2016 Hyundai TUCSON

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2016 Hyundai TUCSON has 2152 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 26.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (24% of all complaints), specifically: the problem that i am having is when i start to accelerate going through the gears 1,2,3 and 4 there is a huge, pause/delay in shifting through the gears. in fact there has been may times when i start to accelerate the gears pauses and i hit the gas again and the vehicle does not accelerate at all t. ⚠️ 35 fire reports filed.

35 fire reports 17 crash reports 8 injuries

2152

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

26.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

515 complaints

24%

• THE PROBLEM THAT I AM HAVING IS WHEN I START TO ACCELERATE GOING THROUGH THE GEARS 1,2,3 AND 4 THERE IS A HUGE, PAUSE/DELAY IN SHIFTING THROUGH THE GEARS. IN FACT THERE HAS BEEN MAY TIMES WHEN I START TO ACCELERATE THE GEARS PAUSES AND I HIT THE GAS AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL T
• TWIN CLUTCH SEVEN SPEED TRANSMISSION NEEDS UPDATING HESITATES ON ACCELERATION FROM A START AT A RED LIGHT / STOP SIGN / ETC. JERKING AUTO & CREATING VIBRATIONS IN DRIVING AXLES HAD DEALERSHIP INSTALL TCM SW UPDATE {15-01-050} ON JAN 14 2016 STILL HAVE SAME RESULTS ON OCCASIONS HELP!!!!!!!!!
• THE FEW MONTHS OLD VEHICLE WOULD GET INTO A DEGRADED MODE AND SEVERELY HESITATE WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THIS CREATED A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHERE I WAS ALMOST HIT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE IGNORED MANUAL SHIFTING AND STAYED IN DRIVE MODE EVEN WHEN THE SHIFT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“THE PROBLEM THAT I AM HAVING IS WHEN I START TO ACCELERATE GOING THROUGH THE GEARS 1,2,3 AND 4 THERE IS A HUGE, PAUSE/DELAY IN SHIFTING THROUGH THE GEARS. IN FACT THERE HAS BEEN MAY TIMES WHEN I START TO ACCELERATE THE GEARS PAUSES AND I HIT THE GAS AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

428 complaints

20%

• FOR "ALL" CARS, WHEN THE HEATER IS TURNED "ON", THE WHOLE CAR FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE WHERE YOU MUST EITHER PULL THE CAR AND STOP OR OPEN THE WINDOWS. THE SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR DRIVES FROM ZERO TO 50 MPG, THE CAR ALSO GETS HEAVY FUMES. LASTLY, THE TACHOMETER WHEN STARTES DRIVING IN 1ST,
• PURCHASED VEHICLE 12/13/2015. TODAY (4/24/16) DRIVING VEHICLE IN NORMAL TO LIGHT TRAFFIC, FOUR TIMES VEHICLE LOST POWER. I STEPPED ALL THE WAY ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE CAR WOULD NOT GO. VERY DANGEROUS AS THERE WERE CARS BEHIND ME. I HAD DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES WHEN THIS STARTED. CURRE
• THE CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE AT A LIGHT OR TRAFFIC. THE CAR IS ON AND REVS AND THE DIALS MOVE BUT DOES NOT DRIVE. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES AND THE DEALER CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG BECAUSE THE COMPUTER DOESN'T SHOW AN ISSUE. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 17 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“FOR "ALL" CARS, WHEN THE HEATER IS TURNED "ON", THE WHOLE CAR FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE WHERE YOU MUST EITHER PULL THE CAR AND STOP OR OPEN THE WINDOWS. THE SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR DRIVES FROM ZERO TO 50 MPG, THE CAR ALSO GETS HEAVY FUMES. LASTLY, THE TACHOMETER WHEN STARTES DRIVING IN 1ST,”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

265 complaints

12%

• I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW DEC 28 AND DROVE IT HOME ON DEC 30, 2015. I DISCOVERED THAT IT DID NOT HAVE BLIND SPOT DETECTION, REAR CROSS-TRAFFIC ALERT OR LANE CHANGE ASSIST, ALL THREE TECHNOLOGIES WERE ADVERTISED AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR THIS MODEL. IN ADDITION A CHEAPER MIRROR THAT DID NOT BELO
• FOR "ALL" CARS, WHEN THE HEATER IS TURNED "ON", THE WHOLE CAR FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE WHERE YOU MUST EITHER PULL THE CAR AND STOP OR OPEN THE WINDOWS. THE SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR DRIVES FROM ZERO TO 50 MPG, THE CAR ALSO GETS HEAVY FUMES. LASTLY, THE TACHOMETER WHEN STARTES DRIVING IN 1ST,
• WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP THE CAR HESITATES AND WILL NOT GO. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN A WREAK 2 TIMES DUE TO THIS. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY TIME. I WAS STRANDED WITH NO SHOULDER TO PULL OFF ONTO IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC WHILE ON VACATION TWICE. THE CAR ALERTED ME THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS HOT AN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 6 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW DEC 28 AND DROVE IT HOME ON DEC 30, 2015. I DISCOVERED THAT IT DID NOT HAVE BLIND SPOT DETECTION, REAR CROSS-TRAFFIC ALERT OR LANE CHANGE ASSIST, ALL THREE TECHNOLOGIES WERE ADVERTISED AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR THIS MODEL. IN ADDITION A CHEAPER MIRROR THAT DID NOT BELO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

224 complaints

10%

• I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65MPH EAST ON INTERSTATE 10 IN LOUISIANA AROUND MILE MARKER 257.3 WHEN THE HOOD LATCH FAILED AND MY HOOD FLEW UP, SMASHING MY WINDSHIELD AND COMPLETELY BLOCKING MY FIELD OF VIEW. THERE WERE NO CARS AROUND ME AS IT WAS 4:30 AM AND I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OFF TO THE SIDE
• THE VEHICLE MAKES A SOUND IN THE DASH AREA SINCE IT WAS BOUGHT. AFTER SEVERAL INSPECTIONS IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHERE THE LEFT FRONT POST WELDS WERE LOOSE OR WERE NOT PERFORMED.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI TUCSON. WHILE DRIVING OUT OF A PARKING GARAGE, THE TRUNK OPENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000. UPDATED 01/11/2017

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65MPH EAST ON INTERSTATE 10 IN LOUISIANA AROUND MILE MARKER 257.3 WHEN THE HOOD LATCH FAILED AND MY HOOD FLEW UP, SMASHING MY WINDSHIELD AND COMPLETELY BLOCKING MY FIELD OF VIEW. THERE WERE NO CARS AROUND ME AS IT WAS 4:30 AM AND I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OFF TO THE SIDE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

212 complaints

10%

• PURCHASED JANUARY 2016 - LIMITED AWD WITH FACTORY INSTALLED TOW HITCH. IMMEDIATELY NOTICED FLICKERING INTERIOR LIGHTS AND BOTH HEAD LIGHTS LEAKED, ONE SIDE HAS BEEN REPLACED. LATER ON DEVELOPED HARD START UPS, SHIFTING AND ACCELERATION ISSUES. ALONG WITH INTERMITTING FRONT SAFETY SENSORS AND A GLITC
• ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AND WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY, THE CAR DOES NOT TRANSMIT POWER TO THE WHEELS AFTER STOPPING OR SLOWING TO A NEAR STOP - E.G. AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, MERGING INTO INTERSTATE TRAFFIC, OR, GOD FORBID, TURNING LEFT AT AN INTERSECTION. I WILL PUT MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE RPMS
• AFTER INSTALLING A NEW HOOD LATCH UNDER THE RECALL. THE DEALERSHIP INSTALLED THE DASHBOARD SOFTWARE UPGRADE. THE INCORRECT SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THE DASH ASSEMBLY WAS INSTALLED. IT SEEMS THAT THE COMPANY HYUNDAI PUT IN CHARGE FOR THE SOFTWARE, FAILED TO UPDATE THE SOFTWARE AND IT COULD NOT TELL THE DI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 6 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“PURCHASED JANUARY 2016 - LIMITED AWD WITH FACTORY INSTALLED TOW HITCH. IMMEDIATELY NOTICED FLICKERING INTERIOR LIGHTS AND BOTH HEAD LIGHTS LEAKED, ONE SIDE HAS BEEN REPLACED. LATER ON DEVELOPED HARD START UPS, SHIFTING AND ACCELERATION ISSUES. ALONG WITH INTERMITTING FRONT SAFETY SENSORS AND A GLITC”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 2152 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: THE PROBLEM THAT I AM HAVING IS WHEN I START TO ACCELERATE GOING THROUGH THE GEARS 1,2,3 AND 4 THERE IS A HUGE, PAUSE/DELAY IN SHIFTING THROUGH THE GEARS. IN FACT THERE HAS BEEN MAY TIMES WHEN I START TO ACCELERATE THE GEARS PAUSES AND I HIT THE GAS AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: FOR "ALL" CARS, WHEN THE HEATER IS TURNED "ON", THE WHOLE CAR FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE WHERE YOU MUST EITHER PULL THE CAR AND STOP OR OPEN THE WINDOWS. THE SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR DRIVES FROM ZERO TO 50 MPG, THE CAR ALSO GETS HEAVY FUMES. LASTLY, THE TACHOMETER WHEN STARTES DRIVING IN 1ST,
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW DEC 28 AND DROVE IT HOME ON DEC 30, 2015. I DISCOVERED THAT IT DID NOT HAVE BLIND SPOT DETECTION, REAR CROSS-TRAFFIC ALERT OR LANE CHANGE ASSIST, ALL THREE TECHNOLOGIES WERE ADVERTISED AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR THIS MODEL. IN ADDITION A CHEAPER MIRROR THAT DID NOT BELO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65MPH EAST ON INTERSTATE 10 IN LOUISIANA AROUND MILE MARKER 257.3 WHEN THE HOOD LATCH FAILED AND MY HOOD FLEW UP, SMASHING MY WINDSHIELD AND COMPLETELY BLOCKING MY FIELD OF VIEW. THERE WERE NO CARS AROUND ME AS IT WAS 4:30 AM AND I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OFF TO THE SIDE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)