I’m in a bit of a mess with my 2018 Sonata. Bought it about 6 months ago with 65k miles on it, but now it’s eating oil and the cam keeps shutting off. I didn’t notice the problem before I bought it since it didn’t show up during the inspection (got it from a private seller, so I’m stuck with it).
I’ve been doing full synthetic oil changes every three months since I got it, but a few days ago, it started shuddering and shut down. Turns out it was completely out of oil. No warranty covers it because I’m the second owner and it’s over 60k miles and 5 years old.
I was quoted $800 for combustion cleaning, but I heard it’s just a temporary fix and might need to be repeated every 15k miles.
Should I just sell it and move on? Or does the combustion cleaning actually help the engine last longer? I’m not sinking 10-13k into a new engine, I’d rather just get a different car.
I have a 2016 Sonata that goes through about a quart of oil every month. This week, I tried adding Marvel Mystery Oil and plan to do an oil change with Valvoline Restore & Protect this weekend. I read about this method on a few forums, so I’m hoping it helps. I’ll update once I see how it goes.
I’ve got a 2017 Sonata with around 100,000 miles. Did the combustion cleaning recently, and it did help reduce the oil consumption, but I still have to top it off sometimes. It’s not listed in the manual, but it really should be. I plan to budget for it every 15-20k miles. You just have to decide if it’s worth it for you.
My 2017 Sonata was burning oil too, and none of the fixes worked, including combustion cleaning. Ended up getting a new engine under warranty at around 64k miles. It took a few weeks to get it sorted with Hyundai, but it’s been running great since. If you’ve got maintenance records, it might be worth talking to the dealership to see if you qualify for coverage.
After the combustion cleaning, my Hyundai started running worse. The RPMs keep jumping up and down, feels like I’m tapping the brakes constantly. Makes me worried the engine’s about to give out.
The real issue here is that the engine ran out of oil, and that does a lot of damage. A combustion clean might help a bit, but the wear from running dry is done. If the previous owner didn’t stay on top of oil levels either, it could have been building up for a while.
If you’re thinking of selling it, make sure to be honest about what’s going on. You don’t want to pass the problem to someone else who might not be able to handle the cost of repairs.
@MegWhitgal
I think you missed the part where I said I just bought the car. I didn’t let it run out of oil on purpose, and I even get oil changes done early. It’s not like I knew it had this problem until it broke down. I’m the one stuck in a tight spot because I just got it and didn’t know. I would never sell it without being upfront about the issues.
@Patrick
Same issue here. I’ve been dealing with it for over a year now. As long as I keep the oil topped up, it keeps running. Doesn’t have to be completely full, just enough to stay safe. You’re right to keep it maintained.