Hyundai Tucson 2016–2021
3rd generation (TL)
NHTSA data through 12 August 20265,013 complaints, 2,053 with mileageMethod
On this generation, 38% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 5 times higher than during the rest of the car's life.
- First 12,000 miles — 38% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 4 complaints (0.2%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 957
- 25%
- 5,200
- Median
- 25,000
- 75%
- 62,500
- 90%
- 92,622
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 479 | 23.3% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 223 | 10.9% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 114 | 5.6% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 105 | 5.1% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 100 | 4.9% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 68 | 3.3% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 101 | 4.9% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 50 | 2.4% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 63 | 3.1% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 70 | 3.4% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 43 | 2.1% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 57 | 2.8% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 88 | 4.3% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 81 | 3.9% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 59 | 2.9% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 28 | 1.4% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 47 | 2.3% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 37 | 1.8% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 58 | 2.8% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 27 | 1.3% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 53 | 2.6% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 24 | 1.2% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 17 | 0.8% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 11 | 0.5% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 11 | 0.5% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 7 | 0.3% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 8 | 0.4% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 1 | 0.0% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 6 | 0.3% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 4 | 0.2% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 1 | 0.0% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 3 | 0.1% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 1 | 0.0% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 2 | 0.1% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 1 | 0.0% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 1 | 0.0% |
| 200,000+ | 4 | 0.2% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 5,013 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016–2021 Hyundai Tucson, and 2,053 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
38% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 5 times higher than during the rest of the car's life. Failures clustered that early usually indicate a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear.
The most-reported areas are the engine (30.8% of complaints, typically around 56,000 miles), the transmission and driveline (19.2% of complaints, typically around 8,000 miles), problems owners could not categorise (10.0% of complaints, typically around 27,000 miles).
6 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Engine56,000median 55,800 miles, middle half 16,000 to 87,000
- Transmission and driveline8,000median 7,800 miles, middle half 2,000 to 22,000
- Problems owners could not categorise27,000median 26,742 miles, middle half 5,500 to 60,000
- Electrical system40,000median 40,000 miles, middle half 8,500 to 70,000
- Body structure58,000median 58,450 miles, middle half 40,000 to 70,000
- Throttle and speed control9,500median 9,362 miles, middle half 2,000 to 29,000
- Fuel and propulsion system7,500median 7,496 miles, middle half 2,000 to 25,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1,545 | 30.8% | 56,000 | 16,000–87,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 964 | 19.2% | 8,000 | 2,000–22,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 502 | 10.0% | 27,000 | 5,500–60,000 |
| Electrical system | 400 | 8.0% | 40,000 | 8,500–70,000 |
| Body structure | 289 | 5.8% | 58,000 | 40,000–70,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 235 | 4.7% | 9,500 | 2,000–29,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 189 | 3.8% | 7,500 | 2,000–25,000 |
| Latches and locks | 174 | 3.5% | 63,000 | 45,000–81,000 |
| Brakes | 169 | 3.4% | 23,000 | 6,000–46,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 135 | 2.7% | 49,000 | 28,000–89,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 25,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The engine accounts for 30.8% of complaints (1,545 reports, 458 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 55,800 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,500 and 86,790 miles.
A single system taking 30.8% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 19.2% of complaints (964 reports, 601 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 7,800 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,200 and 22,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 10.0% of complaints (502 reports, 152 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 26,742 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,600 and 60,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 8.0% of complaints (400 reports, 157 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 40,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 8,500 and 70,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 5.8% of complaints (289 reports, 136 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 58,450 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 70,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 4.7% of complaints (235 reports, 138 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 9,362 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,200 and 29,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2016 model year drew the most — 2,166 complaints — while 2021 drew the fewest at 106. The median year sits at 527.
That makes 2016 an outlier: roughly 4.1 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 6 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 5,013 complaints filed against this generation, 96 reported a crash; 117 reported a fire; 77 reported an injury; 2 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 1.9% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 38% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.
On inspection, the engine and the transmission and driveline are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The transmission and driveline in particular shows a median failure mileage of 7,800, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Transmission (7-Speed Dct) 2016–2018
Clutch application logic causes delayed engagement, hesitation and jerking at low speed, and repeated accelerator pedal cycling in high ambient temperatures can leave the vehicle unable to accelerate at all; owners also report loss of power and stalling. NHTSA recall 16V-628 covered 2016 Tucsons with the 7-speed DCT built 20 May 2015 to 31 May 2016; a class action settled for $41.2 million with a warranty extension and repair reimbursement, and MY2017 cars required a TCM software update.
Engine (2.4l Theta Ii Gdi) 2016–2019
Connecting-rod bearing wear and seizure from oil-passage debris — the same Theta II mechanism as the LM, covered by the engine settlement and KSDS software campaign.
Brakes / ABS (hecu) 2019–2021
Electrical short in the ABS hydraulic electronic control unit can ignite even with the vehicle parked and off; Hyundai issued recalls with a park-outside advisory covering 2019-2021 Tucsons among other models.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2,166 | 1,127 |
| 2017 | 1,454 | 590 |
| 2018 | 535 | 152 |
| 2019 | 519 | 128 |
| 2020 | 233 | 39 |
| 2021 | 106 | 17 |
Recalls (6)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 21V727000 | 2022-01-15 | Engine |
| 20V543000 | 2020-11-02 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/Module |
| 16V842000 | 2017-01-13 | Trailer Hitches |
| 16V628000 | 2016-10-11 | Electrical System:software |
| 16V348000 | 2016-07-11 | Latches/Locks/Linkages:hood:latch |
| 16V147000 | 2016-05-02 | Exterior Lighting:tail Lights |
What owners reported
Had an accident while parking the accelerator just took off on its own it stop because it hit a concert wall./Reported the accident to Hyundai and they said to just fix.I later found out that their is a recall only on certain VIN numbers well car VIN number is not on the list but i still had the accident. Got in touch…
2016 · Throttle and speed control
Since purchasing the vehicle in november 2015, the vehicle has had difficulty shifting at lower speeds and accelerating at higher speeds. Initially, the dealership told me i just needed to get used to driving a turbo. I have had all three updates done to the dual-clutch transmission. Afterwards, in january 2017…
2016 · 2 miles · Transmission and driveline
This is the 3rd and worst time that this has happened. I approached the stop sign came to a complete stop my right blinker on i went to pull out onto the road and and stepped on the accelerator and the car would not go anywhere for approximately 2 and a 1/2 to 3 seconds. A vehicle traveling from the south to the…
2016 · 2 miles · Transmission and driveline
Dealer has tried to fix car three times. At times car will not accelerate at all.Engine RPM will increase but car will not move. Very dangerous..I take my granddaughter to school and this scares the crap out of me.Especially in intersections.Other times transmission shudders and or jumps out of gear.A complaint has…
2016 · 5 miles · Transmission and driveline
Built from 2,053 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page