Hyundai Elantra Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Piston Defect

A New Jersey woman recently filed a class action lawsuit alleging that certain Hyundai Elantra models have a piston defect which can cause dangerous engine failures.

Plaintiff Elizabeth Brown filed the class action lawsuit against Hyundai Motor America and Hyundai Motor Company LTD, alleging that the car maker’s Elantra models posses a dangerous piston defect.

The Hyundai Elantra class action claims that Elantra models from 2011 through 2016, with “Nu” 1.8 liter engines, are affected by a piston defect.

Brown says the piston defect stems from 2011 changes to the piston manufacturing process.

The Hyundai class action lawsuit alleges that Brown purchased a 2013 Hyundai Elantra, containing a “Nu” 1.8 liter engine, from an authorized dealer near her home.

In late 2017, Brown reportedly began to notice a knocking, ticking noise from her vehicle. A week later, while her son was driving the car, a loud pop was heard from the engine before it failed.

The plaintiff says she attempted to file a warranty claim but was denied when the dealer allegedly found oil sludge, citing inadequate maintenance.

The Hyundai Elantra piston defect can allegedly cause engine failures. The symptoms of the related engine failure reportedly include a knocking noise upon start up, loss of engine power, loss of power steering, loss of break assistance, and sudden stalling.

The Hyundai Elantra class action lawsuit claims that once the engine fails, there is no way to fix it apart from completely replacing the engine, a $10,000 repair.

Brown argues that Hyundai Elantra engine failure can place consumers at serious risk for accident, injury, and death. If a Hyundai Elantra engine were to fail while a consumer was driving, they would reportedly be at serious risk for collision.

The Hyundai Elantra class action claims that the automaker knew about the defect but did not initiate a recall or repair action in the United States.

Brown says Canadian dealers were instructed to replace engines affected by engine knocking, a symptom of the problem, but no such order was initiated in the United States.

Instead of offering a fix for the dangerous problem, Hyundai Elantra dealers blame consumers for “inadequate maintenance” and deny warranty claims for a replacement engine, according to the Hyundai Elantra class action lawsuit.

“Defendants have not recalled and/or offered an adequate engine repair to the Class Vehicles, offered their customers suitable repairs or replacements free of charge, or offered to reimburse their customers who have incurred out-of-pocket expenses to repair the defect,” the Hyundai Elantra class action states.

Brown seeks to represent a Class of current and former owners and lessees of Hyundai Elantra vehicles affected by the alleged piston defect. She also seeks to represent a New Jersey subclass of the same consumers.

The Hyundai Elantra class action seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages, injunctive relief, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

Brown is represented by Matthew D. Schelkopf and Joseph B. Kenney of Sauder Schelkopf LLC; Nicholas Migliaccio, Jason Rathod, and Esfand Y. Nafisi of Migliaccio & Rathod LLP; Daniel C. Levin of Levin Sedran & Berman.

The Hyundai Elantra Piston Defect Class Action Lawsuit is Brown v. Hyundai Motor America, et al., Case No. 2:18-cv-11249-JLL-JAD, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

UPDATE: On Jan. 22, 2019, Hyundai asked a federal judge to dismiss a class action lawsuit which alleges that the company concealed Elantra engine defects.