2018 Hyundai Santa FE Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Santa FE years
- Fewer complaints than other years 24th of 26 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 109 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Hyundai Santa FE. That ranks 24th out of 26 Santa FE model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (54 complaints, 50%), typically at around 16,000 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 4 fires, 6 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 109owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 6complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Hyundai Santa FE problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 54 | 50% | 16,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 12 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 12 | 11% | 40,508 | — | — |
| Power Train | 10 | 9% | 3,008 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 9 | 8% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 8 | 7% | 8,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 7 | 6% | 6,954 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 6% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 5% | 27,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 5% | 4,638 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 3% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 3% | 81,923 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 2% | 31,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 7,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 1% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 23,758 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Hyundai Santa FE recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/modulePark outside
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Santa Fe, 2017-2018 Santa Fe Sport, 2019 Santa Fe XL, and 2014-2015 Tucson vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 31, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 218.
Steering: steering wheel/handle bar
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The steering wheel assembly may break, possibly resulting in the steering wheel separating from the steering column while driving.
Risk: A steering wheel separation while driving can cause a loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will check the production lot number of the steering wheel assembly, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 26, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 173.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires (AQ23002) — opened Nov 17, 2023, still open.
- Loss of Motive Power (DP22003) — opened Sep 12, 2022, closed Dec 12, 2023.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
While driving, the vehicle developed a strong odor of engine oil, followed within minutes by illumination of the red oil pressure warning light. Inspection determined that a bolt had exited the engine's timing assembly, broken the timing chain, and punctured the timing cover, discharging engine oil…
See attached letter for complaint
On April 13, 2026, I arrived home and parked the vehicle, engaging the traditional shifter into the "Park" position and turning off the engine. After exiting and standing on the ground to retrieve a purse from the cabin, the vehicle spontaneously and rapidly began reversing. âAs the vehicle…
My wife was driving the vehicle by the left lane on route 9A northbound on elmsford at a speed around 35 mph. The vehicle suddenly came to stop completely while driving. My wife tried to start it but it didn't start. We called the police to come help us due to the ongoing traffic while the towing…
Catastrophic Engine Failure - Cam phasers blew apart and severely cracked the valve covers. This occurred with no prior warning lights. Minutes before failure, there was engine hesitation and noise and then severely reduced power, causing a safety issue while driving. Vehicle was towed to local…
Other Hyundai Santa FE years
← 2017 Santa FE · 2019 Santa FE →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Santa FE | 37 | 4 |
| 2025 Santa FE | 135 | 5 |
| 2024 Santa FE | 155 | 7 |
| 2023 Santa FE | 211 | 1 |
| 2022 Santa FE | 201 | 5 |
| 2021 Santa FE | 167 | 7 |
| 2020 Santa FE | 216 | 2 |
| 2019 Santa FE | 202 | 2 |
| 2018 | 109 | 2 |
| 2017 Santa FE | 970 | 6 |
| 2016 Santa FE | 236 | 3 |
| 2015 Santa FE | 254 | 2 |
| 2014 Santa FE | 493 | 3 |
| 2013 Santa FE | 605 | 3 |
| 2012 Santa FE | 353 | 1 |
| 2011 Santa FE | 181 | 2 |
| 2010 Santa FE | 259 | 2 |
| 2009 Santa FE | 358 | 2 |
| 2008 Santa FE | 541 | 4 |
| 2007 Santa FE | 684 | 7 |
| 2006 Santa FE | 106 | 1 |
| 2005 Santa FE | 216 | 3 |
| 2004 Santa FE | 303 | 3 |
| 2003 Santa FE | 308 | 4 |
| 2002 Santa FE | 165 | 4 |
| 2001 Santa FE | 209 | 4 |
See all Hyundai Santa FE problems by year, every Hyundai model, or the Hyundai VIN decoder.
Similar Hyundai models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Hyundai Santa FE?
Owners most often report engine, service brakes, hydraulic, unknown or other problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 54 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Hyundai Santa FE?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 Hyundai Santa FE a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Santa FE model years, the 2018 has fewer complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.