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2016 Hyundai Veloster

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Veloster years

Owner complaints for the 2016 Hyundai Veloster are substantially higher than the model-year median of 85.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

108 reports with mileage · 114 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 132 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

15 crash reports4 fire reports11 injury reports

Engine complaints

132 reports
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117,500 miles · Mar 16, 2022
Engine

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that she had initially received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V746000 (Engine). The contact took the vehicle to a dealer where they inspected the vehicle and found no damage related to the recall, the recall was then removed and the vehicle returne…

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The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that she had initially received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V746000 (Engine). The contact took the vehicle to a dealer where they inspected the vehicle and found no damage related to the recall, the recall was then removed and the vehicle returned to the contact. Recently, the contact stated that on two separate occasions, once while driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified and provided a diagnostic fee for an inspection. The contact then took the vehicle to Hyundai of Yakima (3204 Fruitvale Blvd, Yakima, WA 98902) where they confirmed that the connecting rod bearing was defective which was linked to the recall. The manufacturer was notified by the dealer and the manufacturer denied the claim submitted to have the vehicle serviced under the prior recall. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer and was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 117,500.

NHTSA ODI #11456928

59,270 miles · Mar 4, 2022
EngineEngine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated his daughter was driving and was at a stoplight. The driver was making a right turn when the vehicle lost motive power and the vehicle stalled lost power. The driver was able to restart the vehicle and slowly pulled the vehicle into a parking lot and parked. There were…

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The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated his daughter was driving and was at a stoplight. The driver was making a right turn when the vehicle lost motive power and the vehicle stalled lost power. The driver was able to restart the vehicle and slowly pulled the vehicle into a parking lot and parked. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact had to pick up the vehicle the next day and have it towed to their residence and then towed to an independent mechanic to inspect the vehicle and failure was related to an internal issue with the engine making abnormal noise. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer who diagnosed the failure as related to the catalytic converter and damage to the engine where it would need to be replaced. The dealer also inform the contact the failure could be related to an NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V746000 (engine), however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,270.

NHTSA ODI #11455257

Mileage unknown · Feb 14, 2022
EnginePower Train

Cruising on freeway ~70 mph when car starts slowing due to lack of power- for unknown reason car went into "limp mode", with turbo boost pressure and power cut off, barely enough power to keep car at 60 mph in order to make it to freeway exit to pull off. This could have caused serious collision. Turned off car, let it sit 1 mi…

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Cruising on freeway ~70 mph when car starts slowing due to lack of power- for unknown reason car went into "limp mode", with turbo boost pressure and power cut off, barely enough power to keep car at 60 mph in order to make it to freeway exit to pull off. This could have caused serious collision. Turned off car, let it sit 1 min, turned it back on, and problem seemed to go away. No Check Engine Light, no OBD2 codes. Limp mode sometimes occur during harsh shifts but releasing throttle and reengaging usually fixes it but this time needed to shut off the car. Has been reported to dealer but they can't reproduce consistently and no CEL/codes so they won't try to find a fix. But losing power for no apparent reason on freeway definitely dangerous situation.

NHTSA ODI #11451884

58,900 miles · Jan 28, 2022
EnginePower Train

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V746000 (Engine) and the dealer-installed a software update containing a new Knock Sensor Detection System; however, while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle began to stall. The check e…

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The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V746000 (Engine) and the dealer-installed a software update containing a new Knock Sensor Detection System; however, while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle began to stall. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact was able to push the vehicle to the side of the road with assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. Then, the vehicle was taken to a transmission specialist who diagnosed that the transmission was in great condition; however, the engine was not communicating with the transmission. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who completed a transmission relearn; however, the vehicle was sluggish while accelerating from a complete stop. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who diagnosed that there were metal shavings in the engine oil, the engine was knocking loudly, and there was a significant amount of smoke coming out of the exhaust. The dealer reset the Knock Sensor Detection System software. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring and the vehicle would not exceed 45 MPH. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer - Hyundai of Yuma (1125 E 32nd St, Yuma, AZ 85365) who diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The second dealer sent a diagnostic report to the manufacturer and requested a new engine; however, the manufacturer denied the request due to the vehicle having a salvage title. The contact stated that only the rear end of the vehicle was reconstructed as the vehicle was involved in a crash. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 58,900.

NHTSA ODI #11449324

Mileage unknown · Dec 24, 2021
Engine

Engine has a very noticeable engine ticking just like every other 1.6 included in the Hyundai recall yet my engine isn’t included in the recall. How can my 2016 have the same issue yet not require a recall notice

NHTSA ODI #11444897

Mileage unknown · Dec 12, 2021
Engine

Engine knocking loudly on cold start indicating possible rod bearing wear addressed on nhtsa safety recall number 20v746000. Car was taken to hyundai dealer for recall engine inspection and given clean bill of health and removed from recall listing. Vehicle was at the dealership for less than an hour which is not enough time to …

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Engine knocking loudly on cold start indicating possible rod bearing wear addressed on nhtsa safety recall number 20v746000. Car was taken to hyundai dealer for recall engine inspection and given clean bill of health and removed from recall listing. Vehicle was at the dealership for less than an hour which is not enough time to do the necessary inspection for rod bearing wear. Knock sensor software was updated, but knock sensors are designed to detect piston clatter or knock, known as preignition. Knock sensors do not and cannot detect engine noise from worn rod bearings. The inspection method obviously did not include any actual mechanical measurement for bearing runout to determine actual wear, but instead was based on what the tech could hear and his personal determination or that of his superior. I contend my car is still at risk for early engine failure as outlined in the safety recall and should be reinstated for a proper inspection.

NHTSA ODI #11443501

Mileage unknown · Nov 29, 2021
Engine

While I was driving down the road I suddenly heard a rod knock coming from the engine. I immediately pulled over and turned the car off. I was fortunate that I am aware of this known problem and can recognize the symptoms. An oil warning like appeared after the sound of the rod knock and just before I turned the engine off. …

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While I was driving down the road I suddenly heard a rod knock coming from the engine. I immediately pulled over and turned the car off. I was fortunate that I am aware of this known problem and can recognize the symptoms. An oil warning like appeared after the sound of the rod knock and just before I turned the engine off. I was on a local highway at the time and knew that the rod knock would likely result in an engine fire if I did not turn it off immediately. I checked the oil on the car and found that it was suddenly very low, which came as a surprise because I had just checked the oil a couple days before. I have since read that a common symptom associated with the Hyundai engine problems is sudden excessive oil consumption. After contacting Hyundai and insisting that this is a known problem with the 2016 Veloster Turbo they inspected the engine and confirmed the rod bearing was worn and the rod was knocking. They refused to acknowledge that ANY 2016 Velosters had been recalled for engine problems and refused to discuss it further. Since my car was still under warranty, the most they would agree to was partially covering the repair under warranty because I had modified the air intake on the car. To exacerbate the scenario, it took over 3 months for the local dealership to complete the repairs which were completed in just a few hours.

NHTSA ODI #11441924

Mileage unknown · Oct 28, 2021
EnginePower Train

My driveway has a slight incline to get out of and every morning when I start to leave the car will start to jerk- like it isn't gong into gear and i have to back off the gas pedal to stop it. It is hard to describe. But it definitely should not be making that sound. Yes I can take if for inspection. When I am at a stop light…

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My driveway has a slight incline to get out of and every morning when I start to leave the car will start to jerk- like it isn't gong into gear and i have to back off the gas pedal to stop it. It is hard to describe. But it definitely should not be making that sound. Yes I can take if for inspection. When I am at a stop light or just stopped and whenever I turn the car wants to hesitate and sometimes jerks me. Transmission issue here I believe. About got hit on several times because of the engine not performing when I press the gas. When I drive on the highway for 2-4 hrs, when I get off and stop the car is like it is still on the highway. Meaning when I push on the throttle it takes off. As far as I know, when I take my car to Hyundai for oil changes and maintenance work they haven't inspected my car. Ever since I purchased the car- it has never ran right. Something for sure is wrong with the motor- When I need the turbo to work- it kicks in around 40 mile an hr- not when I put on the gas. The car just runs terrible. There is also a horrible blind spot on both sides where the mirrors are. Horrible.

NHTSA ODI #11438467

Mileage unknown · Oct 21, 2021
Engine

Has the issue with engine already involved in a recall but doesn't include this 2016 Veloster. We've never received a single recall or bulletin for this vehicle.

NHTSA ODI #11437683

98,000 miles · Oct 12, 2021
Engine

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Veloster. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V746000 (Engine). The contact stated that while driving at 60 - 70 mph, clicking noises were heard then the vehicle stalled. The oil pressure light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The contac…

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The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Veloster. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V746000 (Engine). The contact stated that while driving at 60 - 70 mph, clicking noises were heard then the vehicle stalled. The oil pressure light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The contact inspected under the hood and saw oil was coming back out of the oil reservoir. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact the next available appointment would be for November 9, 2021. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer for diagnosis. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

NHTSA ODI #11436463

Official recalls

1

20V746000 · Engine

Dec 1, 2020

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A damaged engine can increase the risk of a fire or it can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

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 (KSDS). Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 198.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

EA21003 · Engine Fires

Opened Dec 22, 2021 · Closed Feb 5, 2024

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine

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.  During the PE investigations, Hyundai and Kia issued several recalls to address vehicle fires, including those due to engine failures involving various engine types.  The remedies for the engine failure recalls typically involve engine inspection (to detect existing damage), and if necessary, engine replacement.  Additionally, both manufacturers have been installing an engine control software modification known as Knock Sensor Detection Software (KSDS) which is intended to detect impending engine failure, alert the driver, and limit engine power (to lessen likelihood of engine failure).KSDS is being installed under recalls and non-safety field actions, and both companies have extended limited engine warranties (see recall files). On December 22, 2021, ODI upgraded PE19-003 and PE19-004 to this Engineering Analysis (EA21-003, covering both Hyundai and Kia) to evaluate the scope of the prior recalls related to engine failures/fires and the efficacy of the recall remedies for the recalls, as well as the long-term viability of related programs and non-safety field actions being conducted by Hyundai and Kia.  The former issue involved approximately 550,000 MY 2013 Hyundai Elantra, MY 2011 Kia Sorento, and MY 2012-2015 Kia Rio.  The latter issue involved approximately 2.5 million recalled vehicles, which have been identified as displaying potential remedy concerns: Hyundai recalls 15V-568, 17V-226, 20V-746, and 21V-727; and Kia recalls 17V-224, 19V-120, 20V-750, and 21V-844. Regarding the recall scope issue, among all of the scope vehicles identified at EA opening, ODI found only the MY 2011 Kia Sorento vehicles equipped with both the Theta II 2.4L 4-cylinder Multi-Point Injection (MPI) and the Lambda II 3.5L 6-cylinder MPI engines experienced relatively high rates of reported fires.  In December 2023, Kia issued recall 23V-877 that will cover about 80,000 MY 2011 Kia Sorento vehicles equipped with the Theta II 2.4L MPI engines.  The remedy will involve an inspection, and if necessary, a replacement of the engine, as well as the installation of KSDS.  It should be noted that in 2021 these vehicles were included in a KSDS product improvement campaign with warranty extension.  For the MY 2011 Sorento vehicles equipped with the Lambda II 3.5L engines, ODI believes that future engine failures/fires involving these vehicles will likely be due to a lax in adhering to the proper or scheduled engine maintenance (regular engine oil changes), rather than a design or manufacturing engine issue. Regarding the issue of the efficacy of the recall remedies, ODI found the majority of the recalled Hyundai and Kia vehicles, by model, experienced lower reported fire rates after the remedies were applied.  Furthermore, ODI found that for most vehicles that did not receive the recall remedies, by model, experienced relatively high fire rates.  To address this problem, Hyundai informed ODI in December 2023, that it will renotify all of its owners covered by the Hyundai recalls of engine failures/fires every 8 months for the next 3 years.  In December 2023, Kia stated that it will renotify the majority of its owners every 8 months for the next 3 years.Several previously recalled Kia models are excluded from the renotification due to their lower reported rates of engine fires.  Overall, the renotification actions will help to increase the recall completion rates, thus reduce the frequency of engine fires in the future. In view of the recall action being taken by Kia and renotification actions being taken by both Kia and Hyundai, ODI is closing this Engineering Analysis.  Also, both companies have been released from the 2020-iniated Consent Orders (Kia since November 2022 and Hyundai since November 2023).  The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.  To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.