Hyundai owners might want to check their oil after this viral mechanic video

Hyundai is one of the most popular vehicles in the US. Every year, the company breaks sales records, and in 2025 it almost crossed the 1 million sales threshold. But as much as people love the car, it’s become increasingly clear that many don’t understand proper car maintenance. Luckily, a mechanic on TikTok explained exactly how poor oil care, in particular, is making the car a nightmare for drivers.

The mechanic goes by Sparks Car Care (@sparkscarcare) on TikTok, and many commenters in his comment section were commending him for “restoring faith” in his trade, especially amid recent reports about mechanics either leaving the profession or, in some cases, being fraudulent. But really, what the mechanic was saying should be common knowledge — even for non-Hyundai drivers.

In the video, which has now garnered about 2.1 million views, the mechanic gives a step-by-step recounting of how he brought an out-of-warranty Hyundai back on the road. He explains that he has noticed a recent trend of people coming into his workshop with Hyundais and Kias that are improperly maintained.

The mechanic first walks up to the Hyundai, checks the oil, and finds almost nothing on the dipstick. He then explains that he will try to fix the car in the cheapest way possible. From there, he goes on to switch the oil pan and a couple of other necessary components in the car. The only other issue he identified as urgent was cracking in the belt.

More broadly, however, the mechanic wanted drivers to understand that sometimes what stops them from having a car they can fully rely on is simply not checking oil consumption. It sounds obvious — and it is — but if a mechanic is saying this is how the vast majority of customers treat their cars, then it’s at least worth a reminder. It’s also important to check whether your oil is right for the specific car you drive.

The comment section was lively, as usual. Some commenters shed light on Hyundai’s reliability record, with one writing, “I’ve replaced 3 Hyundai motors and all 3 times the motor getting replaced wasn’t the original motor — it had been replaced once before.” Another user complimented how easy the mechanic made the instructions sound, saying, “That’s the way a journeyman should teach an apprentice — not like I was, I just got thrown into jobs I didn’t know how to do and had to figure it out.” Another lamented having to deal with these types of problems, writing, “So sad how they all have the same problems… my friend had a 2.0 Turbo and she needed a new motor at 1,200 and then around 20k the turbo blew… then boom transmission went out.”

There are no silver bullets when it comes to making sure your car is always in top condition. These are machines, after all, and they can never be at 100% reliability — and these days, that applies across every price point. But it does help to stay on top of the small things, like oil changes. Prevention is better than cure.