2018 Hyundai Sonata Transmission & Power Train Problems
NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN · data through 07/14/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How power train ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 364 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2018 Hyundai Sonata overview page.
What owners report
“WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION THE VEHICLE SHUDDERS OR STUTTERS BEFORE PROPER ACCELERATION IS ACHIEVED. I OWNED A FORD FIESTA THAT DID THE SAME…”NHTSA complaint 11382760 — filed 12/09/2020
“IN FEB 2020 MY SONATA WENT INTO SAFE MODE AFTER EXITING HIGHWAY AND DEALER ENDED UP REPLACING "KNOCK SENSOR". IN DECEMBER 2020 MY ENGINE "STUTTERED"…”NHTSA complaint 11378237 — filed 12/07/2020
“I GET A HEV WARNING TELLING ME TO SHUTDOWN MY CAR. WHEN THIS HAPPENS MY VEHIVAL NO LONGER ENGAGES THE GAS PART OF MY MOTOR…”NHTSA complaint 11355668 — filed 09/17/2020
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Power Train complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2018 Hyundai Sonata have transmission & power train problems?
Power Train is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 2018 Hyundai Sonata: 39 of 364 complaints on file (10.7%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2018 Hyundai Sonata have in total?
364 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 18 involved a crash, 13 involved a fire, 20 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's power train category include?
NHTSA groups complaints about the transmission (automatic or manual), driveline, axles, transfer case and related parts under a single component category called POWER TRAIN. This page reports that category as NHTSA defines it.
