Reliable Auto DB

2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport has 320 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 13 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Santa Fe Sport years here — over the median of the other years, which is 2. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Brake control module, Side and window, and Coil springs.

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
Photo by SsmIntrigue, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

320

Per year

13

Recalls

4

Years on the road

9

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (196 of 320), then Hydraulic brakes (36) and Fuel and propulsion system (33). Those filings include 7 that report a crash, 8 that report a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Next to 2017

The 2017 Santa Fe Sport has 350 complaints, 24 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (4)

Recall Brake control module 2022-10-27 · NHTSA campaign 22V810000
Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. 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.
Remedy Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 16, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 237. This recall is an expansion of recall 22V-056.
Recall Brake control module 2022-02-03 · NHTSA campaign 22V056000
Summary 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 an engine compartment fire.
Remedy 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 were mailed May 31, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 218.
Recall air bags, side and window 2017-12-13 · NHTSA campaign 17V801000
Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.
Remedy Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 171.
Recall suspension, front, springs, coil springs 2017-09-20 · NHTSA campaign 17V577000
Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The front coil springs may have been improperly manufactured and, as a result, may fracture under certain loads while driving.
Remedy All of the affected vehicles are currently unsold on dealer lots. Dealers will replace both front coil springs, free of charge prior to the vehicle's sale. The recall began November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 167.

Complaints by component (320 total)

Engine
196
Hydraulic brakes
36
Fuel and propulsion system
33
Electrical system
20
Powertrain
18
Engine and engine cooling
13
Service brakes
13
Speed control
10
Air bags
7
Exterior lighting
7
Structure
5
Back-over prevention
2
Forward collision avoidance
2
Seat belts
2
Steering
2
Suspension
2
Visibility and wipers
2
Air brakes
1
Fire-related
1
Lane departure
1
Seats
1
Tires
1
Wheels
1
Show 15 more Show less
Crash-flagged

7

Fire-flagged

8

Injury reports

3

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

2201714201816201982020112021682022572023482024572025392026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "My 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport (2.4L Theta II GDI, VIN [XXX], approx. 110,000 miles) has suffered a chain of engine and emissions-system failures that create a loss-of-power safety hazard. At about 80,000 miles, Hyundai…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-15
  • "Bought this as a used vehicle with around 77k miles. The SUV was running fine for a little while until I drove onto the highway. It eventually began to bog down and there was hesitation and jumping instead of…"
    Powertrain, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-08-26
  • "The Hyundai Theta engine is a bad design that has many recalls, a history of oil consumptions, and breakdowns that leave consumers in danger, on the roadside, and out of money. This engine has a design that causes worn…"
    Engine · filed 2026-07-17
  • "The engine on this vehicle suffers from a severe oil consumption defect that was first officially reported to the authorized dealership on February 3, 2025 at approximately 90,000 miles while under the factory…"
    Engine · filed 2026-07-17
  • "The car has 90,000 miles on it and uses excessive oil, not leaking. It uses at least one quart per 1000 miles."
    Engine · filed 2026-07-05

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUV AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUV FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Specs and fitment

DM generation, 2013–2018
Body styles SUV
Oil 5W-30/5W-40 (2.0L turbo); 5W-20/5W-30 (2.4L) , 5.1 qt capacity
Tire size 235/65R17, 235/60R18 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 20V-520 covers certain 2013-2015 Santa Fe Sport vehicles: brake fluid may leak inside the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) module, possibly resulting in an electrical short and an increased risk of an engine compartment fire. Dealers inspect the ABS module and replace it if necessary. Owners are advised to park outside until the repair is complete. Recall 21V-303 is a related ABS module campaign for certain 2013-2015 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. Recall 17V-358 covers certain 2013-2017 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles where the secondary hood latch cable may corrode and bind.

Compare

Previous year 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport See every Hyundai Santa Fe Sport model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport reliable?

The 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport has 320 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 13 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Santa Fe Sport years here — over the median of the other years, which is 2. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Brake control module, Side and window, and Coil springs.

What are common problems with a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (196 of 320), then Hydraulic brakes (36) and Fuel and propulsion system (33). Those filings include 7 that report a crash, 8 that report a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Is the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 Santa Fe Sport has 350 complaints, 24 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017.

Has the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport been recalled?

The 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport has 4 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport?

Owners have filed 320 complaints about the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport with NHTSA.

What oil does a Hyundai Santa Fe Sport take?

Viscosity and capacity depend on engine and model year; use the generation specs here and confirm in the owner's manual.

What generation is the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport?

DM generation (2013-2018) for the US years this site tracks.

What tire sizes does a Hyundai Santa Fe Sport use?

Common US sizes include 235/65R17 and 235/60R18 depending on trim.