NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Hyundai Tucson. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
On the way to work this morning, the rear lift gate came unlatched and did not stay secure. Although the lift gate did not raise while on the highway, it did rattle and bounce. The temperature outside was approximately 21 degrees Fahrenheit. A couple other similar events have occurred at below freezing temperatures.
Airbag light on dealer says it needs replaced.
Prior to these oil changes and tires was completed and March 2023 engine light on and whining noise took it to Firestone twice they ran complete diagnosis twice and mechanic found no leak around the engine or leak in bottom and they recommended that I take it Hyundai dealership which I did that same month again Hyundai Service ran diagnosis and recommended replacing some air valve to fix the problem but the part needed to be ordered; again it took over six weeks to get appointment for service at this Hyundai Service dealership do said repair and I ask if I can still drive the car with engine light on they said it was o.k as long as engine light not was blinking. The next day engine light came on again and it took over six weeks to get appointment with Hyundai Service dealership in my area and the car sat in the driveway for over month. Now September 2023 same Hyundai Service ran engine diagnosis now need gasket and valve and they said engine failure because no oil in the engine and would cost $11K to replace. So please tell me in over month that car sat in driveway with no visible leaks in engine area and no leaks in the driveway, so where did the oil go and only answer I can deduce engine is defective.
Cheap plastic regulator for the driver side window broke and can't roll up my window
Passenger rear doors fail to un-lock completely , so unable to open using outside handles and inside handles. Passenger rear door completely unusable , drivers side rear door works 50% of the time after several pulls on door handles. Will not fully unlock with any switches or key fob. Safety risk in case of accident with children in the back seats.
My car is currently around 126,000 miles. I got a tune up last year. About a week ago the car started to jumping and driving very slowly while I was on the highway. The check engine light started flashing so I pulled over. After a few minutes I attempted to drive up and the car made it. I spoke with my mechanic and scheduled to bring it into him after getting the check engine light code read. The codes were related to a misfire on spark plug 2 and 4. I then had those replaced. When picking up the car, my mechanic let me know that the engine was producing metal shaving and they were getting on the spark plugs which was causing the issues to keep according. He let me know I would probably need a new motor. After doing some research I found Hyundai Tucson around my same year have a similar issue with the motor going out very early in the cars life. I’m not sure why they weren’t already included but I believe the 2016 Hyundai Tucson need to be investigated for the issues as well. The car is only worth $7,000 with a working motor so it doesn’t make sense to buy a new engine but I still own payment on this vehicle and it’s completely unfair for Hyundai to vehicles like this and not take accountability. I’m planning to get the code read on the car again and actually write down the number so I can reference it here for you information.
We never missed a service on the vehicle and with 1,000 miles until the next oil change the engine light came on. The oil had dried out with nothing leaking. The engine seemed to just be burning through oil far quicker then the recommended time to get your oil changed.
This make an model has issues with the doors not opening, when they are unlocked and from time to time the windows will not open. These are both huge safety concerns. I have reported this to Hyundai and have a case number 2104500 which nothing has been done and I have heard nothing in over a year. This make and model need to be recalled for the door and window issues which are all over the internet when a search is done.
Car started to not accelerate when pressing on gas pedal the RPMs would not raise or lower during this time it could be on a hill or on a flat surface at any type of stops whether it was a stop sign or a stoplight it didn't matter how much gas you gave the car it would not move and then it would start bouncing what I would describe as hopping the car would start jerking constantly until you released off the gas and gave it more gas until it would finally go this was happening on highways or on city streets while driving down a highway my engine made a funky sound and it turns out my engine rods blue I went to the dealership they told me my car was safe to drive I continued driving my car until it started not shifting this was 3 days after going to the dealership. I called the dealership back told them I was bringing my car to them due to the issues it was having. After several weeks the dealership told me my car needed a brand new engine and transmission due to engine rods breaking transmission went out and metal in the oil filter. Not even 6 months later my car is have the exact same issues and my dealership is not want to do anything to fix my car even with having a warranty to cover everything they fixed.
I am referring to two notices; see attached. Inability to accelerate from a Stop and Rough idle in drive. The dealership, DeMontrond Hyundai Service Center will not repair as a recall. Please advise. Thank you, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX]. Due to this problem, the car is hesitant to accelerate which causes problems INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Engine light came on Feb 26th car started shaking got it towed to the dealership morning of Feb 27th Was told: Foiled oil returning ring caused oil consumption, burning oil overheated valves and caused cylinder wall damage and 4 valves to burn holes in them leading to low engine compression and loss of power. Engine needs to be replaced to fully correct the issue. Hyundai is refusing to cover the cost because I am 2nd owner, even though my car has under 100,000 miles on it.
On Sunday, February 26, 2023, as I was en route to my home in Liberty Hill, Texas, I heard a noise from what seemed to be under the hood. The noise sounded somewhat like a card in bike spokes. No warning lights were lit. When I arrived home, I had a neighbor listen to the noise. His opinion was that it sounded like the rods & to take it to a mechanic. I had a friend take me to the nearest garage/mechanic on Monday to make an appointment. I took my car to Cross Tech Automotive at 8 am on February 28. The 5 miles to Cross Tech was the only time I drove the car after the initial noise on Sunday 2/26/2023. The technician remarked that it was crazy that no warning lights were on, given the noise made by my car. After the car was examined, I was told that my car had no oil in it. I had routine oil changes done throughout the time I owned the car since late 2015. In fact, I’d asked the mechanics to do an oil change while the car was in their facility. There were never any oil on my driveway to alert me to a problem. There had been no sign of any problem until the noise I heard 2 days prior. And never a warning light of any kind. I was given an estimate of $12,000.00 to replace the motor, including labor. Because it didn’t make sense to spend $12,000 on a vehicle that was likely worth $15,000 prior to this problem, it was necessary to buy a different car. After doing an internet search, I discovered that excess oil consumption appears to be a problem with 2016 Hyundai Tucsons, among other Hyundais and Kias. I was never made aware of any issues by Hyundai Motor Company. The technician who diagnosed the problem wrote a brief description of what he found. I can provide this description. The invoice was for the diagnosis not repairs of any kind.
Right front door (passenger) will not open when using the outside handle. Passenger front door latch replaced under technical bulletin / silent recall at no cost to me.
I purchased a 2016 Hyundai Tuscon new in April 2017. From the beginning I felt there were issues with this vehicle but was also told that everything was fine. In 2019 the car stopped getting power and I was unable to go over 60mph on the highway. Hyundai said it had run out of oil but I had always gotten my oil changes from Hyundai directly. Also- no alert that my oil was low every came on. They replaced the engine or parts of it but I was still required to pay about $3,000 at the time. In Jan. of this year I realized that the car was not running as it should. Hyundai in Milford, CT had me pay for the oil change and also pay for the oil consumption test. On Feb. 20th I was approved for a new engine. I have been given multiple dates of when I my car would be repaired with the last date being May 17, 2023. I have not heard anything from Hyundai. I submitted a complaint with Hyundai corporate (21515374) and they have done nothing except tell me that they are still waiting for an answer as well. I am afraid to drive my vehicle long distances and do not know what kind of service I should get while waiting for a new engine. I am now carrying oil around in my vehicle but think that this is horrible wrong. I am still paying almost $600 a month for a vehicle that I am afraid to drive and I have not received any answers from anyone regarding when my repairs will be done or even getting a rental while I wait. After reading hundreds of other complaints this seems to be an issue with Hyundai and everyone says the same thing about the oil warning light not coming on at all. I purchased my vehicle from Hyundai in Milford, CT.
Air bag light is on. Hyundai dealer diagnosed problem as a faulty clock spring.
The passenger read doors lock up and become unoperable. So the doors cannot be opened from the outside or the inside. This creates a massive potentially tragic situation. If your children or a senior is in the back seat and a fire or an accident occurs they will not be able to leave the car from the rear doors. Let me make this very clear. The doors jam up and will NOT open from the inside or outside no matter what the lock position is in. Also, I see evidence online of this happening to a number of people. Hyundai did not issue a recall, but the indicated that they would fix it under "extended" warranty but when i brought it in (the door was frozen shut) they said this was something else and proceeded to charge me about $500 for the repair; $250 for the part and the same for the labor. This is a common problem and because of the seriousness involving injury and potential death this should have been recalled. How frightening is it to be locked in your car after an accident or fire?
Massive oil consumption issue that lead to a knocking motor and my wife and kids stranded on the side of the interstate.
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side door and the rear driver’s side door would not open remotely or manually, from inside or outside the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 160,000. The VIN was not available.
Back driver side door does not open at all and the passenger door only opens from the inside. If in an accident they may not be able to access me or my passengers in the vehicle. I am unaware of the cause of this issue and have not gotten it looked at by a professional.
Engine started Knocking, check engine light came on and car went in to “limp mode”. Car needs new engine.
My vehicle is burning excessive amounts of oil and no leaks can be found. Almost one quart every 750 to 1,000 miles. The turbo went bad recently and had to be replaced at a cost of $1,400 which, I'm told, is possibly due to the oil consumption problem. All services have been done at Hyundai dealership every 3,000 - 5,000 miles. I travel the interstate every day and am worried about engine failure in rush-hour traffic. Dealership indicates the only thing they can do is replace engine at a cost of at least $12,000!!
I have a 2016 Hyundai Tuscon that is consuming a lot of oil. My oil is changed when it is supposed to on a regular basis, as is all other car maintenance. All of a sudden, my car needs an additional 2-3quarts of oil in between oil changes. Someone told me there are a lot of Hyundai vehicles that are having oil consumption issues. I would like to know more before I go sink the $2000 the dealership is going to charge me to find and fix the issue, please.
The back left driver side door locked and can't be opened by any means. Child lock not on.
The door latch mechanisms are all faulty. I have read in many forums where this is a common issue with Hyundai models. The door latch on the back passenger door will not operate from inside or outside. The other three doors must be pulled on repeatedly in order to gain access. This creates a very dangerous situation of entrapment if there car were to catch fire or be in an accident. It’s almost impossible to get into the car from any door. The issue isn’t a locking issue either, doors will eventually open after repeated attempts.
Rear liftgate did not latch on three occasions this winter when temperatures were below freezing down to -4 degrees. The liftgate would lower but not latch properly. Dash would indicate that lift gate was not latched. Attempts to latch manually were unable. During the drive home, the lift gate would moved freely. In order to not risk spilling cargo, we moved everything out of the trunk area.
Driver's side passenger door sounds like it is unlocking when I use the key fob or the interior power lock on the driver's door, but the passenger door can only be opened if I reach from the driver's seat across the center console to manually open the door using the handle. No way to open the door from the outside using the outer handle, even if it looks like the lock is fully open from the inside. No dashboard warning symbols. This appears to be the subject of a technical service bulletin, Hyundai TSB 21-BD-006H, so I will be contacting my local Hyundai dealer next week to set up an appointment for diagnostics and repair, hopefully covered under the extended warranty described in the TSB.
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while accelerating, the vehicle started to lose motive power. The check engine warning light was intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed and the mechanic retrieved fault code: P1326 (KSDS). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the knock sensor detection system failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that she needed to provide proof of ownership. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR ASSEMBLY BROKE IN WHICH WINDOW WOULD NOT GO DOWN. REPAIRED ON 1/24/23 AT HYUNDAI OF ST AUGUSTINE FOR $737.27. THIS IS A SAFETY RISK DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO PUT WINDOW DOWN IN CASE OF EMERGENCY AND DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN.
When driving the vehicle is slow to accelerate hence posing a risk of being rear ended. It makes loud noises when going down hill and it tends to slow down even when you're foot is on the gas pedal. This is a concern for me since I have a small child that rides with me to and from school. The passenger a d driver doors jam on multiple occasions. The non acceleration especially when merging on highways or after traffic light stops is very dangerous since the person behind has no idea what's happening. When you stop the vehicle on a hill at a traffic stop and it's time to go on green the vehicle tends to pull back abit before accelerating, making the person behind wary of being hit. The loud noises made by the vehicle especially driving down a hill are just annoying, if you break to go slower, the noise is even louder. The lack of acceleration and jamming that the vehicle has me very worried for my safety and that of my young child, since we use the vehicle everyday for school drop offs and pickups and work. I am wary of driving it for any other reason that that which isn't fair because I pay for the car each month!!
Window regulator is not working in all the Windows I spend more 1000 dolars just to fixed the front ones still waiting to have money to fix the back ones the parts are made from cheap material this should be a recall
The vehicle engine stopped working while on the interstate. The oil, battery and engine lights all came on with no warning. I was able to safely pull aside in order to avoid an accident. The vehicle was towed to the dealership where it was diagnosed to be an engine block failure. After doing my research I learned that Hyundai had a Theta Engine Settlement from 2021 however my 2016 Hyundai Tucson was not listed in the settlement. The years that were affected skipped 2016 and 2017. Online I have found many 2016 owners with the same issue. The vehicles built in 2016 and 2017 also needed to be reviewed for faulty engine blocks. This is a safety hazard. My vehicle has been in the dealership awaiting a new engine for over 7 weeks. Hyundai says that part is on backorder. There has been so many vehicles in need of a new engine due to the faulty block that the manufacturer can't keep up. And we are stuck paying car rental fees.
Put the car in Drive and car failed to move with motor revving. Car finally moved about 20 mph max. Attempted to shift the car in and out of gear as well as shut it off and problem still existed. Got it home and made arrangements for tow truck to haul to dealer. In moving it the next day to prepare for tow truck the transmission worked normally and drove it to the dealer. Dealer could not duplicate the problem so they said there hands were essentially tied. Did and internet search on 2016 Tuscon DCT transmission problems and found the problem is very common. Hyundai attempted to address it with a computer update which this car has had. Many people have been placed in very dangerous situations with this problem. No warning lights were displayed despite the car being essentially undriveable . This is a known safety issue which should be addressed by the manufacturer. A car that suddenly becomes undriveable in traffic or leaving you stranded in the middle of nowhere is definitely a safety issue.
2016 Hyundai Tucson Front Right Passenger door latch does not allow door to be opened from the outside. No warning. Research shows this as a definite safety issue on several Hyundai models and has been for years but see no recall. Doors can be impacted from both inside and outside with no warning. Crawling over the seats from the inside to open the door or being trapped in vehicle are a real possibility. I have a scheduled appointment but understand it could be a costly repair that should be considered a replaceable manufacturer’s defects AND A SAFETY HAZARD!!!! Car only has 66,000 miles.
The car started to shake while driving on the highway and it lost power causing it to slow down dramatically, the car driving behind almost hit my car. The issue started with the engine losing motor oil, the dealership said there were no oil leaks and maybe the head gasket needed to be replaced. After the incident one the highway, the car was towed to the closes dealership for service, after diagnosing it was determine that cylinders 1 and 2 are miss-firing and the piston were stuck making it loose compression. Dealer said that they have seen this before, but my VIN does not take part of a recall campaign with other cars having the same symptoms.
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that after coming to a complete stop, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle went into LIMP Mode. In addition, the vehicle failed to accelerate above 30 MPH. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to several dealers. The contact was informed that the unknown hoses and the dipstick melted inside due to the engine overheating. The contact stated that the catalytic converter was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the catalytic converter had been replaced three times since the first failure. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact was adding engine oil every two weeks. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The failure was a recurring failure, and the contact drove the vehicle intermittently due to the safety concerns. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
I heard a knocking sound on the morning on 1/6/22, immediately took it to a Hyundai (Capital Hyundai) dealership who informed me it was a known issue they are having to rebuild tons of engines. They would not be able to even look at my car for a few weeks, but I needed to leave it because the engine could seize at any moment. While thy offer loaner vehicles, I wasn't eligible because of the time before they even could look at my car. After paying to rentals out of pocket for two weeks, I received a call today to tell me that because I'm not the original owner (I'm the 2nd owner) they are not honoring the rebuild and I could pay them $8300 plus and additional $2500 to repair their known issue that their Service manager acknowledged. Not to mention Hyundai recent class action lawsuit in 2021. If that wasn't enough, I just received a call from Hyundai corporate office to say sorry if you were the original owner, we could help. I asked the representative if it was a company practice to use that as a deterrent from acknowledging their design/mechanical fault to save cost and she said I'll make a note of that. Is there anything I can do? My vehicle has been serviced every 3000 miles and I have my records. Considering contacting my attorney as well
In the past six months, three of the four window regulators on my 2016 Hyundai Tucson stopped working. Recently, one of my windows fell out while driving on the highway. Looks like this is a manufacturing defect as hundreds of complaints have been reported on the internet. The vehicle needs to be recalled as this seems to be a common problem in most 2016 Tucsons and poses significant risks while driving, especially on highways at high speeds. I’ve included some exact complaints for your reference here: https://www.vehiclehistory.com/questions/why-is-my-hyundai-tucson-2016-window-not-working-353123 I hope this problem gets resolved soon. Thank you.
All windows broke even though they hardly rolled down. 3 out of 4 broke within a year and the spark plugs keep burning out even though been changed and mechanic can't figure out why.
I was driving my vehicle on Highway 45 North in Spring Tx and my engine caught on fire while driving, my Tucson was on fire and started smoking i had to pull over and getvhelpp
While driving on an interstate the engine lost power and I pulled over to the shoulder. Popped the hood and the engine cover was blown back and the engine was on fire! Had 3 passengers, dog, and luggage in the car. Was able to get most out before the fire spread. Left family stranded hours from home on side of interstate. Unsure of exact cause of the engine fire. Fire spread to entire car before fire department came to put it out.
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V543000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the dealer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Engine knocking and loosing power under acceleration.
Engine failure while going 70mph on the highway - huge safety issue! Spark plugs totally covered in oil and the engine has major known oil consumption issues. Also 3 of our 4 door actuators broke - huge safety issues as we have kids in our back seats in car seats. This form doesn't have enough room for the letter I have composed about the specifics of the situations. Hyundai has known issues with their engines and some are under recall. We were told ours is not under recall and they will not fix it or help at all to fix it even though many of their engines have/had the same issues as ours and those engines are under recall.
On December 27, 2022 I was driving on the highway (Interstate 64 in Illinois westbound exit 16) and my car's engine failed at around noon. It was working fine that morning. The car started giving a rattling sound and wasn't speeding up and the "low oil pressure" light came on. I got off the highway and as I was turning into a Valvoline the car completely stopped. It has been at a Hyundai dealership in St. Louis for the last month and a half and they do not feel this is something they are responsible for.
Both my front window (driver and passenger side) regulator and motor failed and needed to be replaced within the past 6 months. With both windows, I lowered and then they wouldn't close. Two separate occasions. First was December 2022, and second was July 2023. This is an expensive repair and for a vehicle with only 50,000 miles, I find this unacceptable. I have read multiple complaints for this same issue. Hyundai needs to make this right and reimburse for repair(s). Thank you, Barbara Miller
The windows stop working. Mine has been replaced twice with 15K miles. when you cant roll up your windows it leaves you exposed to be car jacked in a big city, or objects to fly in the car, which could hurt the driver.
There was a previous recall with some of these vehicles where car seems to have acceleration problem after being at stop and the vehicle has difficulty accelerating and shifting gears. This has happened while in the middle of traffic and driving which could have caused an accident. Not sure if it is something with the transmission or what the issue is. The vehicle has been taken twice to Hyundai Service centers and they cannot seem to find a problem but yet it still exists and is a safety hazard when suddenly the car stops accelerating after a stop. This seems to happen randomly and more often now. This was a previous recall for other same make, model and year vehicles but somehow ours was not included and I feel it is potentially having the same or similar issue. The vehicle is available for inspection. All the check engine and lights come on when the vehicle is turned off and then eventually turn off.
My car was doing a shocking change of speed all of a sudden, for example I would be driving and accelerating, but the car would not speed above 40mph, and while I was still pressing on the accelerator, it would do like a shocking movement and accelerate all of sudden. Yesterday, December 8th, 2022, I was driving on the highway on the 3rd lane and while driving the call did a shocking jump and all of a sudden the speed went down to 20mph, I panic of course because all the cars where going fast, it was a nightmare for me to change lanes because I couldnt manipulate the speed of my car.
I am having problems with the driver side door. The latch is not working properly. The door gets stuck and doesn't open all the time from the outside. Or I have to tug hard 2 to 3 times before it will open. I had this problem with the passenger side door. It would only open from the inside. Hyundai fixed this for free because it was still under warranty. Now I'm having the same issue with the driver side door. I read in all the reviews and comments that other people are having the same issue and have filed a complaint but nothing has been done. Why is this no getting solved? or Recalled? I bought my 2016 Hyundai new. It only has 43, 000 miles. I take good care of my Hyundai. What is Hyundai going to do to resolve this matter. How many people need to file a complaint in order to get this resolved? A response will be greatly appreciated. Thank you. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
-Driver side and passenger side back doors do not open from the inside or outside. They just stopped opening one day, months apart. Nothing hit them or could have caused a jam. It is available for inspection upon request. -The doors don’t open, and I could not get my dog or child from out of the backseat. -This is a recurring problem based on what I have read online. The issue has been confirmed by a mechanic. -The doors were inspected by Caliber Collision and I got a quote from them. -There were no lights or warnings to inform me this was going to happen and still none now that it has happened. -