2018 Hyundai Santa Fe: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
108 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Reviewed by the MotorJury data desk · 2 sources · Last updated 2026-08-20
108 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Complaints per year on the road: 13.5
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
On April 13, 2026, I arrived home and parked the vehicle, engaging the traditional shifter into the "Park" position and turning off the engine. After exiting and standing on the ground to retrieve a purse from the cabin, the vehicle spontaneously and rapidly began reversing. As the vehicle gained momentum, I was struck by the driver-side door, which knocked me down and resulted in the vehicle running over me. The v…
My wife was driving the vehicle by the left lane on route 9A northbound on elmsford at a speed around 35 mph. The vehicle suddenly came to stop completely while driving. My wife tried to start it but it didn't start. We called the police to come help us due to the ongoing traffic while the towing was on its way. Our mechanic told us the engine was seized and needs a replacement. The vehicle is a 2018 and has only 11…
Catastrophic Engine Failure - Cam phasers blew apart and severely cracked the valve covers. This occurred with no prior warning lights. Minutes before failure, there was engine hesitation and noise and then severely reduced power, causing a safety issue while driving. Vehicle was towed to local Hyundai dealer who identified the cam phaser failure ausing external engine damage of the valve covers and complete loss o…
What the community is saying right now.
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 22V056000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Tract | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Santa Fe, 2017-2018 Santa Fe Sport, 2019 Santa Fe XL, and 2014-2015 Tucson ve… |
| 18V118000 | Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The steering wheel assembly may bre… |
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (53 complaints in our indexed sample).
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 66/100, computed from 108 NHTSA complaints and 2 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 03/02/2022. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorComplaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-08-20.