Used buying checklist

Hyundai I40 reliability, common problems and used buying checks

A used Hyundai I40 looks about average for reliability in UK MOT data: 18.6% of 27,149 tests failed, compared with 18.7% across all indexed models. A good example should have a clean MOT history for corrosion and structure, suspension and steering, and lights and electrical.

Sources used: DVSA MOT tests (Apr 2026); vehicle recalls (Apr 2026); MOT fault wording (May 2025). MOT data does not capture every reliability issue, especially intermittent engine, gearbox or infotainment faults that do not appear during the test.

• 18.6% MOT failure rate
• Median tested mileage 85,822 miles
• 5,057 failed MOT tests analysed

Most useful finding

Corrosion and structure is the clearest area to check

Corrosion and structure is the clearest named problem area in this model's MOT history (15.8 MOT notes per 100 tests). Example MOT phrases from this area include excessively corroded, corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened, and ferrule excessively corroded.

Example MOT phrases to search in the car's history:

• excessively corroded
• corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened
• ferrule excessively corroded
• corroded and seriously weakened
• ball joint has excessive play
• Play in steering rack inner joint(s)
• across an axle
• has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering box fitted)
• lens defective which has no effect on emitted light
• inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps

Before you view one

Focus on corrosion and structure, suspension and steering, and lights and electrical

The model's recorded failure rate is 18.6%, -0.1 percentage points compared with the average across all models. Use the seller questions below to check whether repeat MOT notes have actually been repaired.

• MOT tests analysed27,149 tests
• Median tested mileage85,822 miles
• Failed MOT tests5,057

Used buyer verdict

Should you buy a used Hyundai I40?

81.4% of the MOT tests we analysed for this model passed. The model's recorded failure rate is 18.6%, -0.1 percentage points compared with the average across all models. This is a buying brief for the exact car in front of you: clean repeat history matters more than badge reputation.

About average in our MOT data

Green light if The car has a tidy MOT pattern, recent repairs for corrosion and structure, suspension and steering, and lights and electrical, matching tyres, and paperwork for service or recall work.

Renegotiate if The latest MOT mentions corrosion and structure, suspension and steering, and lights and electrical, consumables are due together, or the seller cannot show what was fixed after advisories.

Walk away if Dangerous defects, corrosion near structural areas, warning lights, or the same component family keep returning without clear repair evidence.

• Repeat unresolved MOT notes for corrosion and structure, suspension and steering, and lights and electrical
• corrosion and structure appearing across more than one MOT
• Any dangerous MOT failure on the exact car, especially if the same area appears again later
• No paperwork showing applicable recall work has been completed
• A seller who cannot explain MOT wording such as "excessively corroded"

What should I check first?

Start with corrosion and structure, suspension and steering, lights and electrical, and windscreen, wipers, and mirrors. The checklist on this page explains why each area is being recommended, what to inspect, and what to ask the seller. Each item shows whether it comes from MOT results, recall notices, or a standard used-car check.

• Corrosion and structure Seen in MOT results

  Corrosion and structure is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (15.8 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Inspect sills, subframes, mounting points, arches, and underside corrosion advisories.

  • Ask the seller: Has any sill, subframe, mounting-point, chassis, or structural corrosion advisory been repaired properly?
  • Example MOT wording: excessively corroded; corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened; ferrule excessively corroded
  • Where it shows up: most visible around 0-50k, 50-100k, 100-150k, and 150-200k miles
• Suspension and steering Seen in MOT results

  Suspension and steering is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (15.8 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Listen for knocks, check uneven tyre wear, and inspect steering play.

  • Ask the seller: Has any suspension, steering, ball-joint, spring, or wheel-bearing advisory been repaired?
  • Example MOT wording: ball joint has excessive play; Play in steering rack inner joint(s); across an axle
  • Where it shows up: seen across most mileage ranges
• Lights and electrical Seen in MOT results

  Lights and electrical is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (8.0 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Check every lamp, warning light, horn, battery condition, and dashboard messages.

  • Ask the seller: Have any lighting, warning-light, horn, battery, or electrical MOT notes come back more than once?
  • Example MOT wording: lens defective which has no effect on emitted light; inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps; with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning
  • Where it shows up: seen across most mileage ranges
• Windscreen, wipers, and mirrors Seen in MOT results

  Windscreen, wipers, and mirrors is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (5.8 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Check windscreen damage, wiper operation, washers, mirrors, and demisting.

  • Ask the seller: Have windscreen, wiper, washer, mirror, or demisting faults appeared in recent MOT history?
  • Example MOT wording: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view; Items removed from drivers view prior to test; provides insufficient washer liquid
  • Where it shows up: most visible around 0-50k, 50-100k, and 200k+ miles
• Emissions, engine, and exhaust Seen in MOT results

  Emissions, engine, and exhaust is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (4.2 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Check warning lights, smoke, exhaust leaks, recent emissions failures, and service history.

  • Ask the seller: Has the car had repeat emissions, smoke, exhaust, lambda, or engine-warning MOT failures?
  • Example MOT wording: leaking excessively from engine; emits excessive dense blue smoke during acceleration; has a major leak of exhaust gases
  • Where it shows up: most visible around 100-150k, 150-200k, and 200k+ miles
• Tyres and wheels Seen in MOT results

  Tyres and wheels is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (1.8 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Check tyre age, tread depth, sidewall damage, wheel condition, and alignment wear.

  • Ask the seller: Have uneven tyre wear, damaged tyres, wheel damage, or alignment issues been corrected?
  • Example MOT wording: Nail in tyre; primary retaining device excessively deteriorated; on a single line braking system has no recorded effort at a wheel

What changes with mileage?

Past 100k miles on the Hyundai I40, MOT records most often point to suspension and steering, corrosion and structure, and lights and electrical.

Common MOT problem areas

27,149 MOT tests analysed for this model

20,999 Distinct vehicles represented

18.6% Recorded MOT test failure rate — -0.1 percentage points vs all models

Common faults: what usually fails on this model?

Corrosion and structure is the clearest named problem area in the MOT history (15.8 MOT notes per 100 tests). These counts are issue notes, not failure rates, because a single MOT can list several faults.

Corrosion and structure

• excessively corroded
• corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened

15.8 MOT notes per 100 tests

Suspension and steering

• ball joint has excessive play
• Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

15.8 MOT notes per 100 tests

Lights and electrical

• lens defective which has no effect on emitted light
• inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps

8.0 MOT notes per 100 tests

Windscreen, wipers, and mirrors

• damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view
• Items removed from drivers view prior to test

5.8 MOT notes per 100 tests

Emissions, engine, and exhaust

• leaking excessively from engine
• emits excessive dense blue smoke during acceleration

4.2 MOT notes per 100 tests

Tyres and wheels

• Nail in tyre
• primary retaining device excessively deteriorated

1.8 MOT notes per 100 tests

Brakes

• remains on when the brakes are released
• defective but brake still operating

0.0 MOT notes per 100 tests

Recall-related areas to verify

Official recall areas

Manufacturer recall notices for the Hyundai I40 mainly involve 2 areas: mixed recall notices and lights and electrical. Treat each as something to verify on the specific car you are viewing; the recall table below shows the official notice text.

Mixed recall notices

• It may be possible to start the vehicle without depresssing the clutch pedal.

1 recall · 502 vehicles

Lights and electrical

• A potential safety defect has been identified which could occur within the ABS control unit. The ABS control unit within the affected VIN range could experience an electrical short circuit.

1 recall · 17,893 vehicles

Mileage and age checks

Mileage changes: what starts showing up after high mileage?

Past 100k miles on the Hyundai I40, MOT records most often point to suspension and steering, corrosion and structure, and lights and electrical. On lower-mileage cars, the most common named areas are corrosion and structure, windscreen, wipers, and mirrors, and suspension and steering.

Mileage range	Tests	Vehicles	Failure rate (vs all models)	Median mileage
0-50k	3,477	2,953	12.2%+1.4 percentage points vs all models	39,887 miles
50-100k	13,928	10,949	18.3%-2.4 percentage points vs all models	75,568 miles
100-150k	7,406	5,527	21.6%-4.6 percentage points vs all models	117,985 miles
150-200k	1,828	1,356	22.4%-4.8 percentage points vs all models	165,013 miles
200k+	387	291	19.6%-6.9 percentage points vs all models	219,809 miles

Problem areas by mileage

Past 100k miles on the Hyundai I40, MOT records most often point to suspension and steering, corrosion and structure, and lights and electrical.

Mileage range	Car areas most often recorded	Specific MOT defect examples
0-50k	Corrosion and structure (6.1 MOT notes per 100 tests) Windscreen, wipers, and mirrors (4.2 MOT notes per 100 tests) Suspension and steering (4.1 MOT notes per 100 tests)	No exact MOT wording is available for this mileage range.
50-100k	Corrosion and structure (15.3 MOT notes per 100 tests) Suspension and steering (12.9 MOT notes per 100 tests) Lights and electrical (6.2 MOT notes per 100 tests)	No exact MOT wording is available for this mileage range.
100-150k	Suspension and steering (22.4 MOT notes per 100 tests) Corrosion and structure (20.6 MOT notes per 100 tests) Lights and electrical (12.1 MOT notes per 100 tests)	No exact MOT wording is available for this mileage range.
150-200k	Suspension and steering (29.8 MOT notes per 100 tests) Corrosion and structure (21.2 MOT notes per 100 tests) Lights and electrical (13.9 MOT notes per 100 tests)	No exact MOT wording is available for this mileage range.
200k+	Suspension and steering (33.3 MOT notes per 100 tests) Lights and electrical (17.8 MOT notes per 100 tests) Emissions, engine, and exhaust (14.2 MOT notes per 100 tests)	No exact MOT wording is available for this mileage range.

Fair comparisons: is this problem normal for its age?

The MOT failure rate rises from 12.2% at 3-6 years to 24.4% at 10-15 years. Compare the car with the nearest age range before treating a fault as normal wear or a warning sign. The average MOT failure rate across all models in the same dataset is 18.7%. The highest failure rate by age is 24.4% for 10-15 years cars, based on 6,948 tests.

Age range	Tests	Vehicles	Failure rate (vs all models)	Median age
3-6 years 2020–2023 reg.	3,664	3,056	12.2%+1.6 percentage points vs all models	5.4 years
6-10 years 2016–2020 reg.	16,537	12,992	17.6%+1.0 percentage points vs all models	8.0 years
10-15 years 2011–2016 reg.	6,948	5,149	24.4%+0.8 percentage points vs all models	10.9 years

Recall records and data freshness

Recall context: are there safety notices to know about?

2 relevant recall notices appear for this model. Treat them as safety checks to verify for the exact car, not as normal MOT wear.

2024-09-09

A potential safety defect has been identified which could occur within the ABS control unit. The ABS control unit within the affected VIN range could experience an electrical short circuit. On affected vehicles the HECU (Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit) for the ABS could experience an electrical short circuit with a potential that the malfunction indicator light may become illuminated (MIL and /or ABS light) and a burning smell may emanate from the engine compartment and the HECU components. The affected vehicles will have a low-capacity fuse installed within the engine compartment junction box

2018-01-29

IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO START THE VEHICLE WITHOUT DEPRESSSING THE CLUTCH PEDAL. The clutch pedal inhibitor may fail and it will then be possible to start the vehicle in gear without pressing the clutch pedal down. On affected vehicles fit a modified clutch inhibitor switch to prevent this.

Related searches

Common ways people look up the Hyundai I40. Each link runs the search and lands on the relevant section of this report.

• Hyundai I40 common problems
• Hyundai I40 reliability
• Hyundai I40 after 100k miles
• Hyundai I40 after 200k miles
• Hyundai I40 high mileage common problems
• Hyundai I40 age related problems
• Hyundai I40 MOT failures
• Hyundai I40 recalls

Related reliability guides

Sources used: DVSA MOT tests (Apr 2026); vehicle recalls (Apr 2026); MOT fault wording (May 2025). These are patterns from many MOT tests and recall notices. They help you decide what to inspect and what to ask; they do not certify the condition of one specific car.