Engine complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
No warning lights came on during the whole time this happened ... purchased this car with 98 miles on it.... I had the car for 7 days .. mind you i did not use the special features of the car like launch control or NGrin Shifting ... i did not take the car past 4k RPM as per the manual ... @ 1100 miles exactly i had just filled up with gas and as i pull out the car dies on me ... i go to start it .. it keeps trying to turn over .. and over and over ... till i smelt gas .... so i put the car into neutral and roll back to the curb i could see the trail of gas left behind it .... so i had it towed to a different dealer as the one who sold it to me .. was not a option to take it to on the app... so the dealer calls me and tells me its the HIGH PRESSURE FUEL pump ... but funny thing is , that It had all ready been replaced before they sold me the car..... …
The first oil change, December 2020, no oil was in the vehicle, it was under the recommended miles. Second oil change, April 2021, cut the recommended miles down and again no oil was in the vehicle. May 28, 2021 Leaving a parking lot, the Veloster began to cut out and stall. Within 2 miles it died completely, three times. There was no oil in the Veloster. No lights or warnings came on, until I was leaving the dealership. I continue to have issues with the motor dragging, not shifting properly and trying to die. The recall was closed on the Veloster for the oil rings not being heat treated properly, without Hyundai actually fixing the problem. I have been told the whole time the stalling and cutting out is not connected to the oil ring issue.
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the piston oil rings, resulting in damages to the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine). The VIN was included in the recall, but the vehicle was already repaired under the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 90,000.
Vehicle was checked for Hyundai recall 203 in 2022. Engine suffered a catastrophic failure in March of 2024 at around 94,000 miles due to the improperly heat treated piston rings referenced in Hyundai recall 203. Dealership only replaced the short block after suffering an attempted thrown rod, resulting in debris left in the engine. A teardown of the engine was required this year to unstick the OCV 2 Valve which should have been replaced with a Long Block replacement after the catastrophic rod failure. No check engine light or oil pressure light appeared before the original catastrophic failure. Technician report confirmed there was no oil sludge sticking the valve. About 2 weeks ago I had received a P0016 and eventually a P0171 code. …
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that while driving 76 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and decelerated to 30 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle experienced intermittent, unintended acceleration. The contact shifted the transmission to neutral(N), but the vehicle failed to stop. The contact then pressed the shift lock release button, and the vehicle was able to stop. The steering wheel also inadvertently turned left or right while driving, and the Lane Keep Assist System was not activated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that fuel and oil were leaking into the exhaust pipe, allowing smoke into the cabin. The dealer replaced the alternator, battery, and spark plugs, but the failure persisted. The dealer notified the manufacturer about the failure. …
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled, and the RPMs failed to exceed 200 RPM. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The oil warning light was illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was notified of rod bearing damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine). The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the repair offer would be voided if the vehicle was taken to another dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 74,765.
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that while her sister was driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The driver pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle was able to be restarted, but made an abnormal knocking sound. The check engine warning light was flashing. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted and informed that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed to confirm whether it was covered under warranty. The dealer informed the contact that towing assistance would be provided; however, the dealer drove the vehicle to the repair center, where it was diagnosed, and metal debris was found in the oil control solenoid. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was driven back to the residence. A mobile independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and recommended either the rod bearings or engine replacement. …
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that on three separate occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode with the check engine warning light flashing on the instrument panel. The vehicle had been towed and driven to the dealer and an independent mechanic to be repaired. The contact was informed by the dealer and an independent mechanic that a knock sensor failure had caused the failure. The contact stated that the combustion chamber had been cleaned and the catalytic converter was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact also stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Related recalls (3)
Engine
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Hyundai will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2021.
Engine
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Veloster, 2012 Santa Fe, 2011-2013 Sonata Hybrid, and 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. The connecting rod bearings inside the engine may wear prematurely, which over time can result in engine damage.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine. If bearing damage is found, the engine will be replaced. Dealers will also install a software update containing a new Knock Sensor Detection System…
Engine
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013 Veloster vehicles that are equipped with 1.6 liter turbo engines. The engine management software may cause premature ignition (pre-ignition) of the air/fuel mixture in the engine. The resulting excessive cylinder pressure may damage the engine.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine management software, free of charge. The recall began May 14, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.
NHTSA investigations
Engine Fires
On March 29, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened two Preliminary Evaluations (PE19-003 on Hyundai and PE19-004 on Kia) to broadly investigate incidents of non-crash fires (regardless of origin or operational status of the vehicle) on various model year Hyundai and Kia vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
Which Hyundai Veloster years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2013 (174), 2016 (140), 2015 (79), 2012 (65) and 2014 (35) model years. Engine complaints make up 41% of all complaints for the 2013.
Is there a recall for Hyundai Veloster engine problems?
Yes — 3 recalls, including 21V-301 (engine, Apr 28, 2021); 20V-746 (engine, Dec 1, 2020); 19V-204 (engine, Mar 14, 2019). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Hyundai Veloster engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles; 21% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the exhaust system › emission control › catalytic convertor (4 mentions), followed by the engine › gasoline › turbo/supercharger (1).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.