2020 Hyundai Tucson Complaints

ENGINE — Filed 09/13/2026

On XXX, while driving at freeway speed in [XXX] with my [XXX] son in the back seat, the engine of my 2020 Hyundai Tucson (2.4L Theta II GDI, approx. 99,108 miles) seized suddenly and without warning. I lost all motive power in moving traffic and coasted to the shoulder, where my son and I sat stranded for 30 minutes with smoke and a burning smell coming from the engine while waiting for a tow. No warning lamps or messages appeared before the failure. COMPONENT FAILED: Engine. Tustin Hyundai ([XXX]) diagnosed the failure on RO XXX: engine seized; connecting rod pierced through the bottom of the engine block due to internal catastrophic failure at the crankshaft/bearings; starter had a burnt smell. The dealer recommends full long block replacement. The vehicle remains at Tustin Hyundai and is available for inspection upon request. CONFIRMED BY: Hyundai dealership technician (diagnosis on RO XXX) and an insurance adjuster (National General/Allstate claim XXX, Estimate of Record on file). A goodwill request was submitted to Hyundai Motor America and denied. RELEVANT DEFECT HISTORY: This is the same connecting rod bearing failure mode for which Hyundai extended a Limited Lifetime Warranty on 2018-2019 Tucson vehicles with the same Theta II 2.4L GDI engine (TSB 22-EM-001H-1/TXXI). Hyundai Service Campaign 9C2 (Theta II ECU software update, issued XXX) was open and incomplete on my VIN at the time of failure and was performed only at the post-failure service visit. Oil consumption without external leaks, a documented characteristic of this engine defect, was present before the failure. SAFETY RISK: Sudden total loss of motive power at highway speed in traffic with a child aboard created a serious risk of collision, and the 30-minute roadside wait exposed us to passing traffic. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 09/03/2026

Engine has defect that causes oil to heat at an unusual levels there for damaging other vehicle components such as The exhaust system parts clogging up and Triggering check engine warning lights for emissions.

ENGINE — Filed 05/12/2026

The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while the vehicle was receiving a routine oil change, the contact was informed that the oil pan was empty. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The contact was informed about a possible oil consumption test. The contact was informed that there was carbon blowing out of the vehicle. The contact stated that three months later, the oil pan was empty. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and engine oil was added; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard an abnormally loud sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the bolts for the driveshaft were missing. The contact was informed that the bolts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the dealer was negligent when the engine was replaced and the bolts to secure the driveshaft were not properly installed. The contact stated that the negligence needed to be reported. The contact was later advised by an associate to take the vehicle back to the dealer and requested an overall inspection of the driveshaft. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and the inspection was completed. The contact was informed that the vehicle had passed the inspection. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 07/08/2026

Dealer completed update 9C2 Theta 2 emissions update. After update, the car sputters slightly and increased noise is heard from the tailpipe. Customer returned to dealer after driving the car in different temps and noted the above complaint. Dealer verified the complaint but continues to take no responsibility for the fault on the repair receipt by writing condition is “normal” and recommending “customer to allow vehicle to properly warm up for one to three minutes prior to driving.” The last line of the service record indicates “no problem found at this time.” A template letter from Hyundai was attached to the repair record. Hyundai may be instructing dealers to not document problems in the service records assumably so they will not be liable for future litigation. It should be noted that owner was previously denied payment on their 2017 Hyundai Tucson due to lack of documentation by the dealer to prove the case with prior class action lawsuit despite years of verbal complaints to the service staff. Dealer may be intentionally not documenting or taking responsibility for systematic failures in the Tucson in service records. This may be on the direction of Hyundai corporate. 2020 Hyundai Tucson continues to sputter periodically during normal driving conditions. Car is parked in an attached garage making a 1 to 3 minute warm-up time-consuming and possibly unsafe. This required warm up should not be considered normal as indicated on the repair record. Hyundai should take responsibility for their shortcomings and allow proper documentation on service records rather than pushing the fault on the owners. As with previous Tucson complaints, the dealer continues to indicate the problems are the result of owner actions not internal failures.

ENGINE — Filed 07/20/2026

The engine lost power while driving, and the vehicle entered a reduced-power mode. The check engine light began flashing, and the engine made a loud knocking noise during acceleration. A diagnostic scan showed code P1326 (Knock Sensor Signal Range/Performance). The knock sensor was replaced, and the engine oil was refilled after discovering an oil leak. The vehicle operated normally for a short time, but the same symptoms returned. The vehicle is available for inspection. The vehicle suddenly lost power while traveling approximately 70 mph on the highway, making it difficult to maintain speed and safely keep up with traffic. This created a risk of being struck by other vehicles or causing an accident. The problem has since recurred during normal driving. The problem has been reproduced multiple times. A diagnostic scanner consistently identified code P1326. The knock sensor was replaced and the engine oil was replenished, but the same symptoms returned after several trips. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by a Hyundai dealership. The vehicle has been inspected by the owner and a family mechanic who replaced the knock sensor and identified an engine oil leak. It has not yet been inspected by Hyundai, law enforcement, or an insurance representative. There were no warning lights or messages indicating low engine oil or an oil leak before the failure occurred. I had the engine oil changed approximately one month before the incident. While driving on the highway at approximately 70 mph, the vehicle suddenly lost power, the check engine light began flashing, and the engine started making a loud knocking noise. After inspecting the vehicle, we discovered it had an engine oil leak and the oil level was low. Before the loss of power, there were no warning signs that the engine was losing oil or that there was an oil leak.

ENGINE — Filed 07/22/2026

High excessive oil consumption and premature piston ring failure leading to excessive oil consumption

ENGINE — Filed 07/04/2026

Tried passing someone on the thruway, as I was about to the car jerked a bit then started decelerating. The check engine light started flashing and so did the oil light. Read the code as cylinder 3 misfire and a knock sensor. Changed the spark plugs and coil packs then checked the oil and saw there was no oil in the engine. Was told by my mechanic it’s a common problem with these Hyundai engines, it seems the rings are getting fried in the engine and that’s why it consumes oil so quickly.

ENGINE — Filed 07/13/2026

While driving on the highway with adaptive cruise control on, car began decelerating without any vehicle in front. Started to get off highway, check engine light began flashing and came to a full stop. Car died. Tried restarting and car died. Check engine, oil and battery lights then on. Total engine failure and no warning lights prior.

AIR BAGS — Filed 03/27/2025

Was in a side impact car accident last year. And have been speaking with Hyundai off and on since the accident and have basically been brushed off in my concerns about the fact my airbags never deployed when my rear passenger door was essentially ripped off during the car accident. Progressive moved quickly with my claim and Hyundai pretty much told me not their problem since progressive moved the vehicle so fast and they said they can’t locate it even though I gave them exactly who to get in contact with and they never bothered and basically told me my issue was unfounded due to the fact they couldn’t locate said vehicle

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 06/27/2026

While driving on the expressway my car hit a bump and all the power from the vehicle was lost. I’ve been having issues with my car and have taking it to Hyundai dealership. Everytime I take it they are saying my car is fixed. But it’s not. Now they are saying they didn’t fix it because I didn’t explain the problem to them. I lost control driving high speeds. Thankfully the power returned. When I tell hyuandai in Naperville what happened they said it’s not their responsibility because I didn’t say it was electrical. I told them I didn’t know I had a an electrical problem. I thought that if I take my car in they would tell me the problem.

ENGINE — Filed 12/18/2025

Vehicle is a 2020 Hyundai Tucson with a 2.4 liter engine: Theta II GDI. Vehicle was purchased new and maintained properly. Excessive oil consumption began at about 50,000 miles. Vehicle was purchased in early 2020 and therefore has an engine manufactured in 2019. Tucson vehicles with this engine from 2011 through 2019 were recalled for engine problems including excessive oil consumption and rod bearing failure possibly resulting in engine fires. If engines were not replaced an extended warranty was given for 150,000 miles or 15 years. Hyundai will not remedy our excess oil consumption problem locally or nationally. An oil consumption test was done at the Hyundai dealer. Conclusion: by dealer and national level office: it's not bad enough to remedy. There were no engine warning lights activated because we check the oil regularly and add as needed. This post-2019 2.4 liter engine continues to be a hazard as some owners from previous year's models had engine seizures in traffic which is dangerous. Some owners reported engine fires. We have not experienced those tragedies but possibly post-2019 Tucson owners should be alerted to potential dangers.

SEATS — Filed 06/17/2026

My driver's seat broke and started wobbling while driving. The whole. Bottom plate is broken and the bolt will not hold it steady. It will not stay in one place. It slides back and forth and bounces up and down

ENGINE — Filed 06/14/2026

I am reporting a serious safety issue involving diagnostic code P1326. My vehicle developed engine knocking and little to no acceleration and appeared to enter a reduced-power or limp-mode condition while driving. This made it difficult to merge, maintain speed, and travel safely in traffic, creating a risk of collision or becoming stranded in an unsafe location. Based on publicly available Hyundai materials, code P1326 is associated with the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) and may indicate abnormal engine vibration, possible bearing-related engine damage, and reduced-power operation. Those materials also indicate that certain vehicles were eligible for software updates, inspection, and possible engine repair or replacement. I request that this issue be documented as a safety complaint and that the dealership perform a full diagnostic inspection, determine whether my vehicle qualifies for any applicable campaign or warranty extension, and provide appropriate repairs.

ENGINE — Filed 04/27/2026

The engine consumes oil which is a known problem at Hyundai with the Tucson for the year 2020. The car has ~51,000 miles on it. When we took the car to the dealer at which we bought the car they diagnosed that the engine was burning oil. We were told that the engine is covered by standard warranty (10 yr. 100,000 miles). there is a process Hyundai has established for engines suspected of having this issue - first we had to have them check the oil and engine and then we had to drive the car 1000 miles and bring it back to them. when we brought it back they confirmed the the engine was consuming oil. They asked us to provide our maintenance records on the car (oil changes). We were able to find evidence of 5 oil changes but we know the we changed the oil on the car every 3-5k miles as we always do. The next step in the process is a combustion chamber cleaning which costs $1400 which would normally be covered by warranty but since we did not have all records of oil changes they will not cover it so we are being told we have to pay the $1400 out of pocket and also the the cleaning is not assured to fix the issue with the engine. If it fails to fix the issue the car will need a new engine which Hyundai is telling us they will not do under the warranty and it will be our financial obligation ($10-15K additional paid by us). It is clear that Hyundai is trying to shirk their warranty obligation to us. So we are stuck - we have to pay out of pocket for a service that may not resolve the issue and if it does not the car needs a new engine. If we sell the car back to the dealership they will only pay us $6000 when the car with a good engine is worth $15K. We take our obligation of regular maintenance seriously and have been loyal buyers at this dealership for >20 years never having an issue with proper maintenance. We think it unconscionable that Hyundai is leaving us holding the bag for a problem they know exists with theses engines

ENGINE — Filed 01/29/2026

I recently purchased a 2020 Hyundai Tucson with a Nu 2.0 GDI engine. Shortly after purchase the engine completely failed and requires full replacement. When taken to a Hyundai dealership, they pulled an internal STUI report showing A95 branding, meaning Hyundai had previously denied warranty coverage blaming the prior owner for outside influence. This A95 designation does not appear on any consumer vehicle history report including Carfax or AutoCheck. I paid $13,500 for this vehicle with no knowledge of this engine history. The Nu 2.0 GDI engine in this vehicle is specifically named in Hyundai’s class action settlement. Hyundai is using internal branding to avoid responsibility for a known manufacturing defect while allowing these vehicles to re-enter the used car market with clean vehicle history reports, leaving consumers completely unprotected.

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — Filed 05/14/2026

While driving, the engine began making a loud knocking/rattling noise and the check engine light began flashing. The vehicle experienced a loss of power and was unsafe to continue operating normally. The vehicle was taken to a Hyundai dealership for diagnosis. The engine requires replacement. Hyundai denied coverage, claiming excessive oil consumption and/or maintenance concerns. However, upon inspection, the dealership removed the valve cover and advised that the engine was internally clean and showed no significant sludge buildup consistent with severe neglect. I am concerned that this engine failure may be related to known Hyundai engine issues involving the 2.4L GDI engine. The failure occurred well before the expected service life of the engine and created a potential safety hazard due to the loss of power while driving. I am requesting that NHTSA review this failure and determine whether similar failures are occurring in 2020 Hyundai Tucson vehicles equipped with the 2.4L GDI engine.

ENGINE — Filed 05/20/2026

I have had the car in twice to the mechanic within the last 6 months for check engine light. He said I keep loosing oil, but there is no leak and it's something with the Engine. Hyundai will not recall the engine, but I see so many people are having the same issue. On a 2020 vehicle, you should not have engine issues. At what point do they have a recall on this issue, as so many are reporting the same thing.

STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 05/15/2026

In August/September 2025 my mother's Tucson would randomly shut down on her (completely stall while driving) and she would not be able to turn it back on. If she waited a little while, then she would be able to turn the car back on but it was unknown when the issue would happen again. We took it to the dealer several times after each shutdown and the dealer stated it was not throwing a code and they could not diagnose the problem. The last time we took it to the dealer, the vehicle shut down while they were test driving it and they discovered it was a rear wheel sensor which is part of the ABS system. When the car would stall, lights on the dashboard would start flashing and the car would shudder to a stall. Since repairing that rear wheel sensor, the car has not exhibited the issue until 3 days ago when it again shut down randomly while she was in traffic. This, of course was terribly frightening for her as cars were honking at her and whipping around her vehicle. She was not able to get the car started. A police officer came and parked behind her car, calmed her down, and got her to try the car one more time and it did start up and she was able to proceed to the closest parking lot. After that we followed her home and have an appt. set to go back to the dealership. We are expecting the same run around at the dealer who charges excessive fees to diagnose and then repair the car. My Mom is [XXX] so this is a dangerous vehicle for her to be driving (really for anyone) as I am reading on line others reporting this same condition. I am expecting that they will find that a different rear wheel sensor has failed for which they will want another $800.00 to repair or maybe more now. Obviously we must get rid of this vehicle. It has less than 25,000 miles on it because she only drives to the grocery store and back. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

STRUCTURE — Filed 04/22/2026

The paint is peeling off the car prematurely. Hyundai is only acknowledging their responsibility for white vehicles but it is affecting others as well.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE — Filed 11/06/2025

My adult son was driving and under the hood started to smoke. He pulled over and opened the hood to take a look and then a fire started under the hood! The fire department was called and they put out the fire, cut the gasoline and duct taped it up so the fuel line would not further ignite the hot engine. My insurance is looking into what would have caused a random under the hood fire. Luckily no one was injured. However the engine section of the car is melted beyond belief. My insurance has not told me if the car is repairable or not.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 05/16/2023

In May of 2023, my house burnt down. We were in it at the time when the smoke detector went off. When I opened the door from to kitchen to the garage, I saw flames shooting up at the front of my car. The fire was so intense at that moment, I knew all we could do was flee the house. I grabbed my wife and we ran out the front door. You do not have a recall listed for my vehicle, but Hyundai lists two. The first one listed can potentially cause a fire. Both recall maintenance was performed on my car. I sincerely believe that the car was the cause of the fire. Since it had been sitting in my garage for approximately four hours, the engine wasn't hot. I had it regularly serviced at the local Hyundai dealership. There were multiple fire investigators, including one from Hyundai. Here is the recall information. Recall 195Recall2016-2021 TUCSON (TL) ABS FUSE KIT INSTALLATION AND SOFTWARE UPDATEDec 21, 2020 Service Campaign 966ServiceCAMP 966 - ENGINE MONITORING LOGIC - VARIOUS MODELSMay 23, 2022

AIR BAGS — Filed 01/14/2024

I was involved in a motor vehicle accident on January 14, 2024. My vehicle was struck head on, left driver side. The airbag did not deploy. I sprain my shoulder, fractured my chest rib, and have a knee contusion. My insurance company deemed my vehicle a total loss. I contacted Hyundai and they advised that because I did not currently have vehicle in my possession, they could not inspect it. I gave Hyundai the contact information to view the vehicle and they refused, stating they do not get involved with insurance company. My vehicle has not been inspected and my insurance claims representative is awaiting a call from Hyundai, to view vehicle at storage location. There were no warning lamps or other symptoms stating that the vehicle had an issue prior to the accident. My vehicle had a successful all points system check in May 2023, at a Hyundai dealership.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 05/13/2022

Vehicle was stolen in day light in Milwaukee area between 5 and 8 pm on 5/13/2022. Was aware of high theft but thought that it was safe do to the time I was there. Milwaukee pd didn't file the case in time and had Mukwonago pd show up at the house to question me about my car. We had 3 high school kids with us and 5 adults to verify the theft.

POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS — Filed 02/11/2022

Proceeding with flow of traffic, Southbound on a 2 lane st, I was in the curb lane. A truck exiting interstate ran through, at approx 50-60 MPH, a red light. Initial contact was made on passenger side front and rear door. He continued to push my car, and I turned the wheel to the right to avoid left lane traffic (as they couldn't move becuase of guard rail facing East) and he gunned it and pushed me into a concrete the guard rail at about 15-25 mph. The car was stuck in drive, it couldn't be put into any other gear.?There were no airbag deployment at all?I've missed worked since 2/11. I have severe left side injuries-neck, shoulder, upper/lower arm, wrist, and left hand, upper back pain, lower back pain, pain down the back of my legs, right shoulder pain, concussion, numbness, tingling in fingers, back, and feet. Labored breathing, bruising, headache, some loss of mobility, in constant pain, panic attacks/anxiety, under care of pulmonologist, family dr., physical therapist, chiropractor (as of now), insurance company towed car to their facility to get estimate. They have the car in their possession and the only ones to do any inspection at this point. THERE WERE ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING LIGHTS, MESSAGES, NOISES, NO WARNINGS ON BLUELINK APP, NOTHING THAT WOULD GIVE ME ANY INDICATION THERE WERE ISSUES WITH TRANSMISSION (GEAR STUCK IN DRIVE) OR AIRBAG MALFUNCTIONS.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 06/29/2021

The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph, the instrument dashboard display suddenly blacked out and the steering wheel malfunctioned causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crash down an embankment into a tree. The contact mentioned that when she attempts to exit because the vehicle was on the edge of an embankment when she exits the vehicle she fell into a tree then climbed up to the roadway where she was found unconscious. During the incident, the driver sustained a fractured left shoulder and head trauma. The contact currently was being seen by a Neurologist for her head trauma. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. It took over an hour for the vehicle to be retrieved from the embankment. The cause of the failure was not determined. Prior to the crash, the vehicle had been serviced on multiple occasions for exhibiting a loss of power and hesitation to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the transmission and reprogrammed the computer software but the failures continued to occur. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 38,000.