AI Damage2016 Hyundai Equus: common problems
Owners of the 2016 Hyundai Equus filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about exterior lighting and wheels. The maker issued 39 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 9
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 39
What fails most often
- 1 Exterior lighting 22% of all complaints
- 2 Wheels 22% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 22% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 5 Tires 11% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 7 Suspension 11% of all complaints
- Exterior lighting: 2 complaints (22% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Wheels: 2 complaints (22% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Engine: 2 complaints (22% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (11% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
- Tires: 1 complaints (11% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 5 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- automatic, 8-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 9 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Powertrain | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Structure | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Seat belts | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Air bags | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Visibility | 0 | 0 | 2 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the headlights and both turn signals became inoperable and failed to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that the failure could not be duplicated.
Suspension air Block and airbags failing, even after being replaced by dealership 2 months ago. Most recently happened on the interstate at 70 mph. Fixed by dealership only to happen again!! Known problem by Hyundai dealership yet keep replacing with same defective part number.
The first is the headlights, when set to the auto position, they will often turn off and on while driving at night. Service says that they were unable to duplicate the problem, but it keeps happening.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 hyundai equus. The contact stated that the powder coating from each wheel detached and lodged between the brake pads and rotors causing the braking system to malfunction and the braking distance to be extended. The failure occurred to all four wheels.
No power brakes and no steering and steering locked up for about a second or two. During the time it was off the vehicle jerked hard like if the tires had locked up.
Vehicle produces excessive exhaust soot at all times. The soot adheres to the rear tail pipe, rear bumper, and trunk lid causing staining that leads to pitting of chrome pieces. The soot is difficult to remove after a few days and requires constant cleaning.
2016 hyundai equus with continental contiprocontact p245 / 45r / 19 98v tires; dot af7vp1h6 (0615); while driving my daughter and grandchild to the airport on the florida turnpike the steering wheel began to vibrate. Upon returning home, called car dealer and scheduled a service appointment the next day.
I was driving on a two lane rod in laurel, maryland. My car hit a pothole and I got out to look and discover that I had two flat tires on the passenger side. The roadside assistant showed me that the front rim was split and the back tire had a hole on the side.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,524 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 27% least complained about).
On average one model year of the Equus has 5 complaints (2 years in the data). This year has 9, above average.
What to check before buying
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil…
Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin provides the inspection and repair procedures for vehicles exhibiting this condition…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety…
- This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the…
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of…
- This TSB provides a procedure to diagnose and replace, if necessary, an automatic transmission with…
This TSB provides a procedure to diagnose and replace, if necessary, an automatic transmission with Incorrect Ratio DTC (transmission clutch slip in gear above limit) listed on Page 2.
- This bulletin contains information about the proper removal of the windshield wiper blade protective cover…
This bulletin contains information about the proper removal of the windshield wiper blade protective cover on all models. If the protective cover is not removed correctly, there is a possibility of the rubber insert…
- This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services
- Hyundai applies a Paint Protection Film (PPF) on new vehicles before delivery to dealerships
It provides a barrier between the paint and contaminants, such as rail dust, acid rain, and industrial fallout. In rare cases, the paint can become clouded under the PPF. These spots are the result of moisture trapped…
- In certain areas, a vehicleâs underbody may exhibit corrosion due to road-salt usage
As a preventative measure, a cavity wax coating is applied to the internal surfaces of underbody components and an undercoating spray is applied to exterior surfaces of specified underbody components. The service…
- In some areas, a vehicleâs underbody may exhibit corrosion due to road salt usage
As a preventative measure, cavity wax coating is applied to the internal surfaces of underbody components, and an undercoating spray is applied to the bottom exterior surfaces of specified underbody components. This…
- Effective June 2, 2008, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 110 (FMVSS 110) established a threshold for…
Effective June 2, 2008, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 110 (FMVSS 110) established a threshold for correcting load carrying capacity information indicated on tire placards when vehicle weight has been increased…
- Follow the guidelines outlined in this bulletin to inspect and clean or replace certain components of the…
Follow the guidelines outlined in this bulletin to inspect and clean or replace certain components of the engine intake system accordingly during engine short block or sub-assembly replacement.
NHTSA lists 39 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Hyundai Equus?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: exterior lighting, wheels, engine. Total complaints: 9. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (22%), jerking, harsh shifts (11%), steering or power steering problems (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2016 Hyundai Equus?
NHTSA lists 39 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2016 Hyundai Equus from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2016 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.