2020 Genesis G90 Problems: 13 Known Issues

On the 2017-2022 Genesis G90 3.3L Twin-Turbo V6 (Lambda II), on G90s equipped with the 3.3L twin-turbo V6, the original left-hand turbocharger oil feed pipe was made from a material that is susceptible to cracking after prolonged exposure to high engine-compartment temperatures. The pipe cracks and leaks pressurized engine oil directly onto the hot exhaust manifold, dramatically increasing the risk of an under-hood fire. This drove NHTSA Recall 24V191 (Hyundai/Genesis campaign 019G), which expanded and replaced earlier campaign 19V-538. Vehicles repaired under 19V-538 still need the new 019G remedy.

On the 2017-2020 Genesis G90 5.0L V8 (Tau), the 5.0L Tau V8 is gasoline-direct-injection only (no port injectors to wash the valves), so intake valves accumulate carbon deposits over time, which can cause rough idle, misfire and reduced performance at higher mileage. Some 2018+ owners also report elevated oil consumption (adding oil between changes), though rates are often within Genesis's acceptable spec.

On the 2017-2022 Genesis G90, the G90's power soft-close doors use a motorized cinching latch that pulls a door held at the first detent fully shut. On first-generation cars this system fails one door at a time: the cinch motor stops running, so the door sits visibly proud and the ajar warning stays lit until the door is slammed manually, or in the worse version the latch actuator sticks and the door will not open at all from inside or out. Owners on the Genesis forums report it appearing intermittently on a front passenger door, being fixed under warranty, then reappearing on a different door - which points to a component-level failure of the latch/actuator assembly rather than a one-off. A dead cinch motor is an annoyance, but a latch that will not release is a genuine egress problem for a rear passenger.

On the 2017-2022 Genesis G90, distinct from the panoramic sunroof rattle, first-generation G90 owners report a whistle or roar entering the cabin at the front driver's door - typically from the lower or forward edge of the door glass and the A-pillar area - that becomes obvious above roughly 60 mph. It is glaring on this car precisely because the rest of the cabin is so quiet. The causes documented by owners are the frameless-feel door glass sitting slightly proud in its run channel so it does not fully compress the seal at speed, and door weatherstrip and A-pillar molding that seals inconsistently from the factory. In one documented case a Genesis field representative measured the A-pillar as 10-20 decibels louder than the rest of the car and the company replaced every seal on the vehicle plus an exterior mirror.

On the 2017-2022 Genesis G90, owners of the power-operated trunk on the first-generation G90 report intermittent failures where the decklid will not fully close and latch when lowered, or will not release and rise when commanded (some report a stick roughly every few openings). The trunk uses a power latch (cinch) module and a power drive (raise/lower) module, either of which can fail or fall out of calibration. Owner and dealer reports indicate lid misalignment is a frequent root cause - striker, rubber stopper and trim adjustment often resolves it - and that replacing the drive unit alone does not always help. Low 12V battery voltage can also cause the symptom. This is a body/closure electromechanical issue distinct from the general parasitic battery-drain complaint.

On the 2017-2023 Genesis G90, owners across model years report the 12V battery going flat after the car sits a few days. A common documented culprit is the radio/head unit continuing to draw current after shutdown, along with other parasitic draws that exceed the normal <50 mA key-off current. Leaving the key fob near the car can compound it. Frequent deep discharges shorten battery life and can leave the car unable to start.

On the 2017-2020 Genesis G90, the DIS infotainment/navigation head unit intermittently freezes, becomes unresponsive, or displays a blank screen — including a 'Navigation Activation in Progress' message that leaves the map unavailable. It can also drop Bluetooth/connectivity. Distinct from the second-gen instrument-cluster software recall; this is the center-stack head unit on first-gen cars.

On the 2017-2020 Genesis G90, the wrapped leather dash top on first-generation G90s separates from its substrate and puckers into visible ripples and bubbles. The mechanism is adhesive failure: the leather is stretched over a foam-backed panel and glued, and repeated heat soak breaks down the adhesive until the stretched hide relaxes and lifts. Wrinkles concentrate where the panel has cutouts and edges that concentrate stress - around the head-up display window, over the center and A-pillar speaker grilles, and along the defroster vents. Owners in the community describe it as extremely common on 2017-2019 cars, particularly those parked outdoors in hot or high-UV climates, and note that cold snaps make the wrinkles suddenly obvious. It is cosmetic rather than safety-related, but on a car of this class it is expensive and it materially hits resale.

On the 2019-2024 Genesis G90, on rear-seat-package G90s - the Ultimate rear entertainment/executive rear seat configurations, and the second-generation 2023-plus cars - a rear screen and the rear seat adjustment controls on the same side can stop responding together. In a reported 2020 G90 Ultimate case, the left rear screen and left rear seat controls died while the right side kept working, with the harness running through the seat back and rear armrest; the cause was not confirmed (water from an earlier sunroof-frame leak or a connector left unplugged after headliner work were suspected). A 2023 owner reported the rear LED screen and UV lights failing and the repair taking three weeks because the technicians had to remove both rear seats, the tunnel and the rear console. It is not a safety defect, but it disables the feature set that most justifies the trim's price.

On the 2017-2022 Genesis G90, coolant weeping/leaks are frequently reported and seen by technicians on first-gen G90s — commonly from the water pump and thermostat housing on the 3.3T, plus O-ring/gasket seepage on the 5.0. On 2017-2018 G90s, Genesis TSB 19-AT-004HG documents a coolant leak between the ATF warmer connector and the engine-side heater pipe, fixed with new O-rings. Left unaddressed, slow coolant loss risks overheating and cylinder-head damage on the Lambda/Tau V6/V8 family.

On the 2017-2022 Genesis G90, g90 owners report a pronounced pedal and steering-wheel pulsation under braking from highway speed, appearing at mileages where a luxury sedan's rotors should still be flat. Owners on Genesis forums report the shudder on a 2017 3.3T AWD at about 40k miles and a 2018 at 9,500 miles, often after long downhill braking. Two mechanisms are argued in the community and both are real: uneven friction-material transfer from the soft, comfort-biased OEM pad compound laying down patchy deposits that read as disc thickness variation, and rotors that do not seat flush on a corroded or debris-contaminated hub face, which forces measurable runout the moment the wheel is torqued. The car's mass and the low-dust, quiet pad choice make it unusually prone to the deposit version. Genesis ran a dealer-stock-only brake pulsation campaign on 2019 G70/G80/G90s (T06G) and issued a brake service best-practice bulletin for 2017-2018 G80/G90s (21-BR-002HG, normal warranty applies).

On the 2017-2020 Genesis G90, owners report harsh, jerky 2-3, 3-4 and 4-5 upshifts, hesitation and a low-speed lurch/jerk on the 8-speed automatic. A subset of 2018 V6 cars reported the transmission slipping toward Neutral from Drive/Reverse. For 2017-2018 G90s, Genesis TSB 19-AT-014HG gives a harsh and/or delayed shift diagnosis that times each shift solenoid; the solenoid-replacement bulletin (21-AT-010HG) covers only early-build 2017 G80s, not the G90.

On the 2017-2023 Genesis G90, water vapor accumulates inside the sealed headlamp assemblies and condenses on the inside of the lens, most often on one side only and worst after rain or a car wash. Genesis's own lamp-condensation bulletin (TSB 23-BD-002G, which applies to all Genesis models) treats light fogging that clears with the lamps on as normal, but water pooling at the bottom of the lamp, water streaks, or condensation that remains after the lamps have been on for about 30 minutes points to a leaking assembly. Owners worry that moisture left standing can pit or discolor the reflector over time. Owners across the Genesis forums report the same behavior on multiple models, and dealers frequently deflect it as normal venting behavior until it is documented as persistent.