2007 Hyundai Veracruz Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report engine oil leaking from the valve cover gasket onto the alternator, which can lead to battery/charging trouble and stalling; many complaints reference the related recall campaigns. Other recurrent themes in the sample are airbag warning lights, ESC/shift-lock and brake-light symptoms tied to the stop lamp switch, and brake caliper or wheel-speed-sensor problems. Reports are spread across a wide mileage range, with many appearing well past 90,000 miles.

1. 1
   Engine

   Oil leak onto alternator (valve cover gasket)

   • 91 complaints (63%)
   • median 109,800 mi at 9.8 yrs old (59 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $880 (median of 9 quotes)
   • filed 2007–2026

   Owners describe engine oil leaking from the front cylinder bank valve cover gasket and dripping onto the alternator. According to complaints, this can leave the alternator oil-soaked and the charging system inoperative, with battery or check engine lights coming on, dimming lights, loss of power steering assist, stalling, or a no-start condition. Some owners also report a burning oil smell or smoke from under the hood, and several say parts for the recall repair were unavailable when they tried to have the work done. Reported from roughly 24,000 to 200,000 miles, appearing most often above 90,000 miles.

   Recall 20V705000Recall 14V4150001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether recall 14V415000 and 20V705000 remedies were completed and when, and inspect the alternator and the front valve cover area for oil residue or a fresh burning-oil smell. Watch for a battery light or dimming lights.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have replaced 4 alternators due to oil dripping down on it. I have had mechanics try and fix the oil leak but have not succeeded. Also whenever there is a heavy rain or whenever you go through a large puddle of water everything wants to shut down it is dangerous driving in the rain because sometimes you have to try and get out of traffic due to everything shutting down.”

   NHTSA complaint #11389951, filed 2021-01, 65,000 miles

   “Car died while driving (in motion), I took it in and they needed to replaced alternator at cost of $704.02. Same problem with alternator began to happen again. I received a recall notice, nhysa 14v-415. Recall work was then done. I attempted to get reimbursed for the money spent the first time the alternator went out. I sent in all paperwork required and waited. I phoned in to see what the delay was, they were missing our proof of payment receipt. I sent that in and waited some more. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10864645, filed 2016-05, 42,086 miles
2. 2
   Brakes

   ESC light, no brake lights, shifter stuck in park

   • 15 complaints (10%)
   • median 96,500 mi at 8.3 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • filed 2009–2019

   Complaints describe the ESC warning light coming on along with brake lights that do not illuminate, a shifter that will not move out of park, or reverse lights that stay dark. Several owners link this to the stop lamp switch and note the switch was replaced under an earlier recall but the symptoms returned; dealers reportedly replaced the switch again, sometimes at owner expense. Reported from about 16,000 to 130,000 miles, often at lower mileage in the sampled reports.

   Recall 09V122000

   What to check: Test that brake lights light up with the pedal pressed, that the shifter releases from park normally, and that the ESC light is not on; ask whether the stop lamp switch has been replaced and when.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My ESC off light keeps coming on the dashboard causing the car to not shift out of park. There was a recall of the stop lamp switch which was performed in 2009. I read in a newspaper article that there is an update to this recall which will be performed starting in june 2013. Dealer refused to perform the recall work at this time and Hyundai USA states that the recall (campaign 110) is not valid for 2007 vehicles, only 2008-2009. I am very concerned, this is a serious safety issue and Hyundai refuses to repair my vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #10509841, filed 2013-04, 98,000 miles

   “A stop lamp switch malfunction may also affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature so the transmission shifter would not be able to be shifted out of the park position. It may also cause the electronic stability control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate, and it may not deactivate the cruise control when the brake pedal is depressed.”

   NHTSA complaint #11025263, filed 2017-09, 129,000 miles
3. 3
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light on

   • 10 complaints (7%)
   • median 62,250 mi at 6.2 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • filed 2011–2018

   Owners report the airbag warning light illuminating and staying on, sometimes with no incident involved, and sometimes recurring after a clock spring replacement performed under recall. Complaints describe repeated dealer visits where the light was reset, or where a seat track position sensor was named as the cause; in some cases owners were told a repair would be charged. Reported from very low mileage (under 1,000 miles in one case) up to roughly 125,000 miles.

   Recall 11V472000

   What to check: Confirm the airbag light comes on briefly at start-up and then goes out; ask whether the clock spring recall 11V472000 was performed and whether any seat track position sensor work was done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Airbag indicator lights on! The airbag spring has been replaced per recall. Airbag light came on 2 months after replacement. I took it to the dealership, they reported a seat track position sensor malfunction (it describes as 43164 b1371 seat track position sensor driver instability. Short inside stps causing light to appear). Parts need to be ordered and it will under warranty of my car originally told. However, the service manager called back and said it will cost me $300 for replacement 2 weeks later. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10534190, filed 2013-08, 43,164 miles

   “Airbag warning light came on the 1st time on 20 aug 2008 and continued 4 more times to 20 dec 2010. All airbag warning lights were reset by dealer. I wonder how many owners have to go to dealer to fix this problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10375765, filed 2011-01, 7,036 miles

Buying note. Have a mechanic inspect the alternator and front valve cover area for oil seepage, confirm recall 14V415000/20V705000 work was done, and test the brake lights, shifter and warning lights. Records of past gasket, alternator, switch and caliper repairs are worth asking for.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.