# Manufacturer Defect-Engine failure **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** hyundai, elantra\ **Created:** [July 22, 2017, 6:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150 "2017-07-22T18:37:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![barbaracommers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b38774/32.png) [@barbaracommers](https://community.cartalk.com/u/barbaracommers)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 6:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/1 "2017-07-22T18:37:16Z")
We have been told by mechanic that our car has a manufacturer defect resulting in metal pieces in the oil, and the engine will soon fail. This is the same problem as the 2011-12 Sonatas. The Sonatas have been recalled but Hyundai is doing nothing about the Elantras. Has anyone experienced a similar problem? ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 6:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/2 "2017-07-22T18:57:04Z")
I’m curious as to how a mechanic has determined that your engine has a defect causing metal pieces to be in the oil. Where was the metal detected? Was there some reason that the mechanic would be searching for metal in the oil? ---
**Author:** ![kurtwm1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/13edae/32.png) [@kurtwm1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kurtwm1)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 7:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/3 "2017-07-22T19:14:31Z")
Why are you posting this problem twice in different posts? ---
**Author:** ![barbaracommers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b38774/32.png) [@barbaracommers](https://community.cartalk.com/u/barbaracommers)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 7:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/4 "2017-07-22T19:21:05Z")
I’m new and wasn’t sure where the best place was to state my problem. ---
**Author:** ![barbaracommers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b38774/32.png) [@barbaracommers](https://community.cartalk.com/u/barbaracommers)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 7:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/5 "2017-07-22T19:26:36Z")
Thank you for your reply. We have had the car in three times over the past nine months due to it intermittently not starting. Finally the mechanic drained the oil and put a magnet in. He said metal fragments were pulled out. He recognized it as the same problem as the Sonata engines. After a class action suit Hyundai finally did a recall of the Sonatas. Hyundai told us since our car is no longer under warranty there is nothing they will do to repair/replace the engine. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/6 "2017-07-22T22:20:24Z")
> [@barbaracommers](#): > > Thank you for your reply. We have had the car in three times over the past nine months due to it intermittently not starting. Finally the mechanic drained the oil and put a magnet in. He said metal fragments were pulled out. He recognized it as the same problem as the Sonata engines. After a class action suit Hyundai finally did a recall of the Sonatas. Hyundai told us since our car is no longer under warranty there is nothing they will do to repair/replace the engine. Did you see the metal? Metal fragments in the oil would not cause intermittent failure to start and it would be much more plausible to open the engine’s filter and wash the debris from the outside of the filter element to find metal debris which would mostly be non ferrous and therefore non magnetic. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 10:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/7 "2017-07-22T22:32:04Z")
> [@Rod\_Knox](#): > > Metal fragments in the oil would not cause intermittent failure to start. +1 While I am not doubting the possibility that the OP’s mechanic found metal fragments in the motor oil, that situation would absolutely **_NOT_** cause the engine to intermittently fail to start. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 10:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/8 "2017-07-22T22:34:25Z")
And regarding the Sonata’s engine problems, it would appear that a failure to flush out machining debris from the crankshafts oil ports causes problems lubricating the rod bearings. That debris is trapped in the crankshaft until the damage is done and the engine dismantled unless the engine is operated until it catastrophically fails as in throwing a rod. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 10:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/9 "2017-07-22T22:36:43Z")
Metal fragments in the crankcase can collect on the crankshaft position sensor and cause no-start/drivability problems. The engine in the Elantra is not related to the Sonata engine. ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 10:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/10 "2017-07-22T22:57:54Z")
> [@barbaracommers](#): > > We have been told by mechanic that our car has a manufacturer defect resulting in metal pieces in the oil, and the engine will soon fail. **Whoa, hold on a minute…** **hyundai elantra** **Model-Year? Approximate miles on this vehicle?** **What, specifically, is/are the symptom(s) of your car’s engine problem(s)?** Intermittently not starting is not a symptom of metal fragments. Why was the car at the mechanic’s shop? Was it for diagnosis and repair of a problem or just for maintenance (oil change, etcetera)? _ **CSA** _ ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 11:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/11 "2017-07-22T23:15:55Z")
Good catch by @Nevada_545. The 2011/2012 Elantra used a 1.8L engine. As the OP said, the Sonata uses either a 2L turbocharged engine or a 2.4L naturally aspirated engine. While it is possible that the 1.8L has the same problems as the Sonata engines, it doesn’t automatically follow that it does. ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 11:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/12 "2017-07-22T23:42:50Z")
> [@barbaracommers](#): > > We have had the car in three times over the past nine months due to it intermittently not starting. Finally the mechanic drained the oil and put a magnet in. He said metal fragments were pulled out. He recognized it as the same problem as the Sonata engines. **How good is your “mechanic?”** I don’t know what the model-year is of your Elantra (I don’t know an Elantra from a baked potato as they’re not sold near here), but I see 2 problems for starting trouble with 2011 models. One is a **Service Campaign** (voluntary recall) for **battery terminal replacement** and one is a **Technical Service Bulletin** for **automatic transmission inhibitor switch**. Those are more likely to point in the direction of a starting problem than metal shavings. _ **CSA** _ ---
**Author:** ![barbaracommers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b38774/32.png) [@barbaracommers](https://community.cartalk.com/u/barbaracommers)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 12:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/13 "2017-07-23T00:57:50Z")
Thank you for all the replies and information. The car is a 2011 Elantra SE. It has 89,200 miles. We took it to the dealer mechanic because it was rattling and occasionally not starting. We have paid $600+ for various repairs over the past few months but the same problem kept happening. I don’t know why the mechanic decided to check for metal fragments in the oil. But he said that’s what he found and that it’s a manufacturer defect. It’s an authorized Hyundai service center who has been doing the work. He told us the Sonatas had the same problem and we should contact Hyundai to replace the engine. But that phone call led no where… Hyundai simply said it was no longer warrantied… ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 1:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/14 "2017-07-23T01:59:01Z")
**Ouch!** 😝 I guess I’m kinda glad they don’t sell them around here! When the company’s own technician tells you that you bought a defective product, but the manufacturer won’t stand behind it, that stinks! I’d go on the NHTSA website and look up this model car and reported defects. Then I’d register my complaint. Enough similar complaints would probably trigger an investigation. _ **CSA** _ ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 2:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/15 "2017-07-23T02:07:48Z")
This person has two threads about the same thing. They bought vehicle used and it is out of warranty. Most likely sold " AS IS ". I wonder if they took it to a Hyundia dealership because it is unusual to speak to the mechanic at those places. @cdaquila Carolyn, You might want to combine the two threads. ---
**Author:** ![barbaracommers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b38774/32.png) [@barbaracommers](https://community.cartalk.com/u/barbaracommers)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 2:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/16 "2017-07-23T02:35:15Z")
We did not purchase the car As Is - there was a warrenty to 60,000. We did take it to the Hyundai dealership for service. ---
**Author:** ![barbaracommers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b38774/32.png) [@barbaracommers](https://community.cartalk.com/u/barbaracommers)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 4:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/17 "2017-07-23T04:01:14Z")
I’m sorry for the confusion of creating two threads. Is some one able to tell me how to combine them? Thank you again for all the very knowledgeable and helpful replies. I have learned so much! ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 4:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/18 "2017-07-23T04:22:47Z")
The moderator will combine them tonight or tomorrow. Don’t be too concerned about it, dozens read these posts and very few find this troubling. ---
**Author:** ![sgtrock21](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/sgtrock21/32/246_2.png) [@sgtrock21](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sgtrock21)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 2:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/19 "2017-07-23T14:05:02Z")
The 5 year/60,000 mile warranty transfers if the Hyundai is sold used. Unfortunately the 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty does not. ---
**Author:** ![barbaracommers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b38774/32.png) [@barbaracommers](https://community.cartalk.com/u/barbaracommers)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 8:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manufacturer-defect-engine-failure/106150/20 "2017-07-23T20:39:12Z")
Thanks Nevada, I’m glad to know the moderator will combine them.