Hyundai Finally Replaced My Engine. Millions Of Other Owners Aren't As Lucky

After two long years, Hyundai finally replaced the engine in my 2018 Sonata. It took multiple dealer visits, poking Hyundai corporate, thousands of miles of driving and hundreds of gallons of oil. Luckily it was done at no cost to me. Unfortunately, other Hyundai/Kia owners are either still awaiting a decision on whether their engine will be replaced, currently dealing with engine problems or have been outright denied a replacement.

The Kia Amanti Was Basically a Knock-Off Mercedes

Hyundai’s engine troubles have been a weirdly quiet problem for years. Estimates are that over 2 million vehicles are affected so it is a big problem. It’s so big of a problem that the company lost $2 billion in Q3 of 2022 because of the engines. The problems primarily apply to five Hyundai/Kia engine families: Nu, Gamma, Theta, Lambda and Kappa. With the number of engines are under each of those lines, the affected model list is vast. The engine troubles effect nearly every Hyundai or Kia model made from 2009-2022. From out-of-production models like the Genesis Coupe and Veloster to previous generations of models that are still around like the Kia Sportage, Sorento and Soul.

Numerous class action suits have been filed or settled. Those that are still going have participants seeking damages in the form of full engine replacements or reimbursement for things related to their cars problems, like towing or rental cars. Not everyone has been successful at getting Hyundai to pay them back for related costs. Like one owner who spent thousands when her Santa Fe’s engine failed and has so far failed to get reimbursed from Hyundai.

My Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Theta II engine failed while we were out of state on vacation. The car took 56 days to test, get approval and replace the engine. We spent over $3000 on towing, a rental car to get home from Georgia, a long term rental car, airfare and Uber to go back to pick the car up. I submitted receipts to the class action suit. Four months later they approved only $326. I appealed and went to arbitration. No help. There are a million rules and they use them to deny claims.

They covered towing and the rental car to drive home from out of state but denied the $150 one way return fee. They denied the long term rental because we used a “private owner rental” like Turo. We have since learned that they deny most rental car reimbursements regardless of where you rent. They denied the airfare to return to Georgia to pick up the car but covered the Uber from the airport to the dealership.

Some are stuck between a rock and a hard place, like one owner who has been having issues with their Sportage and is being told one thing by the Kia dealer and the truth by their mechanic.

I have a 2018 Kia Sportage. Bought brand new, now have 140k miles. Been having issues with it for over a year with burning oil… been putting oil

In every week, have had so many issues with this car, about 6 months ago the car broke down on highway with engine issues. Towed to mechanic and he said it was engine issue which was a code he was getting. Kia replaced the knock sensor but wouldn’t replace the engine as they said I needed a new head gasket. My mechanic said there is nothing wrong my head gasket.. fast forward to 2 days ago. Car broke down again, had it towed to mechanic and he was getting a misfire in ignition coil 1. We replaced all spark plugs and ignition coils and it’s still not right. The car is now shaking as it’s being driven. I still owe $5500 on the car and not sure what to do?

How can I fight this? I can’t afford another car now.

Other owners who have hit roadblocks from both Hyundai and their respective dealer have taken matters into their own hands. One owner took their troubles to the NHTSA who sent an inspector. Because of the inspector, the owner not only got their engine replaced, but Kia also bought back their vehicle, refunded their loan payments, paid off the loan and gave them a refund on their gap insurance and extended warranty.

Owners groups on places like Facebook are filled with stories of success, failure or people getting the runaround. From constantly having to do oil consumption tests — something I know all too well — to cars one and two years old with less than 100,000 miles experiencing total engine failure. What does Hyundai have to say about all this? After reaching out to them about the situation, I got a statement that essentially says they’re aware of what’s going on and to remind owners to regularly service their cars.

Hyundai is aware of certain instances where excessive carbon buildup in the piston rings/lands can lead to increased oil consumption and in some cases result in the vehicle operating with low/no oil in the crankcase. For customers experiencing this issue there is a service bulletin available where Hyundai dealers will conduct a 1,000-mile accumulation inspection to determine how much oil is being used during that period. If too much oil is being consumed during the 1,000-mile test, a combustion chamber cleaning procedure will be performed. If excess oil is still being consumed, Hyundai will replace the engine under warranty (if applicable). Hyundai is also in the process of developing an enhanced service procedure to address this issue more efficiently for affected owners.

Hyundai also encourages its customers to perform routine maintenance on their vehicles in a timely manner, especially consistent oil changes. For new vehicles purchased after Feb. 1, 2020, Hyundai has offered complimentary maintenance, including oil and filter changes plus tire rotation at normal factory-scheduled intervals for 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. (https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/2969). Customer satisfaction is of the utmost importance and any customers experiencing issues with their vehicle should visit their local Hyundai dealer and/or contact the Hyundai Consumer Assistance Center (https://owners.hyundaiusa.com/us/en/contact-us.html).

Notice though that the statement said the engine will be replaced “under warranty if applicable”. While there are some who have been dealing with the oil consumption and subsequent engine failure within the warranty period, far more owners are like myself: the oil consumption issues started just after or well after the warranty expired, leaving the dealer (and some skeptics) to chalk up the issue as having more to do with mileage/wear and tear.

The sad part is that there are owners all across the country who have been doing both of these things and have gotten nowhere. Hyundai needs to get a handle on things and instruct dealers not to be so dismissive when it comes to these engine issues. Until both Hyundai and its dealers get on the same page and start helping people with their cars, owners all across the country will continue to suffer.