2010 Hyundai TUCSON: complaints, problems and recalls

NO ACCIDENT YET, BUT WORRISOME. HAVE A 2010 HYUNDAI TUCSON LIMITED AWD. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS NOW. WHEN SLOWING DOWN (SUCH AS A HIGHWAY ON OR OFF RAMP), WITHOUT FOOT ON THE GAS. CAR VIOLENTLY DOWNSHIFTS. TO THE POINT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES. ACTUALLY SLOWED THE CAR DOWN ENOUGH THAT I PUSHED FORWARD IN THE DRIVERS SEATS, AND THE SEAT BELT TENSIONED UP TO KEEP ME GOING FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS, AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO DEFECT, AND THAT IT IS 'NORMAL' BEHAVIOR. BUT I HAVE NEVE…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,350 miles reported. Look up ODI 10316871 at NHTSA ↗

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS PERSISTING. CAUSING VERY HARD DOWNSHIFTS, MAKING SEAT BELT TENSIONERS LOCK. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 3,850 miles reported. Look up ODI 10320982 at NHTSA ↗

RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW HYUNDAI TUCSON AND FOUND THERE IS NO ALERT BELL, BUZZER, OR LIGHT TO TELL THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE THEIR SEAT BELT BUCKLED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10328775 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI TUCSON. WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SWAY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE CURRENT IS2,633 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,100 UPDATED 7/16/10 *CN UPDATED 07/22/10*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 4,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10331241 at NHTSA ↗

SUDDEN DOWNSHIFTING WITH LOUD CLUNK AND LURCHING OF VEHICLE AT 35 MPH. FELT AS IF I HAD BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. INSTINCTIVELY HIT THE BRAKES AND PULLED OVER TO CHECK FOR EXTERIOR DAMAGE, AND FOUND NONE. CONTINUED DOWN THE ROAD AND EXPERIENCED UNUSUAL INCREASES IN RPMS. WHEN I ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO IN REVERSE. OWNED VEHICLE ONLY 11 DAYS. INCIDENT OCCURRED AT 500 MILES. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. SERVICE CENTER INFORMS ME THAT VEHICLE SEEMS TO BE "PERFORMING NORMALLY," BUT THEY ARE "CHECKING THE CO…

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10332306 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE HAD MY HYUNDAI TUCSON FOR ABOUT 5 MONTHS, ABOUT TWO MONTHS AFTER OWNING THE CAR THE CAR MADE A LOUD CLUNK AND LURCHED FORWARD,LIKE I GOT HIT FROM BEHIND OR LIKE I HIT AN ANIMAL. I PULLED OVER TO SEE IF I DID BUT NOTHING WAS THERE. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT THREE TIMES BEFORE I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THEY CHECKED IT AND SAID EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT FINE. THEY RESET THE TRANSMISSION, THEY TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION LEARNS YOUR PATTERNS AND SOMETHING MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN CONFUSED. ITS BEEN ABOUT 2 MONTHS NOW SINCE THEY "FIXED" THE PROBLEM BUT THIS MORN…

Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10361091 at NHTSA ↗

PURCHASED MY 2010 HYUNDAI TUCSON IN MAY 2010. I HAVE HAD THREE INSTANCES OF TRANSMISSION LOCKUP AT 50 MPH. AS DESCRIBED BY OTHERS IT FEELS LIKE YOU HIT SOMETHING IN THE ROAD. THE CAR LURCHES AND THERE IS A LOUD NOISE. I AM VERY AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR, IT FEELS LIKE I WILL LOSE CONTROL OF IT ONE OF THESE TIMES WHEN IT HAPPENS. THE DEALERSHIP IS CURRENTLY REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION AS PER DIRECTION FROM HYUNDAI TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. NOT SURE IF THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEM OR JUST DELAY IT. THE VEHICLE HAS 8300 MILES, IT STARTED FAILING AROUND 600…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10365871 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI TUCSON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WHEN THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF SNOW HAD ACCUMULATED UNDER THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS. AS A RESULT, THE WIPERS WOULD NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY. THE SIMILAR FAILURE OCCURRED ON A SEPARATE OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 9,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10372129 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2010-02-25 (February 25, 2010)

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 TUCSON VEHICLES. PROPERLY SEATED ADULT RIGHT FRONT SEAT PASSENGERS WEIGHING OVER APPROXIMATELY 240 POUNDS CAUSE THE PASSIVE OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (PODS) MODULE PROGRAM TO ILLUMINATE THE "AIR BAG" WARNING LAMP.

Consequence: IF "AIR BAG" WARNING LAMP IS ILLUMINATED, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL DEPLOY IF A CRASH OF SUFFICIENT FORCE TO REQUIRE FRONT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IS EXPERIENCED, AND WILL NOT BE DEACTIVATED IF A CHILD IS SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEATING POSITION, WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO A CHILD FRONT PASSENGER.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE PODS MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. HYUNDAI ANTICIPATES OWNERS NOTIFICATION BEGAN BY TELEPHONE ON FEBRUARY 15 2010 AND THE NOTIFICATION WAS MAILED ON MARCH 5, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-633-5151.

Reported: 2011-04-26 (April 26, 2011)

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 TUCSON VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 27, 2010, THROUGH APRIL 17, 2010 FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT," FOR THE PHOTOMETRY REQUIREMENTS OF THE REAR REFLECTOR ASSEMBLIES INSTALLED IN THE REAR BUMPERS.

Consequence: THIS COULD LEAD TO REDUCED VISIBILITY OF THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR REFLECTOR ASSEMBLIES, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JUNE 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI'S CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-633-5151.

Reported: 2013-04-01 (April 1, 2013)

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

Consequence: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.

Reported: 2023-09-22 (September 22, 2023)

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Consequence: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.