Hyundai Tucson 1.6T Hybrid, engine damaged before first service is due

[m3dh]

Bought a my first (and last) Hyundai last September, because we'd like to try Hybrid and Japanese brands all marked up.
Overall happy with our new Tucson 1.6T Hybrid since it has a smooth & quiet ride and thinking it should be reliable given they replaced previous gen's DCT with AT and 1.6T gamma engine is not under any recalls.

Unfortunately, car started making ticking noise since last week when driving uphills (we live in Seattle), it has just 7903 miles ODO. First oil change is due at 8000 miles.
Checked the engine carefully and noticed visible damage right under the oil filler cap, tho no check engine light has poped up:

According to my research, I believe the cause is the CVVD system drives the camshaft that hits the engine block, the damage happened here:
(Screenshot taken from some video)

I'd expect metal shavings in the *factory fill* engine oil lol
What's worse, because Hyundai now has 10/100k warranty their dealers are all fully occupied with their masterpieces, called 2 dealers today and the first slot to have someone look at the engine is early May. I may have to keep driving it.

Will update this thread if ppl are interested. Ironically this is the first time we had engine problem, other ride (BMW F30 / B48B20) is stonger than this Hyundai over the 7 years of ownership

 

[Bill7]

Very sad story. Hope you get a replacement engine for free. Perhaps visit the Hyundai forums to see if others are experiencing the same issue. If they are, then the replacement engine could also have the same outcome in another 7,000 miles.

 

[michaelluscher]

That's unfortunate
If/when it does get repaired, I'd be demanding a long block and a new intake manifold
Which I think is procedure for H/K in cases of severe internal engine damage

Keep us in the loop

Oh, and don't stretch the oil changes to 8,000 miles
The increasing consensus is that H/K engines age better when serviced to the severe service schedule (6 months/5,000 miles)

 

[Jetronic]

Very sad story. Hope you get a replacement engine for free. Perhaps visit the Hyundai forums to see if others are experiencing the same issue. If they are, then the replacement engine could also have the same outcome in another 7,000 miles.

Never ever have I got a complete replacement engine from Hyundai. We needed to strip it down, and order the damaged parts piece by piece and assemble (potentially) a whole new engine.

I did once manage to get a complete short block, rather than a casting, seperate crack, rods pistons, bearing, freeze plugs etc....

 

[skyactiv]

There was a thread or post on here last year where a member went to a Hyundai dealer for a simple recall and noticed the service department was swamped doing engine swaps.

 

[97prizm]

Apparently the car wizard had a customer come in with a damaged Hyundai engine. His comment was you can tell how bad an engine is when you ask a dealer how many long blocks they have on hand. The local dealership had 20 plus. That told him all he needed to know.

 

[KCJeep]

There was a thread or post on here last year where a member went to a Hyundai dealer for a simple recall and noticed the service department was swamped doing engine swaps.

Yep, the last one we took in was there 3 months, the service advisor said there were 50 in front of us.

No amount of maintenance will keep them from grenading. But maintenance is important to make sure you are covered if it happens.

 

[Graham Piccinini]

My aunt has a 1.6T Tucson, with FWD DCT. She got it used at 95k miles, against my recommendations to go with something else... Anyways, DCT went out JUST before the warranty ended, so thankfully she got a new one in there for the price of a deductible. Nice car, but oh boy does Hyundia's Quality Control suck...

CORRECTION: That 2019 Tucson was out of warranty already, but the Nissan Dealer she got it from gave 3 months or 3000 miles warranty on it. And thankfully during that period the DCT lost reverse gear, randomly and without a warning. That Nissan Dealership honored the warranty, even though it was only a week away from expiring. Shout-out to Monroe Nissan for that.

 

[Jetronic]

There was a thread or post on here last year where a member went to a Hyundai dealer for a simple recall and noticed the service department was swamped doing engine swaps.

I sometimes visit my old collegues at the hyundai dealership during their lunch break. Ther's ALWAYS a car in for an engine swap, and it's 4 lifts, 3 mechanics in that place....

 

[Urshurak776]

Bought my wife a used 2019 Tucson (33K on it) during COVID. Our son totaled her 2012 Santa Fe and we needed something. NOt a great buy, but there was NOTHING out there. Used market was sooooo bad at the time.

Changed the oil at 36K and 39K. Burned about 1/2 quart in 3,000 miles. We had no issues with her 2012 Santa Fe. In any case, traded it in on a new Mazda CX-5.

I have always liked out Hyundai vehicles, but after the Tucson and my sons KIA Rio, won't buy another one. I do hope the new Slipstream engines (or whatever they are called) work for them.

 

[Jetronic]

My aunt has a 1.6T Tucson, with FWD DCT. She got it used at 95k miles, against my recommendations to go with something else... Anyways, DCT went out JUST before the warranty ended, so thankfully she got a new one in there for the price of a deductible. Nice car, but oh boy does Hyundia's Quality Control suck...

they all tend to get shuddery around 50 k miles. If that's within the warranty you're lucky as it's not just the clutches but often the clutch forks are bent and the actuator has so much play it needs replacing.

 

[pbm]

Why can’t H/K get their act together on their engine issues? You would think they’d have figured out the problem after 10 years of issues with them.

 

[350Rocket]

Why can’t H/K get their act together on their engine issues? You would think they’d have figured out the problem after 10 years of issues with them.

I think it was a design issue with the theta 2 (like my wife's Sonata currently seized at 94k miles) and a quality control issue with many of the other engines that are less known for problems.

 

[cptbarkey]

I'm not privy to how the CVVD actuates and hits the engine block but would love to see more details OP.

 

[zzyzzx]

Obligatory:

kia engine issues...really serious or overinflated?

I am considering a new kia soul (my certified used subie was in at least 1 unreported serious accident & problems are popping up); some of my research points to severe engine issues with kia's...blown up, oil consumption, fires, unfixed recall problems, etc is there cause for concern or mostly...

bobistheoilguy.com

Hyundai Engine warranty approved, but...

Hi folks, need some help here. I've got a '13 Elantra (Nu 1.8 MPI engine) meticulously maintained by me (original owner). Has had piston slap on cold starts for the last couple of years. Took it in a month ago, on the last day of powertrain warranty. Dealer said it will cost me US $190 to...

bobistheoilguy.com

Wife's 2013 Hyundai seized up today 94k miles

I would like to take a moment to thanks whistle blowers for what they do. My wifes 11 year old Sonata 2.4 with 94k miles seized up today on the highway. Got towed into the shop I used to work at. I was still there when we pulled the belts off and tried to turn the engine by hand. It was seized...

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[Zee09]

Bought my wife a used 2019 Tucson (33K on it) during COVID. Our son totaled her 2012 Santa Fe and we needed something. NOt a great buy, but there was NOTHING out there. Used market was sooooo bad at the time.

Changed the oil at 36K and 39K. Burned about 1/2 quart in 3,000 miles. We had no issues with her 2012 Santa Fe. In any case, traded it in on a new Mazda CX-5.

I have always liked out Hyundai vehicles, but after the Tucson and my sons KIA Rio, won't buy another one. I do hope the new Slipstream engines (or whatever they are called) work for them.

We get the Smartstream engine in the USA.
The Slipstream engine is designed to blow the transmission first to save the engine

 

[zzyzzx]

We get the Smartstream engine in the USA.
The Slipstream engine is designed to blow the transmission first to save the engine

I thought that Hyundais and Kia's were designed to catch on fire or be stolen before the engine blew.

 

[gman2304]

I’m amazed at the number of complaints about South Korean products here. From appliances, to vehicles, to Lord only knows what other products we’re unknowingly consuming that might be substandard.

 

[Zee09]

I thought that Hyundais and Kia's were designed to catch on fire or be stolen before the engine blew.

We were both wrong.
The USA gets the new Slipshod engine.

 

[zzyzzx]

I’m amazed at the number of complaints about South Korean products here. From appliances, to vehicles, to Lord only knows what other products we’re unknowingly consuming that might be substandard.

And for some reason people think Chinese cars built in Mexico will be just fine.