Vehicle started having overheating issues around August 2024, took it to mechanics to get it looked at and tried various fixes, concluding in a blown head gasket. When I took my car to a third party mechanic to fix the head gasket they found that the head bolts of the cars engine had been pulled out of the threads and said that it was a manufacturing issue. Head gasket was fixed but the car was having the same issues due to the head bolts being loose. I've taken my vehicle to the nearest Hyundai Dealership and told them about the overheating and head bolts being pulled out of the threading. They ran their diagnosis and then charged $1000 for a thermometer change (which our third party mechanic had also done already) and a coolant flush, which did not fix the issue as the car would still overheating after pick up. After taking my vehicle back to the dealership they said it had a blown head gasket claiming over $14,000 dollars for an engine replacement. They failed to acknowledge the issue of head bolts being pulled of their threads which has become a common issue across their 3.3l v6 GDI Lambda II engines, as is documented by many online. The Hyundai 2017 Santa Fe which also uses the 3.3l v6 GDI Lambda II engine is currently getting an extended warranty for engine replacements for all models from 2013-2017. It's strange that Hyundai is only doing extended warranties/recalls for Santa Fe model cars when they have other vehicles, like my 2013 Hyundai Azera, that use the same 3.3l v6 GDI Lambda II engine that will have similar issues. All vehicles that use the 3.3l v6 GDI Lambda II engine should be getting recalled. Hyundai does not seem to want to take responsibility for their faulty engineering on this engine and lazily claim it to be a "blown head gasket" issue when the head bolts being pulled of the threads causes the vehicle to overheat is what is causing the blown head gasket in the first place. They dismiss it as a blown head gasket and don't look any further.
2013 Hyundai Azera: engine overheating
5 of the 112 complaints about the 2013 Hyundai Azera describe engine overheating.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 4%
- recalls
- 0
Engine overheating by model year
- 20162
- 20135
What owners say
My Engines head bolts have been pulled out of the threads causing the engine to overheat
[XXX] Bought a used 2013 Hyundai Azera. Since day 1 it has overheating issue. Within the first 2 wks of ownership, we replaced the radiator cap, thermostat, and had engine checked for leaks at Pep Boys. Replacing the water pump was next. On the night of [XXX] we replaced the water pump. Cranked engine and no leakage, so I decided to take my car home which was 45 minutes away. After driving for 15-20 minutes, the temp gauge was almost topped out, so I slowed down. I was approaching a gas station in a town halfway to home and decided I needed to pull in, but the car suddenly and steadily lost power. I had barely enough power to pull into a space away from door (I just knew it was bad and I didn't want car in the business's way). Car would not crank after being shut off for about 20 minutes. I called my husband and he brought a car hauler trailer to put it on. The vehicle was checked for leaks by PepBoys, but it is going for a reputable mechanic inspection soon as can be scheduled. So I had this car not even 30 days, paid cash for it (which I hope to recover) and mechanic friend of mine tells me it's a blown head gasket. From what I've read, it has the 3.3L Lambda engine causing issues for other model vehicles. Is there a recall? What options for replacement are there? Anyone can inspect the car at any time. It is just taking up a space in the apartment parking lot right now. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
i was recently told my cam / crank sensor needed to be replaced, it was giving a code when the auto store plugged in the machine to the port. a few misfires also showed up. on september 6th 2023 at 715pm our car engines started to overheat, and then caught on fire. due to the fact we were homeless we lost our home. I have no idea why it caught fire or why it was over heating. The oil has been getting changed more often than when i first bought the car, the engine oil light came on once a few months ago, and the oil was low, i wasn't sure why it was doing this, especially since i had just recently had an oil change prior to this happening. As with the car fire, my recent oil change was on august 28th, the coolant was full. So i have no idea what was going on. The two mechanics that i took my car to do work on, never mentioned anything out of the ordinary. We are homeless the address is our mailing address. I do not have a phone because it was lost in the fire, along with my whole wallet, my social and any recent work that has been done on the car. the number being provided is my son's phone. it is there to reach me if needed. i would prefer to correspond though email if possible also.
I own at 2013 Hyundai Azera with a Lambda engine. The same engine that’s having all sorts of issues and being recalled for many reasons on Hyundai & Kia’s. It has only 79k miles on it. While driving down the highway at 75 mph the engine began to lose power and it quickly overheated. It was very terrifying as I had cars and a semi barreling behind me and my engine was seized up. I was able to throw my hazards on and make it to the shoulder safely. We towed it to my mechanic and he said the 4 rear bolts weren’t torqued/sealed properly and they were stripped and pulled right out of the block. He said this is a Manufacturer defect from when the bolt was installed in the factory. Another factor was Hyundai uses an Aluminum head and Alum block with steel bolts. The temp variant in Alum & steel is totally different so what happens is when they expand & contract at different temps like that they eventually pull out. Also, the threads in the block aren’t deep enough to begin with. I filed a claim with Hyundai and they denied my claim. My case manager Jasmine called and said: 1) “What are you expecting us to do about a car that’s old, it may only have 79k miles on it, but it’s OLD and engines break on old cars” 2) We are the 2nd owners so the 100k powertrain warranty dropped to 60k which sadly we are just over. **It was listed as a Certified Pre-Owned when we purchased it but after calling the dealership they claim it’s not a CPO otherwise we would still be covered under the 100k PT warranty. My mechanic called Hyundai to get a replacement engine and was told they discontinued that engine so when they get them in for that reason they just sell them a junkyard motor. So I have a perfectly great car, in otherwise pristine condition, and I’m unable to find a new motor for it.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Higher-than-expected engine oil consumption
- This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services.
- Follow the guidelines outlined in
- This bulletin provides the service procedure for engine connecting rod bearing clearance testing
- This bulletin provides the inspection procedure and repair guidelines for certain vehicles listed below.
- This bulletin provides information regarding the changes in the timing chain and the crankshaft sprockets...
- If you are servicing an applicable vehicle with a ?Check Engine? light on and one or more of the DTC...
- Summary to be provided on a future date.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2013 Hyundai Azera overheating
Is engine overheating a common problem on the 2013 Hyundai Azera?
5 of 112 owner complaints about the 2013 Hyundai Azera (4%) mention engine overheating. The model year with the most reports is 2013.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2013 Hyundai Azera?
There are 0 recalls and 9 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2013 Hyundai Azera
Airbag light 13Steering noise 9Harsh shifting 8Engine failure 6Knocking 6Fire or smoke 6ABS 5
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