NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Fuel/propulsion System complaints
25 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Sep 4, 2026
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other
My 2019 Hyundai Tucson repeatedly shuts off while driving , without any warning. It rolls backwards while in park. The car could easily hit me taking things out of the trunk or hit my neighbors walking past my drive. The car has no power. It can’t get up to speed. It shakes and I have to get someone to add oil to it frequently. …
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My 2019 Hyundai Tucson repeatedly shuts off while driving , without any warning. It rolls backwards while in park. The car could easily hit me taking things out of the trunk or hit my neighbors walking past my drive. The car has no power. It can’t get up to speed. It shakes and I have to get someone to add oil to it frequently. The first time this happened was in April of 2023. The engine seized up and it was towed to Driver’s Village in Cicero, NY. They replaced the engine block. But not the converter. Now, it is happening again. I have had 2 diagnostic tests done. One by my mechanic and the other by Advanced Auto Parts. Both tests say that the problem is the catalytic converter, but Hyundai refuses to fix the problem and will not honor my extended warranty. I have written and called them numerous times for almost 2 years now, about this and they say they will call me back, but they do not. None of the dealerships will even look at my car. I need someone to look at my vehicle. This vehicle is not safe. Other Tucson owners have the same problems with their cars, that I am complaining about. There is a federal emissions warranty that Hyundai claim they have never heard of, that would fix my car and make it safe to drive. I just want Hyundai to stand behind their warranty and fix my car before it kills someone.
NHTSA ODI #11762256
Mileage unknown · May 12, 2026
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion SystemFire
On March 21st, while driving my Hyundai vehicle, I noticed the vehicle began making a ticking sound. After stopping the vehicle, it slowly began catching on fire. The fire ultimately spread and resulted in the vehicle becoming a total loss. This created a serious safety concern and placed me at risk. I later learned there was a…
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On March 21st, while driving my Hyundai vehicle, I noticed the vehicle began making a ticking sound. After stopping the vehicle, it slowly began catching on fire. The fire ultimately spread and resulted in the vehicle becoming a total loss. This created a serious safety concern and placed me at risk. I later learned there was a recall associated with the vehicle. However, I never received any recall notices because Hyundai reportedly had the wrong address on file. Had I been properly notified of the recall and potential safety risks, I would have done everything in my power to ensure the vehicle was inspected, repaired, and safe to drive. Because I was unaware of the recall issue, the vehicle continued to be operated without my knowledge of the potential danger. The incident caused significant financial and transportation hardship, including loss of reliable transportation and additional financial strain. Hyundai later reached a determination regarding the matter, but I remain concerned about the serious safety risk and the fact that I did not receive proper recall notification before the incident occurred. I am submitting this complaint because I believe the recall notification process and handling of this matter should be reviewed further due to the serious safety risk involved.
NHTSA ODI #11737337
Mileage unknown · Feb 24, 2026
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train
Catalytic converter and oil leak which is causing the vehicle to lose power. The catalytic converter was replaced in 2024 and now is bad again in 2025. Oil consumption has been a problem since 2024. Hyuandi is refusing to repair the vehicle. Despite the engine making a knocking noise and the check engine light is flashing the ve…
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Catalytic converter and oil leak which is causing the vehicle to lose power. The catalytic converter was replaced in 2024 and now is bad again in 2025. Oil consumption has been a problem since 2024. Hyuandi is refusing to repair the vehicle. Despite the engine making a knocking noise and the check engine light is flashing the vehicle is still under the 150,000 power train warranty
NHTSA ODI #11720312
Mileage unknown · Feb 21, 2026
EngineFuel/propulsion System
Low oil, burnt oil on dip stick, engine running dangerous hot, lights on on dash, engine knocking
NHTSA ODI #11719540
Mileage unknown · Feb 21, 2026
EngineFuel/propulsion System
Oil extremely hot and burnt to oil stick. Running really hot. Dangerous possible fire hazard
NHTSA ODI #11719538
Mileage unknown · Oct 8, 2025
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train
The vehicle is experiencing excessive oil consumption and increasingly severe engine performance symptoms. The oil level drops rapidly between changes, but the loss is not due to external leaks. The engine burns oil internally, causing residue buildup and damage to other components — specifically the intake manifold and catalyti…
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The vehicle is experiencing excessive oil consumption and increasingly severe engine performance symptoms. The oil level drops rapidly between changes, but the loss is not due to external leaks. The engine burns oil internally, causing residue buildup and damage to other components — specifically the intake manifold and catalytic converter, which the dealer has now recommended replacing. These issues align with the symptoms addressed in Hyundai Campaign 966 (Engine Monitoring / Knock Sensor Detection System), which is intended to detect early bearing wear and related oil consumption defects. However, the dealership refused to perform the required campaign diagnostics (bearing inspection, KSDS verification, and oil-consumption test) without charging a diagnostic fee. Even though the engine has not yet fully failed or entered limp mode, the excessive oil consumption is already causing secondary damage to emissions and intake components. If left unresolved, this can escalate to engine seizure, catalytic converter overheating, or exhaust-related fires due to unburned oil entering the converter. These are clear safety hazards that can result in loss of power, smoke, or fire while driving. Multiple Hyundai owners have reported identical problems — excessive oil loss, residue damage to emission systems, and dealer refusals to perform Campaign 966 inspections. These patterns indicate a systemic engine defect that leads to downstream component failures, not isolated wear. Replacing the manifold or converter does not correct the root cause, as oil consumption continues after replacement and will likely damage new parts. The dealer’s refusal to perform the manufacturer’s required diagnostics and their attempt to charge for unrelated repairs prevent proper defect identification. This is a serious and ongoing safety issue affecting Hyundai Tucson and other models with the same engine family.
NHTSA ODI #11692096
Mileage unknown · Aug 25, 2025
Fuel/propulsion SystemPower TrainSuspensionCrash
While almost at a complete stop in the process of putting my 2019 Hyundai Tucson in park at my friends home to drop her off, the car involuntarily surged/accelerated forward over a cement curbing and landscaping timber and slide down a small incline into a tree and landscaping boulder! After looking on line concerning the malfun…
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While almost at a complete stop in the process of putting my 2019 Hyundai Tucson in park at my friends home to drop her off, the car involuntarily surged/accelerated forward over a cement curbing and landscaping timber and slide down a small incline into a tree and landscaping boulder! After looking on line concerning the malfunction it seems there are abundant claims from other 2017-2019 Hyundai Tucson owners that have experienced this exact mechanical defect under this frightening description of a surge or acceleration out of the drivers control! It's the craziest, scariest thing ever. We have taken the car in for a recall concerning the check engine light regarding the catalytic converter prior to this incident. The car is well cared for and maintained and has never been in any accident.
NHTSA ODI #11682968
Mileage unknown · Aug 14, 2025
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control
The vehicle was brought in just after a month of owning it due to it was accelerating slow and driving bad salesmans sent it to Hyundai dealership for diagnosis and it came back that the motor needed to be replaced due to recall vehicle was in repair shop for over 3 months to get a new motor once returned the very next day the c…
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The vehicle was brought in just after a month of owning it due to it was accelerating slow and driving bad salesmans sent it to Hyundai dealership for diagnosis and it came back that the motor needed to be replaced due to recall vehicle was in repair shop for over 3 months to get a new motor once returned the very next day the check engine light came back on so I brung it back to the Hyundai dealership per Hub City's salesmans instruction to have vehicle diagnosis again. Hyundai advised that the vehicle needed a catalyst converter among other codes detected on vehicle.
NHTSA ODI #11680676
Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 2025
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train
On a busy highway, my car broke down. It was due to the rod bearings, specifically, the Hyundai Theta "extended warranty"/recall issue, or "recall" issue. There is currently a class action lawsuit against Hyundai. I had the car towed to Hallmark Hyundai in Nashville, TN. I, however, live in Louisville, KY and I was making a r…
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On a busy highway, my car broke down. It was due to the rod bearings, specifically, the Hyundai Theta "extended warranty"/recall issue, or "recall" issue. There is currently a class action lawsuit against Hyundai. I had the car towed to Hallmark Hyundai in Nashville, TN. I, however, live in Louisville, KY and I was making a road trip to Nashville, TN. I was told by the Service Rep in Nashville that they couldn't provide me with a loaner vehicle because I would be driving it, back home, out of state to Louisville, KY. I paid for a rental car out-of-pocket. Hyundai Corporate told me it would take 60 days to get reimbursed. I picked up the car at the beginning of July, 2025, after the engine was replaced by Hallmark Hyundai. I was told by Hallmark Hyundai that a service employee performed a test drive but it was immediately noticeable to me that there were still issues. I noticed the gears shifting abnormally and problems with acceleration once I first started driving it, post repairs, but assumed I would be told to give it time. Today, [XXX], the car began to have difficulty accelerating once again, and the engine light illuminated. I couldn't accelerate beyond 45 mph. I phoned Hyundai Corporate Customer Care, relayed the issues, and said I needed a rental car the following morning for a job pre-hire meeting and couldn't pay for one since my credit card was already maxed out due to the first out-of-pocket rental. They refused. They told me to work it out with my local Hyundai dealership. The problem with all of this is that the consumer still incurs many hardships even though the car manufacturer is at fault and the dealerships don't always follow the settlement requirements of providing alternate transportation, a loaner or rental. The manufacturer and dealers are not held accountable and settlements that purport consumer recourse are more geared towards the manufacturer staying in business than the consumer being compensated fairly. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (F
NHTSA ODI #11672628
Mileage unknown · Feb 25, 2025
Fuel/propulsion SystemService BrakesFire
on [XXX], we received the Tucson back from dealer from a complete engine replacement due to recall. On [XXX], our college son was returning to school from visiting a friend. He said he thought the car sounded a little different. There were no engine light warnings, so he didn't think much of it. About an hour into the trip, …
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on [XXX], we received the Tucson back from dealer from a complete engine replacement due to recall. On [XXX], our college son was returning to school from visiting a friend. He said he thought the car sounded a little different. There were no engine light warnings, so he didn't think much of it. About an hour into the trip, he started to smell gas, a few minutes later he started to smell smoke and saw smoke coming into the vehicle through the consoles. He looked behind him and saw a trail of fire and smoke. He decided to pull over but the brakes FAILED. He went into the median, applied the emergency brake and waited until the car slowed down. He was able to grab his phone that had fallen beneath his seat from driving onto the median. Once he was out of the vehicle, he could definitely see the car was on fire. It was entirely engulfed in flames within seconds. He called 911 and they were able to put out the fire within 30 minutes, but they commented that it was a difficult fire to extinguish. The car was completely destroyed front to back. We do not know if this problem started with engine, fuel tank or brakes. It is one thing when your car is on fire and you can pull over and get out. It is entirely another when you need to get out of your car but the brakes fail. You have to delay getting out of the car to ensure you don't hurt others on the road and save yourself before it explodes. We are lucky he is alive but are worried for others with this car. We thought we were done with car prolems after the engine replacement but we just moved onto another problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA ODI #11644763
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.