ABS light on dash is illuminated due to no known cause. Mechanic explained that the ABS system will not work when the light is illuminated which, I believe, contributed to a "fender bender" my vehicle was involved in due to the ABS system failure.
2019 Hyundai Tucson
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Tucson years
Owner complaints for the 2019 Hyundai Tucson are substantially higher than the model-year median of 180.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Tucson years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 93 of 378 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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 196 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 62 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Service Brakes complaints
53 reportsWhen the vehicle in front of me stopped quickly, I braked quickly but did not hit the car. At that time, all the lights on my dashboard went off and were still on when I took the car to dealer for a diagnosis.
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)
The car barely has 50,000 miles on it and I had to replace all the tires rotors and brakes. Then a week later we were driving and it started making a funny noise and it would not drive more then 30 mph. I am going to have it towed to the dealership and see what the problem is. I have been reading about a lot of people with this …
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The car barely has 50,000 miles on it and I had to replace all the tires rotors and brakes. Then a week later we were driving and it started making a funny noise and it would not drive more then 30 mph. I am going to have it towed to the dealership and see what the problem is. I have been reading about a lot of people with this same problem for faulty engine. I will sue them if this is the case this happened another time to me and I sued them under the lemon law
The contact owned a 2019 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while the contact's wife was driving and parking the vehicle, the contact's wife depressed the brake pedal and the service brakes were inoperable. In addition, the contact stated that the anti collision braking system was inoperable and did not function as intende…
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The contact owned a 2019 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while the contact's wife was driving and parking the vehicle, the contact's wife depressed the brake pedal and the service brakes were inoperable. In addition, the contact stated that the anti collision braking system was inoperable and did not function as intended. The contact stated that due to the failure, the vehicle crashed into several oversize planters in the parking lot. In addition, the vehicle crashed into a wooden fence and then crashed into a tree. The contact's seventeen-year-old granddaughter was seated in the front passenger seat of the vehicle. The fire department and the police arrived on the scene. A police report and fire report were filed. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The contact's granddaughter sustained a concussion and currently suffers from headaches. The contact's wife sustained an injury to the mouth due to the deployment of the air bag. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH and slowing the vehicle, she observed that the vehicle in front was braking. The contact depressed the brake pedal and the pedal went to the floorboard as she was depressing it. The contact stated that she was pumping the brake pedal…
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The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH and slowing the vehicle, she observed that the vehicle in front was braking. The contact depressed the brake pedal and the pedal went to the floorboard as she was depressing it. The contact stated that she was pumping the brake pedal and she stated that the vehicle jerked and crashed into the rear end of the vehicle in front of her. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that her front end was damaged by the trailer hitch ball on the other vehicle. The contact stated that the hood was dented and the grill was broken, also there was damage to her headlights, and both lights were cracked. The damage to the other vehicle was minimal, only scratches. The contact's vehicle had to be towed. The contact stated she and the other driver were not injured. The police were on the scene and filed a report. The vehicle was towed to a collision center and was repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.
The contact called on behalf of the owner who owned a 2019 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while parked, the vehicle caught fire. The fire marshals extinguished the fire. A police report was filed. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was deemed totaled by the insurance company. The vehicle was towed to an unknown loc…
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The contact called on behalf of the owner who owned a 2019 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while parked, the vehicle caught fire. The fire marshals extinguished the fire. A police report was filed. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was deemed totaled by the insurance company. The vehicle was towed to an unknown location. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V543000 ( Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The contact stated the goal is to recover costs for Dollar General for this damage.
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at low speeds, pulling into a parking spot on an incline, the vehicle accelerated and failed to stop. Then the vehicle traveled through several 15-gallon pots with trees, a patio, elliptical machines, and a wooden fence. The driver vee…
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The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at low speeds, pulling into a parking spot on an incline, the vehicle accelerated and failed to stop. Then the vehicle traveled through several 15-gallon pots with trees, a patio, elliptical machines, and a wooden fence. The driver veered to the left, went down a mountain approximately 30 feet, continued down the hill, and crashed into a pine tree where it came to a halt. The occupant in the front passenger seat sustained a concussion. The driver sustained injuries to her lip and medical attention was provided. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the police station. A police report was filed. There was no reported fire. The driver's side front and passenger side front air bags were deployed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who provided claim number 21135585, and had the vehicle inspected but indicated the brake pedal had not been depressed but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000.
FEEL LIKE THE EMEGENCY BRAKE IS GETTING STUCK BUT THE DEALER TELLS ME IM WRONG BUT THEY NEVER TEST DROVE IT
I needed to stop quickly, but not unreasonably fast. I had time to consider my passenger and that this would be a quick stop for them. I then firmly applied the brakes and it felt like something kicked in causing the car specifically not to stop or slow down as expected. I subsequently had to push harder and harder to try to get…
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I needed to stop quickly, but not unreasonably fast. I had time to consider my passenger and that this would be a quick stop for them. I then firmly applied the brakes and it felt like something kicked in causing the car specifically not to stop or slow down as expected. I subsequently had to push harder and harder to try to get the car to stop, which it didn't in time and I t-boned another vehicle (minor) that then left the scene. My passenger, who I do not have a relationship with and had just met that night, turned to me and said "you're car didn't stop." She noticed this as well. Upon having it fixed at the auto body shop, they found that "the brake pedal is below the gas pedal and keeping brakes applied when brake pedal is released. The brake pedal assembly is bend and holding brake pads applied when driving." I spoke to the technician (owner?) who said that "if the pedal assembly is bending instead of stopping then it is possible that this caused it." He also suggested that "brake assemblies don't bend" and that he has never seen or heard of one bending in his decades of work. All I know is that I applied the brakes quickly, but not unreasonably and the car reacted in a way causing it not to stop when it should have. Whether this was a problem with the ABS or the brake pedal assembly bending, I am not sure. I do want to document that this car did not stop as it should have and feel that a mechanical problem caused this collision. Fortunately we made light contact with the other vehicle, the air bags did not go off and there were no injuries. There was, however serious risk of injury should cars have been only a few feet further in any direction. This car was repaired by a body shop.
Official recalls
120V543000 · 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
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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