2013 HYUNDAI VELOSTER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI VELOSTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHEELS CAUSED THE TIRES TO WEAR PREMATURELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT NO DIAGNOSIS WAS DETERMINED. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,427 AND THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,005.

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AT AROUND 7:10 IN THE MORNING TRAVELING AT 60MPH WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF EXPLODED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. A SHOWER OF GLASS FELL ON ME AND ALL OVER MY CAR DAMAGING THE SEATS AND CUTTING MY RIGHT ARM AND FOREHEAD. I MANAGED TO GET TO WORK WITH A BLOODY ARM AND FRONT HEAD AND THANK GOD I HAD NO OTHER CARS CLOSE TO ME WHEN IT HAPPENED. *TR

TUESDAY THE 22ND, MY STEREO STOPPED COMING ON START-UP. SATURDAY THE 26TH CAR WOULD NOT START. AFTER CAR WAS JUMP STARTED, STEREO CAME ON, BUT CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT. HAD TO MANUALLY OVERRIDE SHIFTER TO DRIVE CAR, AT WHICH POINT I DISCOVERED ALL ELECTRICAL PARTS HAD STOPPED FUNCTIONING, INCLUDING TAIL LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, POWER WINDOWS, ETC. DEALERSHIP REPLACED BATTERY AND ENTIRE JUNCTION BOX, BUT ISSUE REAPPEARED 1 MONTH LATER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI VELOSTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT AND AFTER LETTING OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE HAD OPERATED AS NORMAL AND THAT THE ISSUE WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,800.

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE BACK WANTS TO STEP OUT OF LINE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS, THIS IS MORE PRONOUNCED WHEN GOING AROUND A CURVE. ALSO WHEN THE VEHICLE HITS A PATCH OF SNOW, DURING THE TRANSITION ON TO THE SNOW AND OFF THE CAR FEELS LIKE THE ENDS WANT TO SWITCH PLACES. IF ONE REAR TIRE TRANSITIONS ONTO SNOW OR ICE THE ENTIRE REAR OF THE CAR WANTS TO TRAVEL THAT DIRECTION, IT ALSO DOES THIS WHEN CROSSING ASPHALT PATCHES. IT IS MORE PRONOUNCED ON ROADS WITH VERTICAL GROOVING IN THE CONCRETE. THERE HAVE BEEN TIME WHEN IN LIGHT SNOW CONDITIONS I HAVE HAD TO GO ABOUT 35-40 MPH JUST TO KEEP THE CAR STRAIGHT AND IN MY LANE. BY DOING SO I BECAME A ROLLING ROADBLOCK, AS THE OTHER TRAFFIC DID NOT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AS I DID. I DID GO THROUGH A BBB CASE WITH THE VEHICLE, BUT NEITHER TIME WERE THE ROAD CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO THIS ISSUE, AND PER HYUNDAI EVERYTHING IS SET TO FACTORY SPECS(WHICH I DO NOT DOUBT). THERE IS AN INHERENT DESIGN FLAW WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION OF THIS VEHICLE AND IF SOMETHING IS NOT DONE, LIVES MAY BE LOST. *TR

THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED TWICE, I WAS DRIVING TO WV FROM NC WITH 14356 MILES ON MY BRAND NEW CAR HYUNDAI VELOSTER TURBO WHICH COMES WITH KUMHO KH25 215/40/R18 TIRES AND UPON ARRIVAL I NOTICED A BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL OF MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE, SO I GOT IT INSPECTED BEFORE I HEADED BACK AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT SHOULD BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY. SO AFTER THE DRIVE BACK TO NC I REPLACED BOTH FRONT TIRES AND FORGOT TO KEEP THE TIRE WITH THE BUBBLE. IN JANUARY 12 2014 I NOTICED THAT MY DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE HAD ALSO DEVELOPED A BUBBLE AT 15467 MILES I HAD TO REPLACE BOTH REAR TIRES, BUT I KEPT THE TIRE THAT DID HAVE A BUBBLE AND CONTACTED KUMHO AS IT WAS NOT A COINCIDENCE AND FOUND THAT THE TIRE HAD A PUNCTURE ON TOP OF THE BEAD OF THE TIRE RIGHT WHERE THE BUBBLE ON THE SIDEWALL WAS. WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO DISCOUNT TIRE TO BE INSPECTED FOR THE WARRANTY CLAIM. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CLAIM HAD BEEN CLOSED BEFORE THEY COULD SEND THEIR FINDINGS TO KUMHO, I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT IT WAS BLAMED ON ME HITTING A POTHOLE SIGHT UNSEEN! I DID SOME REASEARCH AND FOUND NUMEROUS CLAIMS WITH THIS TIRE OF BLOWOUTS, SIDEWALL CRACKING, BUBBLES ETC. AS WELL AS PEOPLE CONTACTING KUMHO ON FACEBOOK DUE TO BUBBLES AND "HELPING THEM OUT " ONLY LATER TO SEE THAT THEY WERE ALSO BLAMED FOR THE FAULTY TIRES. THESE TIRES SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE MARKET THEY ARE A SAFETY HAZARD! I AM WILLING TO SEND THE AFFECTED TIRE IN AS EVIDENCE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 83 IN PHARR, TX, I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION SUDDENLY AND WIND HOWLING; I IMMEDIATELY SET MY HAZARDS TO ALERT THE VEHICLES NEAR ME AS I THOUGHT I WAS IN A WRECK. I LOOKED UP TO DISCOVER THAT MY PANORAMIC SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED AND SHARDS OF GLASS WERE FLYING BOTH BEHIND MY VEHICLE AND INSIDE MY VEHICLE. I ENDED UP WITH MINOR CUTS AND SCRAPES AS A RESULT. I CALLED HYUNDAI, BUT THEY STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT LIKELY PART OF AN EARLIER RECALL IN 2013 FOR SHATTERING PANORAMIC SUNROOFS. FOR THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE DONE, THERE IS NO POSSIBLE WAY I COULDN'T HAVE HEARD A ROCK OF THAT SIZE HIT MY VEHICLE DIRECTLY ON MY SUNROOF STRONG ENOUGH TO SMASH THROUGH THE LAYERS OF MY SUNROOF AND POP THE FRAME OUT OF PLACE. LUCKILY, THIS DIDN'T RESULT IN A COLLISION, BUT THIS RECALL NEEDS A SECOND LOOK AT EXPANSION- WHAT HAPPENED IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE DEALERSHIP IS IN PROCESS OF REPLACING THE SUNROOF BUT I'M CONCERNED THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM IS BEING MISSED. *TR

THE 2013 HYUNDAI VELOSTER TURBO HAS A TORSION BEAM REAR SUSPENSION THAT WHEN COMBINED WITH THE FACTORY 18" WHEELS AND STOCK KUMHO SOLUS TIRES GIVES THE CAR VERY UNPREDICTABLE AND DANGEROUS HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS OVER BUMPS WHERE THE REAR OF THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS "STEPPING OUT." AFTER TALKING TO 5 HYUNDAI DEALERSHIPS AND HAVING THEM PERFORM VARIOUS ALIGNMENT ATTEMPTS AND TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS FOR ROAD FORCE BALANCING TO IMPROVE THE PROBLEM, IT WAS STILL NOT CORRECTED AND NEARLY RESULTED IN NUMEROUS CRASHES IN THE 1ST YEAR OFF OWNERSHIP. AFTER SO MANY ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE ISSUE AND NOT HAVING IT RESOLVED AND SEEING NUMEROUS OTHER REPORTS OF IT ON FORUMS AND OTHER REVIEW SITES, I AM CONVINCED THAT THERE IS A CONCERTED EFFORT TO HIDE THE PROBLEM AND HAVE MADE THE DIFFICULT DECISION TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT. EVEN THE HYUNDAI SERVICE MANAGER WHO MOST RECENTLY DROVE MY CAR SAID "I FELT IT AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT." THIS WAS AFTER THE FACTORY TECHNICIAN AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP FELT THE ISSUE AND SAID "IT IS A VERY LIGHT CAR SO IT WILL JUST DO THAT" AND WHEN I REPLIED THAT A SAME YEAR VOLKSWAGEN JETTA WITH THE SAME REAR SUSPENSION DESIGN DID NOTHING OF THE SORT AND EVEN ANOTHER MODEL IN THE HYUNDAI LINE (ELANTRA) DID NOT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE, HE DIDN'T REPLY. MOST DANGEROUS OF ALL IS IF A REAR TIRE BECOMES DEFLATED AT ALL ON A SNOWY OR ICY SURFACE. IN MY SITUATION AN LEFT REAR TIRE WENT DOWN A FEW POUNDS AND THE CAR SWERVED MUCH MORE WILDLY THAN MOST OTHER CARS WOULD A LITTLE LOW ON AIR. I WENT A YEAR WITHOUT LETTING ANYONE ELSE DRIVE THE CAR OUT OF SAFETY CONCERNS UNTIL I FINALLY PUT WINTER TIRES ON IT IN 2014 IN A 17" SIZE AND FELT AN IMMEDIATE RESOLUTION TO THE ISSUE (SO FAR) WITH BOTH IMPROVED GRIP AND OVER THE ROAD/ BUMP RESPONSE. THE FACTORY LOW BEAMS ARE DANGEROUSLY DIM ALSO, AGAIN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AT NUMEROUS HYUNDAI DEALER(S) IGNORED. *TR

WHEN I ENTERED THE CAR AND TURNED IT ON THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED . THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND I COULD PUT IT IN GEAR BUT THE STEERING WOULD NOT TURN. AFTER I RESTARTED THE CAR A COUPLE OF TIMES THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED BUT I AM WORRIED THIS WILL HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING AND MIGHT CAUSE A CRASH. THIS PROBLEM WAS REPEATED IN 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. ANOTHER ISSUE THAT HAPPENED TWICE WAS THAT I WOULD PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE. SAME ISSUE WAS RESOLVED . IF THIS CAR IS FAULTY AND FROM THE COMPLAINTS I SEE THAT IT IS .. THERE MUST BE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT IT! *TR

WHEN I WASH MY CAR I LIKE TO WIPE DOWN THE ENGINE AND THE INNER PART OF THE FRONT HOOD. ABOUT A WEEK AGO I WENT TO WASH MY CAR OPEN THE HOOD ONLY TO DISCOVER A WHITE SUBSTANCE (ALMOST LIKE WHITE BATTERY CORROSION) RUNNING ALL DOWN MY FIRE WALL COVER. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD THEM NOT TO DO ANYTHING TO THE CAR UNTIL THEY CAN EXPLAIN TO ME HOW IT HAPPEN AND HOW ARE THEY GOING TO FIX IT. ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLS ME OVER AND EXPLAINS TO ME THAT THE WHITE SUBSTANCE ON MY FIREWALL WAS WHEN THE DETAIL PEOPLE FROM WHERE I PURCHASE MY CAR LEFT IT THERE. I EXPLAIN TO HIM THAT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE SINCE I ALWAYS LOOK AT MY HOOD AND THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I SAW IT. THE SERVICE MANAGER THEN TURNS TO THE TWO DECALS ON THE TOP OF THE HOOD AND STATED THEY MAY BE WATER SEEKING IN BUT BECAUSE HE DID NOT FIND THE FIREWALL WET HE JUST WIPED OFF THE WHITE SUBSTANCE AND TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING HE CAN DO IT'S JUST THE DESIGNEE OF THE DECALS. I'M NOT EVEN SURE IT IS THE TWO DECALS; BUT ONE THING FOR SURE SOMETHING IS ALLOWING WATER TO SEEK INTO MY FIREWALL AND HYUNDAI IS NOT TAKING CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS NHTSA PLEASE HELP. *TR