2012 Hyundai TUCSON problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
255 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
83,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 169 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 160 of 255 complaints (62.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 42 | 16.5% |
| Braking behavior | 41 | 16.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 13 | 5.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 10 | 3.9% |
| Steering behavior | 8 | 3.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 0.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 160 |
| Power Train | 26 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 25 |
| Electrical System | 15 |
| Unknown Or Other | 12 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 10 |
| Service Brakes | 9 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 |
Engine: 160; Power Train: 26; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 25; Electrical System: 15; Unknown Or Other: 12; Engine And Engine Cooling: 10; Service Brakes: 9; Vehicle Speed Control: 9
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 20 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 16 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 30 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 33 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 55 |
| 150,000 and above | 15 |
Under 25,000: 20; 25,000 to 49,999: 16; 50,000 to 74,999: 30; 75,000 to 99,999: 33; 100,000 to 149,999: 55; 150,000 and above: 15
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (55). 86 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 9 |
| 2014 | 10 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 15 |
| 2018 | 18 |
| 2019 | 82 |
| 2020 | 23 |
| 2021 | 16 |
| 2022 | 10 |
| 2023 | 18 |
| 2024 | 28 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 | 3 |
2011: 3; 2012: 5; 2013: 9; 2014: 10; 2015: 3; 2016: 9; 2017: 15; 2018: 18; 2019: 82; 2020: 23; 2021: 16; 2022: 10; 2023: 18; 2024: 28; 2025: 3; 2026: 3
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 42 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 41 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 13 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10873948 · 2016-06-13 (June 13, 2016)
WHILE DRIVING ON THE I90 THROUGH SNOQUALMIE PASS IN WASHINGTON, MOVED TO OVERTAKE ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE OVERTAKING LANE. AS I MOVED INTO THE LANE AND ACCELERATED, THE ENGINE DROPPED DOWN A GEAR AND A WHINING NOISE WAS HEARD. AT THIS POINT I HAD TOTAL LOSS OF POWER AND WAS TRAVELLING AT ~70MPH. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CAR WAS TOWED. THERE WAS MEDIUM TRAFFIC AT THE TIME HOWEVER I WAS ON A SLIGHT DOWNHILL SO DIDN'T RAPIDLY LOSE SPEED. HYUNDAI CARPROS IN RENTON REPORTED THAT THE PISTON HAD FAILED …
Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10873948 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10947560 · 2017-01-25 (January 25, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD THREE QUARTERS OF A TANK OF FUEL; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE FUEL TANK HAD A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUEL, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO REGISTER THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANK AND WOULD NOT EXCEED $2 WORTH OF FUEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THA…
Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10947560 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10423888 · 2011-09-06 (September 6, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, EVEN AFTER THE FUEL TANK WAS FILLED TO CAPACITY. SHE HAD TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER MADE THREE ATTEMPTS TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,304. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE WAS 1,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10423888 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10440922 · 2011-12-21 (December 21, 2011)
BRAND NEW CAR- A FEW DAYS AFTER PURCHASING AND DRIVING THE CAR, NOTICED CAR WAS NOT DRIVING RIGHT. SEVERAL SYMPTOMS BECAME NOTICEABLE. CAR WOULD JERK WHEN ACCELERATING AND BRAKING. CARS PICK UP WAS DELAYED AND HAD A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE VIBRATION, WHILE IN IDLE AND WHILE DRIVING, TO THE POINT OF GETTING NAUSEOUS WHILE DRIVING IN THE CAR. TOOK CAR TO HYUNDAI SERVICE AND TOLD THEM OF SYMPTOMS AND MY CONCERNS OF SOMETHING NOT RIGHT WITH THE CAR. THE MECHANICS FELT THE PROBLEMS I EXPLAINED ABOVE AND SAID SOMETHING WAS WRONG, NOW HAD TO FIGURE OUT WHA…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10440922 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10459275 · 2012-05-22 (May 22, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO DRIVE 1 INDEPENDENTLY. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHEN APPLIED AND AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL GARAGE DOOR AND IMPACTED THE INTERIOR WALL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE UNTIL THE OTHER DAMAGES HAD BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE W…
Owner-reported narrative. 700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10459275 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10467728 · 2012-07-25 (July 25, 2012)
THIS CAR HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND IT PULLS OUT OF PARK VERY EASILY WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION OR FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THIS LED TO MY CAR ROLLING DOWN A HILL AND HITTING A TREE WITH NO ONE IN THE DRIVERS SEAT. WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALER THEY TRIED THIS ON ANOTHER CAR IN THE LOT AND IT DID THE SAME THING. I WAS TOLD BY HYUNDAI CORPORATE OFFICES THAT THIS IS A "CAMPAIGN" ITEM. I CAN NOT FIND THIS PROBLEM LISTED AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BEFORE IT LEADS TO INJURY OR DEATH. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10467728 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10991202 · 2017-05-23 (May 23, 2017)
LAST WEEK, WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY IN RURAL NEVADA,IN A PASSING ZONE, ON A SHALLOW UPHILL CURVE, ATTEMPTED TO PASS A TRASH TRUCK,ACCELERATED TO ABOUT 65 MPH, AND JUST AS WE MORE OR LESS ABEAM THE TRUCK, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT. WE HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE PASS AND IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER TO SIDE. HAD THERE BEEN ONCOMING TRAFFIC, THAT WAS JUDGED TO BE FAR ENOUGH DISTANCE TO SAFELY PASS, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WITH THE ENGINE QUITTING, COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR BOTH TESTED OK. T…
Owner-reported narrative. 112,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10991202 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10448236 · 2012-02-16 (February 16, 2012)
THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FEELS STUCK,VAGUE,HARD,LACKS OF MANEUVERABILITY AND FEEDBACK WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, FEELING THE SENSATION THAT YOU WILL LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.THE VEHICLE GOES TO EITHER WAYS (RIGHT OR LEFT SIDE) GIVING THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU ARE GOING TO CRASH.ALSO IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN THE VEHICLE ALIGN ON THE ROAD LANE AND IT HAS TO BE CORRECTED CONSTANTLY REQUIRING MORE PHYSICAL EFFORT THAN NORMAL DRIVING. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 455 miles reported. Look up ODI 10448236 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10458831 · 2012-05-17 (May 17, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 TO 40 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE. THE CRASH CAUSED NO INJURIES AND THE POLICE WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING MOTOR FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10458831 at NHTSA ↗