Hyundai Engine Lawsuit: Claim Deadlines Passed, the Engine Warranty Did Not
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Most people searching for a Hyundai engine lawsuit own a Sonata, Santa Fe, Tucson, Elantra or Veloster whose engine knocked, seized or caught fire. Two class settlements cover those engines. As of October 2026, both cash-claim deadlines have passed — but the extended engine warranties they created are still in force, and that is what matters if your engine fails now. Two newer suits, over the 1.6L turbo Sonata and the 3.3L Santa Fe, have no settlement and no claim form.
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Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What the Hyundai Engine Lawsuits Say
The core allegation in the Engine I and Engine II class actions and the Burns suit is the same: a defect in the engine's rotating assembly — connecting rod bearings wearing out early — that can lead to knocking, stalling, seizure and in some cases fire. The official Engine II site summarizes the claim as a defect that “can cause engine seizure, stalling, engine failure, and possibly engine fire,” and says some owners were “improperly denied repairs under the vehicle’s warranty.”
Hyundai was not found liable in either settlement. It agreed to settle instead, and in both deals the central fix was a free Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software update plus a longer engine warranty.
This page is about engines. The separate anti-theft case is covered in our theft settlement update, and the airbag-control-unit deal in our airbag settlement report.
Case Details
Engine I (Theta II GDI): In re: Hyundai and Kia Engine Litigation, No. 8:17-cv-00838-JLS-JDE, together with Flaherty v. Hyundai Motor Company, No. 18-cv-02223, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Judgment was entered June 10, 2021. When the deal was announced, it was reported as more than $760 million in cash reimbursements across 2.3 million Hyundai and 1.8 million Kia vehicles. Official site: hma-thetasettlement.com.
Engine II (Theta II MPI, Nu, Gamma): In re: Hyundai and Kia Engine Litigation II, No. 8:18-cv-02223-JLS-JDE, same court. Judgment was entered April 26, 2024. Official site: hma-e2settlement.com.
Earlier Sonata case: a 2015 suit over 2011–2014 Sonatas with 2.0 or 2.4 liter Theta II engines received final approval from Judge Beth Freeman of the Northern District of California on January 23, 2017.
Newer suits, no settlement: Masters v. Hyundai Motor America, Inc., No. 2:25-cv-00103-DC-AC (E.D. Cal.), over the 1.6L turbo Sonata; and Burns v. Hyundai Motor Company (C.D. Cal.), over the 3.3L Lambda II engine.
Status as of October 2026: Claims Closed, Warranty Open
What still works is the warranty. Engine I gives a lifetime short-block warranty to individual owners whose cars had the knock sensor update. Engine II gives 15 years or 150,000 miles from original delivery for rod-bearing failure, again only if the KSDS update was done before the failure. Vehicles under Hyundai recalls 198 and 209 (NHTSA 20V746 and 21V727) are exempt from that update requirement. You claim this at a Hyundai dealer, not through a form.
The newest class action lawsuit Hyundai engine owners are following is not settled. The Masters case was filed January 9, 2025; the court's most recent published document is dated March 26, 2026, and we could not confirm what it decided. The Burns case was filed in October 2025. Neither has a certified class, a settlement or a claim form.
Which Hyundais Are Covered
If you are looking for a class action lawsuit Hyundai Sonata owners can still use, the answer depends on model year and engine.
Engine I (lifetime warranty): 2011–2019 Sonata, 2013–2019 Santa Fe Sport, and 2014–2015 and 2018–2019 Tucson with the 2.0 or 2.4 liter Theta II GDI engine.
Engine II (15 years / 150,000 miles): 2011–2015 Sonata Hybrid (2.4 MPI Hybrid); 2016–2019 Sonata Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid (Nu 2.0 GDI Hybrid); 2010–2012 Santa Fe and 2010–2013 Tucson (Theta II 2.4 MPI); 2014–2021 Tucson, 2014 Elantra Coupe, 2014–2016 Elantra and 2014–2020 Elantra GT (Nu 2.0 GDI); 2012–2017 Veloster (Gamma 1.6 GDI).
Not covered by any settlement: 2020–2024 Sonatas with the 1.6L turbo Gamma II engine (the Masters proposed class, along with 2021–2024 Kia K5), and Santa Fes with the 3.3L Lambda II. For 2013–2019 Santa Fe 3.3L engines, NHTSA reported that Hyundai extended engine coverage to 15 years or 150,000 miles under Technical Service Bulletin 24-EM-003H. Kia owners: see our Kia engine settlement page.
Is There Money Left to Claim?
The warranty is the remaining value. If a covered engine fails from a rod-bearing problem and the knock sensor update was done in time, the repair should fall under the extended warranty — even if you bought the car used. Engine II says its warranty transfers to later owners for personal use.
The newer suits pay nothing today. Masters and Burns have no settlement, no fund and no claim form. Burns asks the court to order a recall and repair reimbursement; no court has granted either.
Hyundai Engine Lawsuit Timeline
- 1
January 23, 2017 — First Hyundai Sonata Settlement Approved
Judge Beth Freeman (N.D. Cal.) approves a settlement for 2011–2014 Sonatas with Theta II engines: inspections, repairs, warranty extensions and reimbursements.
- 2
June 10, 2021 — Engine I Judgment
The Central District of California enters judgment in the Theta II GDI settlement. Cash claims closed August 9, 2021; the lifetime warranty remains.
- 3
April 26, 2024 — Engine II Judgment
Final approval for Sonata Hybrid, Tucson, Elantra, Santa Fe and Veloster engines. Claims close July 8, 2024; the 15-year/150,000-mile warranty remains.
- 4
January 9, 2025 — 1.6L Turbo Sonata Suit Filed
Masters v. Hyundai Motor America is filed in the Eastern District of California, alleging a fuel-system defect in 2020–2024 Sonatas.
- 5
October 2025 — 3.3L Lambda II Suit Filed
Burns v. Hyundai Motor Company is filed in the Central District of California, alleging rod-bearing failure in 3.3L engines and a concealed warranty extension.
- 6
October 2026 — Warranties Live, New Suits Unsettled
Both settlements are closed to claims. The extended warranties continue. Neither 2025 suit has a settlement or claim form.
Three Things to Watch For
Closed settlements with a still-valuable warranty attract people who want your VIN and your money:
“Late claim” services for the Hyundai engine settlement
Both claim deadlines passed, in 2021 and 2024. Anyone charging a fee to “reopen” or “expedite” an engine settlement claim is selling something the official sites say no longer exists.
Paid “engine warranty activation”
The settlement warranty costs nothing and comes from a Hyundai dealer after the free knock sensor update. Extended-warranty mailers that use your VIN to sound official are separate paid contracts.
“Join the Sonata class action” forms
There is no claim form in the Masters or Burns cases. A form asking for your Social Security number or a fee to “register” is not from the court.
Hyundai Engine Lawsuit — Questions People Actually Ask
Is there a Hyundai engine settlement I can still file a claim in?
No. The Engine I deadline was August 9, 2021, and the Engine II deadline was July 8, 2024. Both official settlement sites say those claims are no longer available. The extended warranties from both settlements still apply.
Is there a Hyundai Sonata class action lawsuit over the engine?
Several — “Hyundai engine class action lawsuit” is a label that covers more than one case. 2011–2019 Sonatas with the 2.0 or 2.4 Theta II GDI engine are in the Engine I settlement. 2011–2019 Sonata Hybrids and Plug-In Hybrids are in Engine II. 2020–2024 Sonatas with the 1.6L turbo are the subject of the Masters case, which is not settled.
My engine failed today. What do I do?
Take the car to a Hyundai dealer and ask whether it is covered by the Engine I lifetime warranty or the Engine II 15-year/150,000-mile warranty. Coverage depends on the knock sensor update having been done before the failure, with exceptions for recalls 198 and 209.
I bought my Hyundai used. Am I covered?
Generally yes. Engine I's lifetime warranty applies regardless of duration of ownership, and Engine II says its warranty transfers to later owners for personal use. It does not extend to used-car dealers or auction houses.
What is the newest Hyundai Sonata lawsuit about?
Masters v. Hyundai Motor America, No. 2:25-cv-00103-DC-AC in the Eastern District of California, alleges that the fuel system on vehicles with the 1.6L turbo Gamma II engine is defective and can cause engine problems. Hyundai has not been found liable, and there is no settlement.
What about the 3.3L Santa Fe engine?
Burns v. Hyundai Motor Company, filed in October 2025 in the Central District of California, alleges that 3.3L Lambda II engines suffer rod-bearing failure and that Hyundai kept a warranty extension from owners. NHTSA reported that Hyundai extended coverage on 2013–2019 Santa Fe 3.3L engines to 15 years or 150,000 miles.
Is this the same as the Kia and Hyundai theft lawsuit?
No. The theft case concerns cars without engine immobilizers and has its own settlement, whose payments are still on hold — see our theft settlement update. Engine settlements are about engine failure and fire.
Did Hyundai admit the engines were defective?
No. Both official settlement sites state that Hyundai has not been found liable. The settlements were voluntary, made to avoid prolonged litigation.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.
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