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2021 Hyundai TUCSON: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

78 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

26,972 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2021 model year. Data snapshot: . 14 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 38 of 78 complaints (48.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior2025.6%
Engine operation79.0%
Electrical and battery issues67.7%
Transmission and shifting33.8%
Steering behavior33.8%

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.

Engine
38
Electrical System
11
Unknown Or Other
10
Service Brakes
9
Fuel/Propulsion System
8
Power Train
8
Engine And Engine Cooling
3
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking
3
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine38
Electrical System11
Unknown Or Other10
Service Brakes9
Fuel/Propulsion System8
Power Train8
Engine And Engine Cooling3
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking3

Engine: 38; Electrical System: 11; Unknown Or Other: 10; Service Brakes: 9; Fuel/Propulsion System: 8; Power Train: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling: 3; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
6
25,000 to 49,999
3
50,000 to 74,999
3
75,000 to 99,999
1
100,000 to 149,999
1
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0006
25,000 to 49,9993
50,000 to 74,9993
75,000 to 99,9991
100,000 to 149,9991
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (6). 64 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.

2021
16
2022
3
2023
8
2024
8
2025
17
2026
26
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
202116
20223
20238
20248
202517
202626

2021: 16; 2022: 3; 2023: 8; 2024: 8; 2025: 17; 2026: 26

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 20 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 7 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 6 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.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 11387555 · 2021-01-11 (January 11, 2021)

DEAR SIR: "HYUNDAI RECENTLY TOLD OWNERS OF NEWER TUCSON VEHICLES NOT TO DRIVE THEIR RECALLED SUVS IF THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) WARNING LIGHT COMES ON, AND TO KEEP THE VEHICLES PARKED OUTDOORS SO THEY DON'T CATCH A HOUSE OR GARAGE ON FIRE."THIS PARTICULAR HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP IN QUESTION HERE HAS NEVER MENTIONED IT TO ME EVEN THOUGH THE SALES AGENT ([XXX]) WAS ASKED BY MY FRIEND THAT WAS WITH ME TO ASSIST ME WITH/HELP ME OUT IN DEALING WITH THE NEGOTIATION THAT IS, ALWAYS, A COMMON PRACTICE WHEN ONE WANTS TO BUY BOTH USED OR NEW CAR. I WA…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11387555 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11387738 · 2021-01-12 (January 12, 2021)

I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2021 HYUNDAI TUCSON ON 1/1/2021. I FOUND OUT ON 1/10/2021 THAT THERE WAS AN ACTIVE RECALL ON MY CAR. AFTER LOOKING THROUGH THE LAWS IT STATES THAT A CAR DEALERSHIP IS LEGALLY NOT ALLOWED TO SELL A CAR THAT HAS AN ACTIVE RECALL. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THEY VERIFIED THAT THEY RECEIVED THE RECALL INFORMATION FOR THAT SPECIFIC CAR ON 12/30/2021 BUT PROCEEDED TO SELL IT ANYWAYS. I AM VERY UPSET THAT THIS HAPPENED AND NOW I HAVE TO TAKE TIME OUT OF MY DAY TO TAKE THE CAR INTO THE SHOP FOR THEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM ON A BRAND …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11387738 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11398545 · 2021-03-01 (March 1, 2021)

SEVERE HESITATION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. CAR DOES NOT MOVE, REQUIRES SVERAL ATTEMPTS TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR BEFORE THE CAR RESPONDS, EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN ENTERING AN ON RAMP, MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY, OR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR, HAS NOT BEEN RECTIFIED , HYUNDAI REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 11398545 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11399906 · 2021-03-09 (March 9, 2021)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 HYUNDAI TUCSON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V543000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED CIOCCA HYUNDAI OF QUAKERTOWN (550 S WEST END BLVD, QUAKERTOWN, PA 18951, [phone removed]) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENC…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11399906 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11402753 · 2021-03-13 (March 13, 2021)

HYUNDAI DEALERSHIPS WON'T PERFORM RECALL ON DANGEROUS ABS ISSUE THAT CAUSES ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES. THEY SAY TO PARK OUTSIDE AND AWAY FROM STRUCTURES, BUT DEALERSHIPS SAY THEY ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO PERFORM 7 RECALLS A DAY BECAUSE THEY TAKE "4 HOURS" BUT THE RECALL PAPER WORK SAYS IT SHOULD TAKE LESS THEN 1 HOUR. SO THEY ARE BOOKED FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS LEAVING US WITHOUT A WAY TO GET THE DANGEROUS FIRE CAUSING ISSUE FIXED. THIS IS A SERIOUS ENOUGH ISSUE, THAT SHOULD BE PRIORITY EVEN BEFORE THEIR SALES. IT'S DISGUSTING WHAT HYUNDAI HAS BEEN GETT…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11402753 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11402935 · 2021-03-14 (March 14, 2021)

WE GOT THE RECALL NOTICE ON BLUE LINK CALLED FLETCHER WHERE WE BOUGHT IT AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD GET TO US SOMETIME THAT THE PART WAS BACKORDERED HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM SINCE WHEN I CALLED GOT THE SAME SPEECH ASK ABOUT FIRES AND THEY SAID THERE'S NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT WE STILL DRIVE IT BECAUSE IT'S ALL WE HAVE BEEN PARKING IN THE GARAGE BECAUSE NO WORRIES ACCORDING TO FLETCHER AND HONESTLY IT'S BEEN BELOW FREEZING

Owner-reported narrative. 8,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11402935 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11403623 · 2021-03-18 (March 18, 2021)

HYUNDAI TUCSON ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM MODULES CORRODE INTERNALLY AND CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AND FIRE. THEY ISSUED A RECALL, AND THEIR NOTICES SAY IT WILL TAKE LESS THEN ONE HOUR TO PERFORM INSTALLATION OF NEW ABS MODULES, YET ALL DEALERSHIPS SAY IT TAKES HALF A DAY. I JUST VISITED A DEALERSHIP WHO DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE PARTS TO DO IT!!! AND EACH SERVICE DEPARTMENT ONLY SCHEDULE 5-7 RECALLS PER DAY. SO ALL DEALERSHIPS ARE BOOKED FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS OUT. LEAVING US ALL WITH THIS VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT, THREATENING TO BURN DOWN OUR HOMES. THIS …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11403623 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11403845 · 2021-03-19 (March 19, 2021)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 HYUNDAI TUCSON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V543000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. HORNE HYUNDAI (1360 E AUTO CENTER DR, APACHE JUNCTION, AZ 85119) WAS CONTACTED AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULE FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND LEFT TO BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE AND TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. TH…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11403845 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

20V543000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module

Reported: 2020-09-04 (September 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: 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.

NHTSA campaign record ↗