Top 10 Hyundai Tucson Problems by Mileage in 2026: $0 to $12,000, and When Each One Hits

The most valuable document for a Tucson owner is not a recall. It is a warranty bulletin that most owners of the most-complained-about years have never seen.

Hyundai bulletin 22-EM-006H-2, dated November 2022, extends coverage for "engine repair or replacement regarding engine damage or malfunction from connecting rod bearing wear" to 15 years or 150,000 miles from the date of first use. Its list of applicable vehicles includes "certain 2016-2021 MY Tucson (TL) vehicles with Nu 2.0L GDI engines." It is "valid for original and subsequent owners." A 2016 Tucson is ten years old in 2026. On this program it has five years left to run.

The complaint file explains why that matters. Of the 5,874 complaints NHTSA has received about the Tucson since January 2015, 2,700 — 46 percent — are about 2016 and 2017 cars. The engine theme in those years sits at a median of 75,000 miles, squarely inside the program's window. And the owners who write in are, again and again, the ones who were told something the bulletin does not say: that the second owner is not covered, that the software update had to come first, that the oil was the problem.

There is a gap, and it is also in the documents. The 15-year program covers the 2.0. The lifetime program in bulletin 22-EM-001H covers the 2.4. We found no warranty extension in NHTSA's file that lists the 1.6-liter turbo Tucson, and 65 complaints on 2016-2021 cars name that engine alongside an engine failure. If you own one, this guide is honest about what that means.

By the end you will know which of the ten failures is due at your mileage, what each costs in 2026, which claims rest on a document you can pull yourself, and the cheap cause that gets skipped when the expensive one is quoted first.

Claims marked 🟢 rest on a bulletin, recall or investigation listed in the Sources section, with the reference. Claims marked ⚪ are shop-price estimates carried from our repair-cost guides — estimates, and labeled as such. Engine figures are what owners reported to NHTSA, and every one is published with its ODI number.

I built PulsCar after a $380 "full diagnostic" in Phuket in 2025 led to roughly $6,000 over six months across several shops, and the sound never went away (the story is on the About page). Every claim on this page that rests on a document says so, because the alternative is the kind of guessing I paid for.

Engine and model year first, then mileage

A Tucson's problem list forks on two facts before the odometer matters: which generation it is and which engine it has. The same 110,000 miles means a covered engine on a 2017 2.0, an uncovered one on a 2017 1.6 turbo, and a lifetime claim on a 2019 2.4 that had its software update. Find your car in the next section, then read the items that match it.

Every item below has the same parts: the tell you notice from the driver's seat, what it actually is with the document that says so, the cheap cause that gets skipped when the expensive answer is quoted first, an honest line on what you can do yourself, where the item does not apply, and a sentence to say at the service desk. Read the item after yours as well. On this vehicle the next problem is usually already on its way.

First: which Tucson do you actually have?

NHTSA's complaint file does not record the engine, so we assign generations by model year and take engine facts only from Hyundai's own documents or from what owners wrote. The generations are:

How to tell which engine you have. The engine size is printed on the emissions label under the hood and on the original window sticker if you have it. The model-year trims are a weaker guide, because the same trim name carried different engines in different years. On a 2016-2018 Tucson, a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic means the 1.6 turbo; recall 16V-628 describes those cars as "equipped with a 7-speed EcoShift Dual Clutch Transmission." If in doubt, the dealer's VIN lookup settles it in one screen, and it also lists every open campaign on the car.

The 5-minute check that tells you what Hyundai owes your Tucson

Before you pay for a diagnosis, spend five minutes on what is already owed.

1. Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. It shows open safety recalls, including the ABS fire recalls and the 2017 engine recall 21V-727.
2. Run it again on Hyundai's owner site. Service campaigns and warranty extensions do not appear on NHTSA's lookup. The KSDS software campaigns (953, 966, 982) are service campaigns, not recalls.
3. Ask the dealer one written question: "Has the Knock Sensor Detection System software been installed on this VIN, and under which campaign number?" On this vehicle the answer can decide a five-figure claim later.
4. Find your oil change records. Hyundai's own inspection bulletin for Tucsons that keep setting P1326 begins by checking that the oil is clean and was changed "within the last 3,000 miles/6 months." Receipts are cheaper to find now than after a failure.
5. Photograph the odometer and the dashboard with the engine running. If a warning light comes on later, a dated photo showing it was not there is evidence.

What actually determines a Tucson number

Four things decide what a Tucson repair costs you, and on this vehicle the first one outweighs the other three combined.

Whether a program lists your car. A connecting rod bearing failure on a listed 2016-2021 Tucson 2.0 under 150,000 miles is Hyundai's bill. The same failure on a 1.6 turbo is yours, at a median owner-reported quote of $9,700. No shop, part choice or region moves a number by that much.

Which engine lane you choose if you pay. Owners in the file report dealer replacement engines at $8,000 to $12,000 for the middle half, and used engines installed by independents at $4,500 to $6,000. The used lane saves roughly half and carries the obvious risk that the replacement engine has the same design.

Dealer or independent. ⚪ Diagnostic time runs $120-$300 at a dealer and $80-$150 at an independent, per our diagnostic cost guide. For anything a program might cover, the dealer is the only place the claim can be filed, so start there even if you finish elsewhere.

Your paperwork. Hyundai decides program claims case by case through a Warranty Prior Approval. Every denial we read in the file cited something on paper: the ownership history, the software status, the oil.

The ten Tucson problems, in the order they arrive

1 · Forward-collision braking with nothing ahead — the first 15,000 miles (2022-2026)

The tell. The car brakes hard, sometimes to a full stop, with a clear road ahead: through a green light, in a roundabout, on a curve with oncoming traffic, or behind a car that is already pulling away. Owners describe being rear-ended or nearly rear-ended. Some report it five or ten times in their first months.

What it actually is. 🟢 Hyundai's recall report 26V-316, filed in May 2026, names it directly: "Software in the front cameras may cause the forward collision avoidance system to activate prematurely and unexpectedly apply the brakes." The remedy is a free front camera software update; owner letters were due from July 17, 2026, and Hyundai's number for the campaign is 302. In the federal file, 86 of the 337 complaints on 2025-2026 Tucsons describe this event — 25.5 percent, and 20 of those carry a crash flag. On the 2025 model year alone, 32 of 278 complaints report a crash, 11.5 percent, against 4.37 percent across all 777,040 complaints in the file. We read 20 of these complaints in full; 18 describe exactly the braking the recall names.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. Before blaming the software, rule out a windshield that was replaced without a camera recalibration and a dirty or fogged camera window behind the mirror. Both produce false targets, both are cheap to check, and a replacement windshield in the car's history is the first question to ask.

Fix it yourself — the honest split. You can turn the sensitivity to its latest setting in the driver-assistance menu, and you can clean the inside of the glass in front of the camera. Owners report both help less than they hope; one owner reports events with the system already set to "Late." The recall update is a dealer or over-the-air job, not a driveway one.

Where this does not apply. On 2022-2024 Tucsons we found 36 complaints describing the same braking, 5.9 percent of those years, eight with a crash flag. Those model years are not in 26V-316. If you own one, the recall is not your remedy; a written complaint to NHTSA is, and so is a dealer visit asking for current camera software.

At the shop — say this: "Is recall 302 open on this VIN? If it isn't, is there newer front camera software for this car, and was the camera recalibrated after any windshield work?"

Why does a brand-new Tucson brake hard when nothing is in front of it? Because a camera, not a driver, decides what counts as an obstacle, and Hyundai has now said in a federal filing that on the 2025 and 2026 cars that camera's software can decide too early. In PulsCar's reading of the complaint file, the pattern is consistent: clear road, moderate speed, full braking, and a following driver who did not expect it. That consistency is why the recall matters more than any setting in the menu. For owners of 2025-2026 cars the fix is free and defined. For owners of 2022-2024 cars the file shows the same event at a lower rate with no recall behind it, which puts the burden on documentation: note the date, the speed, the location and the weather, keep dashcam footage if you have it, and file each event with NHTSA. A complaint file with many dated, specific reports is exactly what opens an investigation.

2 · Dual-clutch hesitation and rollback from a stop — the first 30,000 miles (2016-2021 1.6 turbo)

The tell. You press the accelerator at a light or a junction and the engine revs but the car does not move, or moves a second or three later and then lurches. On a slope it rolls backward first. Owners describe the moment of turning left across traffic as the dangerous one, and many describe it in the first few thousand miles of a new car.

What it actually is. 🟢 The 2016-2021 Tucson's transmission theme is the largest in the file: 943 complaints, 25.3 percent of that generation, at a median of 8,291 miles. Hyundai's recall 16V-628 covers 2016 Tucsons built May 20, 2015 through May 31, 2016 with the "7-speed EcoShift Dual Clutch Transmission," where "certain driving conditions and high temperatures may cause the vehicle to not move if the accelerator pedal is pressed and released repeatedly." The remedy is a free transmission control software update. Hyundai then ran service campaigns T1B, updating engine and transmission software on 2016-2017 dual-clutch cars, and T1C on 2017 cars. We read 30 of these complaints in full: about 8 in 10 describe exactly this launch behavior.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. On a car that has had its updates, a large share of what remains is the gearbox relearning, not failing. A dealer-performed clutch adaptation relearn after the software is current costs a fraction of clutch packs, and it is the step shops skip when they quote hardware first.

Fix it yourself — the honest split. You can change how you pull away: a steady, progressive press rather than a stab, and a brief pause on the brake before the throttle on a slope. That is a workaround, and owners are right to call it one. The software and relearn are dealer work.

Where this does not apply. The 2.0 and 2.4 Tucsons use a conventional automatic, not this gearbox. A hesitation on those cars is a different problem, usually engine-side, and item 3 covers it.

At the shop — say this: "Is recall 149 closed on this VIN, and are campaigns T1B and T1C done? After the latest software, was a clutch adaptation relearn performed before anyone quoted clutch packs?"

3 · The ABS module that can burn while parked — any mileage (2010-2021)

The tell. Often none. A smell of burning plastic from the engine bay, smoke from under the hood after the car has been parked, or an ABS and traction warning light. The danger in this item is that the car does not have to be running.

What it actually is. 🟢 Every generation of Tucson from 2010 to 2021 carries a recall for the anti-lock brake control unit shorting and starting a fire. 23V-651 covers 2010-2013 Tucsons among 1,649,478 Hyundai vehicles: the module "may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving." 22V-056 covers 2014-2015 Tucsons. 20V-543 covers 2016-2021 Tucsons, 652,024 vehicles in all: the unit "could corrode internally and cause an electrical short." All three tell owners to "park outside and away from structures" until the repair is done. All three remedies replace a fuse; 20V-543 also updates stability control software on the 2019-2021 cars.

That last point is why NHTSA opened audit query AQ23-002 on November 17, 2023, into 16 Hyundai and Kia recalls for the same supplier's modules. Its stated purpose is to "understand the varying defect descriptions and remedies between these recalls" and to evaluate the "timeliness and scoping" of the companies' decisions. All three Tucson recalls are on its list. As of the file's cutoff it has no closing date.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. An ABS warning light on its own is usually a wheel speed sensor or its wiring, not the module; ⚪ our ABS light guide puts a sensor at the bottom of a ladder that tops out near $1,500 for a module. Have the module's own codes read before anyone quotes the expensive part.

Fix it yourself — the honest split. Running the VIN and parking outside until the recall is done are the whole of the do-it-yourself work. Do not pull fuses or disconnect the module yourself; the recall fuse is specified for a reason.

Where this does not apply. The 2022 and newer Tucson is not in these recalls. A 2005-2009 Tucson is not either.

At the shop — say this: "Which of 23V-651, 22V-056 or 20V-543 applies to this VIN, and is it closed? If the ABS light is on, what codes is the module itself storing?"

4 · Stalling and sudden loss of power — 20,000 to 90,000 miles

The tell. The engine dies at a light and restarts, or the car drops into a reduced-power mode on the highway and will not go past 55 or 60 mph. Sometimes the check engine light comes on, often it does not.

What it actually is. 🟢 Stalling and loss of power is the second-largest theme on both of the older generations: 604 complaints, 16.2 percent of 2016-2021 cars, at a median of 25,000 miles, and 208, 20.2 percent, on 2010-2015 cars at a median of 86,853. It is a symptom with several owners. On the dual-clutch cars, early in life, it is often the launch behavior of item 2. On the 2.0 and 2.4 at higher mileage, a reduced-power mode is exactly what Hyundai's Knock Sensor Detection System is designed to do when it detects bearing wear. NHTSA's engineering analysis EA21-003 describes that software as "intended to detect impending engine failure, alert the driver, and limit engine power."

The cheap cause that gets skipped. A low oil level. More than one owner in the file found the engine two quarts low after an oil change they had trusted. Check the dipstick before you accept any diagnosis, and check it before you drive to the dealer.

Fix it yourself — the honest split. Reading the codes with a ⚪ $15-$40 OBD2 scanner and checking the oil level are yours to do. A reduced-power mode with P1326 is not a code to clear and drive on.

Where this does not apply. A stall on the 2022 and newer hybrid models involves a different drivetrain; start with the dealer.

At the shop — say this: "Before we talk about parts, what codes are stored, including P1326, and what does the oil level and condition look like right now?"

5 · Door handles and latches that stop opening — 40,000 to 90,000 miles (2016-2017)

The tell. A door that needs two or three pulls to open, then one that will not open from outside, inside or either. Owners describe climbing across seats, and children or passengers unable to get out.

What it actually is. 🟢 Hyundai bulletin 21-BD-006H, June 2021: "Certain Elantra (AD/ADa) and Tucson (TL) vehicles may experience an internal or external door handle being inoperative or requiring repeated attempts to open the door." The fix is a door latch, and "the warranty coverage for the door latch has been extended to 10 years (unlimited mileage) from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use." The file holds 284 door complaints on 2016-2021 Tucsons, 7.6 percent, at a median of 61,200 miles.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. A handle cable that has come off its clip can mimic a failed latch and costs a fraction of one. But on a car inside the extension the cause does not matter to your wallet; the latch is covered, so let the dealer diagnose it.

Fix it yourself — the honest split. Nothing that is worth your time on a covered car. Outside the extension, a latch is a door-panel-off job that a careful owner can do, and the eleven dollar figures owners give near a door-latch complaint have a median of $500.

Where this does not apply. The bulletin names the TL generation. Earlier and later Tucsons are not on it.

At the shop — say this: "This is a 2016-2017 Tucson with a door that won't open. Bulletin 21-BD-006H extends the latch warranty to ten years with no mileage limit. Can you confirm this VIN is covered and replace the latch under it?"

6 · White paint peeling — by age, not mileage (2017-2021)

The tell. Paint on the hood, roof, fenders, doors, quarter panels or tailgate lifts in flakes or bubbles, usually on a white car, often starting at an edge, and it spreads.

What it actually is. 🟢 Hyundai bulletin 25-BD-004H, June 2025, reissued as 26-BD-002H in May 2026: "Certain Hyundai vehicles with exterior white paint may exhibit peeling or bubbling on metal body panels: hood, fender(s), roof, door(s), quarter panel(s), and tailgate/trunk." The paint warranty for affected vehicles is extended to ten years with unlimited mileage, and it "only applies to factory-applied paint." The owner letter lists the 2017-2021 Tucson among the affected models.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. Not every blemish is this defect. Bird droppings and tree sap etch clear coat in a way that looks similar on a white car. Photograph the damage in daylight before the dealer visit, so the inspection is about what the paint is doing rather than what it looked like last month.

Fix it yourself — the honest split. Nothing. Touch-up paint or a body shop repair on an affected panel can cost you the extension on that panel. Leave it alone until the dealer has inspected it.

Where this does not apply. Non-white cars, and panels that have already been repainted. The federal complaint file barely records this problem, because peeling paint is not a safety defect; the bulletin, not the complaint count, is the evidence here.

At the shop — say this: "This is a 2017-2021 Tucson in factory white with peeling paint on these panels. Is the VIN covered by 26-BD-002H, and can we book the inspection?"

7 · Oil consumption on the 2.0 and 2.4 — 60,000 to 110,000 miles

The tell. The oil is low at the next change, then low between changes. A quart every month, then a quart every few hundred miles. Sometimes blue smoke at startup; often nothing visible at all.

What it actually is. 🟢 On 2016-2021 Tucsons, 500 complaints — 13.4 percent — describe oil consumption, at a median of 75,744 miles. On 2010-2015 cars it is 59 complaints at a median of 100,973. Unlike Toyota's ZE7 program for the Corolla, we found no Hyundai bulletin in NHTSA's file that sets a consumption threshold or a test for the Tucson. What the file does contain is the connection: in the 40 engine complaints we read in full, oil consumption precedes several of the failures, and one owner describes more than four quarts every thousand miles on a 2017 2.0.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. An external leak. Two owners in the file were told to replace an oil pan gasket or drain plug seal before any consumption test would start. Check under the car and around the drain plug before you conclude the engine is burning oil; a leak is a $100-class fix, and on this vehicle item 9 explains why it matters.

Fix it yourself — the honest split. Check the dipstick every other fill-up and write the level down with the date and mileage. That log is the single most useful document you can bring to a later engine claim, and it costs nothing.

Where this does not apply. The 1.6 turbo reports oil use too, but none of the engine programs we read lists it, so the log is evidence for a goodwill request rather than a program claim.

At the shop — say this: "I'm logging oil use and it's rising. I'd like it recorded on a repair order today, with the level you measure, so there's a dated record if the engine develops a bearing problem."

8 · Connecting rod bearing failure and P1326 — 60,000 to 150,000 miles

The tell. A knock from the engine that rises with engine speed, often starting light and growing over weeks. Then an oil pressure light, a flashing check engine light with P1326, a reduced-power mode, or a sudden failure on the highway. Several owners in the file describe no warning at all.

What it actually is. 🟢 The largest single engine failure pattern on this vehicle, documented by Hyundai itself. The file holds 589 engine complaints on 2016-2021 Tucsons (15.8 percent, median 75,000 miles) and 275 on 2010-2015 cars (26.7 percent, median 87,000). We read 40 at random: 38 describe engine failure, knock, seizure or oil consumption.

Hyundai's response has three layers. Software: the Knock Sensor Detection System, installed under campaigns 953, 966 and 982, listens for the vibration of bearing wear and sets P1326. A recall for one year: 21V-727 covers 2017 Tucsons, inspecting the engine, replacing it if bearing damage is found, and installing the software. Warranty extensions: 22-EM-006H-2 at 15 years or 150,000 miles for the 2.0 and the older 2.4 MPI, and 22-EM-001H, a Limited Lifetime Warranty for the 2014-2015 and 2018-2019 Tucson with the 2.4 GDI. The section below quotes both in full.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. Oil starvation from outside the engine: a drain plug that backed out, a gasket left on after an oil change, an oil level nobody checked. An engine that ran low for those reasons fails the same way, and it is the reason a denial can cite "outside influences." Item 9 is the other half of this item.

Fix it yourself — the honest split. Nothing mechanical. Stop driving on a knock, have the car towed, and let the dealer run the bearing clearance test. What you can do is make the claim strong: VIN, oil change records, your oil level log, and the software campaign status from the five-minute check.

Where this does not apply. We found no engine warranty extension that lists the 2016-2021 Tucson with the 1.6-liter turbo. Sixty-five complaints on those years name a 1.6 or turbo engine alongside an engine failure. For those cars the realistic paths are a goodwill request with full records, a used engine, or a paid replacement.

At the shop — say this: "This is a knock on a Tucson listed in 22-EM-006H-2. Please run the bearing clearance test and submit a Warranty Prior Approval, whatever the software campaign status shows, and give me Hyundai's decision in writing with the reason."

Does Hyundai still cover a Tucson engine that fails at 120,000 miles? For many Tucsons, yes, and the owners of the most complained-about years are the ones most likely not to know it. Bulletin 22-EM-006H-2 covers connecting rod bearing failure on listed 2016-2021 Tucsons with the 2.0 engine for 15 years or 150,000 miles from first use, for original and later owners, excluding commercial sellers, lessors, renters and salvaged vehicles. PulsCar's reading of the complaint file found owners told the opposite on all three points: that a second owner is not covered, that the software update had to be done first, and that the oil was to blame. The bulletin speaks to the second one directly. It tells dealers to submit a Warranty Prior Approval on every listed vehicle with the condition, regardless of whether the software was installed. The decision is still Hyundai's. But it starts with a submission, and an owner can insist on one.

9 · The oil change that kills an engine: a drain plug that backs out — after any oil change

The tell. Oil spots under the car within days of an oil change, then an oil pressure light and a sudden failure. One owner in the file lost a 2020 Tucson engine 1,265 miles after an oil change to a missing drain plug.

What it actually is. 🟢 In 2022 petitioners asked NHTSA to investigate Hyundai and Kia oil drain plugs backing out and oil pans cracking, across 2005-2021 models including the Tucson. NHTSA reviewed the complaints and denied the petition in December 2023, with a finding worth knowing: "a loss of motive power resulting from an oil drain plug back out has not occurred between the initial sale of a vehicle and the completion of its first oil change." The agency's explanation is that "if during an oil change service, a technician fails to remove the existing drain plug gasket before installing a new gasket, it is likely that a proper seal between the drain plug and the oil pan will not be made," and the cracks it examined were near the plug or looked like tool damage. Separately, recall 19V-063 covers 120,000 2011-2013 Tucsons whose "engine oil pan may leak and, if not addressed, the loss of oil may result in engine damage."

The cheap cause that gets skipped. This item is the cheap cause. A new drain plug gasket costs a few dollars, and checking that the old one came off takes seconds.

Fix it yourself — the honest split. After any oil change, look under the car the next morning and again a week later, and check the dipstick. If you change your own oil, remove the old gasket every time. If a shop did it, keep the receipt with the date and mileage; it is the document that makes a failure the shop's claim.

Where this does not apply. An engine that fails with a sound drain plug and a full pan is item 8, not this one.

At the shop — say this: "When you change the oil, please remove the old drain plug gasket and fit a new one, and write that on the repair order."

10 · Theft of key-start Tucsons — by model year (2011-2022)

The tell. A broken steering column cover, a damaged ignition, or a car that is simply gone. For owners of key-start Tucsons, the tell is often an insurer asking whether the anti-theft software has been installed.

What it actually is. 🟢 Hyundai's campaign documents describe it plainly: an anti-theft software upgrade and window decal campaign, Campaign 993, "in response to an increase in thefts of certain Hyundai vehicles not equipped with engine immobilizers targeted through social media." Hyundai adds that "in November 2021, engine immobilizers became standard on all Hyundai vehicles." The campaign was combined with a steering wheel lock campaign, P32, and later an ignition cylinder protector campaign, 9A5. In January 2026 bulletin 25-01-089H made a "zinc reinforced ignition cylinder protector" available, installed "upon customer's request ONLY." The documents cover 2011-2022 model year Tucsons without an immobilizer.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. A push-button start Tucson is generally not the target. Check whether your car starts with a key before you worry about this item.

Fix it yourself — the honest split. Book the software campaign and ask for the protector; both are dealer work and free. A visible steering wheel lock is the do-it-yourself layer.

Where this does not apply. Push-button start cars, and cars built with an immobilizer.

At the shop — say this: "Is Campaign 993 done on this VIN? I'd also like the ignition cylinder protector from bulletin 25-01-089H installed."

What 5,874 NHTSA complaints about the Tucson actually show

We loaded NHTSA's complaint file, 777,040 complaints received between 1 January 2015 and 8 September 2026, and selected the Tucson by NHTSA's own make and model fields rather than by text, so the set is complete. That gave 5,874 complaints. The full tables are published: by model year, themes by generation, and the method.

The distribution is not even. Model year 2016 has 1,616 complaints and 2017 has 1,084: together 2,700, 46.0 percent of the nameplate's file. No other model year reaches 400.

The flags. Across all Tucson complaints, 2.32 percent carry a fire flag against 1.82 percent across the whole file, and 5.94 percent report a tow against 5.11 percent. Crash flags are lower than average overall, 3.40 percent against 4.37, with one exception: the 2025 model year, where 32 of 278 complaints report a crash, 11.5 percent. Seventy of those 278 complaints describe unexpected automatic braking, and 15 of the 70 carry a crash flag.

Each generation has its own leading theme.

Themes are regular expressions with word boundaries on the complaint text, and a complaint can carry several, so they do not add up to the total. Every theme we publish was checked by reading random matches in full; the false-positive rates are in the method file. Note the mileage medians: the transmission theme sits at 8,291 miles, which means new cars, while the engine theme sits at 75,000 to 87,000, which is exactly where the 15-year program matters.

What the engine complaints say about money. We read every dollar figure near an engine word and a repair word, dropped purchase prices and loan balances, and sorted the rest by hand. Twenty-nine are replacement engine quotes or costs: median $9,700, middle half $8,000 to $12,000, highest $18,000. Five are used engines installed, $4,500 to $6,000. Four are owners paying a share of a goodwill engine, $1,800 to $3,200 — evidence that Hyundai sometimes pays part of an engine it does not have to. The sister guide on Hyundai and Kia engine knocking reports a lower median across six nameplates because it includes the used lane in one number; we keep the lanes apart because owners face them as separate quotes.

The recall record: 28 campaigns, and the four that touch most owners

Twenty-eight recall campaigns name the Tucson. Most are small: a label, a trailer hitch harness, roof moldings on some 2022 cars. Four decide how most owners should treat their car.

20V-543, the 2016-2021 ABS fire recall. 652,024 vehicles. The anti-lock brake control unit "could corrode internally and cause an electrical short, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire." Park outside until it is done. Hyundai number 195.

23V-651 and 22V-056, the same risk on 2010-2015 cars. 23V-651 covers 1,649,478 Hyundai vehicles across a dozen models including the 2010-2013 Tucson; 22V-056 covers the 2014-2015 Tucson with several Santa Fe years. Hyundai numbers 251 and 218.

26V-316, the 2025-2026 forward collision recall. 423,062 vehicles, front camera software. Hyundai number 302.

21V-727, the 2017 engine recall. 95,515 2017 Tucson and Sonata Hybrid vehicles, "connecting rod bearings inside the engine may wear prematurely." Inspection, replacement if damaged, software. Hyundai number 209. Worth knowing: bulletin 22-EM-006H-2 says vehicles previously recalled under recall 209 are exempt from its software requirement, and NHTSA's engineering analysis EA21-003 listed 21V-727 among the recalls whose remedies it examined for "potential remedy concerns" before closing in February 2024.

Two more are recent enough that many owners have not had the letter. 26V-400, June 2026, covers 96,310 2025-2026 Tucsons whose instrument panel display may fail, in breach of federal standard 101; the fix is software, over the air or at a dealer. 16V-628 is the 2016 dual-clutch software recall from item 2. The full recall table is published.

The 15-year engine program: what 22-EM-006H-2 covers, in its own words

The recall is famous. The warranty bulletin behind it is not, and for most owners of a 2016-2021 Tucson it is the more valuable document.

What it covers. "The warranty coverage for engine repair or replacement regarding engine damage or malfunction from connecting rod bearing wear has been extended to 15 years or 150,000 miles from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use, whichever occurs first, and is valid for original and subsequent owners."

Which Tucsons. Its applicable vehicles include "certain 2010-2013 MY Tucson (LM) vehicles with Theta II 2.4L MPI engines," "certain 2014-2015 MY Tucson (LM) vehicles with Nu 2.0L GDI engines" and "certain 2016-2021 MY Tucson (TL) vehicles with Nu 2.0L GDI engines."

Who is excluded. "Commercial entities and individuals engaged in the buying, selling, leasing, or renting of motor vehicles, as well as salvaged vehicles, are ineligible." A salvage title ends the coverage. A second private owner does not.

The software condition, precisely. "All TXXM vehicles are eligible for the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software (Service Campaign 966 or 982). Customers are strongly encouraged to complete the KSDS installation, which has been communicated to customers as a requirement for coverage under the extended warranty. Previously recalled vehicles under Recall 198 and Recall 209 are exempt from the KSDS requirement. Regardless of KSDS completion, dealers should follow the notice described below and always submit a Warranty Prior Approval request on all applicable vehicles that exhibit the conditions above within the extended warranty period."

Read that paragraph twice, because the denials in the file hinge on it. One owner of a 2014 Tucson reports being refused because the software "needed to be updated PRIOR to the engine failing." The bulletin calls the software a communicated requirement and, in the same paragraph, instructs dealers to submit the claim regardless. Get the software installed now if it is not. If your engine has already failed without it, the bulletin still tells the dealer to submit.

The lifetime program for the 2.4 GDI is stricter. Bulletin 22-EM-001H, January 2022, extends coverage for the same failure to a Limited Lifetime Warranty on "certain 2014-2015 MY Tucson (LM) vehicles with 2.4L engines" and "certain 2018-2019 MY Tucson (TL) vehicles with 2.4L engines," limited to "vehicles owned by individual consumers that have: Completed the Knock Sensor Detection System software update (Campaign 953) AND A check engine warning lamp illumination with DTC P1326 (Campaign T3G) OR An engine concern related to connecting rod bearing wear or damage." It refers owners to hmaenginesettlement.com for further limitations. Here the software is a condition in the text, not only in the letters. A companion bulletin, 22-EM-002H-1, lists the same Tucsons at 10 years or 120,000 miles and requires a Prior Approval.

What the dealer checks when P1326 keeps coming back. Bulletin 24-EM-002H, March 2024, covers 2016-2021 Tucson 2.0 cars that keep setting P1326 after the software. Its first steps are an engine mechanical pre-check: oil "must be CLEAN with oil change maintenance work performed within the last 3,000 miles/6 months and topped off to the 'F' mark," coolant level, fuel quality, knock sensor mounting and connector condition, and a bearing clearance test. Those are the facts a claim will be judged on. Your receipts answer the first of them.

What is missing from the complaint file, and why that matters

The engine. NHTSA's complaint record has no engine field. We can say a complaint is about a 2017 Tucson; we cannot say from the record whether it is a 2.0 or a 1.6 turbo, unless the owner wrote it. That is why the 65 complaints naming a 1.6 or turbo engine alongside an engine failure are a floor, not a count.

The 1.6 turbo program, if there is one. We searched every Hyundai manufacturer communication in the file that names the Tucson for any warranty extension listing the 1.6 turbo, and found none. A program can exist outside that file. That is why the five-minute check sends you to Hyundai's owner site as well as NHTSA's.

Paint and door latches. Neither is primarily a safety defect, so owners under-report them to NHTSA. The bulletins exist; the complaint counts understate how common both are.

A denominator. Nobody publishes how many Tucsons of each year and engine are on the road. A model year with more complaints may simply have sold more cars. Nothing in this guide is a failure rate, and nothing here says the Tucson is more or less reliable than its rivals.

The Tucson price ladder, from the bottom up

Read the ladder from the bottom rung up and notice where the gap is. Between a used engine and a replacement engine is roughly $4,000 to $6,000; between a listed engine and an unlisted one is the whole ladder. On this vehicle, the most valuable hour you can spend is not comparing shops. It is confirming whether your VIN is listed.

The Tucson number, by which Tucson you drive

"Listed" means the bulletin names that year and engine; Hyundai still decides each claim through a Prior Approval, and each bulletin says "certain" vehicles. Two smaller extensions round out the newer cars: bulletin 26-BE-004H extends the horn to 10 years or 120,000 miles on certain 2022 Tucsons, and 26-BD-007H covers a loose wiper motor crank arm nut on certain 2022-2025 Tucsons.

Best and worst Tucson years, and why the file points one way

The file's worst years by volume are plain: 2016 and 2017. The best-documented years for an owner are, perhaps surprisingly, many of the same ones, because a 2016-2021 Tucson with the 2.0 engine carries rod bearing coverage that most competitors never offered.

Which Hyundai Tucson years should you avoid? The honest answer depends on the engine more than the year, and that is where PulsCar's reading of the federal file lands. The complaint peak is 2016 and 2017, which together hold 46 percent of all Tucson complaints, driven first by the dual-clutch launch problem on the 1.6 turbo and then by engine failures. But a 2016-2021 Tucson with the 2.0 engine is listed in a bulletin covering rod bearing failure for 15 years or 150,000 miles, which makes a clean example a reasonably protected used buy. The years to treat with real caution are the 1.6 turbo cars, for which we found no engine extension, any 2010-2021 car whose ABS fire recall is still open, and a 2025 car whose camera software recall has not been done. For any year, the deciding facts are the VIN's campaign history and a folder of oil change receipts.

Best, with conditions: a 2019-2021 2.0 with the software campaign done and records. Good, with the same conditions: a 2016-2018 2.0. Treat with caution: a 2016-2018 1.6 turbo, and any Tucson of any year whose seller cannot show the engine campaign status.

What a shop actually does with a Tucson, checkpoint by checkpoint

For the engine claim, which is the one with five figures behind it, a good dealer visit looks like this.

1. Codes read and recorded, including P1326, with freeze-frame data.
2. Oil level and condition recorded on the repair order. Bulletin 24-EM-002H starts here.
3. Knock sensor mounting and connector inspected, because a loose or corroded sensor can set the same code.
4. Bearing clearance test under the Service Campaign T6G procedure. This is the test that decides whether the engine is replaced.
5. Warranty Prior Approval submitted, with the case details. The bulletins require one on every listed vehicle with the condition.
6. A written decision with the reason. If the answer is no, you need the stated reason to know which document answers it.

For the braking complaint on a newer car: the camera software version, the recall status, and whether the camera was calibrated after any windshield work, each written down. For the dual-clutch: the software level and whether a clutch adaptation relearn was done before any hardware quote.

Three Tucson traps that cost owners the most

Trap 1: "You're the second owner, so it isn't covered." Several owners in the file report hearing exactly this. The bulletin says the coverage "is valid for original and subsequent owners" and excludes commercial dealers, lessors, renters and salvaged vehicles, not private second owners. Lesson: ask for the exclusion in writing, with the bulletin number.

Trap 2: "The software wasn't installed before the failure, so the claim is closed." For the 15-year 2.0 program, the bulletin calls the software a communicated requirement and, in the same paragraph, tells dealers to submit a Prior Approval "regardless of KSDS completion." Recall 209 cars, the 2017 Tucsons, are exempt from the software requirement entirely. For the 2.4 lifetime program the software is a written condition, which is exactly why getting it installed now matters. Lesson: insist the Prior Approval is submitted; the decision can go either way, but it has to be made.

Trap 3: paying for an engine a shop caused. If the engine failed after a drain plug backed out, NHTSA's own finding places the cause at the oil change, not in the car. That is a claim against the business that changed the oil, not a warranty question. Lesson: keep every oil change receipt with the date and mileage, and look under the car the week after.

Three Tucson quotes, decoded

These are composite scenarios, not individual customers: each combines details that come up repeatedly in owner reports and shop quotes.

Scenario 1: 2017 Tucson 2.0, 118,000 miles, second owner, a knock, quoted $11,400 by an independent shop. The car is inside 15 years and under 150,000 miles, the 2.0 is listed in 22-EM-006H-2, and as a 2017 it falls under recall 209, which the bulletin exempts from the software requirement. The right first stop was never the independent shop. It was the dealer, for a bearing clearance test and a Prior Approval. Lesson: on a listed engine, the first quote should come from the party that may owe it.

Scenario 2: 2018 Tucson 1.6 turbo, 92,000 miles, engine failure, dealer quotes $9,800. No extension we found lists this engine. The owner's choices are a goodwill request to Hyundai with full service records, a used engine at roughly half the price, or the quote. Four owners in the file report Hyundai paying part of an engine; that is the realistic ceiling for a goodwill request, not a guarantee. Lesson: records turn a refusal into a negotiation.

Scenario 3: 2024 Tucson, two hard braking events on a clear road, dealer finds no codes. The 2024 model year is not in recall 26V-316. The owner files each event with NHTSA with date, speed and location, asks the dealer in writing for the current front camera software and for confirmation of calibration after a windshield replacement in the car's history, and keeps dashcam footage. Lesson: when there is no recall, a precise record is the remedy you control.

Four Tucson playbooks for where you are right now

The engine is knocking today. Stop driving and tow it to a Hyundai dealer. Bring the VIN, oil receipts and your oil log. Ask for the bearing clearance test and a Prior Approval. Get the decision in writing.

You already paid for an engine. If your Tucson is listed in 22-EM-006H-2 or 22-EM-001H and you paid for a bearing failure within the terms, ask Hyundai in writing whether reimbursement is available, and attach the invoice, the failure diagnosis and your records. Check hmaenginesettlement.com if your car is a 2.4 in the lifetime list.

You are buying a used Tucson. Get the engine size from the hood label, run the VIN on both lookups, ask for proof of the engine software campaign, look for a salvage title (it ends the 15-year coverage), and prefer a 2.0 with records over a 1.6 turbo without them.

You own a 2025-2026 and the car brakes by itself. Book recall 302 now. Until it is done, watch your mirror, leave extra room behind you in traffic, and report every event.

After the Tucson repair: verify, then prevent

After a covered engine replacement, confirm in writing that the knock sensor software is reinstalled on the new engine, keep the repair order with the Prior Approval number, and ask what warranty the replacement engine carries.

After the ABS recall, keep the recall completion printout. The remedy is a fuse; if an ABS light comes on later, have the module's own codes read.

After any oil change, check under the car the next morning and a week later. On this vehicle that habit is worth more than any additive or premium oil.

Every six months, re-run the VIN on both lookups. Two of the recalls in this guide were filed in 2026.

The Tucson plan: 10 minutes, today, this week

In the next 10 minutes: read the engine size off the hood label, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, and check the oil level.

Today: run the VIN on Hyundai's owner site for campaigns and extensions, and find your oil change receipts.

This week: book any open recall, ask the dealer in writing whether the knock sensor software is installed and under which campaign, and, on a 2016-2017 car with a sticky door or a 2017-2021 white car with peeling paint, book the inspection under the extension before the time runs out.

If you want a second opinion on a noise before you pay for a diagnosis, PulsCar's free sound check screens a 30-second recording of your engine. It does not replace the bearing clearance test, and it is not a warranty decision; it is a way to know whether you are hearing a knock before you pay someone to tell you.

Sources and documents

Primary documents only. Where a claim in this guide is marked 🟢, it rests on one of the items below, and the reference is given so you can pull the document yourself. Claims marked ⚪ are shop-price estimates carried from PulsCar's repair-cost guides — estimates, not measurements from a dataset we own.

1. Hyundai bulletin 22-EM-006H-2, "Engine Warranty Extension (TXXM)," November 2022: rod bearing coverage to 15 years or 150,000 miles; the software requirement and exemption paragraph; the applicable 2010-2021 Tucson engines. NHTSA document 10227316.
2. Hyundai bulletin 22-EM-001H, "Engine Warranty Extension (TXXI)," January 2022: Limited Lifetime Warranty and its conditions for 2014-2015 and 2018-2019 Tucson with 2.4-liter engines. NHTSA document 10207811.
3. Hyundai bulletin 22-EM-002H-1, "Engine Warranty Extension (TXXC)," April 2022: 10 years or 120,000 miles, Warranty Prior Approval required. NHTSA document 10211674.
4. Hyundai bulletin 24-EM-002H, March 2024: continued P1326 after the software update on 2016-2021 Tucson 2.0; the engine mechanical pre-check including the oil condition requirement. NHTSA document 10252363.
5. Hyundai bulletin 21-BD-006H, June 2021: door latch coverage to 10 years with unlimited mileage on 2016-2017 Tucson (TL). NHTSA document 10196574.
6. Hyundai bulletins 25-BD-004H and 26-BD-002H, June 2025 and May 2026: factory white paint coverage to 10 years with unlimited mileage; 2017-2021 Tucson listed.
7. Hyundai Service Campaigns 953, 966 and T6G, the Knock Sensor Detection System and the engine bearing inspection procedure. NHTSA documents 10154679, 10167260 and 10211662.
8. Hyundai Campaign 993, P32 and 9A5, and bulletin 25-01-089H, January 2026: anti-theft software, steering wheel lock and ignition cylinder protector for 2011-2022 vehicles without an immobilizer.
9. NHTSA recall 20V-543 (Hyundai 195), 22V-056 (218) and 23V-651 (251): ABS module fire risk; park-outside advisories; fuse remedies.
10. NHTSA recall 26V-316 (Hyundai 302), May 2026: front camera software and premature forward collision braking, 2025-2026. Recall 26V-400 (304): instrument display software, 2025-2026.
11. NHTSA recall 21V-727 (Hyundai 209): 2017 Tucson connecting rod bearings. Recall 16V-628 (149): 2016 dual-clutch software. Recall 19V-063: 2011-2013 oil pan leak.
12. NHTSA audit query AQ23-002, opened 17 November 2023: 16 Hyundai and Kia ABS module recalls, varying defect descriptions and remedies.
13. NHTSA defect petition DP22-003, closed December 2023: oil drain plug back-out and oil pan cracks; petition denied; the gasket finding.
14. NHTSA engineering analysis EA21-003, closed February 2024: Hyundai and Kia engine failures and fires, and the Knock Sensor Detection System remedy.
15. PulsCar analysis of NHTSA public data, September 2026: 5,874 Tucson complaints, themes by generation, 40 engine complaints read in full, and 40 owner-reported amounts with ODI numbers. Data and method.

For the engine story across the brand, read Hyundai and Kia engine knocking, and for the sister vehicles, the Sonata and Sorento guides. For the lights and sounds behind these items: the ABS light, engine knocking, the low oil pressure warning and a car that stalls while driving. For the money side: clutch replacement, transmission repair, warranty extensions owners don't know about and how to dispute a repair bill.

Methodology. Complaint counts come from NHTSA's public complaint file, selected by NHTSA's make and model fields; themes are case-insensitive regular expressions, each checked by reading random matches in full. Price ranges marked ⚪ are US estimates carried from our repair-cost guides and vary by region and shop. Engine, used-engine and goodwill figures are what owners reported to NHTSA, read by hand and published with ODI numbers; they are not invoices. Nothing here is a failure rate.

Prices verified July to September 2026 in the repair-cost guides they are carried from, and reviewed quarterly — no estimator would serve our checks on 21 September 2026, so nothing on this page was re-priced this pass. Technical documents verified September 2026: bulletins 22-EM-001H, 22-EM-002H-1, 22-EM-006H-2, 24-EM-002H and 21-BD-006H and the campaign 953 and T6G documents were downloaded from static.nhtsa.gov and read in full on 21 September 2026, and the complaint, recall, bulletin and investigation files behind our analysis were queried the same day.

Had a Tucson engine claim approved, denied or partly paid? Email [email protected] with the year, engine, mileage and outcome — owner data is how these ranges get sharper.