2013 Hyundai Veloster Engine Problems

The car goes into limp mode in the middle of driving on the interstate or usually at higher speeds and loses speed quickly. This has put me at high risk for accidents when traveling between cities and has left me stranded on dangerous parts of the interstate at times. I have taken it to my Hyundai dealer I bought the car from and they said there is a knock in the engine and the whole engine would need replaced and I cannot afford that ($12k) but the car only has 125k miles on it and I want to keep it for as long as possible because it’s my baby. I do not think it has been inspected by anyone but my dealer yet but I am willing to let anyone look at it in order to get it fixed without paying an arm and a leg. The car did have some issues prior to this issue that were recalled and fixed, but this happened out of nowhere and when it does happen the engine light flashes and it goes into limp mode. The light currently stays on because of the O2 Sensor though, but that is not a big issue. I have to use a OBD2 Scanner to clear the engine knock code every time it goes into limp mode in order to drive it properly and even then it will go back into limp mode eventually. My car started having issues probably a year or two ago. I also want to note I know a girl who used to have the exact same year, make and model of car as me and had the exact same issues of going into limp mode and such so it is not just a random issue of mine.

NHTSA ID

11733080

Incident

Nov 12, 2025

As my [XXX] son was driving, his car, out of nowhere, stopped working and the steering wheel became incredibly hard to turn. It put him and other vehicles around him at risk as he was doing 50mph and his car suddenly stalled. No warning. No dash lights. It was hard for him to pull over to safety. We replaced the battery and tried to restart the car, then the engine started smoking. We immediately called for a tow. Our local shop said his engine seized. We then towed it to Hyundai and they confirmed the same thing, "it definitely locked right up." The car has been well taken care of, no warning signs prior to engine failure, no warning lights, etc. His car is also under 100k miles. There is literally no reason for an engine failure. In 2019 there was a NHTSA Recall 19V204, Hyundai Recall #182 ECU Software update; this was supposed to fix the issue but here we are... the engine STILL BLEW. Hyundai is refusing to help. They won't do anything. There's known issues with Hyundai's 1.6 GDI turbo engine. They should be held responsible. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11725147

Incident

Mar 3, 2026

"CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE & INEFFECTIVE RECALL REMEDY (NHTSA 19V-204): ​While traveling at highway speeds, with my two children and boyfriend, the vehicle went completely black. Car loss complete power, going into a limp mode( 'Loss of Motive Power') The Check Engine Light began flashing before going solid. When I was able to pull to the shoulder, I tried to start the car and noticed the radio screen was black and stayed black(before this time, the screen would some times go blank or completely black and then turn back on). Car would start and shake really hard with noise coming from engine, and then car would die. Since then I have been going back and forth with Hyundai Motors and Hyundai dealer, telling them that this is not a warranty issue, but a safety issue and they both have ignored and didn't enology this at all. This happened October 4th, 2025 Recall of 182 was completed but it failed. The vehicle is at the Dalton Hyundai dealer in Nation City. Dealer confirmed zero compression in engine and want $5000 to tare engine to see if it would be under warranty but I keep telling them this is a safety issue that is still accruing and under the 573 Recall/19v-204 I tried to get help throw the BBB and got denied because of age and being the second owner and they told me to contact NHTSA I am a single mother of two young kids, I bought car on 01/26/25 and still owe money on car. Since 10/4/25 I have had to pay out of pocket for a car rental just get to work. My car is up for repo due to me not able to pay for a rental and my monthly car payment. I am lost and don't know what else I can do to get this matter seen. When buying this car the sale person said it is a good car, it will save money on gas, and it has been a nightmare.

NHTSA ID

11720265

Incident

Oct 4, 2025

2013 Hyundai Veloster 2013 turbo had 69000 miles when the engine stalled on the highway and promptly slowed to 40 mph. Midas stated engine blew due to a recall so I had it towed to the closest dealership in Oct 2022. They denied the repair and sent it to corporate for authorization and it was denied. Dealership attempted to charge 150 for checking the recall. They then told me to talk to Corporate hyundai. I have went back and forth with them trying to get an explanation for the denial to fix the recall. They wouldn't send the explanation. I refiled the claim again sending them recall laws as well. Recently I received a call from the dealership stating they had the car towed and destroyed. Help

NHTSA ID

11719258

Incident

Oct 8, 2022

Purchased car from Premier Auto in Kansas City, KS in January of 2023. The car had 70,000 miles on it. In July of 2023 I was driving on a 4 lane HWY with a speedlimit of 65. The car suddenly jerked to and slowed to 35 MPH. The car behind me nearly hit me. I had it towed to Midas to have it checked out. They informed me the engine had failed and it was because of a manufacturer recall. I then had it towed to a Hyundai dealership in October 2023. They stated to me that it was engine failure due to a recall but they would not fix it. They stated not under recall. The dealership then sent me a notice saying that I owed them 150 dollars and they would keep the car. I filed a claim with Hyundai corporate and they denied repairs stating not under warranty. I appealed that which was a denied response with the reason as not under warranty. I then filed a claim with BBB warranty department and their response was "we only assist with new car warranty issues. I then filed another claim with Hyundai corporate and the dealership and both denied it because of the warrant expiration. While that was happening I lost my spouse of 23 years. The car has been at the dealership for 2.5 years now and I continue to submit requests that are continuously denied.

NHTSA ID

11708201

Incident

Jul 29, 2023

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle stopped and failed to accelerate. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer informed the contact that there was no special warranty coverage on the vehicle for the repair. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11690624

Incident

Sep 13, 2025

Mileage

100,000 mi

On or about May 1, 2025, I was operating my 2013 Hyundai Veloster when flames were observed emanating from under the hood. I immediately pulled into the median and, upon opening the hood, observed an active fire beneath the plastic engine cover. I contacted 911. Before the fire department arrived, a passerby extinguished the flames with a fire extinguisher. Firefighters from a nearby station arrived shortly thereafter and fully doused the engine compartment. The vehicle was subsequently towed to a Hyundai dealership. At that time, I was aware of an active recall related to potential brake line issues that could result in an engine compartment fire. After the vehicle remained at the dealership for an extended period, I was informed that Hyundai Motor America (“HMA”) would send an inspector. Approximately 30 days later, I was contacted by HMA’s corporate office and asked to provide documentation, including a copy of the title and insurance information. During this call, I was advised that while repair or replacement of the vehicle was unlikely, HMA would “make me whole.” Shortly thereafter, I received written correspondence from HMA stating that, following its review of the inspection results, documents, and other information, no product defect was identified as the cause of the incident. The letter concluded that HMA would not accept responsibility and denied my request for assistance or compensation.

NHTSA ID

11684545

Incident

May 1, 2025

While driving under normal conditions at approximately 65 mph, the engine emitted a sudden “bang” and severe knock. Over the following week, the vehicle stalled several times. Inspection revealed one piston crown was chipped, which then scored the cylinder wall and caused an oil leak. No other pistons or bearings showed wear. This failure pattern is consistent with low‐speed pre-ignition events documented in numerous online owner reports—many describing identical piston or rod breakage in 2013–2015 Veloster Turbos under Recall 19V204000, which addresses exactly this defect. The vehicle was partially disassembled for inspection, and Hyundai dealers have refused to perform the federally mandated Recall 19V204000 remedy. Instead, they deceptively insist on treating this as a warranty work request—despite me having told them more than five times (on multiple recorded calls), in two portal updates, and via certified letters, that this is a safety recall issue, not a warranty claim. Their refusal has forced me to incur several thousand dollars worth of expenses and spend dozens of hours pursuing a remedy. Hyundai representatives have repeatedly argued that this engine malfunction may stem from previous accident damage. However, the vehicle’s only collisions occurred in June 2014, when it sustained moderate to severe front-end damage at approximately 1,000 miles and was subsequently repaired at a certified dealer, and in 2019, when it incurred rear-end damage under 30,000 miles. The piston-crown failure I experienced in 2024—at 90,000–95,000 miles—cannot be attributed to either of those incidents. Its nature and timing are fully consistent with low-speed pre-ignition, the exact defect addressed by Recall 19V204000. An 11-page CARFAX report and full call‐recordings are available upon request.

NHTSA ID

11674532

Incident

Jun 17, 2025

My 2013 Hyundai Veloster (VIN: [XXX] ) has the known P1326 fault related to the Theta II engine defect. Despite a rod bearing test that passed, the engine now requires replacement, confirmed by the dealer, who quoted me $8,494. Hyundai refuses to assist, even though I am under the 150,000-mile extended warranty. This is a safety risk and fits the class-action defect criteria. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11669270

Incident

Jun 25, 2025

Vehicle Info: 2013 Hyundai Veloster VIN: [XXX] Odometer: 75,000 miles Problem Description: My check engine light began flashing and the vehicle entered limp mode. Diagnostic codes showed P1326 and U1103, which are linked to a known Theta II engine defect involving rod bearing failure. Hyundai issued a 15-year / 150,000-mile warranty extension and settled a class-action lawsuit to cover these failures. However, my request for coverage was denied due to “time in service” despite being well below the mileage limit (only 75k miles). This is a serious safety concern that may result in sudden engine failure. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate Hyundai's denial and handling of such cases INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11669133

Incident

Jun 24, 2025

I was driving my vehicle and it began severely misfiring and stalled on me. I took it to the dealer and found there was damage to cylinder number 2 engine balance. After research I found there are many claims and complaints due to this type of issue. The likely cause is preignition caused by what Hyundai calls bad software. I recently purchase the vehicle and they say it was updated in July of 2024 and will not repair my vehicle as they say because of its age and mileage. That being said I’m at 120k mileage and work in the auto industry…. They is nothing that could cause valve burn outside of the known ignition issue with these cars. I have no problem paying for repairs due to my cause issues or normal wear and tear but a melted valve is caused by the know issues on these cars. I am looking for help working with Hyundai to get this issue fixed.

NHTSA ID

11657673

Incident

Apr 7, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle started to shake. The contact stated that after shifting into gear the vehicle became difficult to drive. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnosed with a passenger’s air bag fault. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 172,000.

NHTSA ID

11648164

Incident

May 15, 2024

Mileage

172,000 mi

On October 17, 2024, owner was leaving Denver, CO on the highway and had to stop for traffic and vehicle wouldn't move. Was in drive but vehicle would not drive and pulled to side of road. Had insurance tow to nearest Hyundai dealership. Check engine light was on and dealership checked vehicle and needed to have the crankshaft position sensor replaced. Fixed the problem thank God and I was on my road shortly there after. My Veloster is 2013 with 47,000 miles at time of incident.

NHTSA ID

11624857

Incident

Oct 17, 2024

A connecting rod bearing failed in the engine leading to catastrophic engine failure with the connecting rod breaking through the wall of the engine block causing a hole and undriveable vehicle. According to my research, this issue has been recalled in adjacent model years (2015-2016) but not in my model year (2013) that has the same engine. This issue has already been confirmed in these engines, but Hyundai states my car is not included in the recall. This was a safety risk because the engine failure breached the engine wall which could have ignited engine oil and caused a fire. The engine may have also failed at a critical driving moment when acceleration was needed and stranded the car in an unsafe position. Yes, the problem was reproduced at the dealer's service center because the failure occurred while they were test driving my vehicle. Since the service center tech was the one driving the car when the incident occured, I do not know if there was a fire or not and the speed they were traveling, etc. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealer service center and confirmed that this is the issue that caused the problem. The dealer even suspected this was going to happen as they had foreknowledge of the issue occurring on other vehicles that had already been recalled for this issue. The only prior warning of this issue is that I had some misfires on the engine a few days before which is what prompted me to bring it in for service. The misfires temporarily illuminated the "check engine" light but then the light went back out again. I had no idea this minor issue would result in such a severe, catastrophic failure.

NHTSA ID

11614896

Incident

Aug 23, 2024

One night I was driving on the highway and my check engine light came on. At first I thought it was weird because I had just gotten the car from a dealership three weeks prior. I pulled into a gas station and checked my oil which was low so I added some oil that I had bought. As I was driving home the car suddenly developed a tick and started to lose power. The turbo stopped working. I was pretty concerned about this so the next morning I decided to top off the oil and I decided to take the car into a shop. The first shop heard the engine knock and told me that my crankshaft might be going bad but I wanted a second opinion so I took it to a trusted shop who heard the engine knock and told me the engine would need to be replaced. I called the warranty company and they inspected it at the shop and said the engine would need to be torn down for diagnosis. I had to agree to pay for the shop to tear down the engine if it would not be covered. The shop found metal shavings in the oil pan. Once the engine was apart, they said that the rod bearing was bad. The car and engine are available for inspection.

NHTSA ID

11611684

Incident

Jun 3, 2024

Car hit 100k miles engine is knocking and mechanic says engine is blown. Researched the issue and found many other people having same issue. Hyundai issued a recall for this year's veloster but is saying my car does not fall under the category even though it is one of the issued problems with vehicle

NHTSA ID

11609578

Incident

Aug 19, 2024

Vehicle is burning through oil without having oil light engaged. Vehicle is going through two quart + of oil every 3 weeks. Just added 2 quarts of oil 3 weeks ago when the car would not accelerate past 5mph and rough idled (this turned out to be caused by a different issue still being diagnosed), I added the oil as dip stick showed no oil on the stick. Light did not come on. Took to independent mechanic this week who stated I had no oil in the vehicle. Can not go 3 month/3000 miles for an oil change or the engine would be damaged. Have taken the vehicle several times to Valvoline who indicate no oil with no oil pressure light on, each time. This has been constant for 2 years. Each mechanic shop states the GDI engines are burning through oil. No oil leaks have been detected. This issue could result in serious engine damage.

NHTSA ID

11593239

Incident

Jun 7, 2024

First the turbo stopped working n smoking. Took it to the dealer n they had it for a month.. Get it back one day later had to have it towed . Vehicle was there for another 2 weeks got it back and it started to smoke. I pressed on the gas pedal n the car wouldn’t move! The first time the turbo was supposed to be replaced I believe ever since it was sent there to be replaced it was never the same. I still have the car and it will not start. The turbo n engine are filled with oils .

NHTSA ID

11588739

Incident

Jun 1, 2019

Abs component and or fuse is causing pre ignition in the motor thus causing abnormal rpm’s when idling or driving thus further causing damage to the vehicle itself

NHTSA ID

11586988

Incident

Apr 19, 2024

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming 3 quarts of oil every 3,500 miles. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard an abnormal sound and pulled to the side of the road. The contact stated that upon inspecting the engine oil level, there was no oil on the dipstick. The contact stated that the low oil pressure warning light failed to illuminate. The contact then pulled into the nearest gas station, where oil was added to the engine. The contact stated that the low oil pressure warning light had failed to illuminate while the engine oil level was low on several occasions. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that the low oil pressure warning was designed to illuminate when the oil level was 2 quarts low; however, the contact stated that the warning light had failed to illuminate. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer for an oil consumption test. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ID

11585449

Incident

Apr 26, 2019

Mileage

80,000 mi

Unknown but it threw the abs light on and off and then the oil change light come on and it stared ticking after it shut off and then I turned it on and the ticking got worse and louder and steering was cliking so I parked it and it would not go over 20 mph or pull a hill so It’s been parked ever since

NHTSA ID

11581834

Incident

Jan 8, 2024

Purchased the vehicle and a few weeks late received a recall letter (23V651000) about their ABS issue. They never did send us the recall letter regarding the known engine issue. Months later the engine completely seized up. We took it to a mechanic who told us to call Hyudai since the engine was well beyond repair. We called the Hyudai dealership in town and they explicitly told us their were NO ACTIVE RECALLS for this car. After finding out a replacement engine would cost over $10k we had no other option but to salvage the vehicle. Fast forward about a month and we received recall letter (service campaign 966) about a recall active since MARCH 2021 regarding engine sensor malfunction that could result in total engine loss if not addressed. Hyundai is refusing to take responsibility for not informing us about this recall during few months we owned the car. They also are not taking responsibility at the dealership level for telling us there were no active recalls (there are TWO active recalls that were present when we called.) Is there anything that NHTSA will or can help with regarding this issue. Hyundai very clearly dropped the ball on this issue and are refusing to be helpful or take responsibility. This could have been a VERY dangerous situation if the car was driving at speed - luckily the engine broke down when pulling out of the driveway...

NHTSA ID

11578968

Incident

Mar 20, 2024

Hi

NHTSA ID

11568644

Incident

Jan 29, 2024

I was on my way to school when my car started making some weird noises. Suddenly my car made a large explosion noise, my engine light turned on, then off, and then on again. my heads up display light started flickering sort of and then oil and battery light came on. my car then SHUT OFF while driving on the FREEWAY. power steering stopped leaving me able to turn the wheel but it being very difficult. my gas pedal not doing anything. I had to coast to an exit and pull over. I had it towed to a place my grandpa really trusts. this was 3 days ago. today I got a call saying that the engine had a 3 inch hole in the block facing the radiator. and was quoted a repair price of more than I had paid for the car. and to make matters worse the accident happened the day before I was going to meet with a buyer and sell it.

NHTSA ID

11568103

Incident

Jan 23, 2024

1. 2013 Veloster 1.6 turbo motor fire. Motor blew and fire burned everything.Inspection is time framed as I was sent lein and storage fees. In was asset and not one as far as insurance or Gap giving me the run around. my family ,myself and those near grocery store potentially could of gotten hurt. Had no warning at all on dashboard. I loved my car sad to honestly say scared to drive a Hyundai ever again. Only a adjuster came out actually can't even say she did . Wanted picture and Vin from me said she was hired as third party and never heard from her again . Fire dept . Just put fire out. Police said since I was legally parked no need if report. Which I thaught was wierd .

NHTSA ID

11558815

Incident

Oct 28, 2023