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.
Latches/locks/linkages, Sep 5, 2021
Very common problem in the 2016 Hyundai Tucson that is a safety hazard. The locking mechanism becomes unresponsive and the doors can only be unlocked from within. The driver door in this vehicle specifically can no longer be unlocked from the outside. In case of an emergency situation the driver would ne be able to be pulled by opening the door, the window must be broken or someone else must enter the vehicle to unlock the driver side door from within, assuming the doors are unlocked.
Electrical system, Sep 3, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the TPMS warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive to her destination. The contact stated that currently there were multiple warning lights illuminated. The contact was unable to start the vehicle or shift out of the park. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer who was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.
Other or unspecified, Sep 2, 2021
Three months ago my driver's side window stuck in the up position, the next time I drove it worked fine but the time after that it stuck again. The window lock is not on, it is now permanently stuck in the up position and will not go down. One month ago my passenger side rear door stuck in the closed position. No attempt to lock and unlock worked to release it and the child safety lock is not on. It seems the handle is not engaging. These issues are not covered under warranty or by recall. I think both these issues are safety hazards.
Structure, Aug 31, 2021
The latch mechanism in all doors is malfunctioning. The rear doors do not open at all and the front drivers side door only opens sometimes. This is a known defect in the design of the Hyundai Tuscon door latch mechanism. This is a safety issue because the doors are inoperable, possibly trapping a person in a vehicle.
Power train, Aug 30, 2021
I have been having problems with the oil burning very quickly in-between oil changes. This last time, I was driving the car and it started shaking really bad. I was at a stop and when the light turned green, my car would barely accelerate. Once it did start going, it felt as though it did not want to go into the correct gear. Hyundai states that it will take about 2 weeks to fix as they have 15 other cars in with the same complaints.
Other or unspecified, Aug 30, 2021
Rear driver side door could not be unlocked and opened. Faulty door actuator lock which has been replaced by dealer at a cost. Do not have the failed part. No ones safety put at risk. However I feel it is a safety issue as emergency egress from the rear could be affected.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 30, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate over 20 MPH while driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and was diagnosed with a dirty catalytic converter. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.
Latches/locks/linkages, Aug 24, 2021
First, in 2019, my front driver’s side door stopped working. I could only open it from the inside if I kept my doors unlocked and eventually couldn’t open it at all and I had to crawl in and out of the passenger seat when it wasn’t working. The dealership repaired it because it was under warranty but I still had to pay for everything but the part. Now, In 2021 my front passenger door is doing the same thing. What’s worse? My rear passenger door won’t open AT ALL. I have two children and I have to pull them out of the window on occasion. We had to pull over on the freeway in an emergency and I had to PULL MY CHILDREN OUT OF THE WINDOW. If we’re in an accident I’m terrified of what will happen since we can’t use half of the doors. This is a major safety issue and I’m terrified for my family to use this vehicle. Since my warranty expired 3 months before the second and third door had the issue, it’s going to cost me over $1400 to get this repaired. I’m a single mother of two and this is causing hardship in addition to the safety issue. I’m getting it repaired and I can update with the invoice of the repairs.
Latches/locks/linkages, Aug 21, 2021
In late 2020 my airbag had to be replaced for numerous malfunctions, at the same time my passenger side front door would not open on the first try with the key fob. 8 months later, now my driver door is doing the same thing and I'm no longer under warranty. It's ridiculous this isn't a recall with so many similar complaints. My doors unlock but still won't open until I tug on it numerous times. If it stops working completely it is a real safety hazard.
Latches/locks/linkages, Aug 20, 2021
Rear passenger door will not open from inside or out. This happened with no warning. Grandchild was in rear seat and could not get out. This is a safety issue. The door actuators should be recalled.
Structure, Aug 19, 2021
Issue: The rear passenger door will not open from inside and outside. We had set the Child-Lock to enabled, so diagnosing/troubleshooting from the inside is not possible. Frequent and consecutive pulls on the exterior door handle do not provide any opening results. Listening to the door panel when using the key fob or door lock toggle, it appears to be disengaging and engaging the lock; or at least it sounds the same as the other doors when locking/unlocking. We have two children we transport that are still in car seats. -- Situation or events that could have caused this issue: None. Was working the morning before. The vehicle has not had any minor impacts to any part of the body (no accidents or bumps, etc). -- Risk of Safety/Death in an Emergency: We believe this to be a safety issue in the event of an emergency (flooding, door collapsed on its side, etc.) -- Inspection: Pending via Dealership -- Warning Lamps: None
Latches/locks/linkages, Aug 19, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the rear passenger’s side door failed to open without warning. The contact stated that the lock and unlock function operated as designed however, the door would not upon from the inside or outside. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that they had to hire a locksmith to repair the door. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.
Latches/locks/linkages, Aug 18, 2021
Initially, a couple weeks ago my back passenger side door stopped opening consistently from the inside. Locking and unlocking the door repeatedly would fix it. Now, with the key or inside unlock buttons, the driver and passenger side front door will visibly unlock but not open from the outside until the car has been opened from the inside - meaning you have to crawl through the back to get your doors open. The doors do not always open from the inside, as well, across the board now. That’s a huge safety risk if there were an accident or fire.
Latches/locks/linkages, Aug 18, 2021
This safety problem has now occurred twice. The passenger door is sticking and takes 5 or 6 times to pull on the handle to open the door. The door opens from the inside but not the outside. This same problem occurred in 2020 on the drivers door. The safety of others are put at risk because I have elderly parents that need to be transported and the door can not be open. This problem was reported to the dealer about a year ago since it occured on the other door(drivers door) of the car. The vehicle has only been inspected by the service department at the dealership. There were no warnings or messages prior to the problem failure.
Other or unspecified, Aug 17, 2021
While driving home from work, we were stopped at a four way intersection. My boyfriend asked me if I heard this knocking noise. I said he did and we were trying to figure out if it was the vehicle in front of us because I didn't have any warning lights on my dash indicating any kind of issue. The Jeep in front of us pulled away and we immediately could tell it was my vehicle. When accelerating through the intersection the vehicle was very slow to pick up speed and the knocking sound got louder and more frequent. As we were pulling into our driveway the car again had issues picking up speed, we live up a steep hill and I was worried we weren't going to make it. The oil light came on for a split second and went back off. I was not at my mileage for an oil change but my boyfriend said he was going to check it. He pulled the dipstick out and it was completely dry. He put two and a half quarts of oil in and it barely showed on the dipstick. He put another two quarts in and we let it sit. We turned it back on hoping it wouldn't make the knocking noise but it did. We took it to my mechanic who does my oil changes and he inspected the vehicle and took photos to show that there was no oil leak so he could only conclude that the engine was burning the oil for some reason. We took the car to a Hyundai dealer where they informed me that the engine was ruined and it would need to be completely replaced. They told me that it could be covered under the warranty and they would turn it in. After a week of hearing nothing, Hyundai offered to pay for 50% of the repair costs. I think this is absolutely ridiculous since there was no indication letting me know that my vehicle needed oil and it is clearly a problem with their engine that caused it to burn up all the oil when I was faithful about my oil changes. My mechanic printed all of the records of oil changes being completed on time and now they expect me to pay for this.
Latches/locks/linkages, Engine, Aug 13, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH and attempting to accelerate, there was a grinding noise coming from the vehicle. Additionally, if the accelerator pedal was not depressed a certain way, the vehicle would stall. The oil light would illuminate upon starting the vehicle and would disappear after a while. The contact would restart the vehicle 3-4 times before the vehicle would regain proper functionality. The failure occurred again while driving 50 mph. The doors failed to open from the inside or the outside except for the driver side door. However, for the driver’s door the contact had to lift the handle twice before the door would open. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 81,000.
Latches/locks/linkages, Aug 11, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the driver’s side rear and passenger’s side front door would not open from inside or outside the vehicle. The dealer repaired the front driver’s side door latch a year ago. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
Latches/locks/linkages, Aug 6, 2021
Hyundai Tucson door latch failure. Unable to open rear passenger door from the inside or the outside. If I were to be involved in an accident with passengers in the vehicle there would be no way for the passengers to exit the vehicle, which could result in someone dying. This vehicle has only 55,000 miles on it and Hyundai is aware that this is an issue on their vehicles but is failing to address it. Would like Hyundai to address this issue before it does result in a fatality.
Power train, Electrical system, Aug 6, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact's husband stated that while coming out of a complete stop, the vehicle would jerk and not upshift properly. The contact stated that no warning light was illuminated. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 16V628000 (Power Train, Electrical System) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was diagnosed and repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The manufacturer agreed to cover 75% of the costs of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 6, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle experienced slow acceleration. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the catalytic converter, sparks plugs, and ignition coils needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The local dealer requested additionally testing on the engine. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Latches/locks/linkages, Aug 6, 2021
1. Back passenger door won’t open from inside or outside 2. AEB AND BDS sensor light stays on on the dashboard. No wreck and cleaned all sensors but warning lights remains on.
Structure, Aug 5, 2021
Brakes feel like ABS is always on. Feel unsafe to drive. Was told by Hyundai dealer that I need a new Steering Column and no explanation on how something like this can just break. Less than 60K miles when this issue started with brakes. I'm the first and only owner of this vehicle. The other safety issue is the doors not opening. 3 out of 4 doors have problems opening from inside and outside. This forum explains exactly what is happening to my doors. https://www.hyundai-forums.com/threads/rear-passenger-door-wont-open.603329/
Latches/locks/linkages, Aug 4, 2021
Rear Passenger and Driver door handles do not open from the outside OR the inside. I can hear the locks clicking but the handle just will not open the door from either side. Also, after unlocking my driver door handle, I have to pull it twice for it to open. This is a huge safety issue. I cannot have anyone ride in my backseat. It is essentially useless and it seems it is just a matter of time that my driver door handle go out also and I get stuck or cannot enter through my door. This is not normal wear and tear.. this is a malfunction and from what I have read is very widespread.
Other or unspecified, Aug 3, 2021
I not only have a recall on my vehicle but I also have a serious problem with acceleration. On multiple occasions I've almost gotten into accident due to my vehicle accelerating at a very low speed or not accelerating at all.
Electrical system, Aug 3, 2021
Financed the vehicle in July of 2019. After about 6 months of having the vehicle the right back brake light stopped working. Light bulb, socket, and fuses were changed but theres still an issue. I also noticed that I was having a problem with acceleration. Just recently I was on the highway on my way to work, as I was trying to accelerate my speed was going down, my vehicle basically wouldn't move. It started making this awful loud almost whistling sound. I thought I was going to die. I havent used my vehicle since. The vehicle also still has the same inspection sticker on it from the dealership. I have been unable to pass state inspection due to these ongoing issues.