Model record
Hyundai Tucson Years to Avoid: Reliability and Recalls
Every Hyundai Tucson model year in NHTSA's owner complaint file, 2010 to 2025: how many complaints each year drew, the problem owners named most, and the recalls to check before you buy.
NHTSA owner complaintsChecked Oct 2, 20265,706 complaints16 model years
The Hyundai Tucson years with the most owner complaints are 2016, 2017 and 2018. Owners named the powertrain most for 2016, and the engine for 2017 and 2018.
It's a count of reports, not a failure rate, and the newest years have had less time on the road to collect them.
Most of the complaints fall in the 2016 to 2021 generation, the Tucson Hyundai called all-new for 2016, and they peak at 1,616 for 2016.
Hyundai Tucson complaints by model year
Every Hyundai Tucson model year in NHTSA's owner complaint file, 2010 to 2025. Years with 2,000 or more complaints are dark; beside each bar is the system owners named most that year.
- 2010Powertrain28%57
- 2011Engine32%124
- 2012Engine63%255
- 2013Engine59%266
- 2014Engine54%200
- 2015Engine52%226
- 2016Powertrain32%1,616
- 2017Engine55%1,081
- 2018Engine61%390
- 2019Engine51%372
- 2020Engine40%176
- 2021Engine48%77
- 2022Fuel and power delivery35%371
- 2023Electrical system19%130
- 2024Electrical system19%90
- 2025Forward collision avoidance29%275
Best Hyundai Tucson years by complaint count
Of the years with at least five years on the road, these drew the fewest owner complaints. Fewer reports is not a clean bill of health: check the recalls for the exact car, and remember 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 have had less time to collect complaints.
- 2010Powertrain · 4 recalls57
- 2021Engine · 1 recall77
- 2011Engine · 5 recalls124
Most common Hyundai Tucson problems
The systems owners named most across all 16 model years, counted from each year's six most-named systems.
- EngineNamed most in 10 of 16 years2,286
- PowertrainNamed most in 2 of 16 years1,131
- Electrical systemNamed most in 2 of 16 years624
- Braking systemNever the top system in a year256
- Hydraulic brakingNever the top system in a year253
Our guides for these problems
Check engine codes Hyundai Tucson owners name
The OBD-II codes owners wrote into their complaints for the Tucson years we have read in full (2016 and 2017), one count per complaint. Tap a code to read our guide; grey codes have no guide yet.
Hyundai Tucson years to avoid by generation
Hyundai called the 2010, 2016 and 2022 Tucson all-new, so the years in the file fall into three groups. NHTSA's file has the Tucson from 2010 to 2025.
2010–2015
All-new for 2010
2013 most complaints · engine
- 201057
- 2011124
- 2012255
- 2013266
- 2014200
- 2015226
1,128 complaints · 6 model years
2016–2021
All-new for 2016
2016 most complaints · powertrain
3,712 complaints · 6 model years
2022–2025
All-new for 2022
2022 most complaints · fuel and power delivery
- 2022371
- 2023130
- 202490
- 2025275
866 complaints · 4 model years
Hyundai Tucson recalls by year
Recall campaigns NHTSA lists for each model year, read Oct 2, 2026. A campaign that covers several years counts in each of them. Recall repairs are free at the dealer; check one car with its VIN.
- 2010Most often: exterior lighting4
- 2011Most often: engine and cooling5
- 2012Most often: engine and cooling3
- 2013Most often: engine and cooling3
- 2014Most often: airbag system2
- 2015Most often: hydraulic braking1
- 2016Most often: powertrain5
- 2017Most often: electrical system3
- 2018Most often: hydraulic braking1
- 2019Most often: hydraulic braking1
- 2020Most often: hydraulic braking1
- 2021Most often: hydraulic braking1
- 2022Most often: electrical system3
- 2023Most often: powertrain2
- 2024Most often: equipment4
- 2025Most often: electrical system6
Hyundai Tucson crash test ratings by year
NHTSA's overall star rating for each model year, with the frontal, side and rollover stars beside it.
- 2010No overall rating—
- 2011No overall rating—
- 2012Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 44/5
- 2013Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 44/5
- 2014Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 44/5
- 2015Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 44/5
- 2016Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2017Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2018Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2019Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2020Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2021Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2022Frontal 4–5 · Side 5 · Rollover 44–5/5
- 2023Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 44–5/5
- 2024Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2025Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
Federal investigations
NHTSA's defect office has opened 4 investigations into 4 problems that cover Hyundai Tucson model years from 2010 to 2025. An investigation looks into a possible defect; it is not a finding.
Common questions
What are the Hyundai Tucson years to avoid?
The years with the most owner complaints are 2016, 2017 and 2018. Treat them as the years to inspect hardest, not as a verdict on every car: run the VIN for open recalls and have the systems owners named checked before you buy.
What year is the most reliable Hyundai Tucson?
Complaints can't name a most reliable year, because the file counts reports, not failures per car sold. Of the years with at least five years on the road, 2010 drew the fewest complaints: 57. Newer years have fewer still, but they have had less time to collect them.
What is the most common problem with the Hyundai Tucson?
Across every year in the file, owners named the engine most, in 2,286 complaints, then the powertrain, in 1,131.
Which Hyundai Tucson years have the most recalls?
2025, 2011 and 2016, with 6, 5 and 5 recall campaigns.