to add oil monthly. It has been difficult to keep up on keeping enough oil in car and engine has now sustained damaged. There is no ticking or noise, but there is a loss of power and sometimes, the engine runs rough. I continue to drive it and add oil. But I have researched this is an apparent problem with the elantra.

1mo ago
Body 2

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact stated that while entering the vehicle, the contact noticed an unusual burned spot on the back rest of the front passenger's seat. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,040.

1mo ago
Body 2

The vehicle is experiencing premature paint failure and delamination on factory-painted body panels with Quartz White Pearl (W8) paint. Paint is peeling, chipping, and separating from the underlying surface without collision damage, abnormal wear, or neglect. The issue appears consistent with widely reported Hyundai white paint adhesion defects affecting similar vehicles and paint codes. The condition developed gradually and continues to spread to additional areas of the vehicle. The affected paint failure exposes underlying surfaces and may reduce long-term corrosion protection of the body panels. No warning lights or messages appeared prior to the issue. The vehicle remains operational, but the paint defect appears to involve loss of adhesion of the factory-applied paint system rather than normal cosmetic wear or isolated rock chips. The issue is available for inspection upon request. The manufacturer has issued warranty extensions and programs related to similar white paint delamination conditions on Hyundai vehicles, but this vehicle was reportedly excluded despite having the affected paint code and similar failure pattern.

2mo ago
Engine 2

unknown Car is knocking and consuming oil quickly. Oil changes done as appropriate. Timing belt/chain changed almost 2 years ago. Garage now says we have an oil consumption issue and need a new engine! We are out of warranty and power train.

2mo ago
Engine 2

I am filing a safety complaint regarding a complete engine failure on my Hyundai vehicle. My vehicle experienced sudden engine failure and is now completely inoperable. There were no prior warning lights that indicated an imminent failure (or: include warning details if you had them). The vehicle shut down and cannot be restarted or driven. There are no open recalls associated with my VIN; however, I am reporting this because the failure appears to be sudden and severe, and I am concerned it may indicate a potential manufacturing defect or broader engine issue. The vehicle is still under financial obligation, and the engine failure has rendered it unusable. I am requesting that this incident be documented for safety tracking and investigation purposes.

2mo ago
Brakes 2

I had my car brakes replaced checked for the past three months it's been making a grinding noise when braking at slow speeds had the car checked 3 different shops, they said rotors and pads are perfectly fine almost new, but the grinding is still there dust shield is not touching pads are new, rotors on specifications normal now i am reading this could be due to abs system the grinding my car is a 2017 bought on 2018 so shows up as 2018 and there are some recalls on the abs for this car please help. I am concerned about that grinding and there isn't anything metal to metal hubs everything is fine, I can only hear when braking at slow speeds and bumper to bumper braking kind of riding the brake to come to stop grinding creaking

2mo ago
Engine 2

We purchased the car 4 or 5 months for my son who works for his God Mom as her assistant at a nonprofit. The car ran great until without no warning lights from instrument panel just left him sit in the middle of a busy road. The mechanic found a camshaft pin stuck in the camshaft & the timing jump 2 teeth. Repairs= Oxygen Sensor, Timing Component & Exhaust Camshaft total $3,557. Some 2018 are being recalled for the same issue but not his VIN.

3mo ago
Engine 2

I am writing to formally report a safety concern regarding my 2018 Hyundai Elantra. The vehicle has experienced a failure of the heater hose/pipe, which appears to be made of plastic and connected to a metal component. This failure has resulted in a coolant leak, creating a serious risk of engine overheating. This issue is not only inconvenient but also dangerous. A sudden loss of coolant while driving can cause the engine to overheat without warning, potentially leading to engine failure, loss of vehicle control, or leaving the driver stranded in unsafe conditions. This is especially concerning while driving on busy roads or highways. Based on my experience and discussions with repair professionals, this appears to be a known issue with this model, as the part is not widely available outside of Hyundai/Kia and may indicate a design flaw. A critical cooling system component should not fail prematurely under normal driving conditions. Given the safety risks associated with this defect, I believe this issue warrants further investigation and consideration for a recall or extended warranty coverage. Consumers should not be responsible for costly repairs caused by a potentially defective design. I respectfully request that Hyundai review this issue and provide assistance with the repair, as well as take appropriate action to ensure the safety and reliability of affected vehicles. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

3mo ago
Body 2

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.

4mo ago
Engine 1

Cars engines stopped for no apparent reason pulled over and it started back up but it stopped two more times within a two block radius both times it restarted the date was2/17 26 on the next day it did the same thing but only once

4mo ago
Engine 1

The oil plug fell out and caused significant damage to the engine where the engine is seized and no longer works. It can be inspected if requested. Check oil light did not turn on. The car wouldn't run and almost got stuck in the middle of the road. The problem is common and recognized by you. No remedy has been made with the manufacturer. Insurance inspected it and told us that it was due to an impact wrench not being used to tighten the oil plug. There were not.

5mo ago
Body 2

The paint, there was a recall in the last but my vehicle isn’t apart of it but I have a silver 2018 Hyundai Elantra and my paint is just peeling like crazy! It’s peeling all of the good the roof and now starting in the back of the trunk where the rear window is located. It is starting to rust on the hood.

6mo ago
Electrical 2

The rare brake light is working fine but the car dashboard computer keeps on saying „Check rare brake light“ intermittently. It either needs a repair (although brake lights are working) or a replacement. Please resolve this issue because other Elantra owner have reported the same.

6mo ago
Engine 1

I have a 2018 Hyundai Elantra with about 155k miles. It has been consuming oil excessively and has developed serious drivability issues. If I try to accelerate even slightly harder than normal—especially above 2,000 RPM—it makes a metallic, chain-type rattling noise, loses power, and produces heavy smoke from the exhaust. The smoke sometimes continues even after shutting the engine off and restarting. Because of this, I’ve been avoiding rapid acceleration and slowly working up to highway speeds. The car also periodically shakes at idle, idles higher than normal at times, and the RPMs will occasionally rise on their own. In the past it has stalled randomly, and sometimes it feels like the transmission is “stuck” and won’t shift properly. Despite all this, there are currently no check-engine codes. This is terrible and clearly there’s been lawsuits and other recalls regarding the same issue and same engine but nothing for mine? I am out of warranty and had no clue the amount of issues the car was going to have until last year and I’m screwed now, insurance doesn’t cover issues with the engine or transmission. Neither will Hyundai?! Last year Hyundai performed a CVVT repair that cost about $6,000, which temporarily improved things, but the symptoms returned shortly afterward. When I brought it back, they said they couldn’t recreate the issue. The car is now out of warranty. Separately, the car was stolen two months ago due to the immobilization fault and TIk TOKs videos and the police said it has been hundreds of these Elantras stolen and destroyd and the ignition and wiper control switch/harness were damaged, which still hasn’t been repaired.

6mo ago
Engine 1

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The car began stalling and started to become unresponsive while I was driving to work. While I was not 100% sure of what component was malfunctioning at the time, I suspected that it might be a timing chain problem because I had this same exact issue happen to to this car back in January 2025. I did not expect this issue to occur again because at the time of the previous problem, the dealership confirmed that issue was the timing chain and the VVT system, and replaced those components with new parts. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The car started stalling and sputtering, then became unresponsive while I was driving. If I were in a high-traffic area, I'm not confident that I would have been able to accelerate, stop, or safely pull over to the side of the road without putting myself and/or someone else in harms way. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, the car is currently at the dealership and they confirmed that the issue is the timing chain and the VVT system. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes, the car is currently at the dealership and they confirmed that the issue is the timing chain and the VVT system. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, there were absolutely no warning lights, messages, or symptoms prior to the failure.

7mo ago
Engine 2

It is showing signs of excessive oil consumption. 200 miles before my next scheduled oil change there was no oil in the car, causing overheating issues. It uses the same engine as other recalled years for the same issue. However they never issued a recall for the 2018. The only update I've ever received was a surprise notice from Valvoline, mid oil change, that if I didn't use the more expensive oil change option, which I couldn't afford in the moment, that I would void any warranty from Hyundai. There was no prior notice or contact from Hyundai informing me of this "New" (the valvoline tech's words not mine) policy. So not only is my car experiencing an issue known to affect this engine, they get to absolve themselves from responsibility by surprising someone with a greater expense than they are expecting, by not giving notice to their customers? This doesn't seem fair and needs to be addressed. Since that first visit I have followed their recommended oil change specs and still have excessive consumption. The date I'm giving is the approximate date of that first visit to valvoline when my car had no oil and I was told mid change about the new policy.

7mo ago
Engine 4

Initial Fault Code: P0303 Replaced all 4 spark plugs and all 4 ignition coils. The check engine light extinguished momentarily but returned, logging P0303 and a new P0301 Replaced all 4 fuel injectors. CEL extinguished momentarily and then returned, logging P0303. Replaced the entire engine electrical harness. Concurrently, all related electrical components and connectors were meticulously cleaned with professional contact cleaner. CEL extinguished for significantly longer period of time, and then returned, re-logging P0303 and P0301. Thid suggested the ECU was "handshaking" with new components but re-logging the fault upon detecting the persistent core issue. A full compression test was performed. All cylinders reported results within specification. Using a borescope I inspected cylinder walls in piston tops. There was significant carbon residue buildup but nothing out of the ordinary for similar GDI engines. I still performed a PEA GDI specific chemical cleaning. It was a a little smoother afterwards, but the misfire persisted and CEL remained on. I also removed, cleaned, and tested common sensor faults, with no result. Also p0128 code and no start / electrical drain, and engine light started flashing numerous occasions had to stop the vehicle. I tried swapping the coils, but all that proved was that the coil was good, I did a power and ground test, it passed the connector had 12 plus volt power and a perfect resistance to static ground. The signal wire from the coil connector had perfect continuity to the ECU but had OL to chassis ground showing there was no short. A test light was used to see if anything was coming from the signal wire to the ignition coil and that test failed, there was no signal pulse. The diagnostic process has definitively proven a component-level failure inside the engine control unit. See attached file for more detailed information.

8mo ago

274 total

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