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Hyundai · NHTSA safety record

2021 Hyundai Tucson

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

76

Complaints

2

Crashes

3

Fires

7

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2021 Hyundai Tucson have filed 76 safety complaints with NHTSA between January 2021 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 37 of them (49%). The typical failure was reported at 26,972 miles, the median across the 14 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Complaints more than doubled year on year: 25 in the twelve months to 2026-Q1, against 8 in the twelve before.

NHTSA has issued 1 recall covering this vehicle. A further 1 defect investigation is open and unresolved.

Recalls (1)

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

20V543000 · September 4, 2020

Park outside until repaired

The defect
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.
The risk
An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury or crash.
The 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.

Hyundai Motor America · up to 652,024 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (1)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires

AQ23002

Still open audit query · opened November 17, 2023

the hydraulic brakes

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by Mando. Safety recalls included in this Audit Query (AQ) review include: Hyundai recalls 20V-520, 20V-543, 21V-161, 21V-160, 21V-303, 22V-056, 22V-810, and 23V-651. Kia recalls 16V-815, 20V-518, 20V-519, 21V-137, 21V-331, 22V-051, 22V-800, and 23V-652 The purpose of this AQ is to evaluate the timeliness and scoping of Hyundai and Kia’s defect decision making and adherence with reporting requirements; and understand the varying defect descriptions and remedies between these recalls.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 76.

ENGINE 37 49%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 11 14%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 10 13%
SERVICE BRAKES 9 12%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 8 11%
POWER TRAIN 7 9%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 6 8%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 3 4%
AIR BAGS 2 3%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 2 3%
LANE DEPARTURE 2 3%
SEAT BELTS 2 3%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2026 at 24.

2021 2026
2021 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ENGINE

2 injured · fire · 25,000 miles

The contact called on behalf of his girlfriend who owned a 2021 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH in the driveway, there was steam coming out from under the hood. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact parked the vehicle. The contact stated that as he opened the hood, flames came out. The contact's girlfriend also saw flames coming out of the A/C vents. The contact closed the hood and assisted his girlfriend and his pet in exiting the vehicle. The contact stated that his girlfriend slipped and fell while exiting the vehicle. The contact's girlfriend sustained back pain and the contact sustained a flash burn. There was no further information provided. The

NHTSA complaint 11535510, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed

On [XXX], the vehicle was involved in a complex multi-impact accident. It was struck by a vehicle on the passenger (right) side and, simultaneously, by another vehicle on the driver's (left) side. (Police Report). During this sequence of collisions, and despite the magnitude of the impact, I must express my extreme concern that the left side airbag (driver's side) did not deploy. This failure caused Mr. [XXX] , the undersigned, to suffer a neck injury as a direct consequence of the incident. Even more seriously, the right-side passenger, Ms. [XXX] , sufferedsevere internal injuries, including three small intestine perforations, according to medical reports. These injuries resulted from

NHTSA complaint 11675342, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash

AIR BAG ON DRIVERS SIDE DID NOT OPEN SAME THING WITH MY 2019 ELANTRA 3 YEARS AGO

NHTSA complaint 11559824. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

1 injured

Forward collision warning is set at "early", but I only get 1 out of dozen incidents where I feel the warning should be triggered. Often I had to hit the brake hard enough to cause chest pains for me & my passenger. So, the injury below is a minor one for now, but may easily become quite extensive.

NHTSA complaint 11417388. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

towed · 7,800 miles

The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine blew. No warning lights were illuminated. There was white smoke coming from the hood of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 7,800.

NHTSA complaint 11756204. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
This vehicle burns oil at an alarming rate. I am getting oil changes every 3K miles, and when I take it in, the dipstick is dry. I receive no oil lights to tell me it is low. I just had to get spark plugs and the mechanic at the garage told me this was due to the oil consumption issue in these vehicles. I am at 71,000 miles.

NHTSA complaint 11752252. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
I was driving down [XXX] from my house.My engine light started to flash.I tried to accelerate my car barely went 10 miles an hour.I got Home 2 minutes later.There was major knocking.I had the car towed to [XXX], Hyundai, the only code that is showing up on the diagnostics, is P1326 there is an open class action lawsuit for this exact code. For the rod bearing failure, Hyundai is denying the claim, saying there's a gap in maintenance history on a car. I didn't own yet when I bought the vehicle. It passed a 190 point inspection. There's no way there was anything wrong with this vehicle.I am under fifty thousand miles , and if I was on the highway , it could've been deadly i could not

NHTSA complaint 11751238, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

towed · 44,807 miles

The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road before being driven to the residence. The contact’s neighbor checked the oil level and informed the contact that the oil pan was empty. The oil level was topped off. The contact stated that the vehicle was not due for an oil change for another 200 miles. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The

NHTSA complaint 11749638, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Forward crash avoidance system keeps activating causing the car to brake on it's own. This was previously fixed on my car once back in 2022 and now in 2026 it is happening again. I have been trying to communicate with Hyundai regarding additional years to current recall but their not going to even though they have known for years this was an issue and included older models than their current recall. This is not a one time issue this is the second time and until fixed it continously caused the vechile to randomly brake, it's going to get someone seriously injured or killed if they don't address it.

NHTSA complaint 11746359. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY/WIPER
My back windshield shattered unexpectedly

NHTSA complaint 11744687. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Hyundai Tucson

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 56 5 —
2025 271 6 —
2024 90 4 —
2023 130 2 —
2022 371 3 —
2020 175 1 —
2019 371 1 —
2018 390 1 —
2017 1,081 3 1
2016 1,616 5 —
2015 226 1 —
2014 200 2 —
2013 266 3 —
2012 254 3 —
2011 124 5 —
2010 57 4 —

Other 2021 Hyundai models

Palisade 422 Santa FE 164 Elantra 129 Sonata 128 Kona 113 Sonata Hybrid 53 Elantra Hybrid 29 Venue 28

Every Hyundai on this site — 201 vehicles, 276 recall campaigns and 3 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst