Hyundai i40: common faults & what to check

Which Hyundai i40 are you looking at?

2 generation variants documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Petrol

1 variant documented

2011–2019VF2011–2019VF2.0 petrolPetrolDocumented issues2 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Vauxford via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Diesel

1 variant documented

2011–2019VF2011–2019VF1.7 dieselDieselDocumented issues3 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Vauxford via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this Hyundai i40

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Hyundai i40 before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Costly issue

  Scan for DPF/EGR fault codes and, if the tool allows, read DPF soot load and distance-since-last-regen.

  See why

  1.7 CRDi diesel particulate filter (DPF) clogging

  The 1.7L CRDi turbo-diesel (sold new in Australia and some imports) uses a DPF that must reach temperature on a sustained run to burn off (regenerate) trapped soot. Cars used mainly for short, low-speed trips never complete regeneration, so the filter blocks. Owners commonly report trouble from roughly 80,000 to 120,000 km on short-trip use. Related EGR valve sooting and failed regen attempts compound the problem. No safety recall; this is a use-pattern and maintenance issue.

  What you would notice

  • DPF / engine warning light on the dash
  • Reduced power or limp mode
  • Frequent or never-completing regeneration cycles
  • Increased fuel use and, in bad cases, exhaust smoke

  Typically ≈A$550–2,940 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Ask for a recent scan report and check for stored/pending misfire codes (P0300-P0304).

  See why

  2.0 GDI intake valve carbon build-up

  The 2.0L Nu GDI (gasoline direct-injection) petrol sprays fuel straight into the cylinder, so no fuel washes over the back of the intake valves. Oil vapour and blow-by from the crankcase ventilation bakes onto the valves and ports, restricting airflow. Deposits accumulate gradually and typically become noticeable from around 80,000 to 150,000 km, sooner on short-trip city cars. No recall covers this; it is an inherent GDI design characteristic and a maintenance item.

  What you would notice

  • Rough or lumpy idle, especially when cold
  • Cold-start misfire or hesitation (P0300-P0304 codes)
  • Gradual loss of power and throttle response
  • Reduced fuel economy over time

  Typically ≈A$370–1,100 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Pull the dipstick and check the oil is at the full mark and not black or sludgy.

  See why

  Cylinder bore scoring, high oil use and cold piston slap (2.0 Nu GDI G4NC petrol)

  Cylinder bore scoring is a known issue on the 2.0 litre Nu GDI (G4NC) petrol engine in the VF i40. Worn or scored bores let oil past the piston rings, so the engine burns more than 1 litre of oil per 1,000 km and can knock or tap when cold. If the oil level is allowed to drop, the engine can lose oil pressure and seize. An Australian class action against Hyundai (Federal Court NSD 131 of 2023) lists the 2012 to 2018 model year i40 with this engine; Hyundai disputes the claims. Ask for the service and recall history, including any dealer oil consumption test.

  What you would notice

  • Oil level drops between services, regular top ups needed
  • Knocking or tapping from the engine when cold that quietens as it warms
  • Blue smoke on start-up or under acceleration
  • Oil pressure warning light

  Typically ≈A$5,520–12,880 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Arrange to see the car stone cold — ask the seller not to start it before you arrive, and touch the bonnet on arrival to confirm.

  See why

  D4FD 1.7 CRDi timing chain and tensioner wear — cold-start rattle (chain-driven, not a belt)

  The i40's 1.7 diesel (D4FD, U-II family) drives its camshafts by chain, not belt — there is no scheduled cambelt change on this engine. The chain and its tensioner are documented to wear from roughly 150,000-200,000 km: the first sign is a rattle for the opening seconds of a cold start that fades as oil pressure builds, with reports concentrated on 2013-on cars. Ignored long enough, a stretched chain can jump timing and wreck the engine, and replacement is a labour-heavy front-of-engine job, so the cold-start listen is one of the most valuable checks on a diesel i40. Oil-change discipline is what decides chain life, so the service history matters as much as the noise.

  What you would notice

  • Rattle from the front of the engine for the first seconds of a cold start
  • Rattle fades as the engine warms and oil pressure builds
  • Diesel clatter noticeably harsher than usual at idle
  • Check-engine light with cam/crank correlation codes in advanced wear

  Typically ≈A$1,380–2,580 to put right.

Hyundai i40 service schedule

What falls due, and at what distance, for each generation of the Hyundai i40. These are the model’s intervals — the car’s own service book is the only thing that can tell you what has actually been done to it.

Other Hyundai models