NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
226 reports50,500 miles · Oct 6, 2019
Engine
I'VE DONE MY REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON THIS VEHICLE SINCE I'VE PURCHASED. DROVE TO TWO PLACES TODAY, AFTER SECOND PLACE ON START UP OIL LIGHT CAME ON WITH VERY LOUD ENGINE KNOCKING. CHECKED MY OIL TO FIND NONE ON THE DIPSTICK, FILLED BACK UP WITH RECOMMENDED OIL AND SOME OF THE NOISE WENT AWAY. STILL HAS VERY PROFOUND KNOCKING NOIS…
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I'VE DONE MY REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON THIS VEHICLE SINCE I'VE PURCHASED. DROVE TO TWO PLACES TODAY, AFTER SECOND PLACE ON START UP OIL LIGHT CAME ON WITH VERY LOUD ENGINE KNOCKING. CHECKED MY OIL TO FIND NONE ON THE DIPSTICK, FILLED BACK UP WITH RECOMMENDED OIL AND SOME OF THE NOISE WENT AWAY. STILL HAS VERY PROFOUND KNOCKING NOISES IN THE ENGINE BLOCK WITH LACK OF POWER. BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE WITH 44,500 MILES NOW HAS 50,500. SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY TROUBLE AT THIS MILEAGE AT ALL. TAKING TO DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT WILL BE DONE. THIS VEHICLE HAS COMMON PROBLEM BUT NO RECALL FOR THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE.
NHTSA ODI #11266661
Mileage unknown · Sep 11, 2019
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Unknown Or Other
FIRST TIME EVER MY VEHICLE QUIT WHILE I WAS DRIVING AFTER HAVING IT FOR 3 YEARS. I TOOK GREAT CARE OF MY VEHICLE. I HAD TO GET A TOW TRUCK TO TOW MY 2015 HYUNDAI TUSCON LIMITED TO DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD IT IS EXTERNAL COMPONENT WORN OUT AND IT WILL BE A WEEK BEFORE THEY CAN GIVE ME AN ANSWER. REALLY??? I ASKED IF THIS IS NOR…
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FIRST TIME EVER MY VEHICLE QUIT WHILE I WAS DRIVING AFTER HAVING IT FOR 3 YEARS. I TOOK GREAT CARE OF MY VEHICLE. I HAD TO GET A TOW TRUCK TO TOW MY 2015 HYUNDAI TUSCON LIMITED TO DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD IT IS EXTERNAL COMPONENT WORN OUT AND IT WILL BE A WEEK BEFORE THEY CAN GIVE ME AN ANSWER. REALLY??? I ASKED IF THIS IS NORMAL. WOULDN'T GIVE ME AN ANSWER. THEY CANNOT PROVIDE A LOANER CAR. I THINK I NEED TO GO WITH DEALERSHIP THAT PROVIDE A LOANER CAR. I AM DO MY RESEARCH TO SEE IF I SHOULD CONTINUE BUYING HYUNDAI OR GO WITH DIFFERENT FORD OR CHEVY
NHTSA ODI #11254656
114,196 miles · Jul 26, 2019
Engine
MY PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH OTHER DRIVERS. I WAS DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT WHEN I TURNED A CORNER AND THE VEHICLE JERKED AND THEN DIED. NO WARNING SIGNALS CAME ON. NO LEAKING FLUIDS. VEHICLE WOULDN'T START UP ANYMORE. BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY AND STILL UNABLE TO START THE CAR. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC TESTED THE ALTERNA…
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MY PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH OTHER DRIVERS. I WAS DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT WHEN I TURNED A CORNER AND THE VEHICLE JERKED AND THEN DIED. NO WARNING SIGNALS CAME ON. NO LEAKING FLUIDS. VEHICLE WOULDN'T START UP ANYMORE. BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY AND STILL UNABLE TO START THE CAR. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC TESTED THE ALTERNATOR AND STARTER AND NEITHER ONE WAS THE PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED IT AS A LOCKED UP MOTOR. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO.
NHTSA ODI #11235126
86,000 miles · Jul 23, 2019
Engine
ON JULY 12, 2019, I WAS DRIVING TO MY HOME AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 IN THE EVENING. I WAS APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES FROM MY HOUSE WHEN MY ENGINE SEIZED AND THE CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY DANGEROUS INTERSECTION. I AM VERY GRATEFUL THAT, THANKS TO MY FATHER AND A GOOD SAMARITAN, I WAS ABLE TO GET MY CAR OUT OF THE STREET AND …
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ON JULY 12, 2019, I WAS DRIVING TO MY HOME AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 IN THE EVENING. I WAS APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES FROM MY HOUSE WHEN MY ENGINE SEIZED AND THE CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY DANGEROUS INTERSECTION. I AM VERY GRATEFUL THAT, THANKS TO MY FATHER AND A GOOD SAMARITAN, I WAS ABLE TO GET MY CAR OUT OF THE STREET AND I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. I HAVE SINCE BEEN TOLD BY AN AUTHORIZED HYUNDAI MECHANIC THAT MY ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. CONSIDERING THE CAR ONLY HAS 86,000 MILES AND ALL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN PERFORMED AND NO MECHANIC HAS EVER SAID THIS WAS A POTENTIAL ISSUE BEFORE, I FIND THIS TO BE UNACCEPTABLE.
NHTSA ODI #11234259
70,000 miles · Jul 21, 2019
Engine
2015 HYUNDAI TUSCON 2.0 ORIGINAL OWNER WITH 70,000 MILES, ENGINE IS BURNING THROUGH 1 QUART OF OIL EVERY 500 MILES, RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THE THETA 2 MANUFACTURING PROBLEM IS THE CULPRIT AS WAS THE CASE WITH SONATA RECALLS. GOING TO THE DEALERSHIP TO DEMAND A NEW ENGINE AS THIS IS THOROUGHLY DOCUMENTED WITH ALL THETA 2 ENGINE…
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2015 HYUNDAI TUSCON 2.0 ORIGINAL OWNER WITH 70,000 MILES, ENGINE IS BURNING THROUGH 1 QUART OF OIL EVERY 500 MILES, RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THE THETA 2 MANUFACTURING PROBLEM IS THE CULPRIT AS WAS THE CASE WITH SONATA RECALLS. GOING TO THE DEALERSHIP TO DEMAND A NEW ENGINE AS THIS IS THOROUGHLY DOCUMENTED WITH ALL THETA 2 ENGINES DURING THIS TIME FRAME
NHTSA ODI #11233702
70,000 miles · Jul 16, 2019
Unknown Or OtherFire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 HYUNDAI TUCSON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 50 MPH, OTHER DRIVERS BEGAN TO ALERT HIM THAT THERE WAS FIRE EMERGING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE; THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNALS ALERTING THE CONTACT OF THE FIRE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THE FIRE COMING FROM UNDER THE FR…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 HYUNDAI TUCSON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 50 MPH, OTHER DRIVERS BEGAN TO ALERT HIM THAT THERE WAS FIRE EMERGING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE; THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNALS ALERTING THE CONTACT OF THE FIRE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THE FIRE COMING FROM UNDER THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE. THE CONTACT CALLED 911 AND BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REACHED HIM, THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES DUE TO THE FIRE, AND THE CONTACT FILED BOTH A FIRE AND POLICE REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST TOWED A JUNK YARD AND THEN TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALERSHIP (RICK CASE HYUNDAI 925 N STATE RD 7, PLANTATION, FL 33317 (954) 388-9627) AND THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO A PRE-OWNED SALES MANAGER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
NHTSA ODI #11232516
104,000 miles · Jun 30, 2019
EnginePower TrainUnknown Or Other
BOUGHT NEW 2015 2017 PAID OUT OF POCKET FOR AN EXHAUST REPLACEMENT $1,500 APRIL 2019 WENT THROUGH OIL CONSUMPTION TESTING. CAR ENGINE WAS REPLACED JUNE 2019 TRANSMISSION WENT OUT MILEAGE 105K CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN ALL OF THIS WENT UP HAVE COPIES OF RECEIPTS
NHTSA ODI #11228557
70,000 miles · May 17, 2019
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or OtherFireInjury
HYUNDAI RECALL. I AM A 65 YEARS OLD, I PURCHASED THIS CAR ON NOV 2018 AND AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE, THE FLAMES CAME THROUGH THE FLOOR PANEL AND THROUGH THE VENTS. MY ENTIRE AREA WHERE THE GAS & BRAKE PEDAL ARE BURNED UP, THE RADIO AREA AND CONSOLE AREA IS CHARRED BEYOND RECOGNITION. BY TH…
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HYUNDAI RECALL. I AM A 65 YEARS OLD, I PURCHASED THIS CAR ON NOV 2018 AND AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE, THE FLAMES CAME THROUGH THE FLOOR PANEL AND THROUGH THE VENTS. MY ENTIRE AREA WHERE THE GAS & BRAKE PEDAL ARE BURNED UP, THE RADIO AREA AND CONSOLE AREA IS CHARRED BEYOND RECOGNITION. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THE ENTIRE CAR WAS IN FLAMES.
NHTSA ODI #11208255
120 miles · Apr 14, 2019
Engine
THE IDLE COMPONENT ON THE ENGINE SPUTTERS. IT'S BEEN SPUTTERING SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE BRAND NEW OFF THE LOT. I MENTIONED IT TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID IT WAS NOTHING, BUT THE SPUTTERING IS GETTING WORSE AND AS THE CAR SITS IDLING WHILE PRESSING THE BRAKES OR IN PARKED OUT NEUTRAL IT'S SPUTTERS LIKE IT'S GOING TO CUT OFF.
NHTSA ODI #11196116
30,000 miles · Mar 20, 2019
EngineVehicle Speed Control
RECEIVED 2 RECALL NOTICES TO HAVE THE ENGINE CONTROL SOFTWARE UPDATED WITH AN ANTI-KNOCK PREVENTION FEATURE. WE UPDATED THE SOFTWARE AT THE DEALER BEFORE THE SECOND LETTER FROM HYUNDAI WHICH NOTIFIED US THAT THE SOFTWARE WILL LIMIT ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND VEHICLE SPEED IF ACTUATED, AND THAT WE SHOULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR REP…
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RECEIVED 2 RECALL NOTICES TO HAVE THE ENGINE CONTROL SOFTWARE UPDATED WITH AN ANTI-KNOCK PREVENTION FEATURE. WE UPDATED THE SOFTWARE AT THE DEALER BEFORE THE SECOND LETTER FROM HYUNDAI WHICH NOTIFIED US THAT THE SOFTWARE WILL LIMIT ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND VEHICLE SPEED IF ACTUATED, AND THAT WE SHOULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR SHOULD THIS OCCUR. THIS IS PERCEIVED TO BE A SALES GIMMICK FOR HYUNDAI THAT IS UNAVOIDABLE IF ACTUATED. THE HYUNDAI 1-800 HELP LINE COULD NOT ANSWER THE QUESTIONS REGARDING AN OPTION TO REMOVE THE SOFTWARE TO AVOID THIS EVENT, OR THE COST TO MAKE THE MANDATED REPAIRS WHEN THEY OCCUR. THEY ALSO PROMISED A 120,000 WARRANTY UPDATE NOTIFICATION THAT WAS NEVER SENT TO US PROMISED 3-5 DAYS AFTER INSTALLATION. WE PERCEIVE THE SOFTWARE INSTALLATION A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT COMMANDS YOUR VEHICLE INTO A LIMITING STATE. THE RECALL IS LABELLED: PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN NUMBER 953. 2015 HYUNDAI TIUCSON, A CAR WE OTHERWISE LOVE, AND A 3RD HYUNDAI IN 7 YEARS.
NHTSA ODI #11190248
NHTSA investigations
2AQ23002 · Hyundai And Kia Abs Module Fires
Opened Nov 17, 2023 · No close date supplied
Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module
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.
DP22003 · Loss Of Motive Power
Opened Sep 12, 2022 · Closed Dec 12, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are susceptible to cracking. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11481745. On September 12, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Defect Petition (DP22-003) to evaluate the Petitioners’ request. The Petitioners have provided additional complaints within four supplemental letters dated January 31, 2023, March 21, 2023, May 23, 2023, and August 4, 2023. ODI’s evaluation included the review and analysis of the complaints and supporting information submitted by the Petitioners, as well as additional complaints submitted directly to NHTSA which referenced either the oil drain plug or a crack in the oil pan. After reviewing the available data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support opening a defect investigation into the oil drain pan assemblies of the subject vehicles. Based on a review of the available information, a loss of motive power resulting from an oil drain plug back out has not occurred between the initial sale of a vehicle and the completion of its first oil change. If during an oil change service, a technician fails to remove the existing drain plug gasket before installing a new gasket, it is likely that a proper seal between the drain plug and the oil pan will not be made. An improper seal between the drain plug and oil pan could lead to the backing out on the drain plug, resulting in the sudden loss of oil while driving. Additionally, the provided examples of oil pan cracks were localized to the immediate vicinity of the oil drain plug and/or appeared to be the result of direct-contact with a tool during servicing. There is no information to support that a vehicle-based defect exists relating to the oil pan assembly, and instead the documented incidents are related to the failure to follow the proper maintenance procedures during oil change service. In October 2023, Hyundai published a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that provided detailed instructions for oil change service on its gasoline powered vehicles, specifically highlighting the need to remove and replace the existing drain plug gasket prior to reinstalling the drain plug. After a thorough review of the material submitted by the petitioner, the information already in NHTSA's possession, and the potential risks to motor vehicle safety implicated by the petitioners' allegations, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. Therefore, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA’s reasons for denial of the petition will be published. The reference numbers for the complaints to NHTSA cited by the petitioner can be found in the petition submission documents in the public file for DP22-003. To review those complaints and the additional complaints ODI added to its evaluation which are cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
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