NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
201 reports78,000 miles · Feb 20, 2019
Engine
CHECK ENGINE LIKE CAME ON. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE OIL CONTROL VALVE HAD METAL SHAVINGS IN IT. THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT IS UNDER WARRANTY, I WAS TOLD THE ENGINES WERE ON BACK ORDER FOR 4 WEEKS. THAT WAS ON 10/31/2018. AS OF TODAY (2/20/19), I STILL DO NOT HAVE MY CAR. THEY HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG IT WILL BE.…
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CHECK ENGINE LIKE CAME ON. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE OIL CONTROL VALVE HAD METAL SHAVINGS IN IT. THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT IS UNDER WARRANTY, I WAS TOLD THE ENGINES WERE ON BACK ORDER FOR 4 WEEKS. THAT WAS ON 10/31/2018. AS OF TODAY (2/20/19), I STILL DO NOT HAVE MY CAR. THEY HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG IT WILL BE. I WILL BE GIVEN A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE WITH THE BALANCE OF MY FACTORY WARRANTY. I KNOW THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM AMONG TUCSON, SANTA FE AND SONATA MODELS. I BELIEVE THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON EVERYTHING BUT THE TUCSON'S. IT ALSO EFFECTS SOME KIA MODELS.
NHTSA ODI #11181356
18,000 miles · Feb 5, 2019
Engine
I HAD A LOWER ENGINE FAILURE AY 118.00 MILES
NHTSA ODI #11174588
113,000 miles · Jan 5, 2019
Engine
DEC. 14, 2018 WHILE DRIVING 50 M.P.H. MY 2014 HYUNDAI TUCSON ENGINE: 2.0L I4 DI WITH 113,000 MILES, MADE AN AWFUL SOUND THEN MOMENTS LATER, THE CAR ENGINE LOST ALL POWER, LIGHTS AND STEERING. I NEARLY CRASHED MY CAR. I WAS FORTUNATE NOT TO HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHO IMMEDIATELY AFTER MY ENGINE FAILED, SUDDENLY STOPPED TO MAK…
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DEC. 14, 2018 WHILE DRIVING 50 M.P.H. MY 2014 HYUNDAI TUCSON ENGINE: 2.0L I4 DI WITH 113,000 MILES, MADE AN AWFUL SOUND THEN MOMENTS LATER, THE CAR ENGINE LOST ALL POWER, LIGHTS AND STEERING. I NEARLY CRASHED MY CAR. I WAS FORTUNATE NOT TO HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHO IMMEDIATELY AFTER MY ENGINE FAILED, SUDDENLY STOPPED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. BARELY MISSING THIS CAR, I THEN HAD TO CORRECT MY SKID THEN MAKE AN ABRUPT 90 RIGHT HAND TURN OFF THE HIGHWAY AND UP A STEEP DRIVEWAY, PRAYING IT WAS ENOUGH OF A INCLUDE TO SLOW MY CAR BRINGING MY CAR TO A SAFE STOP. MY PASSENGER WAS SHAKEN. UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE, THE KEY HAVING FAILED TO EVEN ILLUMINATE THE ENGINE LIGHTS AGAIN, I WAS FORCED TO CALL AND PAY FOR THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THE MY HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP IN LACONIA, N.H. WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE CAR ABOUT 2 1/2 YEARS, AND WITHIN 29,00 MILES BEFORE THE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. AFTER FIVE DAYS I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP ONLY TO FIND OUT THEN THAT THE HYUNDAI TUCSON'S ENGINE WAS BLOWN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO NEW HYUNDAI ENGINES AVAILABLE, (I SUSPECT THE SCARCITY IS LIKELY DUE TO THE THOUSANDS OF REPORTED ENGINE FAILURES OF THE HYUNDAI 2.0 ENGINE) AND, I WOULD NEED TO PURCHASE A JUNK YARD ENGINE WITH A WARRANTY. I CAN ONLY HOPE THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE 2014 HYUNDAI TUCSON CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE HAZARD CONVINCES THE NHTSB TO PERSUADE HYUNDAI USA, 2.0L I4 DI ENGINE, MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA TO RECALL ALL TUCSON MODELS WITH ENGINE, JOINING OTHER 2.0 ENGINES INSTALLED IN THE RECALLED SONATA AND SANTA FE MODELS WITH THE EXACT SAME ENGINE IN MY CAR. HYUNDAI PLACE SAFETY ABOVE ALL FOR THIS OTHERWISE AVOIDABLE SAFETY HAZARD IN THEIR MANUFACTURE PROCESS AND DESIGN OF WHAT OTHERWISE COULD BE A SAFE, RELIABLE CAR. HYUNDAI TUCSON RECALL. 2014 HYUNDAI ENGINE FAILURE. HYUNDAI USA ENGINE DIED.
NHTSA ODI #11165431
103,000 miles · Dec 27, 2018
EngineCrash
WITHIN 24 HOURS OF HEARING KNOCKING AND TICKING IN MY ENGINE (WITH NO CODES OR SIGNALS SHOWING ANY ISSUES) THE ENGINE FAILED. THE NOISE COULD BE HEARD CONTINUOUSLY AT ANY SPEED FOR 24 HOURS. ONCE THE ENGINE FAILED WHILE I WAS TRYING TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT AND OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I'VE HAD THE VEHIC…
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WITHIN 24 HOURS OF HEARING KNOCKING AND TICKING IN MY ENGINE (WITH NO CODES OR SIGNALS SHOWING ANY ISSUES) THE ENGINE FAILED. THE NOISE COULD BE HEARD CONTINUOUSLY AT ANY SPEED FOR 24 HOURS. ONCE THE ENGINE FAILED WHILE I WAS TRYING TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT AND OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I'VE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 4 YEARS AND IT'S AT 103,000 MILES WITH CONSTANT OIL CHANGES AND NO OTHER ISSUES WITH THE TUSCON. IN FACT, IT HAS BRAND NEW OIL IN THERE NOW. THERE IS A RECALL OF THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE SONATA, SANTA FE, AND OTHER KIA VEHICLES BUT NONE FOR THE TUSCON. TUSCON NEEDS TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THIS RECALL AND COVERED BY HYUNDAI. HYUNDAI IS INVESTIGATING THE ENGINE AND OIL PAN AREA NOW. RESULTS ARE PENDING.
NHTSA ODI #11163720
120,000 miles · Dec 13, 2018
Engine
JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE ON HERE.... ENGINE STARTED MAKING A RATTLING NOISE AND GOT SIGNIFICANTLY LOUDER. CAR LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING. BROUGHT TO MECHANIC AND ENGINE IS BLOWN. SAME PROBLEM AS THE HYUNDAI LAWSUIT. BUT BECAUSE THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS MODEL (EVEN THOUGH IT HAS THE SAME ENGINE) IT ISNT COVERED
NHTSA ODI #11161147
83,325 miles · Nov 13, 2018
Engine
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 HYUNDAI TUCSON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO M J SULLIVAN HYUNDAI (452 BROAD STREET, NEW LONDON, CT 06320) WHERE IT WAS D…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 HYUNDAI TUCSON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO M J SULLIVAN HYUNDAI (452 BROAD STREET, NEW LONDON, CT 06320) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO METAL SHAVINGS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,325.
NHTSA ODI #11151201
100,000 miles · Oct 3, 2018
Engine
SAME THING AS THE OTHERS LISTED, ENGINE COMPLETELY LOCKED UP GOING DOWN THE ROAD, HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED, AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT IT WAS TOTALLY GONE BECAUSE OF THE OIL. HYUNDAI WOULD NOT PAY FOR ANY OF IT, SINCE I AM THE SECOND OWNER AND THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY CAR. THE RECALL WAS FOR THE SAME EXACT MOTOR, SAME EXACT PROBLEM…
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SAME THING AS THE OTHERS LISTED, ENGINE COMPLETELY LOCKED UP GOING DOWN THE ROAD, HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED, AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT IT WAS TOTALLY GONE BECAUSE OF THE OIL. HYUNDAI WOULD NOT PAY FOR ANY OF IT, SINCE I AM THE SECOND OWNER AND THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY CAR. THE RECALL WAS FOR THE SAME EXACT MOTOR, SAME EXACT PROBLEM, JUST A DIFFERENT MODEL CAR.
NHTSA ODI #11133051
130,000 miles · Sep 26, 2018
Engine
MY 2014 TUCSON RECENTLY SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK LAST TUESDAY (9/18) ON A HIGHWAY WHEN I HEARD A BANG AND THEN THE CONSTANT RATTLING FROM MY ENGINE. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT I DIDN'T SEEM TO LOSE POWER AT CRUISING SPEEDS, BUT IT WAS STILL OBVIOUS THAT SOMETHING WAS VERY WRONG. I LIMPED IT …
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MY 2014 TUCSON RECENTLY SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK LAST TUESDAY (9/18) ON A HIGHWAY WHEN I HEARD A BANG AND THEN THE CONSTANT RATTLING FROM MY ENGINE. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT I DIDN'T SEEM TO LOSE POWER AT CRUISING SPEEDS, BUT IT WAS STILL OBVIOUS THAT SOMETHING WAS VERY WRONG. I LIMPED IT THE 20 OR SO MILES TO MY LOCAL SERVICE CENTER WHERE IT'S NOW SITTING. FIRST THING THEY DID WAS CHECK THE DIP STICK AND IT WAS DRY. I HAVE MY OIL CHANGED REGULARLY, I'VE NEVER HAD BLUE SMOKE OUT THE BACK, NO OIL SPOTS, NO SIGN OF EVEN THE SLIGHTEST OIL LEAK. SO FOR THE DIP STICK TO BE DRY WAS ALARMING. I SPENT THE NEXT DAY CALLING AROUND TO HYUNDAI DEALERSHIPS TO SEE WHAT OPTIONS I'D HAVE. I COMMUTE ABOUT 70 MILES FOR WORK, MY TUCSON IS AT 130K MILES SO IT'S WELL BEYOND THE 100K WARRANTY. HAVING THE ENGINE REPLACED WAS BASICALLY MY ONLY OPTION.
NHTSA ODI #11131638
60,100 miles · Sep 9, 2018
Engine
SO AROUND 60,106 MY ENGINE SEIZED WHILE DRIVING TO A BOWLING GAME. MY EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS ONLY FOR 45,000 NOW I'M STUCK PAYING FOR A CAR I CANT DRIVE.
NHTSA ODI #11128378
65,000 miles · Jul 9, 2018
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion SystemFire
BOUGHT CAR IN DEC 2017. JULY 8, 2018, CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING. NO ISSUES BEFORE THIS EVENT. NO WARNING, CARE JUST WENT UP IN FLAMES STARTING FROM UNDER THE CAR/THE ENGINE. THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS ON OTHER MODELS OF HYUNDAI CARS, BUT THEY DO NOT INCLUDE HYUNDAI TUSCONS. I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE SOM…
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BOUGHT CAR IN DEC 2017. JULY 8, 2018, CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING. NO ISSUES BEFORE THIS EVENT. NO WARNING, CARE JUST WENT UP IN FLAMES STARTING FROM UNDER THE CAR/THE ENGINE. THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS ON OTHER MODELS OF HYUNDAI CARS, BUT THEY DO NOT INCLUDE HYUNDAI TUSCONS. I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE DUE TO THIS CAR.
NHTSA ODI #11110247
NHTSA investigations
2AQ23002 · Hyundai And Kia Abs Module Fires
Opened Nov 17, 2023 · No close date supplied
Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by Mando. Safety recalls included in this Audit Query (AQ) review include: Hyundai recalls 20V-520, 20V-543, 21V-161, 21V-160, 21V-303, 22V-056, 22V-810, and 23V-651. Kia recalls 16V-815, 20V-518, 20V-519, 21V-137, 21V-331, 22V-051, 22V-800, and 23V-652 The purpose of this AQ is to evaluate the timeliness and scoping of Hyundai and Kia’s defect decision making and adherence with reporting requirements; and understand the varying defect descriptions and remedies between these recalls.
DP22003 · Loss Of Motive Power
Opened Sep 12, 2022 · Closed Dec 12, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are susceptible to cracking. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11481745. On September 12, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Defect Petition (DP22-003) to evaluate the Petitioners’ request. The Petitioners have provided additional complaints within four supplemental letters dated January 31, 2023, March 21, 2023, May 23, 2023, and August 4, 2023. ODI’s evaluation included the review and analysis of the complaints and supporting information submitted by the Petitioners, as well as additional complaints submitted directly to NHTSA which referenced either the oil drain plug or a crack in the oil pan. After reviewing the available data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support opening a defect investigation into the oil drain pan assemblies of the subject vehicles. Based on a review of the available information, 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. 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. An improper seal between the drain plug and oil pan could lead to the backing out on the drain plug, resulting in the sudden loss of oil while driving. Additionally, the provided examples of oil pan cracks were localized to the immediate vicinity of the oil drain plug and/or appeared to be the result of direct-contact with a tool during servicing. There is no information to support that a vehicle-based defect exists relating to the oil pan assembly, and instead the documented incidents are related to the failure to follow the proper maintenance procedures during oil change service. In October 2023, Hyundai published a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that provided detailed instructions for oil change service on its gasoline powered vehicles, specifically highlighting the need to remove and replace the existing drain plug gasket prior to reinstalling the drain plug. After a thorough review of the material submitted by the petitioner, the information already in NHTSA's possession, and the potential risks to motor vehicle safety implicated by the petitioners' allegations, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. Therefore, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA’s reasons for denial of the petition will be published. The reference numbers for the complaints to NHTSA cited by the petitioner can be found in the petition submission documents in the public file for DP22-003. To review those complaints and the additional complaints ODI added to its evaluation which are cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
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