NHTSA Complaint #11396630 — 2013 HYUNDAI ACCENT

CUSTOMER STATES THAT THERE IS A RATTLING NOISE UPON START UP. IT IS MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD, UPON STARTING. CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE NOISE CAN BE HEARD IN SPEEDS LOWER THEN 40 MPH. WE HAVE NOT SERVICED THIS VEHICLE IN OVER A YEAR AND THE VEHICLE HAS GONE 25,000 MILES SINCE THAT TIME. CUSTOMER STATES THAT SHE RECENTLY WENT TO THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS NOISE (RATTLING NOISE WHICH IS LOUDER WHEN STARTING THE ENGINE WHEN COLD). THE DEALERSHIP LOOKED IT OVER AND SAID THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE. SHE AGAIN TOLD THEM THAT THIS NOISE IS NOTICEABLE TO HER. THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN TOLD HER THAT THEY DID NOT FIND ANY FAULT WITH THE ENGINE.WHEN STARTED FIRST THING IN THE MORNING HAS A KNOCKING NOISE SOUNDS LIKE PISTON SLAP. REMOVE ALL SPARK PLUGS AND BORE SCOPE CYLINDERS AND FOUND THAT # 3 CYLINDER WALLS HAVE HEAVY CYLINDER WALL SCARRING AND OIL IS ON THE TOP OF THE PISTON (SEE PICTURES) .ENGINE IS DAMAGED AND WILL NEED TO BE REBUILT OR REPLACED.OIL LOOKS CLEAN. DID COMPRESSION CHECK AND ALL CYLINDERS WERE AT 125 LBS EXCEPT CYLINDER #3 WHICH WAS AT 100 LBS. HAS BEEN INTO THE SHOP FOR KNOCK SENSOR CODES AND WAS SENT TO THE DEALER FOR REFLASH TO CORRECT.(TSB 15-FL-003) DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED.