What 274 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid

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.

NHTSA ODI 11746085

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.

NHTSA ODI 11743413

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.

NHTSA ODI 11739581

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.

NHTSA ODI 11736079

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.

NHTSA ODI 11735557

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.

NHTSA ODI 11728580

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)

NHTSA ODI 11726258

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.

NHTSA ODI 11714600

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.

NHTSA ODI 11707292

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.

NHTSA ODI 11705305

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.

NHTSA ODI 11700741

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.

NHTSA ODI 11699689

My engine blew in September 2024. I had it replaced. When I replaced it I got a one year warranty and unlimited mile warranty. It now blew in July 2025. I have had it hyundai of mankato which they didnt want to wait on hyundai of America to do anything to fix it and told my mechanics to have my car get offline their lot. My mechanics towed my car to Happy Hyundai of Rochester. HYUNDAI of America will not accept my warranty now and just pay for the new motor, tear down, and the time they have in it. Hyundai of America told my mechanics if they took it from Hyundai of Mankato and brought it to another dealership that they approve of that they would accept my warranty and pay for all parts and everything. Hyundai of America picked Happy Hyundai of Rochester. Where my car is.

NHTSA ODI 11698258

Excessive oil consumption. Engine completely dry after 3500 miles in between oil change with no check oil warning light

NHTSA ODI 11698011

In early May 2023 I was driving my 2018 Elantra vehicle on the expressway. I had hot an area where there was traffic and had to slow down and move along with the speeds everyone else was going. When I slowed down my engine quit. Everything turned off and the car was stalled. I was able to turn the car back on and start the engine but there was a loud knocking sound coming from the engine and when applying my foot on the gas it wasn't going anywhere. It stalled in traffic again. I put it in park, and restarted it and got enough gas for it to move and get off the main road. I called a tow company and had a certified mechanic take apart the engine $600 and Inform me the engine was shot. The car had maybe 80,000 miles on it. I had no idea what to do. The car sat at the repair shop for several weeks while I figured out what to do. I had it towed to a Hyundai dealership and had them look at it. They told me that there was no recall and that since I wasn't the original owner their powertrain warrenty was not valid. They did their diagnosis, another $300 just for them to tell me the same thing the other mechanics told me, the engine was shot and needed to be replaced. They put together a list of items that needed to be replaced and repaired and it came out to over $17,000 and Hyundai would do nothing for me. A vehicle with less than 80,000 that's engine fails is a recall in my book. It's now been over 2 years and I continue to pay for a car I cannot drive, and Hyundai still doesn't accept responsibility. This is a faulty car and would never recommend to anyone. Look at all the complaints regarding the engine and powertrain, obviously this is an issue. Hyundai needs to acknowledge this and replace these failing engines. Maybe by the time I'm done paying this car off they will take responsibility and the NHTSA will fully support the individuals that are owed a vehicle or engine replacement.

NHTSA ODI 11696959

We were heading back to Ohio at Mile marker 8 75N Kentucky when we heard a boom. Then we saw smoke as my husband was pulling over. We jump out to get our child out of the car seat and at the same time a pickup truck pulls up with two guys. They yell that our cars on fire and began putting the fire out with a fire extinguisher. We had an oil change before we left Ohio by Valvoline. This area of the hwy isn't really patrolled and only has a volunteer fire department. A constable just happened to pass by US on the way to Indiana.

NHTSA ODI 11695220

Oil consumption will cut off while driving

NHTSA ODI 11693233

The engine of my 2018 Hyundai Elantra has a rod bearing defect covered under a safety recall. The vehicle has not been repaired yet, and the issue prevents the car from being safely operated. I have incurred towing expenses due to the inability to use the vehicle, and I am concerned about potential engine failure or safety hazards if the defect is not addressed promptly.

NHTSA ODI 11692616

The dealership replaced my engine and spark plugs when the pistons were grinding metal causing a catastrophic failure in November of 2024. In July of 2025 I started experiencing the same issues and the dealership stated that Hyundais ignition coils have a high rate of failure because they changed the design and used my old ones from my engine replacement. It is now I brought my car into the dealership July 18th and they stated that was their best guess but they didn’t now forsure. I was never informed of the high rate of failure until I was experiencing it.

NHTSA ODI 11692353

Oil leaking from pistons in engine just like the recalled engines

NHTSA ODI 11690426

I purchased a 2018 Hyundai Elantra on April 3, 2024, from CarMax. At the time of purchase, I was not told about any recalls. Later, I discovered that my vehicle is covered by Hyundai Service Campaign 993 (Anti-Theft Software Upgrade), issued February 13, 2023, which addressed the lack of an immobilizer in 2011–2022 Hyundai vehicles. On May 29, 2025, my vehicle was stolen due to this defect. When it was recovered, it had a blown engine and was completely inoperable. Hyundai acknowledges that my VIN is included in the recall, but they have only offered to install the software update now. That does not remedy the damages caused by the theft and resulting engine failure. CarMax has denied responsibility, claiming they were not aware of the recall. I am now left with a financed vehicle that is not drivable and has lost significant value due to Hyundai’s defective design.

NHTSA ODI 11681055

Burning oil. Multiple misfires. Replacing spark plugs more often than should have to. Engine knocking.

NHTSA ODI 11678104

The crankshaft needed replacement The oil pump broke at 107,000 miles

NHTSA ODI 11677986

I started my vehicle and it was running sluggish and low idle. I had an engine light and when I tried to drive there was a clanking sound. When I had the engine light tested I received the following codes: P0017 - Crankshaft Position Correlation Bank 1 Sensor B, P0303 - Cylinder 3 Misfire Detected, P0302 - Cylinder 2 Misfire Detected, P0301, P0014 - Exhaust Camshaft Position Timing - Over Advanced (Bank 1), P0030 H02S Heater Control Circuit (Bank 1, Sensor 1) I had it towed to my nearest Hyundai dealer in Tacoma, WA. After they did a diagnostic they said that they would have to replace the engine due to a shearing of a pin, leading to the belt jumping and causing issues. I am the only owner of the vehicle, I have had all my oil changes on time and my vehicle is 137,000 miles. This should not be happening in a vehicle with such low mileage. In reading online, this is an issue that Hyundai is aware of but not concerned with. There was no warning beforehand. This could have led to my engine stalling on the the freeway at freeway speeds and thus could have caused a great accident and bodily harm to myself and others. Hyundai has denied responsibility but knows this is an ongoing issue with it's poorly manufactured engines. I was not informed of all the problems of Hyundai vehicles before I purchased mine. I have yet to receive help from Hyundai Customer Service or the Hyundai Dealer.

NHTSA ODI 11675752

Burning oil internally. Adding 1 quart about every 1000 miles.

NHTSA ODI 11669500