- Who: Hyundai Motor Company is being sued by a group of Hyundai and Kia car owners.
- Why? According to the drivers, several Hyundai and Kia vehicle models have faulty engines that consume too much oil, stall, and eventually fail.
- Where: A federal court in California received the lawsuit.
According to a recent class action lawsuit, Hyundai manufactures various models of cars under the Hyundai and Kia brands with defective engines that use excessive amounts of oil, costing their owners a ton of money.
Eight Hyundai and Kia vehicle owners filed a class action complaint against Hyundai Motor Company in a federal court in California on April 12 alleging that the company had broken federal warranty restrictions.
Numerous Hyundai models are allegedly equipped with defective Nu, Gamma, Theta, Lambda, and Kappa engines, according to the excessive oil consumption lawsuit filed against the automaker.
The supposedly flawed engines are said to consume too much oil, stall, and eventually fail. According to the drivers, Hyundai should have recalled the cars a long time ago but hasn’t done so.
Numerous Hyundai and Kia owners and lessees claim that as a result, they are required to regularly check the oil levels and add oil to the engines more frequently than even the owner’s manuals advise, according to Car Complaints.
Due to crankshaft submersion and damaged gaskets and seals, the engine problem has knock-on effects such as reduced engine lubrication and oil leakage.
Additionally, the plaintiffs assert that oil in their cars migrates to areas where it shouldn’t, harming the exhaust and combustion systems.
The engine will eventually need to be rebuilt or replaced because of “abnormal wear of engine parts, oversaturation of carbon, and deposits of oil sludge.”
In This Article...
2016 Hyundai Sonata engine burning oil issue
Hyundai began testing oil consumption in August 2021 since the car required at least 1.5 qts of oil every 1,000 miles. Hyundai finished a combustion cleaning in January 2022 after conducting many testing. The same. Hyundai has said that this is normal consumption and that there will be another oil consumption test in March 2022. Dealer/corp will not take any action till the engine blows a rod. Before fixing what ought to be a recognized problem with this year/make/model, the manufacturer and/or dealer would rather that my family go through a risky and maybe disastrous incident.
Lawsuit Resulted from Hyundai Engine Oil Consumption Issues
The Nu, Gamma, Theta, Lambda, and Kappa engines are allegedly flawed and prone to high oil consumption, according to a Hyundai engine complaint.
The reported flaws in these Hyundai engines, along with the inadequate attempts to fix them, may lead to early deterioration, oil sludge or residue buildup, engine stalling, oil leaks inside and outside of the car, and ultimately engine failure. According to the lawsuit, oil needs to be changed far more frequently than the owner’s manual advises and oil levels need to be monitored more regularly than usual.
The following automobiles had the supposedly flawed engines:
- 2022 Kia K5
- 2020-2021 Korean Palisade
- Hyundai Venue 2020–2021
- Hyundai Kona 2019–2021
- Kia Stinger 2018–2021
- Kia Niro 2017–2020
- Kia Soul, 2012–2021
- Elantra Hyundai 2012-2020
- Kia Rio, 2012–2021.
- Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, 2011–2021.
- Kia Sorento 2011–2020
- Kia Sportage 2011–2020
- Kia Optima and Optima Hybrid models, 2011–2020
- Hyundai Veloster 2011–2021
- Hyundai Santa Fe, 2010–2012 and 2015–2021
- Hyundai Tucson, 2010–2013, and 2015–2021
- 2010-2021 Ford Kia
- Hyundai Genesis Coupe, 2009–2018
- Hyundai Sonata, model years 2009–2010 and 2015–2021
Some people might make an effort to get around the problem of excessive oil consumption by adding oil over the maximum fill line. The crankshaft will, however, become partially or completely submerged if too much oil is added. The oil will bubble up from the crankshaft, which will impair lubrication. Adding too much oil will stress and harm the engine’s gaskets and seals. As a result, oil may leak or find itself in unintended locations. Combustion and exhaust systems will be harmed by the oil residue that results.
The subsequent issues can necessitate replacing the engine in the car. However, it is claimed that Hyundai is unable to offer a sufficient fix for the problems caused by excessive oil use. The lawsuit claims that Hyundai rejects coverage for vehicles under warranty if the owners cannot present maintenance records and fails to alert customers to oil consumption issues, even when symptoms are obvious. Customers are expected to drive thousands of miles as part of “oil consumption testing,” wait an excessive amount of time for replacement parts, and “do not receive required engine replacements” in the majority of cases. Additionally, the carmaker does not provide customers with reimbursement for costs associated with the oil usage flaw.
However, unless they are active duty military personnel, we are unable to assist those who live outside of California or who bought their car outside of California. We will also be unable to direct them to a lemon legal firm in their state. Visit our California Lemon Law Guide for more information to find out more about the California Lemon Law and your legal rights.
Hyundais are known to burn oil, right?
The following Hyundai and Kia vehicles have issues with excessive oil consumption, according to the class action lawsuit against Hyundai and Kia. The complaint against Hyundai and Kia argues that owners constantly use excessive amounts of oil, which costs their owners astronomical sums of money.
Why does the oil in my car use up so quickly?
Wear-and-tear parts are frequently the cause of burning oil. Your car may burn oil as a result of worn piston rings or valve seals, for instance. Piston rings and valve seals both function to prevent engine oil from entering the combustion chamber.
Is oil burning in a car engine normal?
But occasionally oil is burned in engines, which results in a slow decline in oil level. That might result in subpar performance or even internal harm. Oil burning in engines is common, and some do it more frequently than others. Knowing this might assist you in deciding if your engine requires repairs or just a simple oil tank top-up.
Oil burning in GDI engines: Why?
The quick answer is that GDI engines don’t burn any more oil than other engines do when they are clean.
However, if those deposits peel or flake off, they may lodge around the piston rings, which will increase the amount of oil that burns.
How can burning oil be identified?
- if the oil in your car starts to deplete more quickly than usual.
- a burning odor
- Your vehicle’s tailpipe is emitting blue smoke.
How long can an oil-burning car be driven?
The majority of engines do, in fact, burn some oil. Most manufacturers deem one quart of oil to be sufficient for 1,500 miles or less. It should be noted that certain high-performance cars will use a quart of oil in less than 1,000 miles and are still regarded as appropriate.
There have been a few engine changes as a result of consumer desire for more fuel-efficient vehicles, which affects the solution to this problem. These modifications have an impact on how much oil an engine can burn while still being regarded acceptable.
To improve fuel efficiency, adjustments were made to the piston ringers. The point where the piston rings come into touch with the cylinder walls creates the most friction in an engine. The more oil the rings can scrape off the cylinder walls during the piston’s downward stroke, the higher the ring tension, the better. The piston ring tension has been decreased by the auto industry to reduce friction and increase fuel efficiency. Small amounts of oil have been burnt as a result of the change in ring tension that allowed it to pass the piston rings. The majority of well maintained automobiles’ regular oil consumption is mostly caused by this.
The switch to lighter motor oil is a further modification that has had an impact on oil consumption. Lightweight oil grades like 0W-20 are being used in the market to reduce friction and better lubricate internal engine components in cold weather. This thinner oil has a propensity to enter the combustion chamber after passing through the piston rings. Oil has leaked through oil seals and gaskets because of the use of these lesser motor oils, which is unusual for heavier motor oil.
Standard motor vehicles should have the source of a quart of oil consumption per less than 1,000 miles investigated. Extremely high oil usage, such as one quart every 500 miles, can harm catalytic converters.
Burnability of synthetic oil
Synthetic lubricants are manufactured lubricants formed from organic esters and other synthetic hydrocarbons, as opposed to conventional motor oils, which are refined and distilled from crude oil. The unique production procedure yields lubricants that perform better than regular engine oils in almost every way:
- superior resistance to temperature Synthetics are capable of running at higher temperatures without burning or degrading. Most mineral-based oils have a maximum operating temperature between 250 and 300 degrees F. As much as 450 degrees Fahrenheit can be tolerated by synthetics (some as much as 700 degrees F). This makes it suitable for heavy-duty, turbocharged, or hard-use applications as well as vehicles operated in hot weather.
- improved performance at low temperatures. Synthetics pour effortlessly at -40 or -50 degrees F, where regular oils thicken and gel. Synthetics flow freely at subzero temperatures. This facilitates quicker upper valve train lubrication during the first crucial seconds when the majority of engine wear occurs and makes cold starts easier. This is crucial for many of the overhead camshaft engines of today.
- improved engine safety. Some of the additives in motor oil may be literally torn in half as it passes through the engine by the fast-moving engine components, thinned the fluid. Full synthetic motor lubricants outperform conventional oils at resisting shear under strong loads. By maintaining its viscosity grade, synthetic motor oil is able to provide superior engine protection and withstand more challenging engine conditions.
- fewer oil based products. Less “boil off” occurs with synthetic motor oils than with regular motor oils. When heated to 400 degrees for six hours, a good synthetic oil will lose just around 4% of its weight, compared to a 30% loss for a typical petroleum-based oil. Less oil is used between changes due to the lower evaporation rate.
- cleaner motors. Normal mineral-based oils degrade and gunk up more quickly than synthetics do. As a result, short trips to the store and back or frequent city driving during the winter do not cause the engine to accumulate sludge as quickly, maintaining lubrication efficiency.
Unfortunately, because it costs more to produce, synthetic motor oil is more expensive than normal motor oil. The economics of switching to the more expensive lube have been questioned by some. Better fuel efficiency, longer engine life, and lower maintenance expenses can eventually make up for the greater initial cost.
Because of the increased mileage, better lubrication for the new engines’ tighter tolerances, and their longer oil change intervals, many manufacturers are switching to synthetic oils for their newest models of vehicles.
While synthetic oil may function at temperatures above 500 degrees, regular oil burns between 350 and 450 degrees F. Under stress, the temperature of the piston and ring can occasionally reach over 500 degrees.
Due to external contaminants including dampness, metal, and particles, Wayne’s Garage does not advise increasing oil change intervals as much as some synthetic oil manufacturers do. However, synthetic oil will be in much better physical condition than mineral-based oil would be at that same mileage/time length if time restrictions force you to go beyond your typical servicing interval. Synthetic oil should be changed more frequently than ordinary oil—every 6,000 to 8,000 miles as opposed to every 3,000 to 4,000.
What quantity of oil should an automobile use per 1000 miles?
It is very likely to seem strange if you repeatedly check your oil. Oil burns, and that’s the problem. Although it might not be immediately apparent to you, your car is actually merely burning the oil as it should. If what this example said about them losing 2 1/2 quarts of oil between oil changes is accurate, that raises a serious concern for a car with less than 60,000 miles on the odometer. It is not impossible for routine maintenance to resolve, though.
It is strongly advised that you change the oil in the majority of autos roughly every 7,500 miles. You might be able to go longer between oil changes if your car is newer. In essence, the typical car uses up roughly a quart of oil every 3000 miles, give or take. However, you should be concerned if you discover that your car uses up to a quart of oil per 1000 miles or less.