2019 Hyundai Tucson
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 379 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 5th highest complaint count among 21 Tucson model years with reports.
Of the 2019 reports, 15 involved a crash and 11 involved a fire. 10 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
Representative owner complaints: engine
199 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine, Apr 23, 2023
Engine lost power. The vehicle was brought in 3 times since 10/22 to Atlantic Hyundai in. The last time was 3/23. The motor was finally evaluated and results sent to Hyundai Corporate Headquarters and the told Atlantic to replace the motor. Service manager Tim Turnbull refused to do so and stated he was putting in a chip in, for us to drive it for 30 days and bring it back in for evaluation. The motor is unsafe.
Engine, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 24, 2023
Vehicle engine light has been on for months, it would come and go. I’ve taken it to Hyundai but they kept saying nothing comes up and maybe it was the gas cap needing to be changed. My car also burns oil TOO fast and the dealership has expressed concern. I’ve also been getting a front collision camera disabled message on the dashboard for the last two days. On 3/23/23, my Tucson not only start making a loud noise but the engine light is blinking and barely drives. I almost didn’t make it home safely or at all
Engine, Mar 20, 2023
While driving to work on Thursday, February 23 2023, the car suddenly turned off flashing the check engine light and oil light. I was driving on the palisades interstate parkway in New York and had enough momentum with the car to get off on the next exit. Once the car was safely off of the road, I opened the hood and pulled the dipstick because the oil light was flashing and it was smoking. The oil light never came on before with the car. The car also had the recall for the knock sensor replacement to avoid this engine failure. I called Hyundai and the salesperson directed me to have the car towed to the dealership at my expense. Once at the dealer ship, the service advisor explained that they have had several cars come in with the same issue and that they would get back to me. A couple days later, they explained that the engine had burned all the oil and that Hyundai would replace it. The issue here is that that was my only car. I have a job and a son while other duties to fulfill. I was explained that it would take a while to get a motor since they’ve had cars sitting with the same issue since December and that they also had a wait of double digits people for the next loaner. I did not get an eta of when I would have my car back or when I can get a loaner. They also will not cover rental fees for a rental car. I have been paying for cabs and other forms of transport and still have no estimation of when I will get my car back.
Engine, Mar 17, 2023
2019 Hyundai Tuscon experienced engine failure at 66k miles. This vehicle experienced the exact same issues of vehicles Hyundai previously recalled. It is equipped with knock sensor which was supposed to be a "fix" for the known engine issues. A sensor displaying on dash at the same time the engine starts loudly knocking does not make the vehicle safe. The engine still has the potential to fail and catch fire. Hyundai needs to fix all these engine issues. The Hyundai corporate consumer affairs office nor the dealership will return calls or emails about our vehicle.
Engine, Feb 15, 2023
Check engine light has come on twice AFTER the car was at dealers for the recall about the knock sensor. Dealer states the recall fix was implemented, however the light came on a day or two after the vehicle was in the shop. I believe they installed a new knock sensor but I’m not sure, check engine light was off when I picked it up. It’s been approximately 5 weeks since I’ve gotten it back and the check engine light came on again. Friend had a scanner tool and used it - code indicated it was the knock sensor again. Went to dealer and was told there was nothing they could do because the code was cleared. This is a huge safety issue as I drive CA freeways with cars doing 75 mph- it will run for a limited time but it won’t let you accelerate and will get you to the dealer but you must get it to dealer in a very short window- it’s an engine problem and could put me in extreme danger ️
Engine, Jan 15, 2023
At approximately 55,000 miles, the check engine light illuminated. Code P0420 "Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1)". When inspected, the car had consumed about 1 quart of oil after driving at highway speeds for approximately 3000 miles.
Power train, Engine, Nov 20, 2022
I bought my Hyundai Tucson 2019 brand new, it has 38000 miles on it still under warranty in the past two months engine light came on three different times brought it back to two different dealership still have same problem, my car still in dealership parking lots waiting for three different parts from Hyundai, my car is not safe to drive and I feel there are cover up about engine problem with the Hyundai Tucson 2019, please I need help to to solve this problem thank you
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Nov 7, 2022
I was merging onto a highway at high speeds when the car stuttered. The check engine light began to flash and I lost acceleration. I could push the gas pedal to the floor and the car would not accelerate at all. The car lost it's speed and I could not go anymore than 30mph, and it would not go higher than 2rpms. It put me and my baby (who was in the backseat) in danger as we were going fast on a highway and out of nowhere the car lost speed and I could not accelerate. I could've easily been hit by another driver going the regular speed limit. I drove it to the dealership that just happened to be down the street, and the car struggled to accelerate from a complete stop, as well as in general. From a complete stop, the car would sputter and jerk when pressing on the gas pedal. The dealership diagnosed it as a faulty Knock Sensor. They said they would replace the sensor as it was still under warrenty. When I left the dealership, the check engine light was off and the car was driving fine. Fast forward to the next day, I was driving again on a highway at about 65mph, when the SAME thing happens. The car stuttered, lost all acceleration, and the check engine light was flashing. I ended up driving it home (about 10 miles away) and the whole time I could not go faster than 30mph without the car shaking. This time the car would not go higher than 1.5rpms. I checked the engine at home and a P1326 code came up, which is a code for the Knock Sensor. I called the Hyundai dealership that I originally went to and they said there was nothing they can do about it at the moment since they had just replaced it. Prior to all of this, there was no warning sign at all that this was a potential hazard. It happened so suddenly and both times it happened put me in a dangerous situation.
Engine, Nov 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH and merging onto the highway, the vehicle began to lose motive power. The contact stated that the check engine warning light started flashing. The contact stated that a loud humming noise was coming from the engine compartment. Additionally, the steering wheel began to vibrate. The contact pulled off the highway, and at the bottom of the off ramp she had to stop for a traffic light. The contact stated that when the light changed, and she depressed the accelerator pedal, the vehicle lunged forward while shifting from 1st gear into 2nd gear and then stalled. The contact stated that it took several attempts to restart the vehicle. The contact drove to her residence while the vehicle struggled but was unable to exceed 25 MPH. The contact drove the vehicle to an auto parts store and had a diagnostic test performed. The contact was advised that she had a code P1326 and other failures of the powertrain system. The contact called a dealer and was informed that the vehicle would not be diagnosed or repaired the vehicle was diagnosed by their mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed a second time and the mechanic retrieved DTC: P1326. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V727000 (Engine) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 81,859.
Engine, Oct 26, 2022
While driving, I came to a stop sign and the car completely shut off. The car restarted and then I stopped at a stop sign and the car completely shut off. I had the car towed and they told me that it had catastrophic engine failure. I haven’t even owned this car for 1 year yet. How could the engine fail. Upon further investigation, it appears that this is a known issue with Hyundai Tucson’s of the same year.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Oct 13, 2022
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while in her daughter's possession, the engine had failed to start after multiple attempts. Several warning lights illuminated the instrument panel during the failure. The vehicle was jumpstarted and the horn began to blare once the engine restarted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where they were unable to determine the failure. The contact also stated that the vehicle would rattle while both idle and upon activation of the AC. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was given to a case manager; she was later instructed by the case manager to take the vehicle back to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.
Engine, Sep 18, 2022
In this 2019 Hyundai Tucson with about 31,000 miles, engine stalling occurred the second time during driving with two passengers on I-76 at approximately 73 mph in the cruise mode on September 11, 2022; the speed kept dropping and gas pedal did not respond at all; fortunately, the driver could manage to pull over the car to an emergency zone; from the lesson in the first engine stalling incident on I-376 on in October 2021, turning the ignition key to the OFF position then to the "ON" appeared to make the engine work again, like nothing occurred; there was no engine warning light, or OBDII warnings.
Engine, Sep 14, 2022
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving 35-45 MPH, the vehicle started jerking. The accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond and stalled. The contact smelled a burning odor coming from the A/C vents. The contact was unable to veer to the side of the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle several times; however, the failure persisted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 33,243.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine, Aug 25, 2022
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while her daughter was driving 10 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the check engine and low oil warning lights illuminated. The driver was able to restart the vehicle to park properly. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the engine to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V543000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 23,668.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 16, 2022
2019 Hyundai Tucson I purchased 13 months ago with a mere 5, 241 miles on it., (Currently 29k mi) from Bert Ogden Subaru/Mazda in Edinburg, TX. On 6/26/22 it Started Shaking violently then "rodknocking" and finally failing in middle of major, high-traffic hwy. Near causing accident. NOwarning lights, check engine lights, oil lights, etc. Car was towed to Tipton Ford Hyundai, in Brownsville, TX. As it urns out (through my own research), my vin# falls under a recall issue that was not fixed prior to purchase nor disclosed to me, re:"engine monitoring and logics warning system failure". More importantly, 2) There are several class-action lawsuits underway, one settled, in which Hyundai was found liable for faulty "class II Theta Engines" and a suit involving "GDI NU 2.OL" (same as my vehicle) leading to rod knocking sensor failure, premature worn bearings and even cars catching fire! This is a no-brainer situation in which hyundai should be replacing my engine as ordered, but instead they are claiming, vehicle "neglect" (all maint. receipts were provided)and rejecting claim(which seems to be their m.o. based on similar complaints / civil filings that are ALL OVER THE WEB) and dealer says Im responsible for paying for new engine. Not sure who is responsible: the dealer I purchased from, for selling me a defective vehicle, the Hyundai dealer it was towed to, or Hyundai itself for denying what is a VERY well known liability on their part and apparently a widespread years-long issues with engine defects, recalls, suits, judgements, etx but have many court transcripts of consumers claiming Hyundai blaming thd customer for "neglect" to avoid replacing engine. I need legal help and advice. I HAVE to have car for work and dealer knows it and seems hyundai does, because they wont cover rental, wont provide "loaner" and seems dealer didnt even debate this with HMA because I purchased vehicle elsewhere. They just accepted Hyundai's denial and is now attempting to take advantage.
Power train, Engine, Jul 9, 2022
Engine failure due to connecting rods issue. Engine began to smoke while driving with no warning, had complete engine failure and had to have vehicle towed to dealership.
Engine, Apr 26, 2022, fire
The contact owned a 2019 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH the vehicle started smoking and overheating. The contact was able to pull over safely. There were no warning lights on the instrument panel. Once the vehicle stopped the doors were automatically locked. The nearby drivers notified the contact of the fire under the vehicle. Once the contact exited the vehicle, the engine was destroyed by the fire. The inside of the vehicle was still functional. The state police arrived on the scene; however, a police report has not been obtained. The fire department also arrived and extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to a wrecking yard. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. There were no injuries or medical reports. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.
Engine, Apr 18, 2022
I helped my daughter buy a used 2019 Hyundai Tuscon with 42K miles since she was going to med school and needed reliable transportation. At 62K miles the engine failed. The engine stalled in the middle of the highway and she was in the middle of the highway for some time before she could restart the engine. She was nearly rear ended. The dealer she brought the car back to said there was no oil in the engine despite the fact that she had the oil changed two months before this incident. There have been many problems with the Hyundai "Theta II" and 2 liter GDI engines that were supposedly fixed and there was a class action lawsuit on Hyundai Tuscons up to 2016 which was well publicized. This car has a 2 liter engine (which is all I know). It does not appear that Hyundai has fixed their engine problems since I believe this is the same problem as before. I am filing this complaint in my daughetrs behalf since she has to take her medical boards in one month. It is bad enough that her car has been tied up for 3 months and she has to transport her husband across town twice a day.
Engine, Apr 12, 2022
As previously stated, was driving when csr began to smoke and stall. After almost three months of being at the dealership it was determined to be the ROD BEARING failure. Earlier models of this vehicle have been recalled due to this issue. Please look into the newer models as well.
Engine, Mar 26, 2022
Motor blew with regular maintenance done at 77k
Engine, Mar 20, 2022
When driving car slowed down and battery sign appeared on the dash board. The car started to gives jerks when stopped at the traffic light. When continued after the lights, it struggled to pick up. This happened two to three times in two days.
Engine, Mar 7, 2022
Engine stalled. Drove it to gas station but engine has knocking sound. Was told that it may fall under the Theta Engines recall.
Engine, Mar 4, 2022
Car started knocking on a Wednesday like it wanted to cut off, no engine lights came on. Got car towed to dealership on Thursday morning, still no engine light. Dealership called on Thursday said I need a new engine. Car was a 2019 Hyundai Tucson which I purchased in 2020 with 60,059miles. I was the second owner.
Engine, Feb 24, 2022
On 2-23-2022 , I was driving approximately 30 MPH when all of a sudden there was a noise that kept getting louder which sounded like a knocking or broken fan, the vehicle RPM increased, the vehicle hesitated, did not accelerate, stalled, the check oil and engine light came on, I coasted into parking lot. When I opened the hood, there was no signs of smoke, oil leak, or smells, however, when I went to check the oil, smoke came out of where the oil dip stick goes. I attempted to have the vehicle jump started with no luck, just a clicking sound. I had the vehicle towed to be serviced.
Engine, Feb 4, 2022
Was driving uphill, heard a clanging sound. Car engine completely shut off and started smoking, lights worked. Towed it to dealer, they said it will be 30 days before we hear about the issue, they said they will fix the original recall after tearing the engine down.