NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 332 owner complaints for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra.
1Safety recalls
332Owner complaints
12Complaints citing a crash
8Complaints citing a fire
Data: NHTSA recall and complaint filesUpdated Sep 27, 2026
Recalled components: electrical system. Most-reported area: engine (169 complaints, 51%; median mileage when it happened: 37,300). Includes the Elantra GT hatchback, the Elantra Hybrid and the Elantra N.
1 safety recall for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra
Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.
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.
What owners report
The areas named in the 332 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Elantra. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Engine169 · 51%
Median 37,300 miles at failure (44 reports)
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 2017 Elantra drew the most (154) and the 2018 drew 78.
Owner complaints
2018: 332 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Hyundai Elantra
Model year
Complaints
2016
299
2017
792
2018
332
2019
263
2020
257
2021
159
2022
158
2023
166
2024
61
2025
34
2026
3
Safety recalls
2018: 1 recallTap or drag across the chart for other years.
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Safety recalls by model year, Hyundai Elantra
Model year
Recalls
2016
2
2017
4
2018
1
2019
1
2020
3
2021
7
2022
8
2023
4
2024
2
2025
2
2026
2
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.
Tested version
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Hyundai Elantra 4 DR FWD
Rollover risk 10.7%
Hyundai Elantra Gt 5 HB FWD
Rollover risk 10.7%
Questions
What are the most common 2018 Elantra problems?
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: engine (169), electrical system (47), powertrain (29). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
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.
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 Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
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.