13 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
A software mistake can make the instrument panel — the display right behind the steering wheel — go blank. That is where your speedometer and warning lights live, so you could be driving without knowing how fast you are going or whether the car is trying to warn you about something. Hyundai will fix it with a software update sent to the vehicle over the air, or a dealer can install it for free.
On certain Santa Cruz and Tucson models, including the hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions, the software in the front cameras can misread the road ahead. The automatic emergency braking system may then kick in too early and hit the brakes when there is nothing there. That sudden stop can surprise you and the drivers behind you. Dealers will install updated front camera software at no charge. Hyundai expects to mail owner notification letters on July 17, 2026.
This affects Tucsons with the optional Mobis tow hitch wiring. The wiring may have been put in wrong, which lets water get into its control box. The moisture inside can stop the trailer lights from working, so drivers behind you cannot see your brake and turn signals, and it can also make the electricity short out and start a fire. The dealer takes the trailer wiring out and puts a dust cap over the socket, free of charge.
⚠ NHTSA advises: park outside and away from structures (fire risk).
On certain 2025 Hyundai Tucson, 2025-2026 Santa Cruz, Santa Fe and Santa Fe Hybrid, and 2026 Genesis GV70 vehicles, the side curtain airbags may not have been installed properly. These are the airbags that drop down from above the side windows to protect people's heads in a crash. If they were put in wrong, they may not open the way they are supposed to. That means you could be hurt more seriously if you are in a crash.
Bolts that hold the connecting rods inside the engine may not have been tightened enough at the factory. That can damage the engine and make the vehicle lose power while you are driving — possibly in traffic, with no warning. The damage can also let oil leak out onto hot engine parts, which can start a fire under the hood. Because the engine itself can be ruined, the dealer replaces the whole engine at no cost.
Wiring near the center console may be routed the wrong way on these Hyundai Tucson and Santa Cruz vehicles. Because of it, the gear selector can be moved out of Park without anyone pressing the brake pedal. Normally the car will not allow that. So if the shifter gets bumped by a passenger, a bag, or a child, the vehicle can come out of Park and roll away on its own. A dealer reroutes the wiring free of charge.
The warning label that belongs on the glove box may be missing from your Tucson. That label tells you not to put an infant or small child in the front passenger seat, because the passenger airbag inflates with enough force to hurt them. Nothing is wrong with the airbag itself — it works normally. The only problem is the missing warning. Hyundai is mailing the label to owners, you stick it on yourself, and it costs nothing.
The steering on these vehicles is assisted by an electric motor. A circuit board inside that unit can short out, and when it does you lose the power assist that makes the wheel easy to turn. Steering becomes much heavier, which can catch you off guard in a turn, in a parking lot, or at highway speed. Dealers will replace the motor-driven power steering electric power pack at no charge.
The tire and loading information sticker on some 2024 Tucsons may list a pressure for a spare tire when the vehicle does not actually come with one. Nothing on the vehicle itself is broken — the label simply gives information that does not match the car. The concern is confusion: if you get a flat tire and check the sticker while sorting things out on the roadside, it could send you looking for a spare that is not there. Dealers will replace the label.
These cars have a system that shuts the engine off at stoplights to save fuel. The electronic controller for that system's oil pump may have damaged parts inside, and it can overheat. An overheating pump unit can start a fire in the car. Hyundai says park outside and away from buildings until the repair is done. Dealers check the oil pump controller and replace it if needed, at no charge to you.
⚠ NHTSA advises: park outside and away from structures (fire risk).
The long trim strips that run along the edges of the roof may not be attached securely. Over time one can work loose and fly off while you are driving. A piece of trim lying in the road is dangerous for the cars behind you and can cause a crash. A dealer will check your roof trim and either fasten it down properly or replace it, and you pay nothing.
A control unit that manages much of the car's electrical system was loaded with software that does not match these vehicles. Because of that mismatch, the headlights, the taillights, or both can stop working. Without headlights you cannot see the road well at night, and without taillights drivers behind you may not see your car. Hyundai says every affected vehicle has already been repaired, so no notification letters were mailed to owners.
The control box for the anti-lock brakes sits in the engine bay and can rust inside. That can cause an electrical short and start a fire under the hood. Dealers will replace a fuse in that control box at no charge, and on 2019-2021 models they will also update the stability control software. Hyundai first announced this recall in September 2020 and added more Tucsons, going back to 2016, that December.
⚠ NHTSA advises: park outside and away from structures (fire risk).
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the Hyundai Tucson. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 393 | 13 | 9 | 10 |
| 2019 | 378 | 15 | 11 | 10 |
| 2020 | 176 | 5 | 2 | 5 |
| 2021 | 78 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 2022 | 381 | 25 | 4 | 54 |
| 2023 | 132 | 12 | 1 | 5 |
| 2024 | 95 | 12 | 0 | 6 |
| 2025 | 279 | 32 | 1 | 19 |
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: