Is the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport a bad year?
326 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 208, 4.3× a quiet Santa Fe Sport year.
Consider selling
Half of all engine complaints about the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport were filed between 49k and 114k miles. You're at 84,000 miles.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2018 Santa Fe Sport owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 84,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| EngineSTANDS OUT | 208 (64%) | 49k–114k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| BrakesSTANDS OUT | 50 (15%) | 25k–112k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 18 (6%) | 0k–12k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Fuel system | 33 (10%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 22 (7%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Speed control | 10 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Air bags | 7 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 7 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 5 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 84,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 326 complaints: 7 mention a crash · 8 mention a fire · 3 report an injury · 25 say the car was towed.
48 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Nov 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Went to dinner with my husband 2/28/2019. The check engine light started flashing. The car began to buck and hesitated.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 84,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport: 4
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving. An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire. An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag. If the component detaches during deployment, the curtain air bag may not inflate properly during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The front coil springs may have been improperly manufactured and, as a result, may fracture under certain loads while driving. If the coil spring fractures, it can puncture the tire, causing a loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Hyundai: 154
Repair instructions Hyundai sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Diagnose and replace, if necessary, an automatic transmission with Incorrect Ratio DTC (transmission clutch slip in gear above limit) listed on Page 2
Applicable vehicles with 2.0L T-GDI and 2.4L GDI engines may experience the Check Engine warning lamp illuminated with DTC P1326 and/or engine may exhibit…
Hyundai has launched a Service Campaign for applicable vehicles with 2.0L Turbo and 2.4L GDI engines that may experience the Check Engine warning lamp…
Applicable vehicles with 2.0L Turbo and 2.4L GDI engines may experience the Check Engine warning lamp illuminated with DTC P1326
NHTSA defect investigations: 2
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
Loss of Motive Power
Neighbouring years
2017 Santa Fe Sport: 356 complaints, consider selling.
Every Hyundai Santa Fe Sport year
2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · All Santa Fe Sport years side by side
Other Hyundai models: Hyundai Accent · Hyundai Azera · Hyundai Elantra · Hyundai Elantra Touring · Hyundai Entourage · Hyundai Genesis · Hyundai Genesis Coupe · Hyundai Ioniq 5 · Hyundai Kona · Hyundai Kona Electric · Hyundai Palisade · Hyundai Santa Cruz · Hyundai Santa Fe · Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid · Hyundai Sonata · Hyundai Sonata Hybrid · Hyundai Tiburon · Hyundai Tucson · Hyundai Tucson Hybrid · Hyundai Veloster · Hyundai Veracruz · Hyundai XG350. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport a bad year?
326 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 208, 4.3× a quiet Santa Fe Sport year. At 84,000 miles the tool says: Consider selling. Half of all engine complaints about the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport were filed between 49k and 114k miles. You're at 84,000 miles.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: engine (208), brakes (50), transmission and drivetrain (18), fuel system (33), electrical system (22). Half of the engine complaints were filed between 49k–114k miles.
How many recalls does the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport have?
4 recall campaigns list this model year: Brakes (NHTSA 22V-810), Brakes (NHTSA 22V-056), Air bags (NHTSA 17V-801), Suspension (NHTSA 17V-577). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.