FaultScore

Hyundai Excel engine problems

85 of the 424 complaints filed about the Hyundai Excel are about the engine — 20% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1989.

85

Complaints

20%

Share of all complaints

0

Crashes

26

Fires

Engine & Cooling complaints by model year

1986 Excel 2 2.4%
1987 Excel 3 3.5%
1988 Excel 21 24.7%

Median failure at 119,037 miles

1989 Excel 30 35.3%
1990 Excel 11 12.9%
1991 Excel 2 2.4%
1992 Excel 5 5.9%
1993 Excel 4 4.7%
1994 Excel 6 7.1%
1998 Excel 1 1.2%

What owners said

1994 Hyundai Excel Kansas City, KS

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1994 HYUNDAI EXCEL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO MISINFORMATION CONCERNING VEHICLE BRAKES AND TIRE TREAD DEPTH. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED ONE OF THE TIRES HAD A LEAK, THE SPARK PLUGS, DRIVE BELTS AND WHEEL BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, UNTIL FINALLY THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, THE CONSUMER BEGAN HEARING A GRINDING SOUND UPON STOPPING. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE WAS WORN DOWN TO THE METAL AND THE WHEEL CYLINDER WAS LEAKING BRAKING FLUID. IN ADDITION TO NEEDING NEW BRAKE SHOES, THE VEHICLE ALSO NEEDED NEW DRUMS AND WHEEL CYLINDERS.

NHTSA complaint #10414275 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Hyundai Excel at 119,037 miles Beverly Hills, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

PROBLEMS WITH BROKEN MOTOR MOUNT, RACK AND PINION LEAKAGE, BENT CROSSMEMBER IN THE SUBFRAME, ETC. (NAR) *PH *CB THE CONSUMER SENT ANOTHER COMPLAINT REFERENCING 10040082,10022196,10011711, & 10003824 ALL OF WHICH WENT UN-ANSWERED.

NHTSA complaint #10064949 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1998 Hyundai Excel Windsor Garden, FL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR

VEHICLE FIRE. PROBLEM WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER SYSTEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

NHTSA complaint #8020569 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Hyundai Excel Kingwood, TX Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE SPUTTERED, STOPPED RUNNING, CAUGHT FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #752442 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Hyundai Excel NY, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ALL FOUR MOTOR MOUNTS WERE FOUND TO HAVE DEFECTS AT THE SAME TIME.

NHTSA complaint #740459 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Hyundai Excel Petaluma, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND WAS MAKING CLUNKING NOISES. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND WAS INFORMED THAT BOLTS CAME OUT AND ROCKER SHAFT CONNECTED TO EXHAUST SYSTEM HAD BROKEN. *AK 2 WEEKS AFTER REPAIR, CLUNKING NOISES STARTED AGAIN, CONSUMER BOUGHT A NEW HYUNDAI AND HOPES THE SAME PROBLEM WILL NOT OCCUR WITH THE NEW VEHICLE. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #880190 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1992 Hyundai Excel Hershey, PA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (REPLACED 3 TIMES). ENGINE DIED.

NHTSA complaint #532675 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1991 Hyundai Excel Gloucester, VA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE DEFECTIVE. NLM

NHTSA complaint #547859 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1987 Hyundai Excel Opa-Locka, FL Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

HYUNDAI PARTS DEPT WILL NOT REPAIR FIRE DAMAGE UNDER HOOD CAUSED BY THE DEFECTIVE RECALLED PART "REED VALVE." THEY WILL ONLY REPLACE THE PART THAT CAUSED THE DAMAGE. THIS IS A CAR THAT NEVER MADE SENSE. PLEASE HELP. REPAIR BILLS WILL BE VERY COSTLY AND HYUNDAI MOTOR CORP. DOESN'T WANT TO ADMIT THEIR MISTAKES. THEY EVEN SAID THE 1999 CARS ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE '86-'87 YEARS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. RECALL 91V225.

NHTSA complaint #706722 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Hyundai Excel West Bend, WI Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #705918 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Hyundai Excel Budd Lake, NJ

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE PROCEEDING UP A SLIGHT INCLINE DURING THE COMMUTING HOUR, THE CAR LOST ALL POWER AND I CAME CLOSE TO BEING HIT IN THE REAR. AFTER ABOUT 30 SECONDS I REGAINED SOME POWER AND WAS ABLE TO PROCEED. THE CAR WAS IDLING ROUGH AND I HAD TO KEEP MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR AT ALL TIMES TO KEEP IT RUNNING. I HAD IT TURNED UP AND IT RAN BETTER BUT STILL A LACK OF POWER. I HAD TO HAVE IT INSPECTED AND IT FAILED INSPECTION BECAUSE THE POLLUTION WAS AT 1200. I THEN HAD IT TUNED UP AGAIN (FULLY) AND IT FAILED AGAIN. I HAD IT CHECKED OUT AT A STATION AND FOUND OUT THAT CYLINDER 3 DID NOT HAVE ANY PRESSURE AT ALL. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT TO GET IT FIXED IT WOULD COST AROUND $1,000. IT STILL IS NOT FIXED.

NHTSA complaint #703813 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Hyundai Excel Oskaloosa, IA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE HEAD FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #543819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Hyundai Excel Oskaloosa, IA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

RADIATOR FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #543819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1992 Hyundai Excel Lima, OH

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

VEHICLE OVERHEATED WITHOUT REGISTERING IT ON TEMPERATURE GAUGE INSIDE INSTRUMENT PANEL, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE COMPRESSION/ ANTI-FREEZE/OIL AND STALL. DEALER NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #833587 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1992 Hyundai Excel Lima, OH

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

VEHICLE OVERHEATED WITHOUT REGISTERING IT ON TEMPERATURE GAUGE INSIDE INSTRUMENT PANEL, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE COMPRESSION/ ANTI-FREEZE/OIL AND STALL. DEALER NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #833587 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Hyundai Excel Washington, PA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING AT 20-25MPH. NO PRIOR INDICATION OR WARNING. DEALER CONTACTED AND NO WARRANTY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED, REPAIRS CAN BE REMEDIED AT OWNER EXPENSE.

NHTSA complaint #830285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Hyundai Excel Asheville, NC

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

VALVE TRAIN CAME LOOSE CAUSING ENGINE TO FAIL.

NHTSA complaint #541926 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Hyundai Excel Cleveland, OH Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE OVERHEATED, COOLANT ADDED SEVERAL TIMES, FINALLY RESULTED IN FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #534348 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Hyundai Excel Cleveland, OH Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE FIRE AS A RESULT OF ENGINE OVERHEATING. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT).

NHTSA complaint #534348 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Hyundai Excel Riverside, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

PRE-CAT AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD REPLACED DUE TO COMPONENTS OVERHEATING, CAUSING CRACKING AND DISINTEGRATING.

NHTSA complaint #536491 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Hyundai Excel problems