2013 Hyundai Veloster
The Verdict
The 2013 Hyundai Veloster has 419 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are engine (178 complaints) and body (124 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 33/100, it earns a "Check Engine" rating. If you're shopping for a Hyundai Veloster, consider the 2021 model year which has 97% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2021 has 97% fewer complaints
View the 2021 Hyundai Veloster dashboard →
Klunk Score: Check Engine
More complaints than most vehicles. Known issues exist — budget for potential repairs.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
Recalls 1
Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013 Veloster vehicles that are equipped with 1.6 liter turbo engines. The engine management software may cause premature ignition (pre-ignitio...
Risk
Engine damage can increase the risk of a fire or cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine management software, free of charge. The recall began May 14, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. H...
Reported Apr 10, 2026
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Complaints
Ac selector switch burnt up
The car goes into limp mode in the middle of driving on the interstate or usually at higher speeds and loses speed quickly. This has put me at high risk for accidents when traveling between cities and has left me stranded on dangerous parts of the interstate at times. I have taken it to my Hyundai dealer I bought the car from and they said there is a knock in the engine and the whole engine would need replaced and I cannot afford that ($12k) but the car only has 125k miles on it and I want to keep it for as long as possible because it’s my baby. I do not think it has been inspected by anyone but my dealer yet but I am willing to let anyone look at it in order to get it fixed without paying an arm and a leg. The car did have some issues prior to this issue that were recalled and fixed, but this happened out of nowhere and when it does happen the engine light flashes and it goes into limp mode. The light currently stays on because of the O2 Sensor though, but that is not a big issue. I have to use a OBD2 Scanner to clear the engine knock code every time it goes into limp mode in order to drive it properly and even then it will go back into limp mode eventually. My car started having issues probably a year or two ago. I also want to note I know a girl who used to have the exact same year, make and model of car as me and had the exact same issues of going into limp mode and such so it is not just a random issue of mine.
As my [XXX] son was driving, his car, out of nowhere, stopped working and the steering wheel became incredibly hard to turn. It put him and other vehicles around him at risk as he was doing 50mph and his car suddenly stalled. No warning. No dash lights. It was hard for him to pull over to safety. We replaced the battery and tried to restart the car, then the engine started smoking. We immediately called for a tow. Our local shop said his engine seized. We then towed it to Hyundai and they confirmed the same thing, "it definitely locked right up." The car has been well taken care of, no warning signs prior to engine failure, no warning lights, etc. His car is also under 100k miles. There is literally no reason for an engine failure. In 2019 there was a NHTSA Recall 19V204, Hyundai Recall #182 ECU Software update; this was supposed to fix the issue but here we are... the engine STILL BLEW. Hyundai is refusing to help. They won't do anything. There's known issues with Hyundai's 1.6 GDI turbo engine. They should be held responsible. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I am writing regarding a serious safety issue with my 2013 Hyundai Veloster, purchased new. Over the life of the vehicle, I have replaced the manual AC/heat control head three times due to repeated failure. During the most recent installation, I left the trim panel off to monitor the wiring harness and found it becomes extremely hot while operating. A local repair technician examined it and immediately advised me not to use the heating system due to potential fire risk. Research specific to my vehicle shows documented issues including blower control overheating, burning smell/smoke, burned internal contacts, wiring harness heat damage, and repeat control failure. These match exactly what is occurring with my car. I previously spoke with my dealership’s parts department and was told there may be known concerns involving the wiring harness and blower resistor. I also contacted Hyundai Motor America Consumer Affairs but did not receive assistance. After inspection, the dealership informed me the wiring harness and resistor must be replaced at a cost of approximately $2,450. Given the repeated failures and overheating electrical components, I do not believe I should be responsible for this expense, especially considering the potential safety hazard. The vehicle has been carefully maintained, stored properly, and rarely driven in winter. I had planned to use it for travel after retirement but now feel unsafe operating it. I respectfully request a formal safety review and goodwill repair assistance, as this appears to be a defect rather than normal wear. I am also filing a complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration due to the documented fire risk. I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter. I am respectfully requesting: A formal safety review of this issue. Goodwill repair assistance or full coverage of the repair costs. Clarification as to whether this issue has been evaluated for recall consideration. [XXX] , [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
"CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE & INEFFECTIVE RECALL REMEDY (NHTSA 19V-204): While traveling at highway speeds, with my two children and boyfriend, the vehicle went completely black. Car loss complete power, going into a limp mode( 'Loss of Motive Power') The Check Engine Light began flashing before going solid. When I was able to pull to the shoulder, I tried to start the car and noticed the radio screen was black and stayed black(before this time, the screen would some times go blank or completely black and then turn back on). Car would start and shake really hard with noise coming from engine, and then car would die. Since then I have been going back and forth with Hyundai Motors and Hyundai dealer, telling them that this is not a warranty issue, but a safety issue and they both have ignored and didn't enology this at all. This happened October 4th, 2025 Recall of 182 was completed but it failed. The vehicle is at the Dalton Hyundai dealer in Nation City. Dealer confirmed zero compression in engine and want $5000 to tare engine to see if it would be under warranty but I keep telling them this is a safety issue that is still accruing and under the 573 Recall/19v-204 I tried to get help throw the BBB and got denied because of age and being the second owner and they told me to contact NHTSA I am a single mother of two young kids, I bought car on 01/26/25 and still owe money on car. Since 10/4/25 I have had to pay out of pocket for a car rental just get to work. My car is up for repo due to me not able to pay for a rental and my monthly car payment. I am lost and don't know what else I can do to get this matter seen. When buying this car the sale person said it is a good car, it will save money on gas, and it has been a nightmare.
2013 Hyundai Veloster 2013 turbo had 69000 miles when the engine stalled on the highway and promptly slowed to 40 mph. Midas stated engine blew due to a recall so I had it towed to the closest dealership in Oct 2022. They denied the repair and sent it to corporate for authorization and it was denied. Dealership attempted to charge 150 for checking the recall. They then told me to talk to Corporate hyundai. I have went back and forth with them trying to get an explanation for the denial to fix the recall. They wouldn't send the explanation. I refiled the claim again sending them recall laws as well. Recently I received a call from the dealership stating they had the car towed and destroyed. Help
Electrical wiring harness and connector melting and blower transistor overheating with know Hyundai internal documentation, all causing a smoke smell and fire hazard. I'm on my 3rd manual Heater / HVAC Control Unit. Fire risk acknowledged by Hyundai dealership and customer affairs. Forced to pay diagnostics fees despite know safety issues, Cost for repairs out the door around 2,450 out the door. Car sitting at the Hyundai dealership waiting for me to repair or not. I cant be driving a fire hazard vehical.
Purchased car from Premier Auto in Kansas City, KS in January of 2023. The car had 70,000 miles on it. In July of 2023 I was driving on a 4 lane HWY with a speedlimit of 65. The car suddenly jerked to and slowed to 35 MPH. The car behind me nearly hit me. I had it towed to Midas to have it checked out. They informed me the engine had failed and it was because of a manufacturer recall. I then had it towed to a Hyundai dealership in October 2023. They stated to me that it was engine failure due to a recall but they would not fix it. They stated not under recall. The dealership then sent me a notice saying that I owed them 150 dollars and they would keep the car. I filed a claim with Hyundai corporate and they denied repairs stating not under warranty. I appealed that which was a denied response with the reason as not under warranty. I then filed a claim with BBB warranty department and their response was "we only assist with new car warranty issues. I then filed another claim with Hyundai corporate and the dealership and both denied it because of the warrant expiration. While that was happening I lost my spouse of 23 years. The car has been at the dealership for 2.5 years now and I continue to submit requests that are continuously denied.
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that the highest dial setting of the A/C unit had failed to operate as needed. Upon repairing the dial setting on his own, the contact discovered that the dial had burned out. The contact stated that after the repair, the failure recurred nearly a week later. The contact discovered that the dial had burned out again. The dealer was notified of the failure, and the contact was given an estimate for a diagnostic test. The contact stated that failure had caused the defrost system to function poorly, which reduced the road's visibility while driving. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle stopped and failed to accelerate. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer informed the contact that there was no special warranty coverage on the vehicle for the repair. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
On or about May 1, 2025, I was operating my 2013 Hyundai Veloster when flames were observed emanating from under the hood. I immediately pulled into the median and, upon opening the hood, observed an active fire beneath the plastic engine cover. I contacted 911. Before the fire department arrived, a passerby extinguished the flames with a fire extinguisher. Firefighters from a nearby station arrived shortly thereafter and fully doused the engine compartment. The vehicle was subsequently towed to a Hyundai dealership. At that time, I was aware of an active recall related to potential brake line issues that could result in an engine compartment fire. After the vehicle remained at the dealership for an extended period, I was informed that Hyundai Motor America (“HMA”) would send an inspector. Approximately 30 days later, I was contacted by HMA’s corporate office and asked to provide documentation, including a copy of the title and insurance information. During this call, I was advised that while repair or replacement of the vehicle was unlikely, HMA would “make me whole.” Shortly thereafter, I received written correspondence from HMA stating that, following its review of the inspection results, documents, and other information, no product defect was identified as the cause of the incident. The letter concluded that HMA would not accept responsibility and denied my request for assistance or compensation.
Smoke, burning smell came from ac control unit. Ac wiring unit, knob completely burned/melted. Reported to Hyundai local and corporate office no resolution other then I just have to replace the unit. Please note this happened in 2022 (40,000 miles today vehicle had 58,000miles) and I paid in full for the replacement the 1st time.
While driving under normal conditions at approximately 65 mph, the engine emitted a sudden “bang” and severe knock. Over the following week, the vehicle stalled several times. Inspection revealed one piston crown was chipped, which then scored the cylinder wall and caused an oil leak. No other pistons or bearings showed wear. This failure pattern is consistent with low‐speed pre-ignition events documented in numerous online owner reports—many describing identical piston or rod breakage in 2013–2015 Veloster Turbos under Recall 19V204000, which addresses exactly this defect. The vehicle was partially disassembled for inspection, and Hyundai dealers have refused to perform the federally mandated Recall 19V204000 remedy. Instead, they deceptively insist on treating this as a warranty work request—despite me having told them more than five times (on multiple recorded calls), in two portal updates, and via certified letters, that this is a safety recall issue, not a warranty claim. Their refusal has forced me to incur several thousand dollars worth of expenses and spend dozens of hours pursuing a remedy. Hyundai representatives have repeatedly argued that this engine malfunction may stem from previous accident damage. However, the vehicle’s only collisions occurred in June 2014, when it sustained moderate to severe front-end damage at approximately 1,000 miles and was subsequently repaired at a certified dealer, and in 2019, when it incurred rear-end damage under 30,000 miles. The piston-crown failure I experienced in 2024—at 90,000–95,000 miles—cannot be attributed to either of those incidents. Its nature and timing are fully consistent with low-speed pre-ignition, the exact defect addressed by Recall 19V204000. An 11-page CARFAX report and full call‐recordings are available upon request.
Vehicle Info: 2013 Hyundai Veloster VIN: [XXX] Odometer: 75,000 miles Problem Description: My check engine light began flashing and the vehicle entered limp mode. Diagnostic codes showed P1326 and U1103, which are linked to a known Theta II engine defect involving rod bearing failure. Hyundai issued a 15-year / 150,000-mile warranty extension and settled a class-action lawsuit to cover these failures. However, my request for coverage was denied due to “time in service” despite being well below the mileage limit (only 75k miles). This is a serious safety concern that may result in sudden engine failure. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate Hyundai's denial and handling of such cases INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My 2013 Hyundai Veloster (VIN: [XXX] ) has the known P1326 fault related to the Theta II engine defect. Despite a rod bearing test that passed, the engine now requires replacement, confirmed by the dealer, who quoted me $8,494. Hyundai refuses to assist, even though I am under the 150,000-mile extended warranty. This is a safety risk and fits the class-action defect criteria. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
See attached document for complaint.
The knob for the A/C can not handle the amperage when in the 4 position, it gets too hot, melts, and shuts off the system. It is available for inspection. Hyundai is acutely aware of this problem and recalled it in other years, the same as their junk engines, but once again the owners of the 2013 are left out in the dark. This is a fire hazard that the manufacturer is trying to sweep under the rug, there are service bulletins out on it for other years.
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the braking system malfunctioned, and the brake pedal extended to the floorboard while being depressed. The contact stated that upon inspection, it was discovered that brake fluid was leaking from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who informed the contact that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); which was linked to the failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 73,000.
See attached document for complaint.
I was driving my vehicle and it began severely misfiring and stalled on me. I took it to the dealer and found there was damage to cylinder number 2 engine balance. After research I found there are many claims and complaints due to this type of issue. The likely cause is preignition caused by what Hyundai calls bad software. I recently purchase the vehicle and they say it was updated in July of 2024 and will not repair my vehicle as they say because of its age and mileage. That being said I’m at 120k mileage and work in the auto industry…. They is nothing that could cause valve burn outside of the known ignition issue with these cars. I have no problem paying for repairs due to my cause issues or normal wear and tear but a melted valve is caused by the know issues on these cars. I am looking for help working with Hyundai to get this issue fixed.
419 total