BEST CHOICES FOR HYUNDAI SANTA FE THETA II 2.4 GDI

[dubber09]

My staple oil for the 2.4GDI is PP 5w-30 but will switch to Kirkland or ST 5w-30 if cannot get PP on sale and with MIR.
Used PUP as well, engine loved it. OCI is 4k miles.

 

[SlavaB]

My staple oil for the 2.4GDI is PP 5w-30 but will switch to Kirkland or ST 5w-30 if cannot get PP on sale and with MIR.
Used PUP as well, engine loved it. OCI is 4k miles.

I wouldnt switch to ST because of the high NOACK numbers.

 

[Propflux01]

5w-30 definitely. Any good syn such as Pennzoil, quicker state, stupertech, Mobil one, etc, at 5k intervals.

 

[avi1777]

dont know about the 18models but this car had a major and i mean major engine problems,Google it and if its the case in the 18model as well sell the car asap.

 

[avi1777]

Hyundai began recalling over 1 million vehicles back in 2015. The recall was issued because of debris that would restrict oil flow to rod bearings. This restriction in the bearings with 2-liter and 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines– would cause failure as well as engine fires.
i think u r of the hook but check it anyway.

 

[SlavaB]

Hyundai began recalling over 1 million vehicles back in 2015. The recall was issued because of debris that would restrict oil flow to rod bearings. This restriction in the bearings with 2-liter and 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines– would cause failure as well as engine fires.
i think u r of the hook but check it anyway.

that's old news, they've had a recall and uploaded new software to detect an engine knock. Also supplemented it with a lifetime warranty if the knock happens

 

[wemay]

When we had HYUNDAI/KIA 2.4 models (various) with one reaching 188K miles, i used everything in terms of oil and filters without issue. VWB, PYB, MS5K, STP filters, NAPA filters, FRAM filters etc. But mostly used Valvoline SynPower 5W20/30 and Fram PH9688. Hyundai/KIA vehicles have been my most reliable auto purchases.

1 million recalls doesn't mean 1 million broken vehicles.

 

[kevperro]

Don't scare the poor guy telling him his engine is going to blow. LOL.... cross your fingers and hope for the best!

I'd follow the Hyundai manual and document your oil changes with copies of receipts. Personally, I'd run three oil changes per year (4000 each) until it was out of warranty. You can use any current 5W-20 or 5W-30 in the Walmart aisle without any worries. There is no proof that one color bottle is better than another so pick what makes you feel good. Other than possible fuel dilution (issue with all direct injection engines especially when short-tripped) there is nothing unique to that engine that makes it any better or worse for oil life. I don't know all the details to the drama behind why they grenade but from what I gather, there is nothing you can do about it via changing the oil that will change its fate.

 

[Blinker]

Time will tell if these engines still have issues. However, just from following the Hyundai/Kia forums, and the Facebook groups, it really appears that the engine problem was fixed with the MY2017 vehicles. For MY2017+ Theta II engines the forums have been oddly quiet. There have been some reports off oil usage in engines with over 100k miles and only just a handful of failures. I will assume that 100k+ miles on a 3 year old vehicle that the maintenance intervals were extended. That is just my experience cars that were driven long distances in a short amount of time. Just from my internet surfing, I tend to believe that MY2017+ Theta II engines are not failing at an alarming rate, and they appear to be on par with industry averages regarding ending failure rates.

And I say this as an individual who has been very critical of Hyundai.

 

[avi1777]

had a student with the 17 or18 mode cant remember exactly that had that engine failure.
i wanted to buy that model but decided not to because of it,ended up with a proven brand like mazda.

 

[kevperro]

When we had HYUNDAI/KIA 2.4 models (various) with one reaching 188K miles, i used everything in terms of oil and filters without issue. VWB, PYB, MS5K, STP filters, NAPA filters, FRAM filters etc. But mostly used Valvoline SynPower 5W20/30 and Fram PH9688. Hyundai/KIA vehicles have been my most reliable auto purchases.

had a student with the 17 or18 mode cant remember exactly that had that engine failure.
i wanted to buy that model but decided not to because of it,ended up with a proven brand like mazda.

I'd say Hyundai has been "proven". Proven to fail for some people and proven to be reliable for others. Every brand of machine made by man ultimately ends up in a scrap heap and every group of humans that gather to make something, produce good things, and produce bad things.

What is interesting is the perception of it. The interesting thing about the Internet is that it is a great magnifier of perception. It distorts while at the same time allowing for a blown-up view of reality, the inaccuracies along with the truth of a situation. The **** thing can often be like a feedback loop in a PA system, screeching and painfully hurting your ears. But when it works, you broadcast greater clarity among a larger group.

I don't know whether those engines are fixed or not but you are unlikely to find the truth of the matter while the PA system is screeching.

 

[JT20]

SuperTech synthetic and change it twice a year. Why synthetic? Because it's a dollar more than SuperTech conventional.

And this is why the Synthetic is usually always on the shelf while the conventional is usually always gone.

Sometimes you get lucky and it takes the populace a day or two to figure out that they re-stocked, and that conventional oil is $19-$25 elsewhere.. and only $12-$13 here.

10% off, since I work in their supply chain.

Now let's all bash Supertech oil before we lose the chance. May not be the best oil in the world, but, seems an unbearable value, unless you're buying oil in a box from Costco maybe to help offset that membership fee and mobbed parking lot. To which I say, good luck with that...

 

[Propflux01]

The recall stopped with the 2019 models. The "20-"21 models are not included in any of the recalls. My assumption is they fixed the problem and felt enough testing from 2018-2019 models confirmed this enough to exclude the later engines.

 

[JT20]

The recall stopped with the 2019 models. The "20-"21 models are not included in any of the recalls. My assumption is they fixed the problem and felt enough testing from 2018-2019 models confirmed this enough to exclude the later engines.

Remind me to never buy a 2018-2019 Hyundai.

 

[nicholas]

Dear Oil Guy:

I purchased a used 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe, Theta II, 2.4 GDI (non-turbo) engine, 30,000 miles. Owner's manual recommends 5-W-30 oil but no recommendations as to conventional, blend or full synthetic. 7500 miles is the recommended OCI for "normal" service. I've always changed oil at 5,000 miles and used conventional oils. What do you recommend and why? I live in Southern California and drive about 12,000 per year.

Thank you!

Signed,
Confused in Orange County.

Any 5w-30 SP oil.
Will do you just fine.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

"Normal" service means majority highway driving, anything other than that is considered "severe". Does the manual still state oil changes every 3750 for severe? I would be changing out at the severe interval and using 5w30 if allowed by Hyundai, synthetic as well. The Hyundai / Kia 2.4 is a bit of a problem child of an engine. Treat it well.

Now there is a BIG reason not to buy a Hyundai.

But I think there are too many many worrywarts around here. If you do a reasonable mix of driving you are not severe. if you want proof do a UOA through one of you Winter intervals and have that in your pocket.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Dear Oil Guy:

I purchased a used 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe, Theta II, 2.4 GDI (non-turbo) engine, 30,000 miles. Owner's manual recommends 5-W-30 oil but no recommendations as to conventional, blend or full synthetic. 7500 miles is the recommended OCI for "normal" service. I've always changed oil at 5,000 miles and used conventional oils. What do you recommend and why? I live in Southern California and drive about 12,000 per year.

Thank you!

Signed,
Confused in Orange County.

Synthetic is not a spec, If they suggest Synthetic it means nothing. It is an advertising term meaning "Premium Lubricant"
Now, if they want ACEA A5, B5 along with it , then there is your spec.

Me? I would run Edge gold bottle or Valvoline Advanced.

 

[gregk24]

Now there is a BIG reason not to buy a Hyundai.

But I think there are too many many worrywarts around here. If you do a reasonable mix of driving you are not severe. if you want proof do a UOA through one of you Winter intervals and have that in your pocket.

Yes, I think most of us tend to worry more than the general population. That can be a good and bad thing. It is important for the OP to know that he/she isn’t dealing with a highly regarded power plant. It’s not to say they won’t have a completely trouble free ownership, and I hope they do! Having said that just be aware that this is one engine you want to take good care of.

 

[scm]

As an owner of a ‘17 Sonata with the same engine, I’d highly recommend at the minimum a Dexos 1 Gen 2 oil in 5W-30. Why a GM approval for a Hyundai Motor? Well - because D1G2 on the whole is a good all around approval for an engine like ours, and many here on BITOG look for that as a “bare minimum” depending on application

I personally use 5W-30 Pennzoil Ultra Platinum (or Mobil 1 EP 5W-30 or even Castrol 5W-30 Edge Extended Performance if PUP is priced too high.)

For oil filters, OEM is “meh” when you consider filtering capability. My go to is Fram Ultra (XG9688), but the Tough Guards provide better filtering than OEM, or go grab some NAPA Golds/WIX filters.

 

[4WD]

Remind me to never buy a 2018-2019 Hyundai.

Never buy a 2018-2019 Hyundai