2012 Hyundai Elantra Engine Problems

The contact’s son owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while the contact’s son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled, and the rear of the vehicle caught fire. The contact’s son pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road, and the fire extinguished on its own. No fire or police report was filed. The contact was informed by local police that a trail of oil had leaked from the contact’s son’s vehicle while driving. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and refused to replace the engine under an unknown related engine recall. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

Car check engine light illuminated and car began shaking and stalled at 79284 miles. Local mechanic said engine was dry and would need full replacement, no dashboard lights indicating oil level or engine issues prior to this point.

To Whom It May Concern, I am submitting this complaint regarding a 2012 Hyundai Elantra equipped with the 1.8L Nu engine, which is experiencing premature internal engine damage that presents a potential safety risk. Vehicle details: Year/Make/Model: 2012 Hyundai Elantra Mileage: Approximately 134,500 miles Issue description: The engine produces a persistent ticking/knocking noise, most pronounced at cold start but now continuing even after the engine has warmed. A Hyundai dealership diagnosed the vehicle with piston slap and confirmed significant scarring on the cylinder walls, stating that the only repair is full engine replacement. Despite the presence of internal engine damage, no warning lights are illuminated. I am concerned this condition could lead to sudden engine seizure or loss of power while driving, creating a safety hazard. Additional observations include: Excessive crankcase blow-by observed when removing the oil fill cap while the engine is running Strong exhaust fumes at cold start Noise most noticeable at idle and low RPM Regular oil changes using manufacturer-recommended oil viscosity The dealership advised the condition was not repairable short of engine replacement and did not submit the concern for Hyundai corporate technical review (Techline), despite the known history of engine defects in Hyundai Nu engines. I am filing this complaint to document a pattern of premature internal engine wear that may not be adequately addressed through recalls or warranty programs, and which could result in sudden engine failure. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

We went to a dealership to get it inspected due to a knocking noise in the engine. They used a tool and said it was most likely cylinder 3 piston slap. There was an issue with this according to Hyundai in the past. This puts my wife at risk because if it ends up blowing up, it could send shrapnel through the motor or cause her to wreck her vehicle if it happens while driving. This was diagnosed by a local dealership. No engine light is on at the time. This started a few weeks ago. The car is around 132,000 miles. Thank you!

I was driving my 2012 Hyundai Elantra and it suddenly stopped. I took it to be checked out and it has an excessive oil consumption issue which can cause engine failure or a fire. Hyundai refuses to acknowledge the issue or fix it. After doing some research I see that this is a common problem with this car. I have to check my oil every 1000 miles and many times less than that and refill it. They should be held responsible and fix the issue. There should also have been a recall considering not only how dangerous this is, but also how many people are experiencing this.

The contact owned a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving the vehicle, there was a smoke odor and the engine caught fire. The check engine light was illuminated. The contact pulled off the road and pushed the vehicle to a safe place where the fire would not spread to other objects. The vehicle was not drivable. There were no injuries and no police or fire report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 225,000. The VIN was not available.

On [XXX], I was driving on the left lane of [XXX], between [XXX] , traveling [XXX], in Oakland, California. I had only driven for a few minutes after leaving work. After braking at a stoplight, my 2012 Hyundai Elantra stopped functioning and stopped on the road while driving. The "check engine" light went on, the "check battery" light went on and a "check fluid" light all went on at the same time for over 10 minutes. During those 10 minutes, I was unable to start the car. I put my hazard lights on and desperately called 911 and AAA. I continued to try and re-start the car. After 10-15 minutes, I was able to get the car started and pulled off the road. I was later able to drive home. I later had the car evaluated by a mechanic and he could not find a reason for my experience. The battery was replaced within the last 6 months, oil was changed recently and an engine coil was recently replaced. We get the car repaired/serviced regularly. I strongly suspect that my experience is related to Hyundai Recall 251 / NHTSA Recall 23V651000. This is a very serious safety issue (e.g. "engine could catch on fire while driving or parked...") and Hyundai has so far not been appropriately responsive about my safety concerns. The Recall was issued in September of 2023 and no remedy has been issued to date (as of 2/16/24). Hyundai owners should not be expected to just keep driving cars that are at risk of randomly catching fire while driving or ceasing to function while driving on a busy road. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) The contact wants to follow up on this complaint.

Engine shuts off sporatically, sometimes 4 times in an hour of driving at low speeds. I could easily be rear ended in light traffic when the engine turns off. The problem has not been confirmed by anyone. I've Google the problem on different forums and many Elantra owners are experiencing the same problem. There are no warnings

On April 23rd when traveling from Jamestown, NY to to Fredonia, NY my car started and it seemed to be running rough. I shut the car off, and restarted it. It still seem to idle differently. Drove home, stopped I planned to stop to see my youngest daughter who resides at [XXX] 600 feet away from driveway, car began to chug and the engine light came on. I put on the Hazard lights and pulled to the side of the road. A pick up truck behind me was speeding up on me, he then swerved, and crossed the line into oncoming traffic. Breaks were screeching I was terrified there was going to be an accident. Called AAA, car was towed to Ralph's Penzoil in Dunkirk. Ralph replaced the coils. The car no longer chugged, the engine light was not on, but it sounded extremely loud, like a Diesel Tractor. Ralph said it was a hole in the muffler. I brought the car for a second opinion to Arkwright Towing and Larry said it was engine noise. Either the bearings or camshaft. He said there was no repair, I would either have to replace the engine or sell the vehicle. He cautioned against replacement as this model and make of Hyundai has had many engine recalls and problems. I then stopped driving the vehicle and used my mother's vehicle, as she no longer is driving after being discharged from the hospital. I finally had the chance to take the car to Hyundai Shultz in Lakewood, NY. I had brought the car there a few months prior, because it seemed to be running loud, especially in the morning. The Service department fixed a few recalls, but noted nothing wrong with the way the engine sounded. At this time the Hyundai dealership in Lakewood, Shultz my car continues to sit. Hyundai USA has refused to help replace the engine, as they state I do not have an extended warranty. While there have been hundreds of engine safety recalls on this make and model, just not 2012. Hyundai has closed my case, with no solution or repair. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

This report was submitted PREVIOUSLY on April 5, 2023 with no response received by me: My 2012 Hyundai Elantra Limited engine began making a tapping/ticking noise a few years ago. The noise became louder and then I discovered that my car qualified for the EXTENDED POWERTRAIN WARRANTY which was granted to any 2011-2016 Hyundai Elantra owner with 1.8L Nu Engine that a class action lawsuit brought against Hyundai Motor Corporation. I was never notified by Hyundai but rather a mechanic that I brought my car to that was aware of the campaign. I contacted Hyundai and was told to have the engine diagnosed by my local Hyundai Dealer. The results of the diagnosis were submitted to the Hyundai Motors Corporation Warranty department and my claim was denied as I was told that my mileage and years were past the qualifying criteria. I had brought my 2012 Hyundai Elantra Limited to the Hyundai dealership that I had purchased the car as certified used Hyundai in 2014 for the engine diagnosis to determine if the engine noise was related to the Extended Powertrain Warranty granted to owners of any 2011-2016 Hyundai Elantra with 1.8L Nu Engine. The borescope results and photos were sent to the Hyundai Motors Corporation Warranty department and it was confirmed that my engine did indeed have the "piston slap" problem as outlined in the class action lawsuit and all four cylinders were severely scored. Upon contacting Hyundai to request the borescope video and photos that I had paid $200 to the Hyundai dealership service department for the diagnosis, I was told if i wanted the video and photos I would have to hire an attorney to obtain them from the Hyundai warranty Department! I was never notified of this "secret" campaign! Needless to say I am extremely unhappy about this. I deserve to have this engine fixed under the extended warranty that Hyundai failed to notify me about. This is UNREAL! Please tell me what can be done here. Thank you, Douglas E Stevens

My engine has failed- I started with the piston slap one day when it started up engine light came on drove it right to dealership and almost didn’t even make it this is very scary and to know I only have a little over 114000 miles and not being covered being a second owner

Car has been properly maintained for years. No accidents or known major issues. Suddenly the car would not start one workday morning. The tow truck driver was unable to start the car; towed car to repair location. Nationally known major service station said the car was low on oil, they filled with 2 quarts. No prior oil problems, no oil or engine idiot light on dashboard was lit, no oil puddles/stains. Car returned to owner, on short drive home, the engine trouble idiot light turned on. Used code reader to find P0014 - cam shaft positioning error code. Brought to local service station, was told car needs a new engine. No outstanding recalls. Recent newspaper article stated there have been problems with 2012 Hyundai Elantra engines. Maybe locked engine is related to other known issues?

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that several attempts were needed to start the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the mechanic could not diagnose the failure. The mechanic replaced the battery, tires, and performed a tune up however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.

JUST BOUGHT THE CAR A COUPLE WEEKS AGO FOR MY DAUGHTER. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT AND WOULD NOT START. TRIED JUMPING IT. CHANGED BATTERY IN KEY. GAS TANK WAS FULL. FINALLY LOOKED ON INTERNET AND FINALLY LOOKED ON LINE AND FOUND A LOT OF OTHERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY SAID TO PUSH THE CAR FROM THE REAR. WE DID AND IT STARTED. AFRAID MY DAUGHTER WILL BE STUCK AT NIGHT LEAVING WORK.

2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD WHILE BEING DRIVEN 1-2 MPH OUT OF A PARKING LOT. THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED, BUT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A PARKING SPOT BARRICADE, INTO A FEILD, AND CRASHED INTO A BOLDER. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER WENT INTO SHOCK. SUFFERED A CUT ON THE HAND REQUIRING STITCHES. THE CONSUMER SUFFERED AN AUTO IMMUNE DISEASE, SEVERE BODY PAINS, AND DEVELOPED INFLAMMATION REQUIRING TREATMENT WITH PREDNISONE.

Piston slap not covered but known problem

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the valves were tapping in the engine. The dealer was contacted and the contact was informed that she needed to pay for a diagnostic test on the vehicle. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 40,000. The VIN was not available.

THE VEHICLE IS RATTLING IT STALLS OUT OF NO WHERE ITS VERY LOUD IN THE ENGINE. IT STALLS AT STOPS AND SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. THE NOISE IS CONSTANT. *TR

MOTOR TICKS VERY LOUD USES A QUART AND A HALF OF OIL EVERY 500 MILES IS NOT LEAKING IT OUT BUT BURNING IT OCCASIONALLY MAKES A GRINDING NOISE AND DOESN'T WANT TO START.

THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A SIGNIFICANT KNOCKING SOUND , THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 111000 MILES ON IT, AND THE REPAIR QUOTES ARE $6,500 WHICH IS ALMOST WHAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORTH.