Kia / Hyundai engine issues disproportionately in US?

[SHOZ]

I call BS on the low income lazy stuff. Many low income people are quite dedicated to their vehicles. It's bad engineering and manufacturing for the most part.

 

[The Lube Guy]

I call BS on the low income lazy stuff. Many low income people are quite dedicated to their vehicles. It's bad engineering and manufacturing for the most part.

And yet, you have two Hyundai vehicles in your signature that are over a decade old. Could it be that's because you took care of them?

I never used the word "lazy" in any of my comments.

 

[SHOZ]

And yet, you have two Hyundai vehicles in your signature that are over a decade old. Could it be that's because you took care of them?

Well yes. I changed oil and do what little maintenance is required.. As many low income people do on their own to save money. Your views are out of date and are seeded in the last century as far as Hyundai. My '08 Accent was the last of the line of the 'cheap' Hyundais and I would buy another again in a heart beat at twice the price if they still made it like that.

The main reason I bought the Genesis Coupe was because it was the 'cheapest' performance car with Brembo brakes.

The Hyundai's problem are US related.

 

[Nessism1]

I currently own a 2022 MPI 2.0 running Mobil 1 FS 0W-40 exclusively so far. I may run Valvoline R&P 5W-30 in the future. It gets 5K mile OCIs and regular use of Barryman B12 for varnish and Techron for carbon build up. These are fairly easy miles. It's an n=1 case but if this engine grenades then there is no reasonably predictable way to prevent self-destruction.

My educated guess is most of these issues are a combination of DI and carbon build up + poor maintenance + some weakness in design/manufacturing. My hope is MPI + diligent maintenance using products that are designs to keep internals/rings clean will be enough to at least get +100K miles out if this engine.

I suspect that your routine here will afford a respectable engine life. I'm no expert on these engines, but coked up rings seem to be a common issue, leading to high oil consumption. One thing I do know, is that a lot of USA car owners do NOT keep up with oil changes, nor do they check the oil level regularly. If ever a series of vehicles NEEDED an oil level light, these cars would qualify.

 

[MParr]

The pre Theta 2 / MPI were definitely better.

How many miles did you get on the Optima, I believe that was a early Theta2 GDI?

This was a 2.4 Theta II. We traded it at 67,000 miles. Never had a problem. I did 5,000 mile oil change intervals and used OEM or NAPA Gold oil filters. I used either Motorcraft 5W30 Blend or Quaker State 5W30 Synthetic. We kept the Eco Mode turned off and ran 93 octane gas. Never had an LSPI event.

 

[nicholas]

I'm from Spain, but i follow many American so called Youtuber Mechanics on Youtube Facebook IG etc.
Almost every day i see either a Instagram or Fb reel about Kia and Hyundqai gasoline GDi engines being crap and blowing up all the time.

But i just don't see that here, i know several mechanics and people who have Hyundais and Kias with Gdi engines and they are not having problems like that.

In fact here Kia and Hyundai are very proud that and advertise alk the time that they provide a 7 year / 150.000km ( 90k mile ) warranty on all their models.

I think as a whole there is less maintenance and care for HK vehicles in north america.
As an owner of numerous HK vehicles they treat us better than our last Honda.

So much so, I will never buy a Honda product again.

 

[MParr]

In many European countries and other parts of the world, Hyundai recommends higher-spec lubricants than those specified in the US. This includes not just higher viscosity oils but also ACEA A3/B4 motor oils.

Unfortunately, Hyundai's approach in the US and Canada has been problematic. The 2.4L Theta II engine is essentially a Theta I engine with GDI replacing MPI. Hyundai did not reinforce the rod bearings to handle the increased cylinder pressure and failed to address fuel dilution and customer neglect. This issue was exacerbated by Hyundai's specification of 5W-20 oil for these engines in the US and Canada, primarily to improve fuel economy numbers and comply with EPA regulations, thus maintaining favorable CAFE numbers. By the time Hyundai recognized their error, it was too late. In an attempt to rectify the situation, Hyundai issued TCBs to dealers, recommending the use of 5W-30 oil in the NA 2.4 Theta II engines and 5W-40 in the turbocharged versions (2.0T). While most dealers adhered to the TCB and used 5W-30 in these engines, very few used 5W-40 in the turbo engines, instead opting for 5W-30, particularly in the first-generation Hyundai Genesis Coupe.

I have owned several Hyundais equipped with the 2.4L Theta I, Theta II, Lambda I, and Lambda II engines. After reviewing the European owner's manuals for these vehicles, I decided to use 0W-40 in the Theta II engines and 5W-40 in the Lambda II, both GDI engines. Consequently, I never encountered any issues with them. I regularly changed the oil every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, avoided short trips, and consistently used high-quality gasoline. Conversely, those who relied on low-quality dealership bulk 5W-20 oil, frequently short-tripped their vehicles, and extended their OCIs often faced engine problems. I witnessed several cases at my local dealership where connecting rods had exited through the block, including some hybrid models. Technicians attributed these failures to poor maintenance on the owner's part, yet Hyundai still honored the warranty.

However, Hyundai has now tightened its warranty requirements. They require proof that owners have not neglected their vehicles. Consequently, every new Hyundai now comes with 36 months of free oil changes. Although I personally would not take advantage of this, as I prefer to change my oil myself and avoid using dealership bulk oil, I appreciate Hyundai's efforts to keep vehicles on the road and reduce warranty claims.

In the United States, there is often concern among vehicle owners about oil viscosity in relation to potential warranty claims. However, manufacturers are generally more focused on whether owners are changing their oil regularly rather than the specific viscosity used, such as 5W-30 instead of 0W-20. Issues may arise if an owner uses an inappropriate viscosity, like 20W-50, in colder climates such as the northern states or Canada, which could indeed affect a warranty claim. Nonetheless, the notion that manufacturers are overly fixated on oil viscosity is not accurate. On the other hand, European vehicles present a different scenario, as the lubricants used must also carry OEM approvals.

I somewhat agree with this statement. My buddy was the head mechanic at our local Hyundai dealership. He would send me pictures of some of the cars with blown engines. They were very poorly maintained. They would come in full of trash. There would often be dirty diapers, chicken bones, rat droppings, and fire ants inside of the cars. They were pretty much a waste hazard.

 

[nicholas]

I suspect that your routine here will afford a respectable engine life. I'm no expert on these engines, but coked up rings seem to be a common issue, leading to high oil consumption. One thing I do know, is that a lot of USA car owners do NOT keep up with oil changes, nor do they check the oil level regularly. If ever a series of vehicles NEEDED an oil level light, these cars would qualify.

Most people don't even know HOW to open their hoods. Let alone check the oil.

 

[The Lube Guy]

Your views are out of date and are seeded in the last century as far as Hyundai.

From 2007 to 2016, my wife and I owned around five Sonatas, five Santa Fes, two Elantra GTs, and one stick shift base model Elantra. These vehicles were reasonably low-cost and easy to maintain at home. While my views on Hyundai may be outdated, they're not ancient—perhaps a decade old. So, I acknowledge that my perspective on Hyundai is somewhat out of date.

On Thursday, I took our 2017 Santa Fe SE to the Hyundai dealer for the ABS fuse recall. I ran into our sales guy, someone we've worked with for years. He asked if I was interested in looking at any new models. I politely declined and mentioned that Hyundai's current lineup doesn't appeal to me. I don't like the new designs, powertrains, or pricing, and I'm definitely not interested in a Hyundai BEV. We then shifted the conversation to personal matters. Whether a sale was made or not, we're also friends.

 

[KrisZ]

I’m pretty sure it’s the difference in shear volume. While Korean makes are more popular in EU than Japanese makes, they are still not as popular as European makes. Europeans like to buy their own brands.

 

[The Lube Guy]

Europeans like to buy their own brands.

They're just as price conscious as everyone else.

 

[SHOZ]

From 2007 to 2016, my wife and I owned around five Sonatas, five Santa Fes, two Elantra GTs, and one stick shift base model Elantra. These vehicles were reasonably low-cost and easy to maintain at home. While my views on Hyundai may be outdated, they're not ancient—perhaps a decade old. So, I acknowledge that my perspective on Hyundai is somewhat out of date.

On Thursday, I took our 2017 Santa Fe SE to the Hyundai dealer for the ABS fuse recall. I ran into our sales guy, someone we've worked with for years. He asked if I was interested in looking at any new models. I politely declined and mentioned that Hyundai's current lineup doesn't appeal to me. I don't like the new designs, powertrains, or pricing, and I'm definitely not interested in a Hyundai BEV. We then shifted the conversation to personal matters. Whether a sale was made or not, we're also friends

Hyundai's best years were 2008 to 2012 or so. Anything pre gdi and complicated electronics.

In 2004 or so there management got caught in a bribery scheme. Not necessarily related to the auto biz. They brought back the Asian quality for a few years before bean counters and EPA got the turned around.

I've only had the two and can't stand their service dept. But good cars. Best I've owned over the years.

I don't see much electronics lasting past 20 years.

 

[The Lube Guy]

Hyundai's best years were 2008 to 2012 or so. Anything pre gdi and complicated electronics.

I'm gonna say that Hyundai's best years are behind them, and leave it at that. Now they're just like every other car manufacturer, or worse. (IMHO)