It has been a couple of years since Hyundai brought out their quirky little three-door compact hatchback, the Veloster. Despite offering dismal practicality levels, the affordable price tag, stand-out nature, and decent dependability did get it a decent number of buyers despite the niche segment it has been placed into. Talking about dependability, the 2014 Hyundai Veloster has no recalls on its name for this year and the complaint numbers top out at just 50. Though the latter figure is just an echo of the low sales volume, the drastic fall in recall numbers shows the automakers improved production process and quality control. So does the relatively new funky hatch with a base price of $17,800 have what it got to take on well-known cars like the Fiat 500, the Scion TC, and the Volkswagen Beetle? This article will help you decide. The "TOYODATECH" notices in its 2nd gen Hyundai Veloster that the battery died earlier and needed to jump-start. To know more click on the video:
2014 Hyundai Veloster User Complaints and Problems
Mechanical Complaints
- Engine problems- The initial batches of the 2014 Hyundai Veloster were known for engine failures at an average mileage of around 100,000 miles. Oil consumption due to faulty piston rings, turbo failure, oil leaks, and connecting rod failures are the most commonly reported issues on the 1.6L TDGI motor that was available on the car. A few owners reported needing an engine replacement sometime late into the car's ownership, but Hyundai's class-leading powertrain warranty package should offer some peace of mind in this aspect if things were to go north.
- Transmission problems- The 6-speed Dual-clutch transmission (DCT) on the 2014 Hyundai Veloster is susceptible to a variety of issues. Owners complain about the unit failing to engage a gear or harshly shifting between gears with clucking noise. Also, extensive low-speed crawls do cause the transmission to overheat. The shift actuator is one common fault for most problems and is found to be the main reason for the vehicle slipping out of or not engaging in a specific gear.
Electric System complaints
- Melting AC knob- Melting AC knobs on the 2014 Hyundai Veloster is another major issue that has not received attention from the automaker. Owners complain about the control knob getting untouchably hot and even melting in some cases due to some internal short circuits. The blower motor is also reported to not function at times when this happens. Although the 2012 model year did get a recall for suspected accessory outlet overheating, this issue still doesn’t seem to have received any plausible remedy.
Structural complaints
- Sunroof crack- Crack formation or unexpected shattering of sunroof glass (as equipped) is still a problem on the 2014 Hyundai Veloster. Several owners are reporting this failure occurring even though this issue was thought to be resolved since it was already under two separate recalls (ID-13V05100 and12V568000) since the launch year for installation error of these glass roofs. There are no statements from the automaker's side for the same issue for the 2014 model year though and owners are forced to repair it at their own expense in suspicion of physical damage.
- Steering issues- The power steering coupler is prone to failure on the 2014 Hyundai Veloster. Loose steering action coupled with a clicking sound when turning are the two main indications of this failure. There are no warning lights to indicate this issue, unfortunately. If diagnosed, the faulty coupler does need to get replaced.
2014 Hyundai Veloster Recalls
There are no recalls for the 2014 Hyundai Veloster yet.
Should you buy a used 2014 Hyundai Veloster?
The Hyundai Veloster is a hatchback that is not everyone’s cup of tea and does come with a set of drawbacks of its own. Though its initial reliability ratings are as good as any compact hatchback that it competes against, powertrain niggles, in the long run, are inevitable it seems. Even though we were assured that the engine issues were fixed, high mileage users still come up with serious engine troubles which did require an engine replacement. However, Hyundai’s warranty policies are some of the best and should enable a stress-free maintenance experience if anything powertrain-related fails. Even though we rate the Hyundai Veloster high in our list for the short time we had it, pre-owned buyers must be aware of the aforementioned issues the car is known for, especially since the warranty is non-transferable.
