The 2020 Hyundai Veloster has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 158,493 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 29 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
ENGINE21V3010002021-04-28158,493 affected
Defect
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.
Consequence
A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Hyundai will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.
Complaints by component
ENGINE
8
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
6
POWER TRAIN
2
STEERING
2
STRUCTURE:BODY
2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
1
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
1
Total complaints29
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“My spark plugs misfired”
“Gas was shooting out of my gas tank cap, strong gasoline smells in and out side the vehicle, popping noise coming from the back from the gas tank expanding so much it pushed up the rear seat. This puts me and others at risk of fire, explosion and toxic exposure. This problem has been reproduced.…”
“Glass roof spontaneously shattered. Car was sitting in direct california sun. Nothing touched the roof but heat, the entire panel shattered and the car is undriveable.thankfully my car was unoccupied at the time. I have heard there had been class action lawsuits in the past regarding this vehicle…”
“The contact owns a 2020 hyundai veloster. The contact stated that while driving 40 mph, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the piston oil rings, resulting in…”
“I have a 2020 hyundai veloster 2.0l and their is a knocking noise coming for the engine for the piston haven’t been properly heated right and when I search the vin up on here it come up as a different car in the picture”
“While driving my steering wheel will lock up and i’ll get an error message for lane keep assist on the dash. I never use lane keep assist so even when it’s off it does this. I have to keep turning my car off and back on for my steering wheel to unlock and the error will disappear.”
“While driving my steering wheel will lock up and i’ll get an error message for lane keep assist on the dash. I never use lane keep assist so even when it’s off it does this. I have to keep turning my car off and back on for my steering wheel to unlock and the error will disappear.”
“On 2/14/2024, my car started not to accelerate after the crash collision light came on. My car pulled off like it was a snail but picked up speed after I drove a bit. I had to put my hazard flasher lights on in order for other car not run over me, which was a major safety issues and put me and my…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2020 Hyundai Veloster as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.