I was driving down the highway when I lost all power to my engine and had to coast off and exit. Prior to the incident there was no indication of a problem. White smoke began coming out of my exhaust. I brought the car to a dealership and they told me that I would need a timing job and a new turbo. They said that my car was starved for oil, regular maintenance had been kept up with on the vehicle.
2016 Hyundai Veloster transmission problems
43 complaints (19% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 19,038. 2 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 43
- of this car's complaints
- 19%
- typical mileage
- 19,038
- crashes
- 2
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
- Manual transmission1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Hyundai Veloster transmission problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2016 Hyundai Veloster transmission
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
What 2016 Hyundai Veloster owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and stalled. The vehicle was restarted. The contact shifted to reverse and pulled into a parking lot. The message that the transmission had overheated was displayed. The contact used a scanner and diagnosed the vehicle with clutch actuator failure. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 86,494.
While driving my 2016 Hyundai Veloster (VIN: [XXX] ) on the highway, the vehicle suddenly lost acceleration. I went from 60 mph down to 20 mph with no throttle response, and the car only continued moving briefly from momentum. I was forced to stop in unsafe highway conditions and had the vehicle towed home. Prior to this complete failure, the car had recurring transmission/drive issues: it would start, but when placed in reverse it moved backward, and when shifted into drive it still only moved backward. Despite repeated repair attempts, the problems persisted. A certified mechanic later inspected the vehicle and confirmed severe internal engine damage, including metallic noises, blue smoke, oil leakage from worn piston rings, and complete compression loss. The mechanic concluded the vehicle requires deep engine repair or replacement. These failures are consistent with widespread reports of Hyundai Veloster engine defects, which pose serious safety risks to drivers. My vehicle is now inoperable despite responsible maintenance and repeated attempts to fix the issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
King Hyundai hung up/refused free Recall 198 inspection despite confirmed defect (rod bearing/crank damage). VIN [XXX] . Case #1824300. Safety risk—stall/fire. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I am the second owner of a 2016 Hyundai Veloster Base, purchased used at approximately 19,976 miles. Since then, the vehicle has experienced multiple major powertrain-related failures. At 49,196 miles, the first catalytic converter failed and was replaced. Later, both the engine and second catalytic converter were replaced by Kearny Mesa Hyundai, a certified Hyundai dealership in San Diego, CA. When I brought the vehicle to Kearny Mesa Hyundai, there were no warning lights or active diagnostic trouble codes. However, the dealership’s service documentation stated that a P0420 code (catalyst system efficiency below threshold) was present — a code that was not active when I dropped off the vehicle, raising concerns about diagnostic accuracy or documentation. Now, at 61,982 miles, I brought the vehicle to Hyundai Ontario due to delayed shifting and hesitation when accelerating. The dealership diagnosed internal transmission failure and quoted approximately $5,000 for repairs. There were no warning lights or codes detected, meaning this diagnosis is based solely on driving symptoms. The failure of two catalytic converters, the engine, and now the transmission — all within approximately 42,000 miles of ownership — raises serious concerns about the long-term reliability of this vehicle and possible manufacturing defects. The transmission symptoms pose a serious safety risk, especially when merging or accelerating into traffic. I am requesting that this vehicle be investigated for potential systemic issues affecting its powertrain components.
The component that failed is acceleration. He came from work at the Frywed when he reduced the speed from 65 to 30 and no longer accelerated .. if an independent service had no warning or failure at that time they were detected
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated and responded slowly. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle decelerated independently. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where both catalytic converters were replaced, and the fuel lines were cleaned; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, where the vehicle was test-driven, and the mechanic informed the contact that the failure could be related to the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
Unknown Regular oil changes, cranked my car up one morning and it started knocking, I have been in a rental for 2 weeks now and paying out pocket as a single mother in grad school. The dealers excuse of not diagnosing the car sooner, is that their schedule is busy after arguing with the extended warranty company about my coverage. I booked their next soonest appointment to be told we'll see if we can get it looked at that day. I believe they're hiding the fact that my bricks falls under recall 198 and do not want to admit it.
Sudden power Loss when driving or turning. Engine began making noise check engine light came.on. parked made apt at deaser. ODB reader said was 02 sunsor bank one and camshaft poisition overclocked. Check engine light off when took to dealer. dealer said engine needs replaced 97k miles. Recent synthetic oil change 2 months prior to fail.
Unknown Vehicle stalls and misfires
Questions about the 2016 Hyundai Veloster transmission
Does the 2016 Hyundai Veloster have transmission problems?
Owners have filed 43 complaints about the transmission of the 2016 Hyundai Veloster, 19% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2016 Hyundai Veloster transmission problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 19,038 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Hyundai Veloster transmission?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Hyundai Veloster have bad transmission?
The Hyundai Veloster model years with the most transmission complaints are 2016 (43 complaints), 2013 (35 complaints) and 2012 (31 complaints).
Other 2016 Hyundai Veloster problems
Engine 142Fuel system 22Electrical 16Airbags 12Acceleration 9Brakes 8Body 7Suspension 4Visibility 4Seat belts 2Driver assistance 1Seats 1Steering 1
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