NHTSA Complaint #11083750 — 2013 HYUNDAI VELOSTER

THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO CURTIS AUTOMOTIVE IN FALMOUTH, MA FOR NEW TIRES. WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING TEST-DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY THE TEST-DRIVER INDICATED THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD BANGING NOISE, HE PULLED OVER, THE ENGINE SEIZED, OIL WAS EVERYWHERE. THE CAR WAS TOWED BACK TO CURTIS AUTOMOTIVE AND THEN TO HYUNDAI WHERE THE CAR ENGINE HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED. HYUNDAI INDICATED 'THE ENGINE BLOCK CRACKED FROM PISTON #4' BUT NO FURTHER DIAGNOSIS AS TO WHAT CAUSED THIS OR WHY THIS HAPPENED. RESEARCH INDICATES THERE IS NO PREDICTABILITY FOR IT HAPPENING, BUT THE COMMON FACTORS ARE: IT PERTAINS TO TURBO CHARGED ENGINES, HAPPENS AT LOWER SPEEDS COUPLED WITH HIGHER LOADS AND HIGH CYLINDER PRESSURES REFERRED TO AS LOW SPEED PRE-IGNITION (LSPI) WHERE COMBUSTION OCCURS PREMATURELY IMPACTING MECHANICAL INTERNALS OF GASOLINE ENGINES, EVIDENCED WITH SEVERE KNOCKING BECAUSE THE PISTONS AND CONNECTING RODS ARE RISING WHEN THIS DOWNWARD COMBUSTION (BANG) OCCURS. WORST CASE SCENARIOS INDICATE THIS LEADS TO BROKEN PISTON RINGS, DAMAGED RING LANDS AND/OR BENT CONNECTING RODS. FURTHER, OPERATING AT RELATIVELY LOW RPM AND CONSTANT LOAD SUCH AS HIGHWAY CRUISING THE ENGINE CAN SLIP INTO THE LSPI ZONE WHERE POTENTIAL ENGINE DAMAGE MAY OCCUR. 2 REFERENCES: HTTP://WWW.VELOSTERTURBO.ORG/FORUM/VELOSTER-TURBO-DISCUSSIONS/9852-WHY-MOTORS-KEEP-BLOWING-UP.HTML HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=NUDB_TIIJHU