2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Problems, Recalls & Reliability
553 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 34/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 76,004 miles.
Typical
Where 2018 sits among all Santa Fe years
What owners report
“1)connecting rod bearings,2)stop driving it,3)yes,4)yes,5)no this is the 3.3 liter engine and it start knocking”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Santa Fe
“The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V810000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Santa Fe
“2018 hyundai santa fe sport. Consumer writes in regards to parts being unavailable to perform safety recall.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Santa Fe
“Was driving and car turn off on me and wouldn't start I got it towed to Hyundai and they said my engine went out it had oil and everything we don't know why can stopped working has been sitting in my drive way for 3 years because we don't have 13000 that Hyundai told us”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Santa Fe
“1. Abs module stopped working. Car no longer has abs. Will not cover under warranty due to computer component. 2. Engine burns oil. 3 quarts in 1k miles. Combustion cleaning done. Now Engine light is one, oil light comes on, car smells of gas & oil.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Santa Fe
“Engine burned 3-4quarts of oil within 3,000 miles. Can result in vehicle failure while driving in city or highway. Vehicle has had all manufacture recommended service and issue started under warranty, but manufacturer has declined to repair issue.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Santa Fe
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 149 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 52,162 miles. Half of those reports fall between 12,600 and 99,501 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
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…
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…
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.
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…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units…
Technical service bulletins
205 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2018 Santa Fe TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
The 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe drew 553 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 34/100, scored against the model's worst year (2017).
What are the most common 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe problems?
The top reported problems for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe are engine (263 complaints), brakes & stability (69), and other (51).
At what mileage do 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe problems show up?
Owners most often report 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe problems around 52,162 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 12,600 and 99,501 miles.
Does the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.