Hyundai has produced some great vehicles like the Accent, Elantra, and the Sonata Hybrid, which all get over 40 mpg. Unfortunately, the Korean automaker has also made some real duds, like the Hyundai Veloster.

While some model years were great, the small hatchback has been plagued with some problems that cause many consumers to steer clear of it. According to Car Complaints, the most reported problem for the Veloster is a set of speakers that don’t work, but these are the three worst problems.

Connecting rod failure

As with most things involving cars, the worst problem often involves either the engine or the transmission. In the case of the Hyundai Veloster, it’s the former. The connecting rod in the engine fails, which can lead to some expensive repairs.

The connecting rods are the workhorse of the engine. They have a two-fold job, and without them, the engine can’t function properly. According to Engine Builder Magazine, “They direct the downward force of the pistons to the crank throws to create rotational torque. The rods have to be strong enough to withstand the highest combustion loads without bending or buckling under pressure. The rods also tie the pistons to the crank so the pistons can reciprocate and complete their intake, compression, power and exhaust strokes.” 

For the most part, the connecting rods aren’t a common problem for the average driver. It’s mostly situations that include racing and pushing the vehicle to the extreme that causes the connecting rods to break. There are two main reasons the rods fail: racing or a lack of tinsel strength. 

U.S. News ranked the Hyundai Veloster No. 25 in the subcompact division and doesn’t recommend it. The main reason why the Veloster wasn’t given the green light was subpar reliability and poor safety scores.

For drivers faced with trying to repair a Veloster due to connecting rods that have failed, it will cost about $3,000 to fix, which involves replacing the engine. The average mileage when the connector rods begin to fail is about 64,000 miles. Most owners who commented on Car Complaints report that Hyundai either didn’t acknowledge they were aware of the problem or flat out refused to assist with repairs. 

The Hyundai Veloster experiences a loss of power

Car Complaints reports that a sudden loss of power was most prevalent in the 2015 model. There were only two problems reported on Car Complaints, but the Hyundai Veloster forum is filled with dissatisfied drivers. There were several factors that each owner had in common, such as no way of knowing when the Veloster was going to stop, loss of power while driving down the highway, shaking, and a check engine light that flashed on and off.

Hyundai was less than helpful. One owner was assured that their Veloster was merely misfiring, and it wasn’t that big of a deal. Another was told to keep an eye on it and to keep Hyundai informed on the forum. There was no advice as to what the problem was or an offer from Hyundai to take a look at the car. One very dissatisfied owner was told by the dealer that they were simply imagining the problem and not to bother bringing the car back.

One person reported that replacing the engine for about $3,000 helped solved the problem, but most of the owners never reported finding a solution that worked. It appears that the engine begins to lose power about 49,000 miles.

Hyundai Veloster drivers hear a pinging/knocking noise

The third problem is probably the most frustrating because there is so little information about it. The 2012 Hyundai Veloster’s engine begins to ping or develops a knocking noise about 23,000 miles. For most vehicles, it would still be under warranty, but Hyundai simply ignored the problem as it did with all the other issues on this list. 

Owners reported that the engine shook, there was a loss of power, and smoke came out of the exhaust. One owner even reported that they had already had the transmission replaced once when the engine problems began to show up. When the owner took it to Hyundai, he was informed that the engine was supposed to make a knocking noise. It’s bad enough when owners ignore strange noises, but it’s simply mind-boggling when the dealer ignores it.