What 195 owners told NHTSA about the 2019 Hyundai Elantra Gt

The vehicle is experiencing excessive engine oil consumption. The engine burns approximately one quart of oil per week during normal driving conditions. There are no visible oil leaks, and no warning lights, check engine light, or other dashboard messages have appeared. The oil level drops rapidly between oil changes and requires frequent topping off to prevent the engine from running low on oil. This condition creates a safety risk because the engine could suffer sudden damage, loss of power, or engine failure while driving if the oil level becomes too low. The problem has been ongoing and is reproducible. The oil consumption appears similar to issues reported in recalls and investigations involving Hyundai engines; however, when the VIN was checked, it was reported as not included in any recall. No external oil leaks have been identified. The component available for inspection is the engine and related lubrication system. Prior to discovering the excessive oil consumption, there were no warning lamps, messages, unusual noises, or other symptoms. The issue was first noticed when the oil level was found to be significantly low despite regular maintenance and no evidence of leaks. The cause is believed to be internal engine oil consumption. UNKNOWN whether the manufacturer has inspected the vehicle. Additional inspection and investigation are requested due to the similarity of this condition to known Hyundai engine oil consumption complaints.

NHTSA ODI 11741976

Bought the car used last year. The check engine light recently came on and started blinking. And stalled. The car was low in oil but there were no leaks. The engine was knocking. Had a diagnostic done and they said the engine had a death code and needed to be replaced. There is a campaign with Hyundai (#203) that we found online related to faulty piston oil rings and out symptoms matched near perfectly although our car is not associated with any claims

NHTSA ODI 11690355

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (ENGINE); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact was stationed in Guam when the vehicle was purchased. The vehicle was manufactured in South Korea. The contact then moved to the USA, and the vehicle was taken to Colorado however, the vehicle was registered in Florida. The dealer was contacted and refused to repair the vehicle, because the vehicle was considered a foreign vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11675651

Car began to make clicking noise which turned into a louder “dying” sound. Car completely stopped, and had to get towed. I was told the engine failed due to parts from the recall.

NHTSA ODI 11673536

Y check engine light started flashing and I have a code reader and it come up p1326 wh I ch is knock sensor lost power and I checked into that and it said a lot of engines were affected by that and they had to replace thousands of engines for this and my vehicle was in the affected ones b6t I put the Vin in and it has no recalls can't even drive now

NHTSA ODI 11670426

Large amount of oil consumption. Told by dealership that engine replacement is needed.

NHTSA ODI 11665965

Excessive oil consumption, shudder in motor while driving . Check engine light cam on. Visibility in headlights very low and high beams only working sometimes.

NHTSA ODI 11660084

Vehicle: 2019 Hyundai Elantra VIN: [XXX] Mileage at failure:163,799 Issue: Complete premature engine failure due to a piston rod fracture through the engine block Hyundai’s Response: Dealership (Murdock Hyundai Lindon, 530 Lindon Park Drive, Lindon, Utah 84042) reviewed vehicle maintenance history, noted a single vehicle owner, and regular maintenance history, conducted a review of valvetrain assembly (clean), and diagnosed this engine failure matching previous Elantra catastrophic engine failure cases. Two independent Murdock Hyundai dealership service agents and an independent mechanic reviewed the preliminary findings and believed that my engine failure matched other similar Hyundai recalled engine failures. However, Hyundai Motor America declined to have the dealership perform the necessary tests (i.e. bearing clearing test/cylinder bore test) that would have verified the failure. The dealership also noted previous goodwill assistance for past customers, in similar situations, due to the known manufacturing and safety-related issue. However, in my situation, Hyundai Motor America denied goodwill assistance. This exclusion appears arbitrary and unfair, as the failure in my vehicle aligns with the documented recall defect covered in the Hyundai issued Recall # 21V301000 for 2019 Hyundai Elantras). Furthermore, Hyundai has extended warranties and provided goodwill repairs to other customers with similar failures and similar mileage, yet they refused to provide assistance in my case, citing “time in service and/or mileage of the vehicle.” However, this is not a typical wear-and-tear failure caused by mileage. Additionally, if all Hyundai Elantra consumers were made aware of potential engine issues (at the time of purchase and/or through other means), consumers could address the concern within warranty mileage. I was not afforded the opportunity to address the unknown potential engine issues prior to the engine failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11659741

Vehicle Issue Report Vehicle Information: •Make: Hyundai •Model: Elantra •Year: 2019 •VIN: [XXX] •Mileage: [Insert Current Mileage] •Engine Type: 2.0L Nu MPI ⸻ Summary of the Issue: The vehicle has experienced a complete engine failure due to a malfunction in cylinder 3. The issue began with noticeable performance problems including rough idling, knocking sounds, and a check engine light. After diagnostic evaluation, it was confirmed that the engine has failed, and a replacement is necessary. ⸻ Cause of Failure: The root cause of the failure has been traced to cylinder 3 misfiring and loss of compression, which led to severe engine damage. Based on known technical service bulletins and recalls issued by Hyundai, this failure aligns with existing recall campaigns related to improperly heat-treated piston oil rings in the Nu MPI engine. These rings can cause oil consumption, scoring of cylinder walls, and eventual engine failure. ⸻ Recall and Warranty Consideration: Given that Hyundai has issued multiple recalls and extended warranties for this exact problem in 2019–2020 Elantra models, we are requesting that this vehicle be covered under Hyundai’s engine replacement recall or extended Powertrain Warranty (up to 150,000 miles / 15years) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11657675

On 03/22/2025, I took my car into Riverside Hyundai because of engine shuttering. Riverside Hyundai discovered foreign fragments in my cylinder from the piston and stated they had never seen this issue before. Their diagnosis was engine replacement at an estimated cost of approximately $7,500 for the engine and $3,168 for labor for a total amount of $10,668. Searching for answers, I quickly came across the Hyundai Elantra Piston Defect Class Action Lawsuit (Brown v. Hyundai Motor America), which pertains to an engine piston defect not properly heat treated affecting the same year and make of my 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The class action lawsuit related to a defect found in certain Elantras equipped with Nu 1.8L engines. Although this defect is specifically tied to issues within the pistons, which are a critical component of the engine responsible for generating the force necessary to power the vehicle. The defect can ultimately result in “total and irreparable engine failure.” This failure leads to a loss of engine power, power steering, and brake assistance, all of which pose significant safety risks. While this class action suit has settled, and is an important step in addressing the engine defect that has already impacted many vehicle owners, I believe that the scope of the class action lawsuit was not broad enough, as it failed to include all vehicles that could potentially be affected by the same or similar defects, specifically Hyundai Elantras with different engine types, like the one in my 2019 Hyundai Elantra. Although my Elantra is equipped with a different engine, I believe that the defect that was present in the class action suit, is the same defect that caused this damage to my engine. I also came across images of the defect online which seem identical to damage caused to my engine. Please see attached files for your review. Riverside Hyundai has denied my request for a good faith replacement engine and are still waiting on a reply from Hyundai.

NHTSA ODI 11655695

My car started hesitating when shifting gears in smart and normal mode smelled like something was burning. Car only drives in sport mode, shifts hard, engine lags, and the check engine light has not come on. This is the second incident with this car. The first time I lost all power to the car and the entire electrical system shut down, when it was towed to the dealership they said nothing was wrong with it. I keep up on all the maintenance.

NHTSA ODI 11651061

No warning light for oil consumption and it depletes rapidly. Also, High beam lights stopped working and you have to hold the signal in place and the high beam still doesn't turn on. Ive had so many issues with this car since purchasing it, it ridiculous and saddening how there hasn't been any recalls and the issue before this one was dangerous and life threatening. Also, since it's purchase it consumes oil at a rapid rate that has been documented and each time I've visited the repair shop they informed 'there's no oil' in the vehicle and no oil light or anything comes on to warn me. I find out about it because of an entirely different issue needing to be fixed.

NHTSA ODI 11645903

My engine is burning oil at a rapid rate. I have always maintained the vehicle's engine on-time or early and now I am needing to top-off oil many times between frequent oil changes. I am now having to add a quart a week and am changing the oil every two thousand miles to ensure it is clean. This is not regular or okay and two mechanics/service technicians said that many Hyundais that come in are doing the same thing.

NHTSA ODI 11641235

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The vehicle lost power in the middle of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The low oil pressure and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine had thrown a piston rod. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 140,000.

NHTSA ODI 11640740

I purchased this car in 2019 and 2-3 days later I started to experience the engine stalling, I contacted the dealer, and they checked it out by test driving it and said there was nothing wrong with it, it has still been happening, now more frequently > i have to constantly change the oil before the due time to see if it helps but it is becoming a bit dangerous for me and my family when it stalls as I'm trying to accelerate. I would like some assistance from Hyundai

NHTSA ODI 11640152

A hole in the engine block developed and oil leaked out of the engine and became a fire hazard and caused catastrophic engine failure.

NHTSA ODI 11636264

Motor is knocking due to recalls. Was not able to make recall appointment because car car isn’t reliable at this point

NHTSA ODI 11634646

Engine failure believed to be related to NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V-301. Vehicle had no warning lights on message. Vehicle turned off while driving and steering wheel became stuck and vehicle jerked off road, I turned vehicle back on and it sounded like a truck and would not move again.

NHTSA ODI 11634022

Car keeps turning off every time I start it and won’t stay on

NHTSA ODI 11633463

Car got broken into, back window smashed. Ignition ripped out, someone tried stealing it, even though I got the recall fixed. try to steal vehicle with USB cord.

NHTSA ODI 11632136

Problemas con el motor, específicamente la lubricación. El vehículo fue reparado y aún continuó con los problemas de lubricación, incluyendo los llamados " sprocket" que se dañaron. He leído que Hyundai a retirado muchos vehículos por este mismo problema.

NHTSA ODI 11631345

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with piston oil rings and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. In addition, the contact was informed about NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

NHTSA ODI 11626659

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment, prompting the contact to stop driving the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed failures with the timing chain and piston valves. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11624855

The engine seized up completely and the car would not start. The car ran fine prior to this on the same day and there were no warning lights or warnings when a portable code reader was plugged in to assess the problem. It was towed to a mechanic who said it looked like excessive oil consumption as the oil was changed only 6 weeks prior and the level was assessed to be perfect then. This is a safety risk due to the engine seizing without warning. If this were to happen while driving, it could cause a fire or cause the driver to be stranded on a busy road, causing accidents. The car is being looked at by a hyundai dealer currently.

NHTSA ODI 11610944

For the now 2nd time for the SAME problem as before, I was on the highway and the car just cut off mid drive on 8/17/2024 @70mph!! Engine light came on. Later that day while on the street, 35-40 mph, ALL OF A SUDDEN NO ENGINE LIGHT ON... the car cuts off again mid drive!! I purchased the car with roughly 15k miles on it and it's been absolutely nothing but issues back to back. The daytime running lights constantly blow out also. The shop supposedly repaired this issue when I put it in the shop the first time, but it's doing the exact same thing again.

NHTSA ODI 11609583