RoadVitals

2018 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
13
Latest Nov 25, 2025
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Jun 28, 2022
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2
2 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 13 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2018 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid, most frequently naming the engine, powertrain (other) and electrical categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 68 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Engine320.0%
  • Powertrain (other)320.0%
  • Electrical320.0%
  • Driver assistance213.3%
  • Visibility16.7%
  • Brakes16.7%
  • Steering16.7%
  • Airbags16.7%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

Jun 28, 2022
10,575 units potentially affected
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ioniq HEV and Ionic PHV vehicles previously recalled under recall number 18V-704. The Power Relay Assembly (PRA) located underneath the rear seat may overheat.
The risk: An overheated PRA increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the main relay or PRA, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 23, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 232. This recall replaces NHTSA recall number 18V-704. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
Hyundai Motor AmericaManufacturer number 232View on NHTSA.gov

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

Oct 5, 2018
10,575 units potentially affected
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid and 2018 Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. The Main Relay within the Power Relay Assembly (PRA) may have inadequate connections between its contacts, causing increased electrical resistance.
The risk: The increased electrical resistance can overheat the rear seat which is above the PRA, increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the Power Relay Assembly (PRA) for damage. If no damage is found, the main relay will be replaced. If damage is found, the PRA will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began February 28, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 178.
Hyundai Motor AmericaManufacturer number 178View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

DP22005ClosedDefect Petition

Pedestrian alert sounds

Opened Jan 27, 2023
Closed Aug 7, 2023

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEMLed to recall 22V063000

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Engine
Filed Nov 25, 2025

My 2018 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid has a safety-critical transmission defect. The vehicle slips violently from 1st to 2nd gear, loses acceleration, and causes unpredictable hesitation. This creates a danger when merging onto highways or crossing intersections. Hyundai refused goodwill assistance, denied escalation, and directed me to BBB Auto Line, but BBB does not accept 2018 vehicles. This defect matches known DCT failures in Hyundai hybrid models and presents a significant safety risk, especially when transporting my two young children ( we lost mother during the childbirth .

NHTSA ID
11701382
Incident
Nov 7, 2025
Airbags
Filed Nov 25, 2024
Crash reported2 injuries reported

The contact owned a 2018 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH with her aunt in the front passenger's side seat, another vehicle suddenly merged into the contact's lane, causing the passenger's side of the vehicle to crash into the driver's side of the other vehicle. The vehicle then veered into a ditch on the right side of the road. The air bags failed to deploy. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact and her aunt exited the vehicle through the rear doors because the front doors were blocked by the bushes. The contact sustained pain in the right knee and ankle. The contact's aunt sustained pain in the right knee. The ambulance transported both passengers to the hospital, where they were informed that no other injuries were found. A police report was filed, but the contact did not have the police report information available. The vehicle was towed and totaled by the insurance company. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened; however, the case was later closed. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

NHTSA ID
11627337
Incident
Apr 3, 2024
Mileage
85,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Oct 11, 2024

The clutch failed and the clutch and I believe the clutch actuator had to be replaced. It was not available for inspection upon request. My safety and the risk of others were compromised by the constant jerking and sputtering, of the gears that took place during vehicle operation. My acceleration was laggy and at some points nearly unresponsive. The vehicle was inspected by service technicians. A warning light saying: Warning please check Hybrid Driving System, Do not drive vehicle was illuminated. Mid to late October 2023

NHTSA ID
11619309
Incident
Oct 28, 2023
Engine
Filed Apr 8, 2024

The car engine started to stall, the engine light came on and advised me to shut off engine then I pulled over and smoke immidiatley filled the cabin and outside the hood. My engine could have blown up. Had I not pulled over so quickly my car would have caught fire and I would have died. Yes the Hyundai Folsom inspected the car and listed issue was a hole in the engine block. They stated it was caused by premature wearing of the rod bearings and refused to repair. The ONLY warning happened within seconds of the car stalling and failing to accelerate before I pulled over. The first symptoms was a noise I couldne place 5 days prior. It was a mild knocking sound that was subtle.

NHTSA ID
11581760
Incident
Feb 29, 2024
ElectricalSteeringVisibility
Filed Aug 30, 2023

My lcd screen constantly goes black. A couple times the steering wheel locked the wipers and washer fluid went off at the same time. I had to hit the brakes and power the car on and off to reset it while making a turn. When having my window motor replaced for the SECOND time my dash where the speed is at all when black while driving on the freeway. I had to pull over and restart the car. My paint and my clear coat is separating on my trunk. It looks white not oxidation just separating and white. My driver side door button to lock the car kept getting stuck and was locking and unlocking. this left the possibilities of my car getting stolen from the door lock and the window motor leaving my window half down. My safety and the safety of others is obviously at risk with the electrical malfunctions. My local dealership left my issue’s unresolved for currently FIVE months with little to no compensation. I guess the life of my family and everyone else on the road is only $420.

NHTSA ID
11541573
Incident
Mar 24, 2023
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 31, 2022

There is a defect with the transmission control module (TCM) and dual-clutch transmission (DCT). This defect prevents the car from properly accelerating from a stop. The defect manifests in the following ways when pressing the accelerator: unresponsive or sluggish acceleration, jerking, shuddering, failure to shift, stalling and complete loss of power. Typically, the TCM defect manifests in two ways: shuddering/delayed brake release, which has happened over 20 times and loss of power/engine revving out of gear which has occured three times. These issues are unpredictable, unrepeatable and dangerous. I usually experience them while waiting at stop lights in busy intersections. Delayed and unpredictable acceleration and shifting could cause a traffic accident. I've notified the dealership three times and had it serviced once by licensed Hyundai technicians at the same dealership. They couldn't replicate the issue and claimed they had never heard of the problem. There are no warning lights when this issue occurs and the dealship said there were no diagnostic codes indicating the problem. Defective TCM & DCT software is a known issue that resulted in a recall campaign for the 2016 Hyundai Tucson. This issue has been documented in the following vehicles: 2017 Hyundai Elantra Eco, 2017 Hyundai Sonata Eco, 2016 – 2017 Hyundai Tucson, 2016 Hyunda Veloster Turbo. Hyundai issued the following service bulletins informing dealerships about the TCU software issue specific to the Tucson: #5NP-X7J3D-10, TSB# 16-01-035, #5NP- S9D9P-10

NHTSA ID
11449635
Incident
Jun 30, 2021
Filed Dec 27, 2020

VEHICLE BATTERY IS DEPLETED AND NEEDS SERVICING OR REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA ID
11385093
Incident
Dec 25, 2020
Mileage
30 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed May 17, 2019
Crash reported

THE CAR SHIFTS FROM DRIVE MODE INTO SPORT MODE BY ITSELF WITHOUT THE DRIVER MANUALLY MOVING THE GEAR SHIFT FROM DRIVE TO SPORT. THIS HAPPENS RANDOMLY, BUT ALWAYS WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION AND ALWAYS IN A LOW GEAR( USUALLY FIRST GEAR ). IT HAS HAPPENED BOTH WHEN MAKING A TURN AND GOING STRAIGHT AHEAD , USUALLY WHEN THE CAR STARTS TO MOVE AFTER BEING STOPPED LIKE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I CAN GET THE CAR TO GO BACK INTO DRIVE MODE BY PHYSICALLY MOVING THE GEARSHIFT INTO SPORT MODE AND THEN BACK INTO DRIVE MODE AGAIN. UNFORTUNATELY, THE MOST RECENT EPISODE OF THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS PULLING INTO MY GARAGE. I WAS HALFWAY INTO THE GARAGE WHEN THE CAR SWITCHED TO SPORT MODE BY ITSELF. THE CAR WAS STILL IN MOTION INSTANTLY STARTED MOVING FASTER AND IN SECONDS IT HIT THE BACK WALL OF THE GARAGE.

NHTSA ID
11208212
Incident
May 13, 2019
Mileage
18,300 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

DTN DL

AIR BAGS

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN). These inflators were not supplied, approved, or authorized by the vehicle manufacturers and have primarily been found in vehicles that previously experienced a crash and underwent airbag replacement using non-genuine parts. These dangerous inflators have ruptured during deployment, posing a serious risk of injury or death due to metal fragments entering the vehicle cabin. To date, Hyundai is aware of three people who have died while driving a Hyundai vehicle with one of these substandard replacement airbag inflators that deployed in what likely would have been a survivable crash. NHTSA has issued a public advisory urging vehicle owners and service professionals to have vehicles inspected if there is reason to believe that a non-genuine replacement airbag may have been installed. Vehicles with salvage or rebuilt titles, prior airbag deployments, or unknown repair histories may present a higher risk. NHTSA strongly cautions against self-inspection by vehicle owners and recommends inspection by trained technicians.

DTN DCS

AIR BAGS

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN), that have been identified in U.S. vehicles following prior crashes, theft, or non‑certified airbag replacements. These inflators are not approved for use, may rupture during deployment, and have caused serious injuries and fatalities. Please see attached announcement, provided by NHTSA, for more details.

25-BD-012H TSB

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of condensation inside the lamp assembly. Lamp assembly replacement is NOT necessary in most cases. This condition can be eliminated by turning on the lamps with the engine running for several minutes or during normal driving operation.

25-01-024H-1 TSB

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Some vehicles may exhibit a loss of connectivity or interruptions in the middle of using Bluelink Service functions. This may be due to an irregular disconnection on Verizon’s communication network. Follow the procedure in this TSB to reestablish the connection via the AVN pinhole reset method.

25-01-024H EM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Some vehicles may exhibit a loss of connectivity or interruptions in the middle of using Bluelink Service functions. This may be due to an irregular disconnection on Verizon's communication network. If you are experiencing issues with remote commands, or other Bluelink services, please see the instructions below to reestablish the connection via the AVN pinhole reset method.

25-01-024H TSB

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Some vehicles may exhibit a loss of connectivity or interruptions in the middle of using Bluelink Service functions. This may be due to an irregular disconnection on Verizon’s communication network. Follow the procedure in this TSB to reestablish the connection via the AVN pinhole reset method.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2022210045.1
2021130132.4
2020170158.5
2019161163.8
2018Viewing132157.7
2017403164.0

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.