2018 Hyundai Santa FE Sport Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2018 Santa Fe Sport most often report engine problems: excessive oil consumption, knocking, stalling, loss of power and, in some cases, engine replacement. Reports cluster in the 60,000-120,000 mile range, with some owners noting the oil level drops surprisingly quickly between changes. Smaller groups of complaints cover brake and ABS behavior, fuel-system check-engine lights after refueling, and lighting or electrical faults.

1. 1
   Engine

   Engine stalling, knocking or losing power

   • 88 complaints (27%)
   • median 97,052 mi at 5.0 yrs old (33 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $750 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2017–2026

   Complaints describe knocking, ticking or scraping noises from the engine, followed by shuddering, hesitation and loss of motive power at highway speeds or on acceleration, sometimes with the check engine light on. Several owners report the vehicle would not restart and had to be towed, and dealers diagnosed engine failure, internal damage or the need for a replacement engine. Some say the manufacturer declined assistance or cited a missed service campaign. Widespread across the sample, typically between about 50,000 and 145,000 miles.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Listen for knocking or ticking at idle and on a cold start, and ask whether the ECM service campaigns for the engine were completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the engine made a knocking sound, and the vehicle started shaking before starting to smoke. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that there was a hole in the engine block and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11718800, filed 2026-02, 122,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that the power steering and power brake functionality were still operable. The contact pulled the vehicle over and attempted to restart the vehicle however, after several attempts he stopped. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11558793, filed 2023-12, 120,000 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Excessive engine oil consumption

   • 147 complaints (46%)
   • median 83,500 mi at 5.1 yrs old (28 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 10 quotes)
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners report the oil level dropping far faster than expected between changes, often finding the dipstick dry or the low-oil warning coming on shortly after an oil change, with no visible leak. Some say they add a quart or more per 1,000 miles. Dealers are described as running oil consumption tests; some owners say they were told the consumption was normal or that the vehicle was operating as designed, while others report requests for engine replacement being approved or denied. Mostly reported between about 50,000 and 120,000 miles, often noticed within weeks of an oil change.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for oil change records and check the dipstick level against the last service date; an oil consumption test at a dealer gives a documented baseline.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced excessive oil consumption, causing the engine oil level to be low, with a misfire coming from the engine. The cause of the oil consumption failure was not yet determined, and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 105,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11661408, filed 2025-05, 105,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. No warning light was illuminated. Upon inspection, the contact noticed suds on the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic, who discovered a low engine oil level and performed an oil change. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11688861, filed 2025-09, 113,700 miles
3. 3
   Brakes

   Brake and ABS problems, including fire-related recalls

   • 67 complaints (21%)
   • median 75,750 mi at 4.8 yrs old (20 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2018–2026

   Owners describe the brake pedal going hard or failing to respond, the vehicle sliding when braking, and the ABS or traction control warning lights coming on intermittently. Some complaints mention smoke or flames from the engine compartment, and several reference the ABS module recalls. Complaints also describe dealers being unable to duplicate the problem or saying recall parts were not yet available. Reported from roughly 20,000 to 170,000 miles, with many complaints filed while recall parts were still pending.

   Recall 22V810000Recall 22V056000

   What to check: Check whether both ABS module recalls (22V810000 and 22V056000) were completed for the VIN, and have the brakes and ABS warning lights checked on a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V056000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the dome light had failed and the air bag warning light would illuminate while there was a passenger seated in the front passenger’s seat. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11474716, filed 2022-07, 152,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that she received an alert notification on her phone of an undisclosed recall. The contact then notified the dealer and confirmed that the VIN was included the NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V810000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and scheduled an appointment. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed to the dealer, she noticed smoke coming from under the hood of the vehicle. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11537999, filed 2023-08, 87,000 miles
4. 4
   Fuel system

   Check engine light and fuel vapor after refueling

   • 24 complaints (7%)
   • median 68,000 mi at 4.5 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Owners report the check engine light coming on about 50 miles after filling the tank and sometimes clearing on its own, along with a smell of fuel fumes around the filler area even with the cap tight. Some describe hesitation after stopping or during slow turns, with the vehicle behaving as though a rollover condition had been detected and cutting power. Complaints mention replacing the gas cap without resolving it and taking the vehicle in for diagnosis. Mostly reported between about 20,000 and 70,000 miles, often tied to a recent refueling.

   What to check: Fill the tank during a test drive and watch for a check engine light over the next day, and ask whether an evaporative emissions or fuel-system diagnosis has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have been stopped at a single light (on a state highway) and waiting to turn left but when I accelerated the vehicle did not go. But in a second it took off but I braked because by now it was not safe/clear to go. Also, when I use cruse it goes down hill while raising the rpms (always), this is my third Hyundai vehicle therefore I have never had this happen before.”

   NHTSA complaint #11362263, filed 2020-10, 300 miles

   “I was driving a few months ago and after getting fuel my check engine light comes on. I drove it for a while and it cleared itself. About 3 weeks ago it came on about 50 miles after putting fuel into it and got it cleared by someone with obs ii reader. Since then ive put about 2000 miles on my car and it came on again about 50 miles after putting fuel into it. I replaced the gas cap making sure it went on correctly but nothing. I smelt leaking fumes with the gas cap on. Im taking it to a repair shop tomorrow to have it looked at.”

   NHTSA complaint #11341026, filed 2020-07, 67,860 miles
5. 5
   Electrical system

   Exterior lighting and electrical faults

   • 26 complaints (8%)
   • median 37,000 mi at 5.0 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2018–2026

   Complaints describe headlights cutting out during turns or when the turn signals are used, and in one case headlights coming on by themselves and draining the battery. Owners say dealers traced some cases to the multifunction switch in the steering column and in another to the junction block. Rearview camera and warning-system faults are also mentioned. Reported from about 18,000 to 60,000 miles in the sample.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test the headlights, high beams, turn signals and reverse camera at night or in a garage, and ask whether any lighting switch or junction block repairs were done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that the headlights suddenly illuminated without the vehicle being turned on, causing the battery to be drained. The contact recharged the battery to start the vehicle. The contact stated that the light switch failed to turn off the high beam headlights; however, the headlights and the indicators were no longer illuminated. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11710589, filed 2026-01, 18,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated while making a left turn, the headlights became inoperable. The contact manually switched the headlights on and off several times until the headlights returned to normal operation. The contact stated that the headlights were also turned off while the turn signals were activated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the multifaction switch in the steering column needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11495418, filed 2022-11, 58,000 miles

Buying note. Check the oil level and service records closely, confirm both ABS module recalls were completed for the VIN, and listen for engine noise on a cold start; a pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is worthwhile on this model year.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.