53 of the
305 complaints filed about the Hyundai Genesis Coupe
are about the engine —
17% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2013.
Went out to drive my car . Walked up to parked car . Was hearing a weird noise (sounded like a AC unit ) got into car . Hit brakes to start car . Got massive vibrating effect felt in brake . Turned car on . Abs light and traction light came on . Worse noise then smoke coming from engine bay . Opened hood and saw a fire in the fuse box area that spread to the heat shield on top of the hood . Put out with fire extinguisher. My safety was put at risk because the fire could have happened when I was driving or was not near a fire extinguisher at the time . There were no warning lights and I was not made aware of this recall. I brought my car to Hyundai Daytona in April 2025 and was not told about this either . The ABS system was running while the car was off then caused a fire under the fuse box that spread to the top of the hood of the car . After putting it out I did call local FD to come verify it was out . When I first got to my car I pressed the brake to start it and was immediately greeted my a strong vibration and horrible noise . It persisted then stopped and caught fire
NHTSA complaint #11747064 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Went to drive 18 minutes away from where I originally parked to get something to eat. When I came back to my original parking spot, I went into work. Thirty minutes later, my car was on fire and completely gone.
NHTSA complaint #11708171 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle had been parked at my residence and powered off for approximately two weeks. Without warning, the vehicle spontaneously caught fire originating from the engine compartment. The vehicle was not running, had not been driven recently, and there was no collision or external fire source. The fire caused extensive damage to the engine bay, wiring, and surrounding components. The passenger cabin was largely unaffected, indicating the fire originated under the hood. There were no warning lights, messages, or prior symptoms before the incident. The cause appears to be an electrical or mechanical defect that remained energized while the vehicle was powered off. I later became aware that this vehicle may be subject to a manufacturer recall related to fire risk or electrical defects, and I was never notified prior to this incident.
NHTSA complaint #11705659 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle developed rod knock consistent with rod bearing failure. The symptoms match known Hyundai Theta II engine defects that led to prior recalls and warranty extensions on similar engines. Vehicle was diagnosed by dealership with rod knock. Manufacturer denied goodwill repair citing warranty expiration despite failure characteristics matching known manufacturing defects. Engine failure presents a safety concern due to potential sudden loss of power.
NHTSA complaint #11705068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Total engine failure due to bearing displacement which caused the engine to fail and throw a rod. This caused 3 holes in the engine block which caused oil to pour out onto the highway. There have been multiple class action lawsuits with Hyundai due to the same issue with other Hyundai models, and I believe that this vehicle should have an engine recall as well. This is a safety issue which can cause collisions and potentially lead to injury or death
NHTSA complaint #11675594 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
- I was driving down the road and the engine just died. When the tow truck driver showed up, he made a comment that 'he picks one of these cars (hyundai genesis) up almost everyday for the same issue'. He was the first to tell us the engine seized. - Depending on location of where this happened (ex. freeway with no place to pull over), this could have been a very dangerous situation. - The dealer has let us know that the engine did seize - The vehicle has only been inspected by the hyundai dealership service team - No prior warning signals were present before the engine seized Note - we have full service records for this vehicle
NHTSA complaint #11674874 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Genesis Coupe. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle failed to properly respond. The oil warning light was illuminated, with a clicking sound was coming from the engine. Additionally, there was smoke coming from the vehicle. The dealer where the vehicle was purchased was contacted, and the dealer sent a tow truck to tow the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with a blown piston due to the vehicle being driven the wrong way and causing engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,515.
NHTSA complaint #11656764 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am submitting this complaint regarding a catastrophic engine failure in my 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe while driving at 70 mph on the highway. Without any prior warning, the engine suddenly started making a loud knocking noise from under the hood, and shortly after, the car lost power. There were no check engine lights or other indicators signaling an issue before the failure. I was able to safely pull the car over to the side of the highway without further incident, but the engine was completely inoperable. The vehicle has since been inspected by a certified mechanic, who confirmed that the engine failure was due to a mechanical defect, likely tied to the known issues with Hyundai’s 2.0T engines. These engines have been reported to suffer from bearing failures and lubrication problems that can lead to catastrophic engine failure, which is consistent with my experience. Despite being aware of this widespread issue, Hyundai has yet to issue a recall for the affected vehicles, which is a serious safety concern. Drivers are at risk of unexpected engine failure with no prior warning, especially at high speeds, as was the case in my incident. I believe Hyundai’s failure to act and address this issue puts the safety of drivers in jeopardy. I am requesting that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigate this matter and encourage Hyundai to issue a recall for these vehicles. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request to further support the investigation. Thank you for your attention to this serious safety issue.
NHTSA complaint #11651432 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving normally on the highway when my a loud noise came from the front of my car. My engine completely died, I was able to get on the shoulder of the road before power steering died. After taking it to a mechanic a rod had went thru the engine block. There was no warning at all. Hyundai has had a recall on 2.0T engines but not for the genesis engine. This failure and destruction of my engine follows with the warnings and outcomes that the recall for other 2.0T engines.
NHTSA complaint #11635530 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
There was a recall on some Hyundai engines from 2011-2012. I have been told by Hyundai that my vehicle was not included in the recall as it is a 2013. It is the same engine and has malfunctioned in one of the cylinders rendering the car inoperable because of that engine malfunction. The car has had routine maintenance and is at 100k miles.
NHTSA complaint #11632614 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Defective connecting-rod bearing(s) that wore out prematurely and damaged the engine while driving on the interstate at approximately 70 MPH. Vehicle has less than 80,000 miles. My engine immediately lost the ability to accelerate sufficiently, but I was able to pull off the next exit and have the vehicle towed to the dealership and grabbed a Lyft home from Richmond to Williamsburg, VA. Vehicle is at the Williamsburg Hyundai Dealership now being diagnosed and I am awaiting their call and repair determination, and I have had my vehicle serviced at the same dealer for many years. When the vehicle's engine "broke" I heard clunking noises and the oil pressure light came on.
NHTSA complaint #11615912 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power. There was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine. The contact was able to pull over safely. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The mechanic informed the contact that there were loosened screws that caused the rattling sound. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 64,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
NHTSA complaint #11603200 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Engine knocking. Sounds like rod thrown and bushings shot. Happened out of nowhere. Was driving 20mph and it just started banging. Doesn’t matter the speed. Feels incredibly unsafe. Seems like a similar issue to the engine recall Hyundai did for other models/years with Theta engines. There are several similar reports of engine failure from others with the same car found online. Hyundai says I need a new(used) engine for $10k
NHTSA complaint #11598538 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Was driving home from work, turned at intersection and car just died while in motion/traffic. No check engine line, no low oil indicator, no overheat, no warning whatsoever. Was able to coast to adjacent intersection and police officer helped push off to side. Tried to restart but engine just wouldn’t turn over. Electrical fine, dashboard lit up. Towed it to my mechanic and he suspected either alternator or intercooler hose failure. But when he checked it out, nothing, inexplicably could not get engine to crank. I’ve religiously babied this car with AMS Oil Full Synthetic - Signature Series SAE 5W-30 every 7.5k-8k miles, premium gas, regularly maintained. Though I am at high mileage (121,873 mi), I honestly expected longer life for the engine. I just got no warning whatsoever. The contact stated the vehicle has exceeded 100k mi warranty by 20k, and wondering what further actions can be taken to get Hyundai to investigate a possible warranty or even partially warranty for repairs.
NHTSA complaint #11588083 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My car caught on fire after going to Hyundai and being told “the only thing you have to worry about is your breaks locking up. My car was parked in the driveway and caught on fire from the engine bay.
NHTSA complaint #11587947 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2013 Hyundai Genesis coupe with the 2.0L Theta II engine that was part of a recall from hyundai for other vehicles engine crapped out. It's the same issue from the same years as the other ThetaII recall, but because my car is a different model I am not covered in the class action lawsuit. Cars should not stop working at 64K miles and car companies should not skirt their responsibility when other engines of the same type have failed.
NHTSA complaint #11586440 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe. The contact stated while driving on the interstate at approximately 40 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle shut off. The contact stated that the parking brake was activated to stop the vehicle on the shoulder of the interstate. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed. The contact stated that the dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 117,928.
NHTSA complaint #11578873 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Genesis Coupe. The contact stated while driving 10–20 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode in the first twenty minutes of driving. The vehicle speed was reduced. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The dealer cleared the DTC codes. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. While driving, the check engine light warning illuminated. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Happy Hyundai (9121S Cicero Ave. Oak Lawn, IL 660453), where it was diagnosed that the accelerator position sensor needed to be replaced. The throttle body needed to be cleaned and replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 34,000.
NHTSA complaint #11575277 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.