ATLANTA — Hyundai owners whose vehicles are suffering from peeling and flaking paint continue to contact Channel 2 Action News, saying the automaker is refusing to cover repairs even though their cars show the same problems as vehicles included in Hyundai’s extended paint warranty program.
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Channel 2 Action News Investigates first reported on complaints about peeling paint on Hyundai vehicles in December 2024. Last year, Hyundai agreed to extend warranty coverage for thousands of vehicles with certain paint issues.
But the warranty extension applies only to specific vehicles and paint colors, leaving some owners responsible for costly repairs.
Pamela Carlton’s blue 2019 Hyundai Elantra has paint peeling off in multiple places.
“As the paint keeps flaking off and you get the rust, the rust is going to start eating at the car. So it’s just taking away the car’s value,” Carlton said.
The damage resembles what Channel 2 documented on Carrie Francom’s 2019 Hyundai Sonata when the station first investigated the issue nearly two years ago.
“When it rains, it will just start coming off right here,” Francom said in 2024.
At the time, Hyundai told Francom in a letter that it did not believe the paint failed because of a defect.
However, in July 2025, Hyundai announced an extended paint warranty covering a variety of Hyundai vehicle models and model years to address peeling paint issues.
The warranty extension applies to certain vehicles with white paint.
Carlton said Hyundai informed her that her blue Elantra is not covered.
Other Hyundai owners have shared similar complaints online.
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In a Hyundai paint peeling Facebook group, one owner posted photos of peeling blue paint and wrote, “Issue is only with white cars eh Hyundai. What bs.”
Another owner shared photos of a 2021 red Hyundai Kona and wrote, “I went through an automatic car wash and lost the upper right piece of paint.”
In a statement to Channel 2 Action News, Hyundai said:
“While the warranty extension applies to specific vehicles identified through Hyundai’s review, any customer with questions or concerns about their vehicle’s paint condition is encouraged to contact their local Hyundai dealer or Hyundai Customer Care ... for assistance and appropriate review of their situation.”
Carlton said she does not understand why Hyundai will not cover repairs on vehicles showing similar paint failures simply because they are a different color.
“We just don’t understand why Hyundai is not willing to make it right when it’s clearly a pattern across all the different colors,” Carlton said.
Hyundai says owners can check whether their vehicle qualifies for the extended warranty by entering their vehicle identification number on the company’s paint warranty extension website.
The automaker also says owners experiencing paint problems should have their vehicle inspected by a Hyundai dealer even if it is not included in the warranty extension.
Carlton said she did that, but Hyundai still declined to cover the cost of repainting her vehicle.
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