2018 Hyundai Tucson Reliability Report

Most of this catch-all group is about oil consumption and the damage that follows. Clogged catalytic converters cut power so the car cannot get above 50 mph, and engines stall at speed. One stall led to a rear-end crash. One report describes a fire after the oil and battery lights came on. Other reports cite repeated turbo replacements, hesitation and lurching when pulling out from a stop, a sunroof that will not close, and a door lock forced open in seconds without the alarm sounding.

Headlights and taillights burn out again and again, and owners find melted sockets or wiring, sometimes needing a full headlamp assembly. Other reports describe the car shutting off on the highway. One case was traced to a bad ground wire and others to a seized engine. Two crash reports involve deer strikes, one with air bags that failed to deploy. Smaller complaints cover a turn signal that cuts out mid-turn, a dead media screen, a failed seat recliner motor, and a recall left open for 5 months.

Headlights fail intermittently. Owners report bulb-out warnings, bulbs working loose from their sockets, and melted contacts or wiring harnesses. Some say they replace bulbs every 90 days or keep returning to the dealer. A second pattern on new cars involves the headlight beam itself: low beams that reach only about 30 feet, a dark band ahead of the car with the bending-light HID system, and high beams that glare off road signs. Failures appear as early as 16,000 miles. Two filings here actually describe oil consumption and a knock sensor.

The car hesitates or refuses to accelerate, both from a stop and at speed, and sometimes slows on its own as the driver presses harder on the gas. Owners describe pumping the pedal during left turns before the car responds, and losing power on highway hills. Causes cited include oil-clogged catalytic converters, a faulty sensor, and limp mode after the knock sensor recall. Dealers often cannot reproduce the problem. One report alleges sudden acceleration with the brake pressed on a nearly new car. Onset ranges from 7,000 to 100,000 miles.

Power loss and stalling make up most of these reports, usually with the check engine light on. Owners describe jerking, a vibrating floorboard, and no response to the gas pedal, sometimes at 65 mph on the highway. Many repairs do not last. Repeated catalytic converter replacements, new fuel injectors, and an engine software update all failed to stop the problem. Oil consumption appears again, with oil running very low between changes. One misfire diagnosis ended with advice to replace the engine.

Paint peels, flakes, and bubbles, most often on the hood, roof, side mirrors, and shark-fin antenna. Dealers decline to help once the warranty has expired. Two other problems stand out. In one report, the sunroof glass shattered while the car was being driven. In another, the rear hatch opens by itself both when parked and when moving, and the dealer could not reproduce it.

Bags stay stowed during serious crashes in all three reports. The cases include a rear impact that pushed the car into the vehicle ahead, a rear strike that spun the car into a semi-truck, and a side impact where everything deployed except the driver-side curtain. Drivers hit their heads on the steering wheel. One report also cites a seat belt that did not retract. Four injuries are reported, including broken bones and head trauma.