2018 Hyundai Sonata Engine Problems
Owners have filed 212 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2018 Hyundai Sonata, 57% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 19,750 miles. The words owners use most often: “oil consumption” (20% of reports).
- 212engine complaints
- 19,750median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 42%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Oil consumption: mentioned in 43 of 212 complaints (20%)
- Spark plugs: mentioned in 20 of 212 complaints (9%)
- Knock sensor: mentioned in 18 of 212 complaints (8%)
- Went limp mode: mentioned in 11 of 212 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 58 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 212 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 8 a fire, 2 an injury.
Hyundai Sonata engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Sonata | 2 | 12% | — |
| 2024 Sonata | 3 | 7% | — |
| 2023 Sonata | 28 | 32% | 5,540 |
| 2022 Sonata | 25 | 27% | 15,000 |
| 2021 Sonata | 34 | 25% | 44,000 |
| 2020 Sonata | 31 | 17% | 30,849 |
| 2019 Sonata | 87 | 54% | 90,000 |
| 2018 Sonata | 212 | 57% | 19,750 |
| 2017 Sonata | 384 | 50% | 74,400 |
| 2016 Sonata | 452 | 62% | 82,500 |
| 2015 Sonata | 628 | 55% | 65,000 |
| 2014 Sonata | 302 | 40% | 84,000 |
| 2013 Sonata | 738 | 39% | 96,000 |
| 2012 Sonata | 567 | 36% | 92,000 |
| 2011 Sonata | 967 | 29% | 100,000 |
| 2010 Sonata | 29 | 8% | 70,000 |
| 2009 Sonata | 56 | 12% | 108,300 |
| 2008 Sonata | 48 | 11% | 114,000 |
| 2007 Sonata | 41 | 6% | 114,000 |
| 2006 Sonata | 44 | 4% | 100,000 |
| 2005 Sonata | 6 | 4% | 96,728 |
| 2004 Sonata | 5 | 2% | 130,000 |
| 2003 Sonata | 3 | 2% | 131,000 |
| 2002 Sonata | 5 | 2% | 145,000 |
| 2001 Sonata | 1 | 0% | 20,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2018 Hyundai Sonata. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The paint is peeling off the car, when I went to the dealership they said this is a known problem for 2015-2018, but they can't fix it there is no recall. It is causing rust. The valve cover gasket…
Hyundai dealership confirms I am in need of a new engine due to large oil consumption which is a known issue on 2018 Hyundai Sonata engines. Hyundai will not approve repairs because I am the second owner and vehicle is out of the 5 year warranty period. I only have 52K miles on my vehicle.
One engine valve has lost pressure and is not repairable
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 Hyundai Sonatas have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 212 owner complaints about engine for the 2018 Hyundai Sonata (57% of the 374 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Hyundai Sonata engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 19,750 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2018 Hyundai Sonata?
The most frequent phrase is “oil consumption”, in 43 of 212 complaints, followed by “spark plugs” (20).
Other 2018 Hyundai Sonata problems
See all 2018 Hyundai Sonata problems or engine problems across all Sonata years.