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Hyundai VeracruzModel year report

2010 Hyundai Veracruz Problems

Compared with other Hyundai Veracruz years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

29/100 0.6× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
91filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
126,500miles, 56 complaints with mileage
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
19 mpgcombined, 3.8L 6-cyl FWD · 17 city / 23 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2010 Hyundai Veracruz (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report engine oil leaking onto the alternator, which can leave the vehicle without charging power and cause stalling; many say the leak returned after recall repairs. Interior door handles breaking off and various electrical gremlins (warning lights, stalling, dead batteries) are the other frequent themes, and most reports come in at well over 100,000 miles.

  1. Engine

    Oil leak onto alternator / charging failure

    • 59 complaints (65%)
    • median 133,000 mi at 11.3 yrs old (38 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2011–2026

    Complaints describe engine oil — from the front valve cover gasket, and in some cases the oil pan or a T-joint — dripping onto the alternator, which then fails. Owners report the battery and warning lights coming on, loss of power, hard steering and braking, and stalling or a no-start, with the battery and alternator replaced and the leak returning afterward. Many say the dealer confirmed the leak but that recall parts were not yet available, or that a repair under a campaign did not stop the oil from coming back. Mostly reported between roughly 70,000 and 210,000 miles, often on vehicles in their eighth to fifteenth year.

    Recall 20V705000Recall 14V415000

    What to check: Ask whether the front cylinder bank cover gasket campaign (20V705000 / 14V415000) was completed and when, then look for fresh oil on or below the alternator and check the charging voltage. A burning-oil smell after driving is a sign to inspect further.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “On 4/23/21, I went to start the vehicle (which is our only vehicle to transport our children), but it did not start as if the battery was dead. My husband tried to jump the vehicle, but it died as soon as jumper pack was taken off. Later that day, my baby became very ill and we had to go to urgent care. My husband only has a work van that does not have seats to transport passengers, so he put the car on a charger for a bit and the car started. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11413848, filed 2021-04, 125,000 miles

    “I had a recall #121 which was correct at 50,000 miles. The value cover leaks and drips onto the alternator. 25,000 miles it happened again. I was driving my car yesterday and all lights came on so I turned to go home. Call thornton road Hyundai in lithia springs, ga and the service manager told me to bring in my car cause its still covered cause I had 74,500 miles on my car. My husband had to charge up my battery just to make it to the dealership. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11065480, filed 2018-01, 74,500 miles
  2. Body and structure

    Broken interior door handles

    • 9 complaints (10%)
    • median 69,100 mi at 6.3 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2015–2020

    Complaints describe the plastic interior door handles snapping, often several on the same vehicle, leaving occupants unable to open the door from inside and forcing them to lower the window and use the outside handle. Owners who raised it with the dealer report the part was often not stocked and had to be ordered or replaced at their cost. Reported from around 48,000 to 150,000 miles, usually on doors that get regular use.

    What to check: Open and close every door from the inside and outside, and look closely at the handle pivots for cracks or looseness before buying.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “One or two years ago the plastic driver door inside door handle broke off. This week the plastic passenger front inside door handle broke. Not good. If there was a wreck and you needed to get out of the car and the door handle breaks you could be in a world of trouble! I don't think door handles should break!! I have the passenger broken door handle.”

    NHTSA complaint #11373624, filed 2020-11, 60,000 miles

    “Since about may or june of 2013, 3 out of 4 interior door handles have broken on my 2010 Hyundai Veracruz. This is not just coincidence. The 2 front interior door handles and the passenger side rear interior door handle have broken. I am finally reporting this because the rear passenger door cannot open from the inside or the outside which is a serious safety hazard. I researched to see if this was a common issue with the car and it appears that several other owners have posted complaints regarding the same issue. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10690004, filed 2015-02, 60,000 miles
  3. Electrical system

    Stalling and warning lights (electrical)

    • 21 complaints (23%)
    • median 90,000 mi at 8.6 yrs old (16 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2013–2026

    Owners describe sudden loss of power or stalling with multiple warning lamps — battery, check engine, ESC, seat belt — lighting up, sometimes with the engine running rough or refusing to restart. Complaints frequently tie this to a failed alternator, and in some cases dealers found no stored codes and could not duplicate the problem. Scattered from about 55,000 to over 150,000 miles, often at highway or steady cruising speeds.

    Recall 13V113000

    What to check: Ask for any charging-system or alternator repair history and have the battery and alternator tested; note whether warning lights appear on a test drive.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “On the dashboard and stereo there are no lights when I turn on the cars automatic lights. It seems to be an electrical short. I brought it up to Hyundai because of the recall and they were very unhelpful. I called 15 different Hyundai dealerships in the Los Angeles area asking for a loaner vehicle which none of them were able to provide for me. After I stated I already have an electrical short, they insisted that my car was not effected by the recall. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11576736, filed 2024-03

    “My car lost acceleration and ESC light turned on while driving at about 40 mile/hr. The car was pulled over and restarted. The ESC light turned off and the acceleration went back to normal. The car was driven to a Hyundai dealer located in corona, ca. No error codes were found, the problem could not be duplicated and nothing was done about the issue.”

    NHTSA complaint #10521969, filed 2013-06, 55,500 miles
  4. Engine

    Engine noise, knock and internal damage

    • 13 complaints (14%)
    • median 115,837 mi at 8.9 yrs old (10 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2011–2025

    Some complaints describe knocking or rattling from the engine, engine seizure, or oil and coolant mixing after repeated oil leaks. Owners report the vehicle losing motive power and requiring short-block replacement, and some say noises returned after the engine work. Reported mainly between about 100,000 and 160,000 miles.

    Recall 20V7050001 related service bulletin

    What to check: Listen for cold-start knock or rattle, check the oil level and condition, and ask whether any engine or short-block replacement work has been done. A service bulletin describes inspection and repair procedures for higher-than-expected oil consumption.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My was husband was dropping me off at work driving back home which is less than 5minutes from my job on a street there was a loud pop and the driver on the side was yelling the car was on fire he pulled over took my sweater out of the vehicle and put the fire out.”

    NHTSA complaint #11139933, filed 2018-10, 151,000 miles

    “The oil leak that has previously been reported caused the engine to run low on oil. Since there is a drip pan under the engine a consumer would have no way of knowing that their engine was severely leaking. If there is no oil in your parking spot and no sign of the car smoking a normal person would not check the oil with every tank of gas. This oil leak caused my alternator to fail in traffic, and since the engine ran low on oil I had a catastrophic engine failure ( threw a rod) at 126k. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10971417, filed 2017-04, 126,000 miles

Buying note. Because the oil-leak and charging issues dominate the reports, confirm which campaigns were completed and whether the leak has returned, and have a mechanic look at the alternator and gasket area. A pre-purchase inspection covering brakes, door handles and warning lights is worthwhile given the age and typical mileage of these vehicles.

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.

NHTSA recorded 91 consumer complaints for the 2010 Hyundai Veracruz. 56 of the complaints include a mileage, and 5% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 126,500 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 5 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 38 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 3 Hyundai Veracruz model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 29 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Electronic stability control (2), Equipment (2), Transmission and drivetrain (2), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2), Interior lighting (1), Seat belts (1), Steering (1).

Example complaints

Engine cooling: “My 2010 Hyundai Veracruz had an oil leak. Since the alternator is on bottom of the engine, the oil valves leaked undetected onto the alternator causing it to short out. The vehicle locked up and I could not steer it. Thank god I wasn't driving fast and was able to coast into a parking lot where I finally came to a stop. I could not put the vehicle into park, the gear shift would only go into neutral. As a result, I had to use the safety brake to keep the vehicle from rolling back.”

NHTSA complaint #10421354, filed 2011-08, 68,117 miles

Engine: “After having my valve covers fixed 2 x's for leaking under warranty/recall it started leaking a 3rd time and finally lead to engine failure while at the dealer to be fixed at 101143 miles 11/2017. The transmission started slipping intermittently about this time also. Dealer said trans needed replacing. After a lot of arguing and restless nights; the dealer covered a remanufactured short block. I had too cover everything else, $4200. A little over a year latter the engine started making unpleasant noises for 10-15 sec on a cold start. …”

NHTSA complaint #11195427, filed 2019-04, 114,000 miles

Electrical system: “For the 2nd time after per Hyundai a previously recalled issue was repaired, my alternator failed while driving on a interstate highway. The previous recall is number: 14v415000. When the vehicle stalled leaving me stranded and upon inspection under the hood, the alternator which was replace only 3 years ago when this last happened and per Hyundai again 2 years before that for the recall, was completely covered in oil as if the recall was never done even though they say it was. (3 alternators covered in oil for a vehicle that is only 10 years old). …”

NHTSA complaint #11361212, filed 2020-09, 156,000 miles

Other or unknown: “Front oil cover gasket leaking on to alternator. According to research on my VIN number it was fixed. After reading owner complaints of same model Veracruz it appears to be a reoccurring problem. Which means this problem has not been completely resolved. After trying to crank vehicle at some point earlier this years and was unsuccessful. After further examination oil was visable as well as the smell of oil on alternator. Car later crank with no problem. But oil leak is becoming a problem as it is obvious the leak is increasing.”

NHTSA complaint #11306636, filed 2020-02, 164,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

5% of the 56 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 77,000 and 148,147 miles.

0%0–102%10–254%25–5018%50–7514%75–10039%100–15023%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (56 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 126,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’11’14’16’18’2028’22’24’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2010 Hyundai Veracruz. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Veracruz · sedan FWD/AWDnot rated5 / 5——4 · 15.9% risk

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2010 Hyundai Veracruz version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Veracruz 2WD3.8L 6-cyl6-speed automatic172319$3,550
Veracruz 4WD3.8L 6-cyl6-speed automatic162218$3,700

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2010 Hyundai Veracruz → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 38 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 38 bulletins →

Other model years of the Hyundai Veracruz

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20126595,0003—1912 · FewerFalling
201110692,0154—1964 · TypicalFalling
201091126,5004—1929 · FewerFalling
20092474,7323—18—Falling
200823186,3595—1892 · MoreFalling
200714595,0004—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Hyundai Veracruz model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2010 Hyundai Veracruz?

Owners of this model year most often report engine oil leaking onto the alternator, which can leave the vehicle without charging power and cause stalling; many say the leak returned after recall repairs. The issues reported most often: Oil leak onto alternator / charging failure; Broken interior door handles; Stalling and warning lights (electrical).

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2010 Hyundai Veracruz have?

NHTSA recorded 91 consumer complaints for the 2010 Hyundai Veracruz as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2010 Hyundai Veracruz is reported most often?

Engine cooling is named most often, in 29 complaints (32% of the total), followed by engine with 28.

Has the 2010 Hyundai Veracruz been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2010 Hyundai Veracruz get?

The EPA rates the 2010 Hyundai Veracruz (Veracruz 2WD, 3.8L 6-cyl) at 19 mpg combined, 17 city and 23 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2010 Hyundai Veracruz reported?

Among the 56 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 126,500 miles and the middle half falls between 77,000 and 148,147 miles; 5% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.