2016 Hyundai Veloster engine problems
140 of the 222 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Hyundai Veloster name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 41 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database7 of the 140 reports a crash · 3 a fire · 4 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 6 · 2020: 5 · 2021: 43 · 2022: 17 · 2023: 21 · 2024: 17 · 2025: 17 · 2026: 9
Half of the 59 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 48,000 and 110,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
222 complaints in all about the 2016 Hyundai Veloster, 9 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Hyundai Veloster engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
The contact 's son owned a 2016 Hyundai Veloster. The contact purchased the vehicle used on 06/02/20. A month later the vehicle stalled, while the contact's son was driving home. They found three codes that had to do with the catalytic converter, the fuel injector, and the coils .
Veloster hyundai's 7-speed DCT contains a design defect in the transmission control module (TCM) that causes, among other problems, failure to shift, stalling, delayed acceleration, or loss of power.
So when leaving from a complete stop in drive letting off the brake petal, and letting the vehicle start rolling itself in drive will start vibrating and making clunking metal noises. Will keep doing it unless I either do two of the following things step on the accelerator petal, or push on the breaks and come to a complete stop.
While driving home from work, car stalled and would not go over 5 MPH. Had vehicle towed to dealership where they diagnosed a failed catalytic converter (19,038 miles). Unit was replaced under warranty. Recently, same exact problem happened again. Driving home from work, stalled, had vehicle towed.
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Veloster. While reversing into the driveway, the vehicle shook and there was an unknown abnormal noise underneath the vehicle. In addition, the front driver's side seat belt failed to retract. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer and dealer were not notified of the failures.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 20V746000 HighDec 1, 2020 · 128,948 vehicles
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Veloster, 2012 Santa Fe, 2011-2013 Sonata Hybrid, and 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. The connecting rod bearings inside the engine may wear prematurely, which over time can result in engine damage.
NHTSA investigation
- EA21003 Engine Firesopened Dec 22, 2021 · closed Feb 5, 2024
- On March 29, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened two Preliminary Evaluations (PE19-003 on Hyundai and PE19-004 on Kia) to broadly investigate incidents of non-crash fires (regardless of origin or operational status of the vehicle) on various model year Hyundai and Kia vehicles. During the PE investigations, Hyundai and Kia issued several recalls to address vehicle fires, includ…
41 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- 26-01-033H DN Warranty extensionMar 26, 2026
- This TSB references the Op codes to use for claim submission and the Parts required based on the vehicle’s inspection results from TSB 22-01-023H (DTC P1326 – Engine Bearing Inspection/Engine Replacement) or the latest version.
The 1 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P1326 P0455 P0456 P0442 P0014 P0300 P0303 P0420
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2016 Hyundai Veloster names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2016 Hyundai Veloster?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 140 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (63% of everything owners filed about it), and 41 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall, 1 NHTSA investigation are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2016 Hyundai Veloster?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 20V746000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do engine problems show up on the 2016 Hyundai Veloster?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 81,500 miles; half of them between 48,000 and 110,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.