The power steering motor fails at random and without warning, creating an imminent wreck hazard. At any time, the wheel will lose all power steering and simultaneously illuminate a red steering wheel warning on your dashboard. It takes significant force to turn the wheel once this happens. Secondly, when turning, a normal cars steering wheel will naturally "unwind" after a turn and smoothly straighten back up while driving. During this motor failure, the steering wheel remains stiffly stationary, pulling you into a potentially unwanted or dangerous direction (ditch, oncoming traffic, etc) unless you fight to straighten it. As a middle aged adult male, I can fight it well enough to keep it under control until I can pull over and turn off/on the car to reset the system. I fear this would become incredibly dangerous if driven by somebody who is older, frail/injured or physically weak. This issue started with only a few thousand miles and has progressively become more and more common, now happening multiple times just this week. A large amount of owners have reported the same issue, with some even being steered into oncoming traffic lanes during a failure. The steering instantly and without warning becomes incredibly heavy. It takes substantial force to turn the wheel. I am experiencing the exact same issue that has become the subject of multiple forums online and other's experiences trying to get it dealt with through Hyundai. Being that my car is now over 5 years old, if I were to try to get it replaced, it is out of warranty, despite having the issue exist since only a few thousand miles (3000-4000). I brought it to two separate dealerships, but they couldn't recreate the issue (hence, it being random) and therefore couldn't get a failure code to show up, and in the end not being able to warranty claim a replacement. Since it is becoming more and more common I have called Hyundai USA to try to escalate the issue.
The worst 2021 Hyundai Veloster N problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Driver assistance9
- Steering6
- Electrical3
- Transmission2
- Seat belts1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Driver assistance9
- Steering6
- Electrical3
- Transmission2
- Seat belts1
- Wheels1
Recalls 3
Air bags: air bag/restraint control module: software
- What is wrong
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Veloster N, 2019-2023 Kona Electric vehicles. A software error in the air bag control unit (ACU) may improperly deactivate the air bag system and seat belt pretensioners.
- Risk
- Air bags and seat belt pretensioners that do not activate in a crash increases the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the ACU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed January 1, 2027. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1‑855‑371‑9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 311. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on on November 6, 2026.
Recall number 26V728000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump: control/drive module
- What is wrong
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Veloster N, 2019-2023 Genesis G70, 2022-2023 Elantra N, and Kona N vehicles. The fuel pump may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power.
- Risk
- A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update engine control module software. In addition, dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pump assembly, as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning September 9, 2024. Some interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 3, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1‑855‑371‑9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 262 and 023G.
Recall number 24V528000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Sonata, Veloster N, 2022 Santa Cruz, Elantra N, and Kona N vehicles. The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.
- Risk
- Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1‑855‑371‑9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 236.
Recall number 22V746000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2021 Hyundai Veloster N 25
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Certain 2019
- Certain 2019-2022MY Veloster N (JSN), 2022-2023MY Elantra N (CN7N), and 2022-2023MY Kona N (OSN) vehicles...
- This bulletin provides information related to the navigation and head unit software changes introduced in...
- Higher-than-expected engine oil consumption
- Higher-than-expected engine oil consumption
- This bulletin provides information related to a Transmission Control Unit (TCU) software update for some...
- The federal safety agency has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit...
- The federal safety agency has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag...
- This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the...
- This bulletin provides information related to the changes introduced in the 2025 1st Navigation Map and...
What 2021 Hyundai Veloster N owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The power steering system fails at random sometimes on the highway and off. This is very dangerous as it is very difficult to maneuver the car when I do not have the power steering working especially at highway speeds. This issue has not been reproduced as of yet or inspected. When I am driving first a lane departure or lane assist warning flashes immediately followed by total power steering loss.
Complete power steering loss while on the highway. When resetting the car, the issue is resolved only to have power steering fail moments later
I was driving when my power steering suddenly failed while the vehicle was in motion. I pulled into a plaza, turned off the vehicle, and after restarting it the power steering appeared to function normally again. The component that malfunctioned appears to be the power steering system, and this component along with the vehicle itself is available for inspection upon request. When the failure occurred, steering the vehicle became significantly more difficult, which created a safety risk for myself, my passenger in the vehicle, and others on the road because it reduced my ability to safely control and maneuver the vehicle. At this time, the issue has not yet been reproduced or formally confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. The vehicle and component have not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or any other parties regarding this issue. Prior to the failure, I did not notice any warning lamps, warning messages, or other symptoms related to the power steering system.
The electric power steering ceases to work, making it near impossible to steer or control the vehicle also, the power steering light and various other lights light up on the dash this is the intermittent reoccurring problem. The only way to remedy it at the time is to stop somewhere. Shut the vehicle off for a few minutes and then restart it. I'll put in today's date for the date that you're asking for but it happens all the time.
Lane keep assist was off, got an error message "check lane departure warning system" and seemed to lose power steering. I was on the interstate switching lanes. Any loss of power steering is a safety risk.
After getting new tires the Blind Spot Warning gives off false warnings. I have even had the sensor replaced and the issue still occurs. Many people have reported this issue when they change to winter tires. The issue will the go away when they return back to the factory tires. This is a safety issue due to having to turn off the BSW in order to no constantly have the alarm go off when changing lanes or taking a turn.
REPORTER QUESTION/Topic: Nowhabersham.com Clarkesville, Georgia (Joy Purcell) is writing about a recent crash in which a man died when he was ejected from his vehicle. The reporter is asking if there has there been a recall issued for 2021 Hyundai Velosters regarding seatbelt problems and if the federal safety agency has any alerts or warnings regarding the 2021 Veloster. Lastly, she asked if the federal safety agency has any tips on how people can protect themselves and ensure their seatbelts are functioning properly.
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Veloster N. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked unattended. Approximately thirteen hours later, he was notified by the fire department that the vehicle had caught fire. A police report was filed. There were no reported injuries. It was unknown if the air bags were deployed. The vehicle was still parked where the fire occurred. The local dealer was contacted but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.
When using tires other than the OEM tires the Blind Spot Warning system malfunctions by giving false negatives and positives. This only happens when using tires other than the OEM tires. Sometimes it will not detect when a vehicle is in my blindspot. Other times it will detect a vehicle when there isn't one and sound an alarm when changing lanes. I have brought it to the dealer but they are not aware that it's a problem and there's been no update from the manufacturer.
Compare the 2021 Hyundai Veloster N
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Questions about the 2021 Hyundai Veloster N
Is the 2021 Hyundai Veloster N reliable?
Owners have filed 18 complaints about the 2021 Hyundai Veloster N, close to a typical Veloster N model year.
What is the 2021 Hyundai Veloster N year score?
The 2021 Hyundai Veloster N scores 64 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Hyundai Veloster N: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Hyundai Veloster N?
Driver assistance and stability, with 9 complaints. Next is steering (6).
How many recalls does the 2021 Hyundai Veloster N have?
3 recalls, covering air bags, fuel system, gasoline and power train.
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