Home · 2016 Hyundai Veloster · Complaints

What 220 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Hyundai Veloster

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (220)Crash / fire / injury (21)Engine (132)Transmission & drivetrain (43)Fuel system (22)Electrical system (16)Airbags (11)Speed control (9)Brakes (8)Engine & cooling (8)Body & structure (7)Suspension (4)

4 of 220 complaints match · Electrical system · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Apr 11, 2026Electrical systemEngineCrash1 injury

Incident Description: I purchased a 2016 Hyundai Veloster (VIN: KMHTC6ADXGU255844) in May 2025. Shortly after purchase, the vehicle began exhibiting serious mechanical issues, including engine knocking, excessive oil consumption, stalling, misfiring, and loss of power. Despite these ongoing issues, the vehicle is listed as having Recall 198 completed. However, the symptoms associated with that recall continued and progressively worsened. The vehicle ultimately stalled in traffic while I was making a turn, resulting in an accident. In a separate incident, after exiting the vehicle and believing it to be in PARK, the vehicle moved unexpectedly and ran over me, causing serious physical injuries including fractures. Prior to these incidents, the vehicle had ongoing mechanical issues that were not properly resolved. The vehicle also required repeated jump-starts and became unreliable to operate. Additionally, there are discrepancies in the service records. The vehicle was towed to a dealership on or about June 8, 2025 and remained there until approximately July 15, 2025. However, the documentation provided reflects only a limited number of service days and consolidates multiple visits into a single summary. Due to these inconsistencies and the continued presence of failure symptoms, I am unable to verify that recall-related repairs were properly performed. These incidents raise serious concerns about engine failure and possible unintended vehicle movement, both of which present significant safety risks.

NHTSA ODI 11730509

Dec 2, 2019Electrical system1 injury

WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEATER INSTANTLY OVERHEATED WITHIN SECONDS AFTER TURNING IT ON. *BF*JB

NHTSA ODI 11287290

Sep 12, 2019Electrical systemBody & structureEngineCrash1 injury

PREVIOUS COMPLAINT # NHTSA FOR THIS ISSUE IS 11254423.

NHTSA ODI 11255003

Sep 10, 2019Electrical systemBody & structureEngineCrash1 injury

THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP FOR THE LAST YEAR. THE CAR HAS SIGNIFICANT VIBRATION WHEN TURNING ON MY AC AND LIGHTS. THE GAS MILEAGE HAS DROPPED FROM 30MPG TO 17 MPG. THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD WHEN TAKING OF AND STARTING. I WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WHERE THE ISSUES PARTIALLY CAUSED ME TO REAR END SOMEONE. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. IN THE VEHICLE INSPECTION THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOUND THE FRAME TWISTED. THE ACCIDENT WAS A LOW SPEED COLLISION WHERE NO ONE WAS INJURED OTHER THEN MYSELF AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME A LATE 90'S EARLY 20'S LEXUS CAR RED IN COLOR HAD LITTLE DAMAGE. HYUNDAI IS UNWILLING TO HELP ME WITH THE ISSUES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND I WAS TSEEN AND REATED FOR CHEMICAL BURN FROM THE AIRBAG

NHTSA ODI 11254423

Working with the data? Download all 220 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 15, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2016 Hyundai Veloster verdict →