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Mom Gets Oil Change For Teen’s 2017 Hyundai Elantra. Then It Burns Through the Oil In Less Than 2 Months

"First mistake was buying a Hyundai."

Mom Gets Oil Change For Teen’s 2017 Hyundai

Photo by: YouTube

Steve Ecker

By: Steve Ecker

Oct 22, 2025 at 10:30am ET

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Buying a car for your child is an exciting time for everyone involved. Each party did hard work to make the dream a reality.

However, a mother says she's experiencing major issues with her recent surprise car purchase for her daughter.

In a TikTok that’s generated over 126,400 views as of this writing, Ebony Thomas (@ebonythomas640) calls out Hyundai for not offering more help with her daughter's car when the oil burned through in less than two months.

“Get In the Comments Now, Hyundai”

Back in July, Thomas surprised her daughter with a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. While this was a massive celebration for the family, she says not everything turned out well.

Two months later, Thomas provided an update on the car.

“Hyundai we deserve better! This shouldn’t be happening to loyal Hyundai owners. It’s frustrating, unsafe, and disappointing. I’m speaking up because silence won’t solve it,” Thomas captions the update.

Before gifting the car, Thomas had her mechanic complete regular maintenance and an inspection. The mechanic changed out the oil, filters, and gave his seal of approval.

However, only two months after receiving the car, the daughter purportedly informed her mother that her check engine light was on. Thomas said she took the car back to the mechanic to see what’s going on.

“My mechanic tells me what’s wrong with it. He tells me the car has no fricking oil in it,” Thomas reveals.

This left Thomas pondering how that's possible, given they only bought the car a few months prior.

“How does a car burn oil that rapidly?” she vents.

Thomas says her mechanic informed her about Hyundai’s past issues with oil consumption and its engines burning oil quickly.

An NBC affiliate in Los Angeles reported the same issue with a family buying a 2017 Hyundai. The car was only driven 2,000 miles when the check engine light came on, the outlet reported. The father reportedly checked the oil only to see no oil in the car.

Thomas says her mechanic confirmed the same thing happened when checking the oil.

“He showed me the dipstick, and it had no oil on the dipstick. It was dry,” she shares.

Thomas says she contacted Hyundai customer service and was informed that she would need to pay a $200 diagnostic fee to confirm the issue. Additionally, she claims Hyundai informed Thomas that if the car isn’t under warranty, she would need to pay out of pocket for repairs.

“If you do your research, you see this is a thing with Hyundai. Their engines burn excessive amounts of oil in these types of vehicles, and they do not want to fix the problem,” she says.

Thomas then calls out Hyundai, asking it to do something

“So, I’m blasting y’all on TikTok, Hyundai. Y’all in the comments for the viral video, but y’all don’t want to help,” she says.

On the viral surprise video, Hyundai commented, “Mom of the year!”

“I’m letting everybody know not to buy a Hyundai vehicle because y’all don’t want to do right by y’all consumers. We purchase these cars, and yes, everybody doesn’t have a bad experience, but this is a terrible experience. Y’all were all in the comments when the video went viral. Get in the comments now. Holler at me. Y’all need to get the [expletive] off the [expletive],” she concludes.

Gallery: 2017 Hyundai Elantra starts at $17,150, undercuts 2016MY by $100

2016 Hyundai Elantra US Spec

How Long Should Oil Changes Last?

According to AAA, oil changes should take place every 5,000–7,500 miles for most engines.

In the past, the general rule of thumb was to change the oil and filters every 3,000 miles. However, this is outdated, Kelley Blue Book reports. With advancements in oil blends and automotive technology, oil changes go much further nowadays.

What Recalls Has Hyundai Had?

“In close coordination with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Hyundai has conducted several recalls to address manufacturing issues that could lead to engine failure and in certain circumstances an engine fire,” per Hyundai.

Most of these recalls are related to issues with the engine catching fire. The following issues are potential signs of an impending engine fire:

A knocking sound from the engine
Reduced power
Hesitation or vibration
Check engine light or engine oil pressure lights appear

However, according to the Los Angeles NBC affiliate, there is no direct recall for the excessive oil consumption that could lead to engine failure.

Many frustrated Hyundai drivers who say they've experienced the same issue as Thomas have joined a Facebook group, shared their stories on Reddit, Bob Is The Oil Guy, and Tucson Forum. The Facebook group currently has over 5,000 members.

What do you think?

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Motor1 has contacted Thomas via Instagram direct message and TikTok direct message. It emailed Hyundai. This story will be updated if either party replies.

Update Oct. 23, 2025: In an email to Motor1, Hyundai stated, "We encourage any of your readers experiencing issues with their Hyundai to contact our Customer Service Center for support. (800) 633-5151, Mon–Fri: 6:00 AM – 5:00 PM PST, Sat: 6:30 AM – 3:00 PM PST. Customers can also visit: https://owners. hyundaiusa.com/us/en/contact- us.”

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