Skip to content
KickTyres
Hyundai2010–2021 Major issues documented

Hyundai i20 PB: common faults & what to check

The PB is the Hyundai i20 built 2010–2015. It was sold here with the 1.4 petrol and 1.6 petrol. Of the 9 faults documented for the i20, 3 apply to this generation, each with its symptoms, what to inspect and a typical repair cost. Free, no account needed.

Check this exact Hyundai i20

  • Odometer history
  • Money owing
  • Reported stolen
  • Ownership history
  • Official NZ vehicle register data
  • NZ owned and operated

Type the plate for the free basics. The full record is a paid check from $13.49, one car at a time, no subscription.

No NZ plate yet, or buying in Australia? Pick the generation and engine and start a free check below. New to KickTyres? How the check works →

9

Documented faults

Major

Most serious

$700–$1,900

Typical repair

18

Service milestones

You're looking at the PB

2 engine variants are documented for this generation. Pick yours to narrow further, or keep reading for the generation as a whole.

Choose a different generation

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.

A 2010 Hyundai i20 is the PB generation (2010 to 2015).

Start your free check on this Hyundai i20

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.

Hyundai i20 PBEngine not picked yet

Pick the engine above first: the i20 came with 2, and without it the report has to show all of their faults. Pick the engine

Free. The paid plate check is separate, and stays optional.

Can't confirm for this car

Hyundai i20 · 2010

Narrowed to the year. No engine is recorded for this vehicle. Pick an engine to see which faults apply.

Tell us the engine, or check the engine code on the car, before relying on this.

  • No engine is recorded for this vehicle.

matched on year only

What to look out for

The checks worth doing on a Hyundai i20 before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

  • Costly issue

    Run the AC on max on the test drive and confirm it gets genuinely cold and stays cold at idle.

    See why

    Weak or failing air conditioning (compressor and hose leaks)

    Air conditioning is a well-known weak point on the PB i20: the system often cools poorly, usually from a leaking discharge hose at its crimped ferrule or a failing compressor, sometimes after only 50,000-70,000 km. The compressor clutch coil can also short so power reaches it but the clutch won't engage. It's a comfort issue, not a safety one, but AC repairs on a cheap car can cost more than expected, so test it thoroughly.

    What you would notice

    • Air con blows warm or only cools weakly
    • Cools at speed but not at idle
    • Hissing or oily residue near the AC hoses
    • Compressor doesn't click in

    Typically $200–$1,600 to put right.

  • Common issue

    Drive slowly over a rough patch and listen for knocks from the front.

    See why

    Front suspension knocks from worn links and bushes

    By this age the PB i20's front suspension — anti-roll bar drop links, lower arm bushes and top strut mounts — commonly develops knocks and clonks over bumps and a vague feel through corners. These are cheap, normal wear parts but a car with several worn at once rides poorly and may fail a warrant of fitness. It's a good bargaining point rather than a serious defect.

    What you would notice

    • Knock or clonk over bumps and speed bumps
    • Rattle from the front on rough roads
    • Vague or wandering steering
    • Uneven front tyre wear

    Typically $300–$900 to put right.

Hyundai i20 service schedule

The 2 engines a 2010 Hyundai i20 was sold with, each with its own intervals. Pick your engine above to narrow this to one. 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.

Hyundai i20 (First Generation) · 2008–2014 · 1.4L Gamma - Entry level trim

Petrol

Due by distance

  1. 100,000 km

    The accessory drive belts and spark plugs are due for their second inspection or replacement here.

  2. 150,000 km

    Look closely at the suspension bushings, and consider a cooling system refresh: coolant flush and thermostat check.

  3. 200,000 km

    A professional health check on the alternator and starter motor supports continued reliability.

Hyundai i20 (First Generation) · 2008–2014 · 1.6L Gamma - Elite/Premium trim

Petrol

Due by distance

  1. 100,000 km

    Full fluid flush, transmission and brake fluid included, to maintain longevity.

  2. 150,000 km

    Review suspension components such as struts and bushings, which often show normal wear at this stage.

  3. 200,000 km

    Evaluate the cooling system components, radiator hoses and water pump health specifically.

See all 3 issues for this oneDocumented for the exact year and engine you picked.
Electrical1

01Weak or failing air conditioning (compressor and hose leaks)

Run the AC on max on the test drive and confirm it gets genuinely cold and stays cold at idle.2010–2015ElectricalRead the full fault: symptoms, where to look, what to ask the seller
Body, brakes, suspension & interior1

02Front suspension knocks from worn links and bushes

Drive slowly over a rough patch and listen for knocks from the front.2010–2015Suspension
CommonSuspension $300–$900 to fix

By this age the PB i20's front suspension — anti-roll bar drop links, lower arm bushes and top strut mounts — commonly develops knocks and clonks over bumps and a vague feel through corners. These are cheap, normal wear parts but a car with several worn at once rides poorly and may fail a warrant of fitness. It's a good bargaining point rather than a serious defect.

Symptoms to notice

  • Knock or clonk over bumps and speed bumps
  • Rattle from the front on rough roads
  • Vague or wandering steering
  • Uneven front tyre wear

What to check

  1. Drive slowly over a rough patch and listen for knocks from the front.
  2. Push down hard on each front corner and feel for looseness.
  3. Check front tyres for uneven wear.
  4. A recent WOF with no advisories is reassuring.

Where to look: Front struts, anti-roll bar links and lower arm bushes

Parts involved: Shock absorber / strut, Ball joint.

Ask the seller

  • “Any knocks or rattles over bumps?”
  • “When did it last pass a WOF, and were there advisories?”
  • “Have suspension parts been replaced recently?”
Depends on the exact engine — 1 moreDocumented for a specific engine we could not confirm from what you picked. Check the engine code on the car.
Engine, transmission & cooling1

01Rapid manual clutch wear

On a manual, in a high gear at low revs, accelerate firmly and check the revs don't flare without the car speeding up (a slip test).2010–2015Transmission
OccasionalTransmission $800–$1,600 to fix

Can't confirm for this car

Manual PB i20s are reported to wear their clutches unusually quickly, with some owners needing replacements at surprisingly low mileage, particularly cars used a lot in stop-start city traffic. A slipping or heavy clutch is a clear sign the wear item is due. It's a normal repair rather than a design catastrophe, but factor a clutch job into an older, city-driven manual example.

Symptoms to notice

  • Revs rise without matching acceleration (slipping)
  • High or vague biting point
  • Burning smell in traffic
  • Juddery take-up

What to check

  1. On a manual, in a high gear at low revs, accelerate firmly and check the revs don't flare without the car speeding up (a slip test).
  2. Feel where the clutch bites — very high is a warning.
  3. Ask when the clutch was last replaced.

Where to look: Clutch between engine and gearbox (manual only)

Parts involved: Clutch.

Ask the seller

  • “When was the clutch last replaced?”
  • “Does it slip or have a high biting point?”
  • “Has it mostly done city driving?”
Other Hyundai i20 engines and years6 documented issues that do not apply to the one you picked.
Engine, transmission & cooling5

01D7GF1 DCT Clutch Pack Judder on Hill Starts

Conduct a cold-start hill-start test on a gradient of at least 8 degrees — note any shudder or vibration.petrol2020 onwardTransmissionRead the full fault: symptoms, where to look, what to ask the seller

027-Speed DCT Dry Clutch Judder at Low Speed

Test drive focused on slow-speed manoeuvring and multiple stop-start sequences.petrol2014 onwardTransmissionRead the full fault: symptoms, where to look, what to ask the seller

03G3LC 1.0T Kappa Timing Chain Cold-Start Rattle

Cold-start observation at the front of the engine bay.petrol2014 onwardEngine
CommonEngine $900–$2,300 to fix

Does not apply

The GB and BC-generation i20 with the G3LC 1.0T three-cylinder engine shares the documented timing chain and tensioner wear pattern with Kia Rio YB, Kia Stonic, and Kia Picanto. Cold-start rattle from chain slack before oil pressure builds is the primary presentation. Hyundai has updated the tensioner part number in later production runs to address the design limitation. Higher-mileage examples with irregular oil service history show the fastest chain degradation. Failure to address chain stretch can result in timing errors and valve damage.

The front of a dual overhead camshaft engine with the timing cover removed, exposing the timing chain and sprockets.Example of the part — not this vehicle

The front of a twin-cam engine with the timing cover off — chain, sprockets and guides.

Logansenf · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Symptoms to notice

  • Cold-start metallic rattle from front of engine, usually clearing within seconds when warm
  • Rattle persisting after warm-up in advanced cases
  • P0016 or P0017 OBD fault codes
  • Rough idle or hesitation at cold startup

What to check

Cold-start observation at the front of the engine bay. OBD2 scan for timing codes. Service record review for oil change frequency and specification. Oil cap sludge check.

Where to look: Engine timing chain, front of engine under timing cover

Parts involved: Timing chain.

Ask the seller

  • “Has the car always been serviced on time with the correct specification oil?”
  • “Any cold-start rattle or engine noises noted by previous owner or a mechanic?”
  • “Has the check engine light appeared with timing-related codes?”

04Premature clutch wear and judder on manual cars (GB i20)

petrol2015–2020Transmission
CommonTransmission $900–$1,900 to fix

Does not apply

Manual GB-generation i20s have a documented pattern of clutches failing far earlier than normal — forum-documented cases from as low as 5,000-25,000 km — with judder on take-off, a very low biting point and eventual slip. A recognised root cause is oil contamination: a weeping crankshaft or gearbox input-shaft seal lets oil onto the friction surface, so a new clutch fails again unless the seal is fixed at the same time. UK guides list clutch wear among the most common i20 faults across this era. On a cheap car the job is a meaningful fraction of the car's value, so the clutch check is the single most important test-drive item on a manual i20.

Symptoms to notice

  • Judder pulling away, especially uphill or in reverse
  • Clutch biting very low or very high in the pedal travel
  • Revs rising without matching speed under hard acceleration
  • Burning smell after hill starts

What to check

On the test drive, make several take-offs including a hill start and reversing up a slope — judder or shaking through the car as the clutch engages is the key symptom. Note where the pedal bites: right at the bottom or the very top of travel are both warning signs. In third gear at low speed, accelerate hard and watch whether revs climb faster than the car accelerates (slip). Crouch and look with a phone torch at the joint between engine and gearbox for oil weep, since a leaking seal is the documented cause of repeat failures. Ask how many clutches the car has had and at what kilometres. If a workshop inspection is possible: remove the bellhousing inspection cover to check for oil contamination and clutch dust, and identify whether the crank or input-shaft seal is weeping.

Where to look: Clutch inside the bellhousing between engine and gearbox; oil weep shows at the lower engine-gearbox join

Parts involved: Clutch.

Ask the seller

  • “Has the clutch ever been replaced, at what mileage, and was the oil seal replaced with it?”
  • “Does it judder pulling away or on hill starts?”
  • “Was any clutch work done under warranty or goodwill?”

05i20 N 1.6T carbon build-up and hard-driven wear

Ask if the car has been tracked and how it's warmed up and cooled down.petrol2021 onwardEngine
OccasionalEngine $400–$1,600 to fix

Does not apply

The current i20 sold here is the i20 N hot hatch with a 1.6 turbo GDI engine. As a direct-injection performance car it will collect carbon on the intake valves over time (a rough idle / misfire risk on GDI engines) and, because these are bought to be driven hard, clutches, brakes and tyres wear faster than on an ordinary hatch. It's a rare, new, low-volume model here so long-term fault data is thin — buy on service history and evidence of gentle warm-ups and cool-downs.

Symptoms to notice

  • Rough idle or occasional misfire (carbon)
  • Worn clutch on a manual
  • Heat-cracked or worn brakes and tyres
  • Track-day wear on the tyres' edges

What to check

  1. Ask if the car has been tracked and how it's warmed up and cooled down.
  2. Check clutch bite, brake and tyre condition.
  3. Look for a full service history and any oil-consumption notes.
  4. Listen for a rough idle when warm.

Where to look: 1.6 turbo GDI engine intake valves; clutch, brakes and tyres

Parts involved: Clutch, Turbocharger.

Ask the seller

  • “Has this car ever been tracked or launched repeatedly?”
  • “How are the clutch, brakes and tyres?”
  • “Is there a full service history?”
Electrical1

01Air Conditioning Compressor Electromagnetic Clutch Failure

With engine running, switch the A/C on and observe the compressor clutch disc — it should engage cleanly and silently.petrol2014 onwardElectrical
OccasionalElectrical $700–$2,000 to fix

Does not apply

The i20 GB and BC generations are prone to early air conditioning compressor electromagnetic clutch failure. The clutch disc and bearing assembly fail, causing the compressor to either engage constantly or disengage entirely with loss of cabin cooling. The failure often presents as a squealing or grinding noise from the A/C compressor pulley and sudden loss of cooling. In severe cases the bearing seizes and throws the accessory belt. NZ and AU market vehicles are particularly affected due to summer heat loading on the A/C system.

Symptoms to notice

  • Squealing or grinding noise from the front of the engine when A/C is switched on
  • A/C system suddenly stops cooling
  • Burning smell from the engine bay with A/C engaged
  • A/C clutch cycling on and off rapidly
  • Shredded or thrown accessory belt in severe bearing-seizure cases

What to check

  1. With engine running, switch the A/C on and observe the compressor clutch disc — it should engage cleanly and silently.
  2. Listen for bearing noise from the compressor pulley with A/C off (bearing noise persists; clutch noise only appears when engaged).
  3. Inspect the compressor face and belt for oil contamination or belt debris.

Where to look: A/C compressor, front of engine, driven by the accessory belt

Parts involved: Clutch.

Ask the seller

  • “Does the A/C cool effectively?”
  • “Any squealing or grinding when the A/C is switched on?”
  • “Has the A/C compressor or clutch ever been replaced or serviced?”

Hyundai i20 faults in detail

Narrowed to the Hyundai i20 · 2010. Each of these has its own page: the symptoms, where to look, what to ask the seller and what the repair costs. Free, no account needed.

Weak or failing air conditioning (compressor and hose leaks)Major · Electrical

What these repairs cost on other cars

Some of the Hyundai i20’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

Other Hyundai models

Hyundai Tucson42 documented faultsHyundai ix3541 documented faultsHyundai Elantra30 documented faultsHyundai Ioniq9 documented faultsHyundai Click8 documented faultsHyundai Staria Load7 documented faults

Hyundai i20 buyer questions

Is the Hyundai i20 reliable?

Like any used car, it depends on the specific example and its service history. Across the 9 documented faults for the Hyundai i20, the recurring problem areas are transmission, engine, and electrical. A Hyundai i20 with a full service history and no signs of the issues listed on this page can be a sound buy but each one needs to be checked individually before you commit.

What are the most common problems with a used Hyundai i20?

We've catalogued 9 known faults for the Hyundai i20, covering transmission, engine, and electrical. All 9 are written out in full on this page, with the symptoms to notice, what to inspect, and typical repair costs for each. Free to read, no account needed.

How much do repairs cost on a Hyundai i20?

Most single repairs on the Hyundai i20 fall between $700–$1,900 at NZ independent-workshop rates. Some of the 9 documented faults cost less and a few cost considerably more, and no one car needs them all. Knowing which ones to look for before you view is what lets you negotiate the price down or walk away.

Should I get a pre-purchase inspection on a Hyundai i20?

Yes. A Hyundai i20 inspection focused on its known weak points is the single best way to avoid an expensive mistake. KickTyres gives you a guided, model-specific inspection plus a market valuation and negotiation figure for $24.90 far less than the cost of missing one of the faults on this page.