Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
49
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Owners of the 2017 Hyundai Veloster have filed 49
safety complaints with NHTSA
between January 2018 and May 2026.
The most complained-about system is the engine,
named in 26 of them
(53%). The typical failure was reported at 48,000 miles, the median
across the 25 complaints that gave an
odometer reading.
No recall campaign was matched to this year, make and model. That is not
the same as a clean vehicle: recalls are issued against production
ranges, and the only reliable check is your own VIN.
What owners report
Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add
up to more than 49.
ENGINE 26 53%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 10 20%
POWER TRAIN 7 14%
AIR BAGS 6 12%
STRUCTURE 6 12%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2 4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 4%
STEERING 2 4%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 4%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 2%
SEATS 1 2%
SERVICE BRAKES 1 2%
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2020 at 8.
2018 to 2026, the last of them a part year
In owners' own words
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
AIR BAGS
1 injured · crash · towed · 20,000 miles
MY ACCIDENT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE IT DEPLOYED AFTER HITTING A CURB WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN 2 ND IMPACT TO DEPLOY IT SHOULD HAVE COME OUT THEN, THE BAR IN THE HEAD REST CAME OUT WHICH CUT MY HEAD AND I RECEIVED STAPLES IN MY HEAD. WHAT THE OTHER METAL THINGS THAT FLEW OUT OF THE STEERING I DON'T KNOW BUT THEY CUT AND BURNED MY ARM VERY BAD. I WAS GOING STRAIGHT ON A TWO LANE STREET. WHEN THE CAR BACKED INTO TO THE INTERSECTION IT DID NOT COME FROM MY RIGHT OR MY LEFT. I WAS 3/4 OF THE WAY ACROSS THE INTERSECTION WHEN THIS CAR APPEARED BACKING UP. I COULD NOT STOP IN TIME AND HIT IT IN THE REAR OF THEIR CAR.*DT
NHTSA complaint 11374217. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
crash · towed · 35,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 HYUNDAI VELOSTER. WHILE DRIVING 58 MPH, THE VEHICLE FISHTAILED AND CRASHED INTO A FENCE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED DESTROYED; HOWEVER, THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILBLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35,000.
NHTSA complaint 11120624. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SERVICE BRAKES
crash · towed · 3,000 miles
I PURCHASED A NEW 2017 VELOSTER IN MAY 2018. BEGINNING IN MID AUGUST I STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR NOT STOPPING AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP. IT HAPPENED ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. ESCALATING EACH TIME. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I ALMOST HIT SOMEONE IN THE BACK. THE SECOND TIME I ALMOST ENDED UP IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC GOING THROUGH THE STOP LIGHT. THE THIRD TIME I GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A TURN AND THE WHEEL AND BRAKES DID THE SAME THING AGAIN...MAKING MY CAR NOT DRIVEABLE CURRENTLY. MY CAR HAS ABOUT 3000 MILES ON IT. EACH TIME THIS OCCURRED I WAS ON A CITY STREET WITH STOP LIGHTS. AVERAGE SPEED 35-45 .
NHTSA complaint 11154686. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
crash · towed · 44,000 miles
VEHICLE STALLS WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF THE BRAKE. WON'T PROPERLY DRIVE
NHTSA complaint 11377923. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The clutch actuator failed, so I sold to a junker that I didn't know had such a shady background. The ownership per the tax collector's office has been transferred to them- Sky Recycling. They have an active DOT number. I am still being charged for the balance of my loan and accruing late payment and believe they did something potentially illegal to transfer ownership without satisfying the lien.
NHTSA complaint 11740664. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
towed · 161,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that while her sister was driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The driver pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle was able to be restarted, but made an abnormal knocking sound. The check engine warning light was flashing. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted and informed that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed to confirm whether it was covered under warranty. The dealer informed the contact that towing assistance would be provided; however, the dealer drove the vehicle to the repair center, where it was diagnosed, and metal debris was found in the oil control solenoid. The vehicle …
NHTSA complaint 11727228, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
The engine failed due to suspected rod bearing failure related to Hyundai’s known rod bearing recall issue. The vehicle exhibited a flashing check engine light with diagnostic trouble code P1326, knocking noises, metal debris found in the oil control solenoid, and subsequent secondary damage to the catalytic converter. The engine has not been opened by the Hyundai dealership despite these indicators. The vehicle and affected components are available for inspection upon request. The engine condition poses a serious safety risk. An independent mechanic advised that the rod bearing issue presents a fire hazard and stated the vehicle should not be driven due to the risk of engine failure, fire, …
NHTSA complaint 11716250, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
I bought the vehicle 14 days ago and everything was going well until black smoke started to come out of the exhaust and it started to smell burnt. I brought a mechanic to my house and he told me that the engine had already died
NHTSA complaint 11676864. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
The 2017 Hyundai Veloster- Value edition is a Lemon straight from the manufacturer. I purchased mine in July of 2024 with 27,000 miles. When I test drove it I questioned the clicking noises that could be heard while switching gears along with minor "shuddering" at acceleration. I was informed by gentleman at Dealer that it was a normal characteristic of owning a DCT vehicle. One year later 7/2025 I have been experiencing more intense issues with clutch/transmission. I have a great loss of power at acceleration, it will stay bogged at 1,000-1,500 RPM'S before it engages and revs with a jolt forward. It is unsafe to pull out or lane change on highway. It also is shuddering upon every …
NHTSA complaint 11672257, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Here is what happened I left my house about 8 am and I head towards the 101 south from union hills drive and 83rd Ave I'm on the 101 south and yhe time I am passing the Thunderbird exit I hear a loud explosion and I duck a little bit and I see a bunch of black debris in the air it happened so fast and then a bunch of glass from my sunroof starts hitting me in the head on my neck falling into my lap going down my shirt and into my coffee. So I pull over off the next exit ramp and pull into and industrial park and I got out and started to sweep glass off of me and out of my car so I can still make it to work on time, I took a couple pics at that time, then I proceeded back towards the highway …
NHTSA complaint 11669072, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon
law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back.
What each state asks for
, read from the statutes.
Where these numbers come from
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file
, published August 20, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API
, most recent campaign filed August 12, 2026.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file
, published 2026-08-19.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by
us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that
sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst