NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 335 owner complaints for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra.
Recalled components: electrical system. Most-described problem: stalling or shutting off (73 complaints, 22%). Most-reported area: engine (172 complaints, 51%; median mileage when it happened: 37,300).
Fewer complaints than a typical Elantra year
The 2018 drew 78 owner complaints in its first three years, against 101 for a typical Elantra year.
Years to avoid: 2013; best years: 2016 and 2019. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
The panoramic sunroof motor may be incorrectly programmed, preventing the sunroof from detecting an obstacle while closing.
Risk: If the sunroof does not detect an obstacle while closing and then retract, there could be an increased risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the panoramic sunroof, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 179.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT vehicles.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra.
What owners report
Owners have filed 335 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Elantra. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Stalling or shutting off73 · 22%
Engine failure or replacement55 · 16%
Check engine light49 · 15%
Median 30,000 miles at failure, from 15 reports with mileage
Median 37,300 miles at failure, from 44 reports with mileage
Electrical system47 · 14%
Powertrain29 · 9%
Fuel and propulsion system23 · 7%
Brakes19 · 6%
Exterior lighting19 · 6%
Steering17 · 5%
Unknown or other61 · 18%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Hyundai Elantra recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2018 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2013 Elantra drew the most (347) and the 2018 drew 78.
Owner complaints
2018: 335 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Hyundai Elantra
Model year
Complaints
2010
455
2011
462
2012
676
2013
1,348
2014
396
2015
263
2016
300
2017
797
2018
335
2019
267
2020
263
2021
162
2022
159
2023
173
2024
64
2025
36
2026
4
Safety recalls
2018: 1 recallTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Hyundai Elantra
Model year
Recalls
2010
4
2011
8
2012
5
2013
4
2014
2
2015
3
2016
2
2017
4
2018
1
2019
1
2020
3
2021
7
2022
8
2023
4
2024
2
2025
2
2026
4
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 335 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra, the problems described most are stalling or shutting off (73), engine failure or replacement (55), and the check engine light coming on (49). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2018 Hyundai Elantra safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2018 Hyundai Elantra earns 4 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2018 Hyundai Elantra?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra.
How do I check if my Elantra has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Hyundai dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: ELANTRA, ELANTRA GT.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.