2012 Hyundai Veloster

ROLLED BACKWARDS WHILE PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY TWICE AND VEHICLE WAS FOUND OUT IN THE ROAD BY MY NEIGHBORS. I WAS DRIVING IT A WEEK AGO AND MY RPM'S WERE TACKING REALLY HIGH BUT COULD NOT ACCELERATE SPEED AND I WAS IN 6TH GEAR AND IT WAS TELLING ME TO SHIFT TO 6TH THEN 5TH BACK AND FORTH. HAD IT CHECKED OUT AT DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID MY CLUTCH HAD ABNORMAL WEAR AND TEAR BUT WASN'T COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THEY DID NOT CHECK THE PARKING BREAK TO SEE IF IT WAS WHAT CAUSED THE MALFUNCTION OF THE CLUTCH. THE CLUTCH NEVER GAVE ME ANY PROBLEMS IT WAS JUST THE CAR LAGGED WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE SPEED.

AT APPROXIMATELY 75,000 MILES, THE PARKING BRAKE BEGAN TO FAIL. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE CONSIDERING THAT THE VEHICLE UTILIZES A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND WILL ROLL IF PARKED ON ANY INCLINED SURFACE. THIS ISSUE WAS ADDRESSED UNDER THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 12V567000, BUT ONLY INCLUDED REPLACEMENT OF THE PARKING BRAKE LINKAGE AND CABLE (THE WORDING IN CAMPAING 12V567000 STATES THAT DEALERS "WILL REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE CALIPER ASSEMBLIES FREE OF CHARGE"). FOR THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE, THE CAR WAS SERVICED IN 2013 TO INCLUDE PARKING BRAKE LINKAGE AND CABLE REPLACEMENT UNDER THAT CAMPAIGN. THERE WAS NO PARTICULAR PROBLEM WITH THE PARKING BRAKE AT THAT TIME. IN MAY OF 2015, THE PARKING BRAKE BEGAN TO FAIL WITH THE EXACT SYMPTOMS ISSUED IN THE INITIAL RECALL. HOWEVER, BOTH REAR BRAKE CALIPERS COMPLETELY FAILED AND THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD NO LONGER ENGAGE. HYUNDAI WOULD NOT REPLACE THE CALIPERS FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE THE RECALL, ACCORDING TO THEM, DID NOT INCLUDE THE BRAKE CALIPERS IN THEIR ENTIRETY. I BELIEVE THIS IS A FAILURE BY HYUNDAI TO PROPERLY ADDRESS THE REASON FOR THE PARKING BRAKE FAILURE. EACH CALIPER COSTS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $250-$300, SO CONSUMERS WILL CURRENTLY FIND THEMSELVES PAYING APPROXIMATELY $800 IN PARTS AND LABOR TO FIX THE PROBLEM. BECAUSE I WAS DISSATISFIED WITH HYUNDAI AND THEIR FAILURE TO REPLACE PARTS THAT ARE LINKED TO A KNOWN RECALL/SAFETY ISSUE, I HAD MY CAR TOWED FROM THE DEALERSHIP (THE BRAKE CALIPERS LOCKED UP AFTER MECHANICS AT THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THEM AND THE CAR WAS NO LONGER DRIVEABLE) TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

THE BRAKES ON THE 2012 HYUNDAI VELOSTER WILL WORK FINE ONE MINUTE AND THEN GO TO THE FLOOR SUDDENLY WITH NO BRAKING ACTION. YOU WILL HAVE TO PUMP THE BRAKES TO GET THEM TO WORK. AT ONE POINT, THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR AND PUMPING THE BRAKES FAILED TO WORK AND I WENT OVER A CURB IN A PARKING LOT. I TOOK THE CAR INTO REGIONAL HYUNDAI IN THE FIRST PART OF 2014 DUE TO THIS SITUATION BECOMING CONCERNING. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR SEVERAL DAYS BUT SAID THEY DID NOT KNOW THE REASON FOR THE BRAKE PROBLEM. THEY STATED THEY WOULD CALL THE HYUNDAI ENGINEERS TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE BUT NEVER CALLED ME BACK. IT IS NOW JULY 2014. I STILL HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM HYUNDAI AND THE SITUATION WITH THE BRAKES IS WORSE. I AM TAKING THE CAR BACK INTO REGIONAL HYUNDAI ON THURSDAY, JULY 10, TO TRY, ONCE AGAIN, TO FIND AN ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WITH THE BRAKE SITUATION AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. *JS

AS I WAS DRIVING OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT I NOTICED A HARD PULL FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR. I OPENED THE DRIVER DOOR TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS A NOTICED THE BACK DRIVER WHEEL WAS NOT ROTATING. IT WAS COMPLETELY STUCK. IT MADE A TIRE MARK ON THAT CONCRETE. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND THAT IS WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP COMING FROM THE REAR. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE WAS COMPLETELY LOOSE. IT HAS NO PULL TO IT. AS IF IT WERE COMPLETELY SEIZED. I HAD NOTICED THIS PROBLEM IN THE HAND BRAKE A FEW WEEKS AGO BUT I DID NOT THINK IT WAS SERIOUS. ALSO A FEW WEEKS AGO I WAS DRIVING AROUND 40MPH AND NOTICED A BURNING/ FIRE SMELL COMING FROM THE REAR. I PULLED OVER AND I BENT DOWN TO SMELL THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL AND THAT IS WHERE THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM. I WILL TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALER TO GET THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM FIXED. I KNOW THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM ON MANUAL TRANSMISSION MODELS BUT NOT YET ON DCT MODELS WHICH IS WHAT I HAVE. PLEASE MAKE THIS A RECALL ON ALL 2012 HYUNDAI VELOSTERS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI VELOSTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE TOOK LONGER THAN NORMAL TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. AFTER INSPECTION, THEY ADVISED HER THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 13,000. *TR UPDATED 06/10/2013 *JS

ON SATURDAY, 9/8, I NOTICED THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER HAD LOST TENSION WHEN I FIRST STARTED THE CAR, AND AFTER RUNNING ERRANDS AND PARKING AFTERWARD, NOTICED A STRONG, "OZONE-Y" ODOR COMING FROM THE CAR, BUT WASN'T SURE FROM WHERE. I DROVE MORE A LITTLE MORE OVER THE WEEKEND AND NOTICED THE SMELL AGAIN, PLUS ACCORDING TO THE CAR'S MPG READOUT ON THE TRIP COMPUTER, THE FUEL MILEAGE WAS MUCH LOWER THAN USUAL BY 5-10 MPG. ON MONDAY, 9/10, TWO DAYS AFTER FIRST NOTICING THE SMELL AND PARKING BRAKE ISSUE BUT NOT REALIZING WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, I DROVE THE CAR TO AND FROM WORK IN COMMUTE TRAFFIC (APPROX. 13 MILES EACH WAY). WHEN I PARKED THE CAR AFTER THE COMMUTE HOME AFTER WORK, THE BURNING SMELL WAS MUCH STRONGER, AND CLEARLY COMING FROM LEFT REAR BRAKE. UPON INSPECTION, I NOTICED LIGHT SMOKE COMING FROM PAD/ROTOR, LOTS OF BRAKE DUST, AND EVIDENCE OF GROOVING ON ROTOR, SO OBVIOUSLY THE BRAKE WAS STICKING OR DRAGGING ON THE ROTOR. I CALLED MY SERVICE DEALERSHIP RIGHT AWAY (HYUNDAI OF SEATTLE), WHO TOOK THE PROBLEM SERIOUSLY AND SAID "CALL HYUNDAI ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON A FLATBED TRUCK; DON'T DRIVE THE CAR." IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY, AND DIAGNOSED WITH A LEFT REAR BRAKE CALIPER FAILURE CAUSING THE PADS TO STICK TO THE ROTORS. A NEW PART WAS ORDERED AND THE CAR REPAIRED BY SATURDAY, 9/15. THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED TO HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE, BUT I HAVE SINCE READ ON A WEBSITE DEVOTED TO THIS SPECIFIC MODEL, VELOSTER.ORG, THAT A NUMBER OF OTHER 2012 VELOSTER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS SEEMS A COMMON DEFECT AND CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE THAT HYUNDAI NEEDS TO ADDRESS AND DEALERSHIPS MADE AWARE OF. *TR

VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTS TO FIFTH GEAR WHEN PASSING BUT DOES NOT RETURN TO SIXTH GEAR UPON RELEASING ACCELERATOR. VEHICLE CONTINUES AT SAME RATE OF SPEED WHEN RELEASING ACCELERATOR AS IF IT WERE ON CRUISE CONTROL. WHILE PASSING AN 18 WHEELER ON HWY 169 NORTH, I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER 18 WHEELER APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET IN FRONT OF THE ONE I WAS PASSING. WITH AN ONCOMING VEHICLE I COULD NOT PASS BOTH TRUCKS, SO I PASSED THE FIRST ONE AND PULLED IN BEHIND THE OTHER ONE. WHEN I LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR CONTINUED AT THE SAME RATE OF SPEED FORCING ME TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES TO AVOID REAR-ENDING THE OTHER TRUCK. THIS VEHICLE (AND SUBSEQUENTLY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE DEALERSHIP LOT) EXHIBITS THIS CHARACTERISTIC EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE GOES INTO PASSING MODE. HOWEVER, IF YOU BACK OFF THE ACCELERATOR SLIGHTLY, AFTER ABOUT 5 SECONDS, THE CAR WILL SHIFT BACK INTO SIXTH GEAR [BUT ALL THE WHILE ACCELERATING]. I NOTICED THAT YOU CAN MANUALLY SHIFT THE VEHICLE BACK TO SIXTH BY MOVING THE SHIFTER TO MANUAL MODE FOR A SPLIT SECOND AND THEN SHIFTING BACK INTO "D". THE ENGINE RPMS WILL FALL BACK DOWN IMMEDIATELY INDICATING THE SHIFT. OTHERWISE, THE VEHICLE REMAINS IN FIFTH GEAR WITHOUT DECELERATING FOR APPROXIMATELY 8 SECONDS. IN MY CASE, THE CAR DID NOT DO WHAT I "TOLD" IT TO DO: DECELERATE BY RELEASING THE PEDAL. I'VE SPOKEN TO HYUNDAI AND TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU BECAUSE OF THIS DESIGN FLAW. "CONTROL" IS THE KEY ISSUE BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A VEHICLE. IF SOMEONE IS NOT EXPECTING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE AT THE RATE OF SPEED WHEN THEY LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THEY COULD CRASH INTO SOMEONE AS I ALMOST DID. THANK YOU. *TT

ORIGINAL EMAIL SENT TO HYUNDAI MOTORS USA "DEAR HYUNDAI MOTORS USA, I HAVE VISITED THE DEALERSHIP WITH MY NEW VELOSTER FOR TWO ISSUES ON THE CAR. I WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT YOU TO OPEN A CASE AS THE DEALER WOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX THE ISSUES AS THERE IS NO RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS. HERE ARE THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS I HAVE NOTIFIED THE D EALER OF AND THOSE THAT NEED TO BE FIXED. 1) SERIOUS ISSUE! WHEN BRAKING UNDER HEAVY CONDITIONS, BOTH ABS AND NON ABS CASES, THE CAR SWERVES AND/OR LOSES IT'S 'REAR' TO EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. I'VE BRAKED HARD SEVERAL TIMES AND IT FEELS LIKE THE REAR END IS GIVING OUT. DURING ABS CONDITIONS, THE CAR SWERVES LIKE IT'S A RWD DRIVEN VEHICLE. THIS IS NOT ONLY SCARY AS A CONSUMER BUT DANGEROUS TO OTHERS. IF THERE IS ANY CONDENSATION ON THE ROAD WHILE BRAKING AND THE LEANING TO ONE SIDE OCCURS AND/OR SWERVING, I COULD HYDROPLANE AND CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF A MECHANICAL DEFECT. I HAVE DONE MY OWN RESEARCH AND SPOKEN TO OTHER VELOSTER OWNERS AS WELL. THEY HAVE MENTIONED THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEIR DEALER HAS ORDERED AND REPLACED ONE OF THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I INFORMED MY SERVICE ADVISOR & THE MECHANIC OF THIS ISSUE ON 3 SEPARATE TEST DRIVES. 1 TEST DRIVE WITH SERVICE ADVISOR IN MY VELOSTER, 1 WITH THE MECHANIC IN MY VELOSTER & 1 IN ANOTHER NEW VELOSTER WITH THE MECHANIC. IN ALL CASES THE VEHICLE SWERVED OR FELT LIKE THE REAR END WAS COMING LOSE. PLEASE HAVE THIS ISSUE FIXED AND PROVIDE CUSTOMER SERVICE. I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED TO LEARN THAT I HAVE TO WRITE YOU PRIOR TO THE DEALER SERVICING MY VEHICLE. I WILL BE COOPERATIVE IN THIS ISSUE AND LOOK FORWARD TO A SOLUTION. *TR