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2018 Hyundai Tucson

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Tucson years

Owner complaints for the 2018 Hyundai Tucson are substantially higher than the model-year median of 180.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

112 reports with mileage · 283 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 243 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 100 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

13 crash reports9 fire reports8 injury reports

What owners actually said

395 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 22, 2025
EngineFuel/propulsion System

I took my car in for a daily oil change and inspection, where I learned that there was no oil is in my car after coming in 5k miles before as I have been religious about oil changes. I came in on Saturday September 20th for an inspection and was topped off with 3 quarts of oil but am now back in the shop Monday September 22nd to…

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I took my car in for a daily oil change and inspection, where I learned that there was no oil is in my car after coming in 5k miles before as I have been religious about oil changes. I came in on Saturday September 20th for an inspection and was topped off with 3 quarts of oil but am now back in the shop Monday September 22nd to test the oil. The oil that was checked came out Black.

NHTSA ODI #11688893

102,000 miles · Sep 18, 2025
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, and slowing down to make a right turn, the vehicle almost stalled and lost power. The contact stated that the check oil warning light was flashing on and off. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle failed to …

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The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, and slowing down to make a right turn, the vehicle almost stalled and lost power. The contact stated that the check oil warning light was flashing on and off. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle failed to respond. The contact was able to pull over and shift into park(P). The contact had not turned the vehicle off. The contact called her father. The father arrived, and the vehicle was turned off. The contact stated that her father checked the oil dipstick and saw that the oil level was extremely low. The contact stated that two quarts of oil were added. The contact drove the vehicle to a local dealer. The dealer diagnosed and determined that a gasket on the oil filler tube was not correctly seated, and the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The contact stated that prior to the recent failure with the catalytic converter, the catalytic converter had been replaced approximately 1 year and 8 months prior. The dealer also recommended that the engine be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.

NHTSA ODI #11688209

Mileage unknown · Sep 18, 2025
Electrical System

PARKED SUBJECT CAR IN GARAGE AT APPROXIMATELY 11:15 AM AFTER TURNING OFF VENTILATION FAN AND CUTTING ENGINE OFF, WHICH DISPLAYED "OFF" AT DASH BUTTON. AT APPROXIMATELY 7 PM (SAME DAY) WENT INTO GARAGE TO RETRIEVE ITEM AND HEARD THIS LOUD NOISE SIMILAR TO AN ELECTRIC CLOTHES DRYER RUNNING - WASN'T DRYER. AS I GOT CLOSE TO CAR, …

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PARKED SUBJECT CAR IN GARAGE AT APPROXIMATELY 11:15 AM AFTER TURNING OFF VENTILATION FAN AND CUTTING ENGINE OFF, WHICH DISPLAYED "OFF" AT DASH BUTTON. AT APPROXIMATELY 7 PM (SAME DAY) WENT INTO GARAGE TO RETRIEVE ITEM AND HEARD THIS LOUD NOISE SIMILAR TO AN ELECTRIC CLOTHES DRYER RUNNING - WASN'T DRYER. AS I GOT CLOSE TO CAR, HEARD THIS SAME SOUND. RAISED HOOD AND COULD FEEL AIR MOVEMENT . CHECKED ENGINE OIL - NOT WARM. BACKED CAR OUT OF GARAGE INTO DRIVEWAY OUT OF SAFETY CONCERN IN CASE OF FIRE. WILL CONTACT HYUNDAI MOTORS TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT AND FOR INSTRUCTIONS WHAT ACTION I SHOULD TAKE NEXT. THIS IS THE FIRST INCIDENT REGARDING MY CAR"S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. DURING THE 3 HOURS DRIVING THAT MORNING, I HAD NO WARNING SIGNS ON DASHBOARD OR FAN MOTOR RUNNING AFTER TURNING ENGINE OFF. HAD MADE 3 STOPS AND ENGINE START UPS DURING THAT TIME

NHTSA ODI #11688097

Mileage unknown · Sep 10, 2025
Engine

My engine stopped and locked up. It happened while I was driving on the highway/interstate. Yes it has been diagnosed by the dealership. There was no warning lights prior to the system failure.

NHTSA ODI #11686442

Mileage unknown · Sep 3, 2025
Seats

Drivers seat seat does not go up it stays in reclined position No it has not been inspected by the manufacturer No warnings was put in recline position and could not lift up happened a week ago I have to drive to work and it is unsafe driving in this position. I did take it to an autoshop and they said that it could be electric…

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Drivers seat seat does not go up it stays in reclined position No it has not been inspected by the manufacturer No warnings was put in recline position and could not lift up happened a week ago I have to drive to work and it is unsafe driving in this position. I did take it to an autoshop and they said that it could be electrical which they were not equipped to do.

NHTSA ODI #11684744

Mileage unknown · Aug 18, 2025
Engine

My connecting rod came apart and went through the oil pan while I was on the highway. There were no engine or oil lights until the engine was already smoking and no longer accelerating luckily I was in the far right lane already and was able.to coast to safety. Hyundai is also refusing to honor my warranty. It requires a complet…

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My connecting rod came apart and went through the oil pan while I was on the highway. There were no engine or oil lights until the engine was already smoking and no longer accelerating luckily I was in the far right lane already and was able.to coast to safety. Hyundai is also refusing to honor my warranty. It requires a completely new engine. So this was a catastrophic engine failure with no warning.

NHTSA ODI #11681226

Mileage unknown · Aug 18, 2025
Engine

I own a 2018 Hyundai Tucson with 87,000 miles that consumes about four quarts of oil per 1,000 miles. I first noticed the problem at 51,000 miles, despite regular maintenance. The issue has worsened, repeatedly damaging spark plugs and causing the car to seize. Hyundai has denied my request for a replacement engine because I …

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I own a 2018 Hyundai Tucson with 87,000 miles that consumes about four quarts of oil per 1,000 miles. I first noticed the problem at 51,000 miles, despite regular maintenance. The issue has worsened, repeatedly damaging spark plugs and causing the car to seize. Hyundai has denied my request for a replacement engine because I am the second owner. I bought the vehicle at 26,000 miles, believing it carried the 100,000-mile warranty. I was never informed that coverage drops to 60,000 miles for second owners. I have maintained the vehicle with oil changes every 3,000 miles, yet it remains unsafe to drive long distances. This defect presents a serious safety risk, and Hyundai has not provided a resolution.

NHTSA ODI #11681222

Mileage unknown · Aug 13, 2025
Engine

There is a very well known issue with Hyundai (and Kia) and oil consumption issues, no recalls have been issued yet and I am another person dealing with this without any real support from Hyundai to solve the issue. In 2024 I did an oil consumption test, they found it was burning oil excessively and I had to pay $700 out of po…

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There is a very well known issue with Hyundai (and Kia) and oil consumption issues, no recalls have been issued yet and I am another person dealing with this without any real support from Hyundai to solve the issue. In 2024 I did an oil consumption test, they found it was burning oil excessively and I had to pay $700 out of pocket for a cleaning they recommended. Afterwards it was burning only 1 quart every 1k miles which they said is acceptable so we moved on. Less than a year later I am still dealing with this issue only it has gotten worse, I am burning 5-6 quarts every 1k miles. I do keep up with my oil changes, I now have to check it and top it off almost daily, and even without being a car expert I know that something HAS to be done... why aren't there any recalls yet? Despite keeping up with my maintenance, there are other issues that can be related from this issue, including the engine stalling or skipping which is a safety issue when driving.

NHTSA ODI #11680417

Mileage unknown · Aug 11, 2025
Power Train

I was driving on the highway, about to change lanes, when I looked in my rear view mirror and saw black smoke coming from my appeared to be my exhaust. I immediately started to pull over, and that is when the oil light first appeared on my dashboard. By the time I had put the car in park, the check engine light had also appeared…

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I was driving on the highway, about to change lanes, when I looked in my rear view mirror and saw black smoke coming from my appeared to be my exhaust. I immediately started to pull over, and that is when the oil light first appeared on my dashboard. By the time I had put the car in park, the check engine light had also appeared. After calling my boyfriend and a tow truck, I exited the vehicle and noticed a large pool of oil by my front tire. With the car on the tow truck, I could see oil continue to drip out. The car was towed to the local Hyundai dealership. Since this occurred on a Saturday afternoon, the service dept. was closed, and Hyundai called me on Monday, Aug 11, 2025 to explain that i should contact the auto mechanic that last changed my oil, as the oil plug had fallen out, and my engine had seized. (Had I not noticed the smoke right away, I could have been in an accident on the highway when the engine seized.) I explained to Hyundai that I had my oil changed 3,000 miles ago, and hadn't seen any indication of oil leakage, nor had the oil light come on prior to the incident on Aug 9, 2025. Hyundai insited I contact the oil change mechanics as it was clearly a craftsmanship defect, not the fault of Hyundai parts or material. Hyundai provided photos showing the oil plug was still laying on the block. I visited Superior Auto (mechanics that did the previous oil change) and they also deny responsibility due to the fact that the car drove fine for 3,000 miles without any indication of oil leakage, so there is no proof of fault craftsmanship.

NHTSA ODI #11679973

Mileage unknown · Aug 9, 2025
Engine

I have regular oil changes (every 3k mi) and every time I go get say there’s no or low oil. At the beginning of July my engine coil in column 3 failed and I had all four coils and spark plugs replaced. Since the replacement my engine is still consuming a quart of oil per week

NHTSA ODI #11679581

Official recalls

1

20V543000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module

Sep 4, 2020

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) recalled certain 2019-2021 Tucson vehicles on September 4, 2020. On December 30, 2020, Hyundai expanded the recall population, and added certain 2016-2018 Tucson vehicles. The Anti-lock Brake Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) could corrode internally and cause an electrical short, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury or crash.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the HECU fuse. For 2019-2021 model years, the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) software will also be updated. Recall repairs will be performed free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. The recall began November 2, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 195.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

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.

Go deeper into Hyundai Tucson problems