Owners have filed 41 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the seat belts, transmission, and steering. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2020Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2020 Hyundai Venue: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/1
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/5
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2020's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2020 checks
Worth adding to your 2020 checks
Worth adding to your 2020 checks
NHTSA complaints for the 2020 Hyundai Venue, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Most complaints are about a seat belt recall repair that dealers cannot perform. Owners say they got the recall notice, but the dealer reports the remedy part is not available, sometimes for longer than owners think is reasonable. Most say they never had a failure. Other reports describe false seat belt warnings that sound even when the belt is fastened or when an object sits on the passenger seat. Short drivers say the belt rubs across the neck, and the rear seat is tight for several child seats.
Acceleration fades or stops while the car is moving. The tachometer swings up and down, the car lurches, and power drops, often at highway speed. Other times the car hesitates or won't move after a stop, then revs hard and hops forward. Warning lights usually stay off, though the check engine light comes on in some cases. Dealers and independent shops often trace it to the transmission. One car got a new transmission, and another failed again after a bulletin repair. Losing power in traffic is a real crash risk.
The wheel jerks suddenly, which owners blame on lane keep assist. In one crash with an injury, the car steered left into oncoming traffic at 40 mph on a curve, overpowering the driver. Another report describes the wheel wandering back and forth as if in a rut, then snapping toward the next lane hard enough to throw the driver's head into the window. A separate complaint describes the steering wheel horn failing again a few months after a part was replaced.
The headlights are too dim to light the road well at night. One car went back to the dealer twice, and adjusting the lights did not fix it. The low lamp placement makes other drivers think the lights are off, and they flash their high beams. Owners also note the car has no front dome light, so the cabin is dark on entry. A few complaints filed here are about lane departure assist pulling toward medians at intersections and forward collision assist failing to react.
Fire is the most serious report. In one 25 mph collision, a fire started near the front passenger floorboard right after impact, and the owner suspects airbag wiring. That crash also brought no collision warning and no automatic braking. Battery trouble shows up too. One original battery was replaced at 66,326 miles, and the new one was failing by about 122,000 miles and needed a jump after every stop. Replacement batteries are hard to find. False passenger seat belt chimes also appear.
The ABS activates on its own at highway speed. The car then stalls with several warning lights on, and it happens again after a restart. In one case this happened at about 52,000 miles, and the dealer did not diagnose or repair it. A separate design complaint says the accelerator sits about two inches lower than the brake pedal. Moving from gas to brake, the foot slides under the brake pedal and gets trapped, which delays braking.
Power drops off after long stretches of highway driving at about 70 mph. The tachometer swings wildly, the car lurches, and revs can spike to 7,000 with no input from the driver. The car then won't accelerate even with the pedal floored, and at a stop it can feel like it has shut down and won't move. Warning lights stay off. Losing power in fast traffic is a crash risk.
Excerpts from complaints Venue owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
My vehicle started to hesitate as I merged or turned. Then my car completely stopped but it was still cranked. The dealership stated it was transmission issues but no warning lights came on.
Filed with NHTSA, January 2023
The horn on my steering wheel has stopped working for the second time even after malfunctioning and broken part was replaced a few months ago. I noticed now that I once again have no horn sound when pressing on the steering wheel. The car is up for inspection in July and I have to take it back to the dealership once again to diagnosis this problem.
Filed with NHTSA, June 2021
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2020 has the most owner complaints of the 7 Venue years we cover, about 2.5 times the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2020 is the first model year of the Venue's first generation (2020–2023). First years of a redesign often carry teething problems that Hyundai fixes in later years, so the checks above matter more than usual.
Should you avoid the first year of a redesign? See the 45-car study.
Recall repairs are free at any Hyundai dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Venue vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
Risk: An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
Fix: Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioners with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 231. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall number 21V-796 for Venue vehicles. Venue vehicles previously repaired under 21V-796 will need to have the new remedy completed.
Cars shoppers compare with the Hyundai Venue, with their own 2020 checklists.
2020 owner complaints, side by side
