Hyundai I30 Pricing and Specs

There are many reasons this could happen, and they could be mechanical or electrical. An engine that revs freely with no load on it, but goes weak at the knees when a load is placed on it, could be suffering from poor fuel supply, a faulty ignition system, internal wear, a blocked exhaust or even a worn driveline that is creating excess friction. You could even have a seized brake or something equally fundamental going on.

But it’s also true that the car’s computer can send the engine into what’s called limp-home mode if it detects a serious problem. Limp-home mode limits the amount of power the engine can make or how fast it can rev, as a means of protecting it against further, more serious damage. Perhaps that’s what’s going on here. Certainly the symptoms match that diagnosis. The best advice is to have the car electronically scanned to see what fault codes are thrown up by the computer. Only then do you have a decent starting point on where to look for the root problem.

This is not an unknown problem with some Hyundai engines, although, to be fair, most of the oil burning problems were in earlier models than yours. That doesn’t mean you don’t have the same problem, though, and it’s definitely worth checking out and finding a solution.

The first thing to do is to contact Hyundai Australia’s customer service department, and let them know you have a problem. My experience has been that Hyundai takes customer satisfaction very seriously.

The next step is to determine exactly how much oil is being consumed. The dealership will be able to help here and will probably fill the engine with oil, seal the dipstick and send you away to cover 1000km or maybe more. Then, the oil level is checked again and you’ll know precisely how much has been consumed over a known distance. Based on that information, you may be able to negotiate a deal with Hyundai that sorts the problem without you paying for the entire bill (if, for instance, it’s determined that a new engine is required).

Obviously, there are lots of factors at play here, including how many kilometres the car has covered and its service history. But it’s definitely worth getting to the bottom of the problem sooner rather than later.

This is not an uncommon thing with some Hyundai models of this vintage. Because of either poor design or materials, some Hyundai engines wear faster than they should. The first signs are rough running, noisy operation and oil consumption. On that basis, I reckon you may have one of those affected engines. That’s supported by the borescope examination that showed wear and the fact that the engine needed two litres of oil to bring it back to a normal level.

It's a fair bet the 1000km monitoring will show the engine has a thirst for oil, at which point it probably needs to be either replaced or rebuilt. My experience suggests that Hyundai is taking this seriously and is replacing engines under warranty with an improved unit that should last much better.

Give the dealership every chance to figure out what’s actually happening under the bonnet and then the time to make it right. You now have what’s called a pre-existing issue, so even if the warranty runs out, Hyundai knows the problem occurred while still within the warranty period. If your case is denied, then it’s time to contact Hyundai Australia’s customer service department and then, if you still don’t have any luck the ACCC which administers Australian Consumer Law and will be well versed with this issue.