‘I will FOREVER be mad about this’: Woman says new Hyundais have engine issues after it happened to her. Do they really?

A former Hyundai customer is going viral on TikTok after sharing why she detests the popular car manufacturer.

Stephanie (@stephaniiiieann) heavily implied that she once—or currently—owned a Hyundai, but said that the car isn’t reliable. She said that now, every time she sees one on the road, she’s tempted to warn other drivers about the vehicle’s imperfections.

“Me when I see any Hyundai,” Stephanie wrote on the accompanying text overlay of her clip. She then pretended to warn said drivers about Hyundai’s apparently faulty engines through a variety of phrases, including “your engine’s gonna fail,” “your engine’s going to seize,” and “oof, they’re burning oil.”

At one point, the content creator wondered aloud whether another passing Hyundai had experienced engine issues yet. 

In the accompanying video caption, Stephanie said that problems with her own car led her to distrust the manufacturer. “I will FOREVER be made about this,” she wrote. “Hyundai is trash.” As of Wednesday, her video had amassed more than 229,100 views.

Is Hyundai unreliable?

On social media, a number of Hyundai owners have registered complaints with the car manufacturer. And their engines appear to be a recurring point of concern.

In October, for instance, a 20-year-old driver said that his Elantra gave up while it was driving on the highway. He said that the car only had 28,000 miles on it. And in a TikTok video, from September, a driver said that she experienced repeated transmission issues with her recently purchased Hyundai Santa Fe. 

In her clip, Stephanie didn’t disclose the model car she drove. But it does appear as though the manufacturer has been in persistent hot water for problems.

According to The Car Guide, Santa Fes, in particular, are somewhat known for having transmission issues. The site noted that 8,000 of the car’s 2024 model were affected in Canada—hundreds of which were recalled due to software problems that Hyundai said could cause damage to the transmission. 

And in a September TikTok, a car expert advised people on the market for a new vehicle to avoid buying Hyundai models with 2.0L four-cylinder engines. His advice may have some truth to it. According to a number of reports, these cars have been a part of a number of recalls and lawsuits due to engine problems including stalling, failure, and fire risks. 

Viewers are skeptical of Hyundai hate 

In the comments section of Stephanie’s video, some users said that they could understand the content creator’s hatred of the manufacturer. 

“2020 Hyundai Elantra blew at 50,000 miles,” one woman shared.

“It’s crazy because my cousin had a Hyundai and he broke down in the middle of the highway at one in the morning,” another added. 

“My buddy’s Hyundai Tucson that he bought brand new three years ago caught on fire on the freeway via a fault in the engine this past summer,” a third viewer said. “I can’t trust Hyundai and Kia anymore after that.”

Others, however, said that while older Hyundai models may be unreliable, they’re loyal to the brand’s newer cars. 

“They really aren’t that bad; it’s how you treat them,” one viewer noted. 

“Hyundai tech, it’s on the older ones,” one worker said. “Seen many newer ones go 100k+ with no issues besides ignition coils.”

“9 out of 10 engines I replaced as a Hyundai tech are because people think they don’t need oil changes,” another added. 

@stephaniiiieann I will FOREVER be mad about this. Hyundai is trash. #iykyk #saltyaf #carsoftiktok #cartok #fyp #foryou ♬ original sound - Stephanie

The Daily Dot has reached out to Stephanie via TikTok comment and to Hyundai by email.

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