10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 4
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
66,219 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Hyundai Veloster engine problems

engine problem

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2012 Hyundai Veloster Owner Comments (Page 3 of 3)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #16

May 102018

Veloster

  • 115,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Car has began doing this often now. At 115K miles. Start the car, put it in drive, car won't move. Put it in reverse. Same issue. Have to turn the car off and on and repeat until it moves. Occasionally I'll stop at a stop sign and go to move after stopping and again, it won't move. Engine just revs. Have to repeat above until it moves. Replaced camshaft sensor and knock sensor. Didn't fix it. Now the car dies while in park and stalls between 15-2000 RPM. There are several forums with the same issues and no one has a solid answer. And no recall. Insane. Taking it to Hyundai and considering a lawsuit with my evidence and all the other forums and complaints.

- Fresno, CA, USA

problem #15

Oct 132017

Veloster

  • 60,600 miles
While driving my car on the highway, I suddenly began to hear a loud knocking sound coming from under the hood. My car began to lose power and I was unable to accelerate. During my attempts to get my car to the side of the road the car then began to shack seconds later followed by an explosion that filled the car with smoke as it came to a complete stop in the middle of the highway. Thank god passer bys stopped to help get the car to the side of the road before anyone was injured.

- South Elgin, IL, USA

problem #14

Aug 132017

Veloster

  • 82,000 miles
I have owned car for 8 months (purchased used from dealership) engine knocking. Engine seized up yesterday. No engine warning light. Engine is completely done. Was driving down the road yesterday heard loud knocking and car died. Had to have towed.

- Denver, NC, USA

problem #13

May 262017

Veloster

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I purchased this car 3/2012 Dec 2013 my car had to be taken in for the rear brake calipers, sunroof and the check engine light was on, took it in to kendall Hyundai, car was ok but had low power. Feb 2016 car had to go back in my trunk lock would not release. Oct 2016, engine had a loud knocking sound after oil change & service at the same dealership, I had to have an engine change, check engine light never goes off. As recent as May 26, 2017 my car failed, oil light flickering, check engine light on. I received the car back on Jun 22, 2017 after another engine change. The car's check engine light is still on called the dealership back and will take the car. The dealership has scheduled this Tuesday & that they will keep the car again for another couple of days. It is very disturbing because my car has now had 2 engine change and the check engine light is still on. I have lost the value in the car and it is & was lemon car. Hyundai should be shut down for selling faulty cars. I was driving the car on the highway at each engine failure. I have all my records on hand.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #12

Jun 152015

Veloster

  • 50,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that the headlight bulbs burned out often. Also, while idling at a stop, the vehicle jerked, lost power, and shut off without warning. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The contact also stated that the vehicle accelerated automatically in intervals and the engine made a knocking sound. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the vehicle operated as designed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures and referred the contact to the dealer. The failures were not remedied. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

- Stafford, VA, USA

problem #11

Dec 192016

Veloster 4-cyl

  • 48,000 miles
When stopped, car stalls occasionally.. starts right up again, but then as I was driving car engine would occasionally feel as if it's going to stall & then surge up to power.

- Florissant, MO, USA

problem #10

Jan 042016

Veloster

  • 36,700 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Dealer says they can't replicate the problem. Vehicle has intermittent problems starting. When turning key in ignition, usually in colder weather in the mornings, vehicle will not start. There is just a 1-click sound per ignition cycle, but no ignition occurs. All lights come on dash, radio turns on, etc. Replaced battery due to failed battery test, but this did not fix the starter problem. I believe the starter assembly is starting to fail but the dealer has been very unhelpful. I drive a lot for work, especially to remote areas, and I'm going to get stranded eventually without any cell service.

- Long Beach, CA, USA

problem #9

Aug 252014

Veloster

  • 24,181 miles
My car has been having a "chugging" feeling around 20-40mph for a while almost like engine is not getting enough fuel. I was stopped at intersection and went to accelerate and car died as if I ran out of gas or went into "limp mode". it would not turn back on and after a few min. It did start only for the same thing to happen about a mile later. Took it to be looked at the following day they found some chewed wires fixed that. Thought the problem was fixed then about a month later I was driving between 70-75mph on highway suddenly speed rapidly decreased to 20mph was revving engine at over 4K RPM and car would not go over 20mph! after a few miles driving at 20mph speed kicked back in and got home safely. Went to drive it the following day and car went into "limp mode" while at stop light about to get on the highway started back up after a few min. Took it to dealership they found no error codes they drove it and could not figure out anything that was wrong. I do not feel safe driving this vehicle daily during rush hour on the highway! have found people with similar issues and same results which is nothing. Have looked up some possible causes maybe relating to the fuel pressure sensor, throttle position sensor, and/or the fuel rail pressure sensor based on Veloster forum but so far no solution to my problem and dealership wants me to continue driving it.

- Bolingbrook, IL, USA

problem #8

May 212014

Veloster 4-cyl

  • 49,550 miles
For the 4th time, my 2012 Veloster literally shut off while being driven. It does not stall. It shuts off entirely. No electric. No power. No nothing. Luckily, this has only happened when doing under 15mph or stopped at a light. If this were to happen on a highway or at high speeds, it is quite certain that I would be in an accident as there would be no way to alert other motorists that my vehicle cannot be driven - there are no brake lights or anything when it shuts off. When it shuts off, it is in drive. It cannot be put back into park. I have to put it into neutral to restart it. It does restart without hesitation. I did take it to my local dealer once and they were not able to locate any problem. I have done research on this and see that Hyundai has the same kind of problems most often with their Santa Fe models. I have checked to see if there has been a recall for this issue from Hyundai, but so far they have not addressed this issue.

- Langhorne, PA, USA

problem #7

Jul 152013

Veloster 4-cyl

  • 17,194 miles
When I put the car in drive today, after having an ECM update at the dealership 2 days prior, the car went backwards down an incline and would not proceed forward.

- Warwick, RI, USA

problem #6

May 292013

Veloster 4-cyl

  • 33,400 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle has entered into limp home mode multiple times, last time resulting in near collision from behind as throttle and transmission shifting become inoperable. Vehicle does not produce any codes or check engine light. Other symptoms prior to this condition were an engine miss while driving and complete stall in park.

- Tyrone, PA, USA

problem #5

May 112012

Veloster

  • 250 miles
Purchased car on 5/5/2012 with 6 miles on it. Within less than a week and 200 miles the transmission began clicking. Took it into Hyundai and they stated it needed a new transmission. After 2 1/2 weeks the transmission was replaced as Hyundai refused to give me a different car. Since then the car cannot accelerate, sounds "clunky" and when going at low speeds sounds like the gear isn't engaging and sounds/feels like it would if you released a clutch too early. Car loses power and sounds like it's about to die. A hissing and rattling sound under the hood happens as well. After taking it in to dealer, dealer states they could not find the sounds or noises or loss of power I was having. Rpms rev really high before engaging in first gear. Dealer still won't do anything since they can't diagnose it. I have almost been in multiple accidents for failure of power and car not accelerating. Takes about 3-5 seconds before it goes. Brakes grab too easily as well. Loss of gas mileage (around 6-7 mpg) was reported to dealer but dealer told me it was due to "winter gas." I can understand 2-3 mpg difference but 6-7 is too much. Car has also been in the shop for a week for the car alarm going off constantly for no reason. A piece of the windshield plastic also fell off for no reason when car was 3 weeks old. Dealer duct taped that part down until a new part could be ordered.

- Lake Stevens, WA, USA

problem #4

Jul 162012

Veloster 4-cyl

  • 7,881 miles
Bought the car brand new in Jan of 2012, started having "issues" with the duel clutch within a few months of driving. After getting use to the new car and how it drove, putting a few thousand miles on the car, something was still not right with how it drove. Not getting the speed it needed and tacking out the rpms to change into the right gear and at times, was the wrong gear. We had taken it to the dealership in which we got the car, told them of the issue and they said there was nothing wrong and that it was "normal" with the duel clutch and that we had to drive it more in manual mode, which made no sense to me. After a few months, the car got progressively worse....could not even merge out into traffic that was going 30-35 mph. Had to always drive the car in manual mode as opposed to automatic, adhering to the dealership. Well, one thing lead to another and now the car is barely driving and becoming a massive safety issue, as we have to use this car to go to and from work and that only. We had brought it to the attention of the dealership, once again in Dec and now... they are having "issues" with the duel clutch and that this car was...a "guinea pig" and being made a complete mockery of this particular dealership. We have escalated the issue to corporate office and I will never purchase another vehicle from this maker ever again... nothing but a horrid experience.

- Lewiston, ME, USA

problem #3

Aug 142012

Veloster

  • 3,200 miles
The car does not accelerate properly. When at a full stop and I press on the gas the car does not move however, the rpms are high but the car takes 5-6 seconds to go and it doesn't go very fast and there have been times I was almost hit. My car jerks when I try to accelerate from a slow speed, it is the same movement as if you were running out of gas and actually jerks my neck. My rear driver's window shattered for no reason. It was in the drive way and when I went out to work in the morning, it was shattered. There is no impact sight as evidence that something had hit it. I am very unhappy with the car and wish I never bought it.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #2

Feb 112012

Veloster 4-cyl

  • 120 miles
Vehicle downshifts to fifth gear when passing but does not return to sixth gear upon releasing accelerator. Vehicle continues at same rate of speed when releasing accelerator as if it were on cruise control. While passing an 18 wheeler on hwy 169 North, I noticed that there was another 18 wheeler approximately 100 feet in front of the one I was passing. With an oncoming vehicle I could not pass both trucks, so I passed the first one and pulled in behind the other one. When I let off the accelerator, the car continued at the same rate of speed forcing me to slam on the brakes to avoid rear-ending the other truck. This vehicle (and subsequently another vehicle on the dealership lot) exhibits this characteristic every time the vehicle goes into passing mode. However, if you back off the accelerator slightly, after about 5 seconds, the car will shift back into sixth gear [but all the while accelerating]. I noticed that you can manually shift the vehicle back to sixth by moving the shifter to manual mode for a split second and then shifting back into "D". the engine rpms will fall back down immediately indicating the shift. Otherwise, the vehicle remains in fifth gear without decelerating for approximately 8 seconds. In my case, the car did not do what I "told" it to do: Decelerate by releasing the pedal. I've spoken to Hyundai and to the dealership and have filed a complaint with the better business bureau because of this design flaw. "control" is the key issue behind the wheel of a vehicle. If someone is not expecting the vehicle to continue at the rate of speed when they let off the accelerator, they could crash into someone as I almost did. Thank you.

- Collinsville, OK, USA

problem #1

Apr 172012

Veloster 4-cyl

  • 35 miles
Original email sent to Hyundai motors usa "dear Hyundai motors usa, I have visited the dealership with my new Veloster for two issues on the car. I was advised to contact you to open a case as the dealer would not attempt to fix the issues as there is no recalls or service bulletins. Here are the following problems I have notified the D ealer of and those that need to be fixed. 1) serious issue! when braking under heavy conditions, both ABS and non ABS cases, the car swerves and/or loses it's 'rear' to either left or right. I've braked hard several times and it feels like the rear end is giving out. During ABS conditions, the car swerves like it's a rwd driven vehicle. This is not only scary as a consumer but dangerous to others. If there is any condensation on the road while braking and the leaning to one side occurs and/or swerving, I could hydroplane and cause a major accident because of a mechanical defect. I have done my own research and spoken to other Veloster owners as well. They have mentioned they have the same problem and their dealer has ordered and replaced one of the rear brake calipers to solve the problem. I informed my service advisor & the mechanic of this issue on 3 separate test drives. 1 test drive with service advisor in my Veloster, 1 with the mechanic in my Veloster & 1 in another new Veloster with the mechanic. In all cases the vehicle swerved or felt like the rear end was coming lose. Please have this issue fixed and provide customer service. I was very disappointed to learn that I have to write you prior to the dealer servicing my vehicle. I will be cooperative in this issue and look forward to a solution.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

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