2016 Hyundai Tucson
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 1,620 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 21 Tucson model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 14 involved a crash and 26 involved a fire. 7 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/modulePark outsideSep 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.
An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury or crash.
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.
Campaign 20V543000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, wiringNov 21, 2016
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Tucson vehicles manufactured May 19, 2015, to November 14, 2016, and 2017 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured November 28, 2015, to November 14, 2016. The affected vehicles may be equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result, in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected accessory trailer hitch wiring harnesses, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 13, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 153.
Campaign 16V842000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmission, control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)Aug 30, 2016
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016 Tucson vehicles manufactured May 20, 2015 through May 31, 2016 and equipped with a 7-speed EcoShift Dual Clutch Transmission. Certain driving conditions and high temperatures may cause the vehicle to not move if the accelerator pedal is pressed and released repeatedly.
Inability to move the vehicle while in traffic may increase the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the Transmission Control Module software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on October 28, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 149.
Campaign 16V628000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, hood, latchMay 24, 2016
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016 Tucson vehicles manufactured May 19, 2015 to March 14, 2016. In the affected vehicles, if the primary hood latch has been released, and the vehicle is driven, the secondary hood latch may not hold adequately secure the hood to prevent it from opening while the vehicle is in motion.
If the primary hood latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch cannot secure the hood, the hood may unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary hood latch, free of charge. The recall began on June 30, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 145.
Campaign 16V348000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lighting, tail lightsMar 10, 2016
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016 Hyundai Tucson vehicles manufactured May 26, 2015 to January 15, 2016 and equipped with an accessory trailer hitch harness either included with the accessory trailer hitch or sold as a service part. In the affected vehicles, when the vehicle's engine is running and the brake lights are illuminated, if the turn signal is activated, the trailer turn signal lights will either turn off or remain continuously illuminated (not flash). As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Failure to illuminate the trailer's turn signal lights would prevent the communication of the driver's intent, increasing the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the tow hitch harness, free of charge. The recall began on May 2, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9640. Hyundai's number for this recall is 142.
Campaign 16V147000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
1,620 reports, newest first.
Visibility, Oct 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the window had become inoperable. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised that the vehicle be taken to a dealer for the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.
Electrical system, Structure, Oct 8, 2023
Body: my vehicle has experienced a malfunction in the front passenger side door. This door does not open from the outside, regardless of it being unlocked. The failure occurs 99% of attempts to open said door. A repair was made by the dealer I purchased it from, yet the issue returned within a month. First incident: February 2022. Electrical: My vehicle has also experienced malfunctions in all four windows. The initial malfunction occurred in July 2023, when the front driver side window would not go down. Within a week of having the window regulator and motor replaced professionally, the window regulator failed again (would not go back up after being let down)-- with an additional failure in the front passenger side window regulator. The part was replaced for the second time by a different independent service provider. This time, the failure occurred when I inspected the service providers work. The part was reordered and replaced yet again. However; the service provider made me aware that the issue had occured again, shortly after they repaired it and began testing it. The window was blocked off to keep it from sliding down. The issue is now present in all four windows. Each time it is repaired, the window regulator drum gears are stripped within 3-4 uses. - Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. - failure/malfunction was inspected and confirmed by two different independent service providers. - there were no warning lights or signals aside from the initial failure leading to a failure in all four windows.
Other or unspecified, Oct 5, 2023
2016 Hyundai Tucson ECO/FWD FRONT AND REAR LEFT WINDOW REGULATORS DON'T WORK. REAR DOORS LOCKS DON'T WORK FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. This is a safety concern because the doors locked when persons were inside and could not open the doors. The doors only open inserting a screwdriver through the door locks from inside. The windows of the left front and rear door don't open either. The car is 56,000 and Hyundai dealer says car is not covered by extended warranty. There are a plethora of complaints about malfunctioning of Hyundai Tucson and other models door locks and window regulator systems throughout the media. Since these represent huge safety concerns, Hyundai should issue a recall on these parts.
Engine, Oct 3, 2023
I was driving from California to Cincinnati to relocate for an unpaid internship. I had a mechanic check my car before I left and was told there was a problem with the engine since it was consuming more oil than normal. I took it to a dealership in California who then said there was nothing wrong and roping off the oil for the drive was expected. About 150 miles before Chicago, my engine started to sound like a helicopter. I had it towed to a dealership in the chicago suburbs that told me I had internal engine failure and it was a known problem so would submit it to the warranty company for me since I am the second owner and technically out of warranty. The warranty company made me jump through hoops to provide documentation for them of every oil change I’ve ever had on the car, even from before I owned it, only to deny the claim due to being out of warranty. The first owner warranty would have still covered this incident as the car is only 7 years old and was just under 70k miles at the time. At time of incident, nothing on the dashboard lit up, not even the check engine light.
Engine, Sep 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving with the cruise control set at 70 MPH, he heard a knocking sound coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle and the oil pressure warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while on an incline, he shifted the vehicle into neutral and was able to navigate the vehicle to safety. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the pistons and rod bearings had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was covered under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
Other or unspecified, Visibility, Sep 26, 2023
On 10/24/22 I took my 2016 Hyundai Tucson into dealership Springfield Hyundai 754 Baltimore Pike Springfield PA 19064 for a faulty drivers side window. At that time they advised the issue with the window was 'striped gear' and replaced 'drivers window regulator' under the extended warranty I purchased when I bought the vehicle. At that same time there was also an issue in the left front door latch and it was replaced under 'warranty.' On 03/03/23 the right rear door also had a latch issue and was replaced at that time. About a week ago, my front passenger side window stopped working. It will not go up or down. I returned to the same dealership on 07/27/2023. I was advised that 'found right front window regulator and motor gears are splined. Both parts need to be replaced. Charge is $890.98.' The car's extended warranty has expired and I would need to pay for this out of my pocket. My concern here is what I consider a trend with my vehicle experiencing window issues and it has not even reached 100K miles - in addition to the door latch issues. By the way, I also have a 2017 Hyundai Elantra which has also had to have almost every door latch replaced. After this second window issue popped up, I became curious and searched the internet for 2016 Hyundai Tucson window issues. And to no surprise, there are multiple consumers with complaints reporting the same exact issue as I am, with their windows as well. Based on current trends and concerns with your car manufacturing, parts, missing basic anti-theft tools, cars being stolen, and a plethora of other issues I am confident this issue with my window is at fault of Hyundai's poor production, manufacturing, and quality control. Windows are an emergency exit. In the case of an accident, you need to be able to open the window to exit if it is the only viable option. You can become trapped inside your vehicle if the windows do not work. Window needs to be operable to combat exhaust that may be trapped inside vehicle.
Engine, Sep 23, 2023
Prior to these oil changes and tires was completed and March 2023 engine light on and whining noise took it to Firestone twice they ran complete diagnosis twice and mechanic found no leak around the engine or leak in bottom and they recommended that I take it Hyundai dealership which I did that same month again Hyundai Service ran diagnosis and recommended replacing some air valve to fix the problem but the part needed to be ordered; again it took over six weeks to get appointment for service at this Hyundai Service dealership do said repair and I ask if I can still drive the car with engine light on they said it was o.k as long as engine light not was blinking. The next day engine light came on again and it took over six weeks to get appointment with Hyundai Service dealership in my area and the car sat in the driveway for over month. Now September 2023 same Hyundai Service ran engine diagnosis now need gasket and valve and they said engine failure because no oil in the engine and would cost $11K to replace. So please tell me in over month that car sat in driveway with no visible leaks in engine area and no leaks in the driveway, so where did the oil go and only answer I can deduce engine is defective.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Sep 21, 2023
My car has an engine oil leak that has been happening for over a year now since I bought it. I have to change my oil every 2,000 miles because of the leak, when Ive been told this car should be changing its oil for every 7,000 miles. My passenger door no longer opens from the outside once my car is unlocked. I have to put my window down in order to get inside and this is a safety hazard.
Electrical system, Sep 20, 2023
The windows of the 2016 Hyundai Tuscan go down and then the regulator went bad at that exact moment causing the windows to not go up, while driving on the highway. It is available for inspection. On a highway, I was going the speed limit between 65-70 MPH when I put one window down and attempted to put the window back up but I couldn’t. The pressure gets unbalanced and therefore impacts the drivers ears and passengers. I couldn’t even drive without the need to grab my ears because of the pressure. I had to pull over because the window wouldn’t go back up and the other windows wouldn’t go up after trying to balance the pressure in the car. I had to think quick and get on the side of the highway to figure out what happened. My ears wouldn’t stop popping and I couldn’t get back on the highway to get home. I had to drive slow off the following exit because the pain in my ears was so bad. This is a safety issue and isn’t the first time seeing this happen to people. The problem occurred out of nowhere, there were no warning signs and no indication this was going to happen. I confirmed my suspicions by going to a mechanic locally and sought out the issue being the regulator. This cannot be on consumers to repair. Out of all the issues that have been announced about this issue country wide, I’m surprised this has not been brought up before. This happened on 9/18/23 at night going home with my children. They had to cover their ears because of the pressure. I did not call the police or insurance company as I had not been in an accident. That doesn’t not mean this should be taken lightly. Had I not had thought of my kids in my car and thought quickly to pull over, we would have crashed.
Electrical system, Engine, Sep 15, 2023
Recently the transmission was replaced because the original one was defective. After a couple of weeks, I had turned on the clean air control and it started blowing cold air, so I turned the heater control higher, and the air was even colder. I don't know why this started happening all of a sudden. I'm the type of driver that rarely turns on the heater or air conditioning, I always use the recycle air button that pulls from off the engine and from outside.
Visibility, Sep 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the driver’s and passenger’s side front windows and the passenger’s side rear door window regulators were inoperable. The contact stated that the regulators were making a whining sound but failed to roll up or roll down. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Sep 4, 2023
I bought a used 2016 Hyundai Tucson locally. Had the car 3 days, & both rear window actuators had to be replaced. Had the car a week, oil pump/pan seal failed. Then the rear seal fail. Then the boot on the right CV joint failed. The aAC started blowing hot on the passenger side, while cold on the driver side, but I DON’T have dual controls for the temperature & it’s full. Bluetooth randomly connects/disconnects. Gas gauge is inaccurate says 40 miles left & then suddenly your light is on & it says you’ve 20. REPEATEDLY replaced my brake light bulbs/front turn signal bulbs, several times within a few months of each other, often on the same side. Having my phone plugged into the charging ports, the phone often overheats to the point of being too hot to touch. Even placed out of the sun’s rays, & shaded. Must pull front passenger door 2x externally before it will open. RR passenger door you can pull all day/push from inside /outside, doesn’t matter, WON’T OPEN.The car is equipped with a CVT, which allows you to shift manually if needed. Then the transmission refused to shift automatically. No codes would show. Today car died on me in the middle of the road, while I was turning, check engine is on, & car refuses to start. I was almost hit by cross traffic from both directions. A few people drove around me, before two very nice young men pushed my car out of the middle of the road onto the shoulder of a county road, on a holiday weekend. If not for a Good Samaritan, I’d have been walking 6 miles home in the dark. I’m almost 50, & a woman, & diabetic. The car has plenty of oil & coolant. Tried putting the car in neutral, still won’t start. Air filter is clean. Battery is good. Says it has gas; 40 miles til empty. Car tries to turn over but won’t catch. Tachometer will barely register to the line above zero, & even giving it gas makes NO difference. Have been told it is the timing & transmission. Dealer won’t honor extended warranty. Car has “just” passed Hyundai warranty.
Electrical system, Sep 3, 2023
The front passenger window failed to work. A week later drivers window failed to work. A week after repairing the two front windows the rear passenger side window failed to work. The failure of windows working is breaking of plastic regulators by faulty manufacturing parts. There should be a recall on these regulations. This is a safety issue!
Engine, Sep 3, 2023
The engine is consuming oil that may cause mechanical failure while driving on a busy road or highway. At the last oil change the technician informed me that there was hardly any oil left in the car. When I took the car to Hyundai they confirmed that the engine was consuming oil. Hyundai Motors refuses to replace the engine. There are over 2 million recalls on the same type of engine that my car has but there isn’t a recall for my car. Please help me hold the manufacturer responsible for this manufacturer defect.
Other or unspecified, Sep 2, 2023
Both front windows have stopped working. From a Google search on possible fixes, this is a common issue with 2016 Hyundai Tucsons. It’s also very expensive to fix and a great safety hazard.
Other or unspecified, Aug 29, 2023
The window regulators of this vehicle break down and stop working consistently. The plastic wheel on the inside of the door panel warps and breaks after a few months of use/being replaced. The temperatures this summer have been close to or over 100 degrees on a daily basis. This is what makes this a safety issue. Windows on the vehicle are stuck in a down position and cannot be rolled back up.
Power train, Engine, Aug 26, 2023
I have been to multiple Hyundai dealerships, and opened about 3 to 4 Hyundai consumer cases; for WELL known engine problems. My vehicle has failed oil tests and combustion tests done by Hyundai dealers. Springfield Hyundai/ Genesis kept my vehicle for 5 months claiming they found issues with the engine that was consistent with the other vehicles recalled for obsessive oil consumption. After their findings, Hyundai corporate decided not to do any repairs, after 5 months! They claim my vehicle is out of warranty and can not carry through the goodwill repair/replacement. Hyundai corporate and I have proof of my engine complaints and failed oil tests before 100,000mi warranty expired (which is why Hyundai submitted a goodwill repair request on my behalf took the car in the first place). My vehicles VIN is not included in engine recall, nor the theft recall. My car has been driven away from the key fob multiple times through the years; indicating it can be stolen. My last communication with a Hyundai dealership, the service manager informed me that engines that have already failed can be submitted. Basically I and others that are trying to be proactive, will have to wait until the engine fails and possibly cause an accident, injuring or killing people!! Due to this fear myself and others have to check and get more frequent oil changes and travel with oil in the trunk to keep the engine from locking up on the highway. This vehicle continues stalling, hesitating, losing power, and loud knock engine noise. I have been complaining of the bad DCT system since 2017 (2nd complaint written to NHTSA). Before my limited warranty was expired I've been denied by corporate even when the dealership found issues and admitted Hyundai is screwing over thousands of people and I am just another one. I have every work order and oil change from day one, that indicates that I kept up with the maintenance of my vehicle. I believe Hyundai is not including VIN#s that should be included in recall
Visibility/wiper, Aug 23, 2023
Car window regulator failed. window could not be rolled up and occupants subjected to outside weather conditions.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 23, 2023
Car window regulator failed. window could not be rolled up and occupants subjected to outside weather conditions.
Electrical system, Aug 22, 2023
The back left driver side door locked and can't be opened by any means. Child lock not on.
Electrical system, Structure, Aug 21, 2023
The right driver side door does not open from the outside after the car has been locked then unlocked using the key fob. Removing the key manually from the fob does not get the door to open. The only way to open the door from the outside is to leave the vehicle unlocked or to open it from the inside after going through another door.
Engine, Aug 18, 2023
Heading to Dallas from Houston. I got halfway to Dallas and my car started making this crazy knocking noise. Sound like a Go-Kart. Well we never made it to Dallas. Check engine light didn’t come on until hours later. A knocking noise from the engine that increases in frequency as the engine rpm increases. Reduced power and/or hesitation and vibration. I realized my 2016 Hydaui did not have an engine recall on it even though it was a well known issue. Every year was recalled but my car. Called dealership and received no response. My car has 111k miles and is paid off. I have known complaints at the dealership on my oil change that it was burning oil before 3k miles. They looked as me as if I was exaggerating. Majority of the time the oil light never even came on.
Structure, Aug 17, 2023
The passenger rear door won't open and hasn't done so an unknown period of time. 1. In July, 2023 I brought it to Shaker Hyundai in Watertown, CT when there was a recall to update the electrical system in this vehicle. I requested they try to fix the door after the recall was complete. When I left the dealership, the door opened. I stopped approximately five miles down the road on the way back home; I was unable to open it then and it hasn't opened since. The car hasn't been inspected by the police or the insurance company, but it has been inspected by the Watertown, CT dealership. Yes, it's available for inspection. No lights. No messages, other than oil change light. Others have registered this issue here, and I want to add my voice to theirs. Clearly your organization knows how VERY dangerous it is for passengers to lack egress from the car. If this happens randomly, is it possible the remaining three of my doors will latch permanently, and what then? Please do something! In the past, I owned a DIFFERENT car whose axle broke at an odd angle because of a defective part; the mandatory recall didn't take place for an additional two years. Please don't make me and others wait. Finally, I want my the dealership from whom I purchased to take a stab at fixing it properly and permanently. Unfortunately, Danbury won't look at it since Watertown tried/failed. HELP!
Power train, Engine, Aug 14, 2023
I recently purchased a 2016 Hyundai Tucson, Limited 1.6T. After a few weeks of driving I noticed it would shake when at a stoplight. It also loses acceleration and 'skips' when making turns, going over speed bumps or just taking off from a complete stop. There have also been times that I press the accelerator pedal and the car doesn't move. After researching I discovered this is a known issue and Hyundai issued a Technical Service Bulletin (number 21-AT-014H) in August 2021 instead of a recall. My vehicle had less than 40K miles on it when I purchased it (from a non-Hyundai used dealership) I took my car to a Hyundai service center, when I explained the problems to a technician, he suspected he knew exactly what the problem was. I chose to have them perform a "judder" test to confirm and the tech was right, it did in fact fail the judder test. In order to fix this issue, I have to have the entire clutch assembly replaced for approximately $2500. This issue is a huge safety risk and I believe Hyundai should issue a recall and fix this issue at no charge to the vehicle owner. I have read hundreds of similar complaints, they know there is a problem, they know how to fix the problem, the financial burden should not fall on the consumer.
Structure, Aug 14, 2023
3 of the doors on this vehicle are hard to open from the outside. The cable that runs from the outside door handle to the door latch mechanism is stretched. You must yank hard on the outside door handle several times before the door latch will release opening the door. Replacing the inner door cable system for the door latch corrects this problem. This is a very well known problem on the internet with many youtube video's showing how to replace this cable system. If this vehicle is involved in a crash it may become difficult to get the occupants out in a timely manner.