There is a recall on the NU Engine used in various Hyundai vehicles. I have a 2020 Kona with that engine on recall…for oil light coming on, engine seizing due to lack of oil. Dealer claims the recall is for a software update which they did on my car. No oil light has come on but goes thru 1 qt. synthetic oil per 1000 miles.
It goes from Full to Low in that mileage. Hyundai tells dealer that is acceptable usage. Hyundai says oil change every 7000 miles…if a person waited that long the engine would burn up or seize…so their reccomendations are obviously contradictory. I have been measuring and recording my oil usage.
I also had a Sonata 2011 that due to my regular checking of oil level and the efforts of my service manager, was given a new engine for the car at 115,000 miles. That Sonata was on a recall for the Theta engine but I had not symptoms....no oil light or metal clanging in the engine (which they blamed on Alabama techs). I got a whole new engine in that car and sold it at 154,000 miles.
Question: The NU engine is also on recall and I also have no symptoms.
They did the software update and said engine was not doing the problem behavior. Hyundai obviously did not learn from the Theta recall (2 million vehicles). CAN ANYONE GIVE ME ANY SHARED INFORMATION ON WHETHER THE NU ENGINE IS BEING REPLACED. MY SERVICE MANAGER IS DOING OIL CONSUMPTION TEST…BUT SAYS HYUNDAI CONSIDERS
QUART PER 1000 MILES NORMAL. CAN ANYONE COMMENT OR ADVISE?
1000 miles may be an acceptable limit for oil usage, it is your responsibility to check and add oil as needed, not wait 7k miles and ruin the engine.
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with the tight tolerances on new engines and the lighter weight oil (0-40)
They tend to burn more oil than years ago. unfortunately, burning 1k-1.5 of oil between oil changes is considered normal for most manufactures.
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I am guessing this is the recall.
April 28, 2021 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V301000
Improperly Heat-Treated Piston Oil Rings
A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000
Manufacturer Hyundai Motor America
Components ENGINE
Potential Number of Units Affected 158,493
Summary
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Hyundai will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
8 Affected Products
16 Associated Documents
It’s not contradictory because you’re supposed to be checking the oil level periodically between changes and adding any if necessary. Certainly, this is also in the manual.
In the quest to make people think their products were less maintenance required, the idea that one can go the entire time between changes without checking or adding oil was somehow conveyed along with it. Perhaps because many engines manage to do it. But there will always be outliers in the group and even entire populations of a particular design (such as this one) that consume oil.
I wouldn’t like it if one of my new engines sucked down a quart/1000 miles but that is considered within the range of acceptability by the car makers.
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What’s contradictory? The 7000 mile oil change recommendation, or the fact that you don’t think you should need to check the oil more than every 7000 miles or at all? Do you even check your oil? Most owners manuals say to check the oil on a regular basis. Have you even opened the manual? Nothing contradictory at all except your thinking you have to nothing, to ensure you engine has oil.
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To the OP just don’t tell them you think you should never have to check the oil.
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Some–perhaps many–Owner’s Manuals instruct the driver to check the oil at every gas fill-up.
While that recommendation is excessive, I have to wonder what Hyundai recommends in their manual, and I also have to wonder if the OP has ever taken a look at the manual sitting in his glove box. I can guarantee that it tells owners that periodic oil checking is expected.
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No experience w/your car or engine, but 1000 miles per quart isn’t considered too much oil consumption by most manufacturers. I’m not aware of any that consider it over-consumption. Usually the over-consumption limit is around 500 miles. I drive much older cars, oil consumption is about 5,000 miles per quart for those. But newer cars are designed to get better mpg, and one of the compromises is the oil slips past the piston rings more easily. Just goes w/owning a 2020 model is all. As long as all the recall work has been done, paperwork filed, suggest to keep the engine topped off between oil & filter changes. Try not to ever let it get more than 3/4 quart low. Not that much of a burden for the owner to have to pour in half a quart every 500 miles. Your car has all the modern niceties and gets excellent mpg, so saving money on gasoline. Use some of that loot to buy the quart of oil.
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Since you know there is a problem you should check the oil level with the dip stick weekly until the dealer has established whether the engine has the problem and has fixed it. Don’t depend on the oil light only.
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During an oil consumption test the oil cap, dipstick and drain plug are sealed, tampering will invalidate the test.
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SO DO A LOT OF OTHER MANUFACTURERS
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+1
A couple of years ago, we had several threads about oil consumption on late-model Audis, and more than one Audi owner stated that the Audi corporate folks informed him that 1 qt per 600 miles was considered to be “normal”.
Even the manual for my 650i says “oil consumption depends on driving environment and habits” or something to that effect.
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Yes, weekend warrior that is exactly the recall basis. They said they did the
software check and supposed updates. Software update is supposedly to check for undue piston noise…that means if noisy already are damaged so that’s not a fix.
The other comments said oil usage of 1.5 qts. between changes is normal but
my point was the dealer oil change schedule is 7,000 miles. Oil being down 3/4 qt. in 1000 miles would, if left to Hyundai schedule would be seized engine from lack of oil.
The car corporations say 1 qt, per 600 miles but their reccommended oil change schedule is every 7000 miles for Hyundai. My whole point is if you followed the
owners manual your engine would be shot!!!
that is even worse than Hyundai…but what is the recommended oil change
schedule in the Audi owners manual? Hyundai is 7000 miles between changes!!! Engine would be toast by then if driver does not have a brain to check oil. I am trying to get a new engine, again from Hyundai like I did for the Sonata Theta engine…same oil shit for them. Got new engine at 115,000 miles.
Then Hyundai starts using another problem engine…NU.
I did check my oil regularly and that’s how the dealer was able to justify getting me a new engine…i was on recall but had no symptoms except oil consumption.
I kept questioning it and my car was in the recall numbers.
Dealer is now following the “protocols” for approval for an oil consumption test .
Problem is Hyundai will say 1 qt. per 1000 miles is “normal”. The point about the synthetic blend oils lasting less long might be a factor.