What 253 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FLAMES EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WHICH SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. NISSAN OF HAWTHORNE DEALER LOCATED AT 1060 GOFFLE RD, HAWTHORNE, NJ WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD START AN INVESTIGATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. *BF CONSUMER STATED IT WAS EITHER A DEFECT OR POOR MAINTENANCE BECAUSE IT WAS A STRONG OIL ORDER. UPDATED 8/20/18*JB

NHTSA ODI 11051502

SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION/POWER WHILE DRIVING CAR STRAIGHT THROUGH A PARKING LOT. THANK GOODNESS I HADN'T MADE IT TO THE HIGHWAY! ALL DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND CAR CAME TO ROLLING STOP. TURNED CAR OFF AND WHEN I TURNED IT BACK ON THERE WAS A LOUD RATTLE IN THE ENGINE WHILE ACCELERATING. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC RIGHT AWAY AND WAS ADVISED THE ENGINE WOULD NEED REPLACEMENT (THOUGH THEY DID NOT TAKE IT APART TO DETERMINE EXACT ISSUE). ISSUE SEEMS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS MAKE/MODEL AND IN LINE WITH THE ISSUES FROM THE RECENT ENGINE RECALLS ON SANTE FE AND SONATA MODELS. CAR ONLY HAS 82K MILES AND IS NOW COMPLETE JUNK. HYUNDAI WON'T HELP.

NHTSA ODI 11041336

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD LOUD METAL ON METAL NOISES. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD. I WAS TOLD METAL FRAGMENTS WERE LEFT IN MY ENGINE DURING MANUFACTURING. THE METAL LEAD TO MY ENGINE BLOWING AFTER 85,000 MILES. THE OIL PAN HAS METAL SHAVINGS IN IT. THE RODS WERE THROWN AND IT MESSED THE BEARINGS UP. DEALERSHIP AND CORPORATE TELL. E THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO.

NHTSA ODI 11032605

NOTICING KNOCKING SOUND AFTER STARTING ENGINE, PARKED STATIONARY. DEALER DIAGNOSED ENGINE FAILURE. ENGINE HAS LOW MILES, ONLY 121,000

NHTSA ODI 11032085

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO SHIFT TO A HIGHER GEAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EPS, OIL, AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. THE ENGINE STARTED SKIPPING AND ALL POWER WAS LOST. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DANBURY HYUNDAI (102 FEDERAL RD, DANBURY, CT 06810 (203) 730-4700) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,092.

NHTSA ODI 11024594

THE VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. AFTER TOWING TO THE MECHANIC, HE DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED.

NHTSA ODI 11012841

JUST HAD CAR SERVICES AT HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP TWO WEEKS AGO WITH OIL CHANGE AND RUST RECALL ALONG WITH MULTIPOINT INSPECTION. FRIDAY 6/10/2017 WAS DRIVING HOME TURNING LEFT IN A BUSY INTERSECTION AND HEAR A LOUD PING PING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND I CAN NO LONGER ACCELERATE. CARS ARE HOOKING BEHIND ME AS I TURN ON MY HAZARDS AND AM ABLE TO FINALLY COAST TO THE SIDE STREET AND TURN OFF THE CAR. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED TWICE. TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER. THEY BROKE DOWN THE ENGINE AND SAID THAT THEY ENGINE SEIZED UP AND THE BEARINGS HAD METAL SHAVING ALL OVER DOWN TO THE OIL PAN. THEY SAID THIS LOOKED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN SEEING IN THE RECALLED 2.4 L ENGINES. THEY FILED A CLAIM WITH HYUNDAI SINCE I AM THE SECOND OWNER THE ARE DECLINING THE REPAIR REQUEST BECAUSE I AM THE SECOND OWNER AND HAVE 80,000 MILES. SO MUCH FOR HELPING YOUR CUSTOMER THAT WAS ALMOST KILLS BECAUSE OF ENGINE FAILURE

NHTSA ODI 11000708

DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN ENGINE LOST POWER, ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE PINGING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD, VIBRATIONS BEGAN AND THEN PROCEED WITH KNOCKING. ENGINE SEIZED UP.

NHTSA ODI 10994586

LAST WEEK, WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY IN RURAL NEVADA,IN A PASSING ZONE, ON A SHALLOW UPHILL CURVE, ATTEMPTED TO PASS A TRASH TRUCK,ACCELERATED TO ABOUT 65 MPH, AND JUST AS WE MORE OR LESS ABEAM THE TRUCK, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT. WE HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE PASS AND IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER TO SIDE. HAD THERE BEEN ONCOMING TRAFFIC, THAT WAS JUDGED TO BE FAR ENOUGH DISTANCE TO SAFELY PASS, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WITH THE ENGINE QUITTING, COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR BOTH TESTED OK. THE OIL LEVEL WAS FULL. ALL FACTORY RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN COMPLIED WITH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO CARSON CITY( ABOUT 80 MILES). THE DEALER SAID THE ENGINE 'SEIZED', CAUSE UNKNOWN, WITHOUT A TEARDOWN,

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COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AFTER BANGING SOUND JUST AS IN OTHER MODELS BEING RECALLED BY HYUNDAI.

NHTSA ODI 10978981

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, A POPPING SOUND EMITTED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND IT STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT COASTED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

NHTSA ODI 10972392

WHILE DRIVING --LOUD KNOCKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. WAS DIAGNOSED BY DEALER AS HAVING WORN ROD/CRANKSHAFT;METAL DEBRIS IN OIL PAN -- IF CONTINUING TO DRIVE, THEN WARNED TO CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE AND SHUTDOWN. THIS SAME PROBLEM RECEIVED A RECALL IN SONATAS, BUT NOW IS HAPPENING WITH THE TUCSONS.

NHTSA ODI 10971922

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD THREE QUARTERS OF A TANK OF FUEL; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE FUEL TANK HAD A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUEL, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO REGISTER THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANK AND WOULD NOT EXCEED $2 WORTH OF FUEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL INTAKE FILLER HOSE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE CERTIFIED MECHANIC, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10947560

ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING ON HIGH WAY. SUDDEN POWER LOSS, JERKING, AND LOUD KNOCKING NOISES. LUCKILY WE MANAGED TO GET OFF OF THE HIGHWAY. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THERE WAS FAINT CYCLIC NOISE BEFOREHAND, BUT NO ENGINE CHECK LIGHT OR OTHER WARNING. THE ENGINE HAS VERY LOW MILES (LESS THAN 40K MILES) AND WAS MAINTAINED PER RECOMMENDED SCHEDULE. SYMPTOMS ARE IDENTICAL TO THE THETA II ENGINE FAILURE BUT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE INCLUDED IN THE SONATA ENGINE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10940435

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND NOTICED THAT THE SUN ROOF SHATTERED. GLASS ENTERED THE VEHICLE, BUT NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

NHTSA ODI 10930185

I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. I HEARD A BANG COME FROM THE ENGINE AREA AND THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND SMOKE WAS COMING OUT FROM FRONT OF CAR. I COASTED TO THE SHOULDER. FORTUNATELY THIS WAS EARLY SUNDAY MORNING WITH VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY. T COULD HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED. I GOT OUT OF CAR AND NOTICED A PUDDLE OF OIL UNDER THE CAR. I HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME. THE ENGINE HAS FAILED. THE CAR HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES WITH SYNTHETIC OIL. 104K MILEAGE. THIS CAR USES THE 2.4 THETA ENGINE. AFTER RESEARCHING THE FAILURE, I HAVE FOUND THIS IS THE SAME ENGINE USED IN THE SONATA AND KIA SPORTAGE THAT ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ENGINE FAILURES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10919253

THE HORN ON THE 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON IS SIGNIFICANTLY UNDER-POWERED TO THE POINT OF BEING DANGEROUSLY INEFFECTIVE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. WHILE IT TECHNICALLY WORKS, THE SOUND PRODUCED BY THE HORN IS TOO WEAK RELATIVE TO TYPICAL NOISE LEVELS IN MODERN URBAN AREAS AND WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. THE HORN, FOR PRACTICAL PURPOSES, IS INAUDIBLE WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS WHERE THE NOISE OF THE PASSING WIND AND THE DISTANCE BETWEEN CARS NECESSITATES THAT THE HORN'S VOLUME EXCEED A CERTAIN MINIMUM THRESHOLD TO BE HEARD BY OTHER DRIVERS. THE HORN IS SO WEAK THAT EVEN AT A STOP LIGHT THE DRIVER OF A CAR DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME COULDN'T HEAR THE HORN. WHEN THE STOP LIGHT TURNED GREEN THE DRIVER IN FRONT OF ME DIDN'T NOTICE IT. EVEN AFTER BLOWING MY HORN 2 - 3 TIMES, THE DRIVER WAS STILL UNAWARE OF THE LIGHT CHANGE. IT WASN'T UNTIL THE DRIVER BEHIND ME BLEW HIS HORN THAT THE DRIVER IN FRONT OF ME BECAME AWARE OF THE LIGHT CHANGE. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF A HORN IS TO WARN OTHER NEARBY DRIVERS IN THE EVENT OF AN IMPENDING EMERGENCY. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, THE 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON'S HORN FAILED TO FULFILL ITS PURPOSE. FORTUNATELY, NO SERIOUS ACCIDENT HAS RESULTED UP TO THIS POINT. HOPEFULLY, THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A CASE IN WHICH SOMEONE SUFFERS AN ACCIDENT BEFORE THE ISSUE IS FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10916808

TRAVELING STRAIGHT ON INTERSTATE, SPONTANEOUSLY LOST ALL POWER TO VEHICLE AFTER A LOUD METAL CRUNCHING SOUND. HARDLY WAS ABLE TO DRIFT OUT OF INTERSTATE TRAFFIC ON TO SHOULDER OF ROAD. I WAS UNABLE TO TURN IGNITION OVER, OIL AND ENGINE CAUTION LIGHTS WERE ON. NO VISIBLE ISSUES OR LEAKS FROM ENGINE. ONE OWNER VEHICLE, TRAVELED MOSTLY HIGHWAY MILES, HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE FROM DEALER SHIP WHERE PURCHASED FROM, AND ONLY HAD 70776 MILES ON A 2012 MODEL.

NHTSA ODI 10911312

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WIRES UNDER THE HOOD WERE EATEN BY RODENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRES WERE SOY BASED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER INITIALLY STATED THAT THEY WOULD REIMBURSE THE CONTACT FOR THE REPAIR; HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER DECIDED NOT TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 14,884. UPDATED 10/06/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ODI 10897564

MY BACK CAMERA STOPS WORKING FROM TIME TO TIME SCREEN JUST BLACK WHEN IN REAR JUST USELESS.

NHTSA ODI 10891823

A PANEL COVERING THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF MECHANISM DETACHED ON THE I90 WHILE TRAVELLING AT 70MPH. THE PANEL WAS NOT FOUND. THE DETACHMENT WAS AUDIBLE HEARD AS THE PANEL SWUNG AROUND AND STRUCK THE CAR. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO=ONE TRAVELING BEHIND ME AT THE TIME.

NHTSA ODI 10873945

WHILE DRIVING ON THE I90 THROUGH SNOQUALMIE PASS IN WASHINGTON, MOVED TO OVERTAKE ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE OVERTAKING LANE. AS I MOVED INTO THE LANE AND ACCELERATED, THE ENGINE DROPPED DOWN A GEAR AND A WHINING NOISE WAS HEARD. AT THIS POINT I HAD TOTAL LOSS OF POWER AND WAS TRAVELLING AT ~70MPH. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CAR WAS TOWED. THERE WAS MEDIUM TRAFFIC AT THE TIME HOWEVER I WAS ON A SLIGHT DOWNHILL SO DIDN'T RAPIDLY LOSE SPEED. HYUNDAI CARPROS IN RENTON REPORTED THAT THE PISTON HAD FAILED AND HAD PUNCTURED THE ENGINE CASING.

NHTSA ODI 10873948

TAKATA RECALL ACCIDENT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN MY CAR WAS IN MOTION ON CITY STREET

NHTSA ODI 10836285

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON. WHILE PARKED, THE TRANSMISSION GEAR SELECTOR DID NOT MATCH THE INDICATED GEAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE VEHICLE MOVED IN AN UNINTENDED DIRECTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE WOULD HAVE TO BE DEPRESSED WHILE WIGGLING THE GEAR. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MANUEL LEVER POSITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,700.

NHTSA ODI 10725053

HELLO, I PURCHASED A 2012 HYUNDAI TUSCON, 2WD, AND HAD A TERRIBLE TIME IN THIS VEHICLE DURING SNOWY/WET WEATHER. I LIVE IN SILVER SPRING, MD, AND WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN SNOW ON FEBRUARY 21, 2015. THE VEHICLE SKIDDED, THE TIRES SPUN, AND THE CAR GOT STUCK SEVERAL TIMES. ALSO, THE ESC (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL) HAD TO BE MANUALLY DISABLED IN ORDER TO KEEP FROM BEING REAR ENDED, AS THIS FUNCTIONS MORE LIKE A BRAKE--THAN A FEATURE TO DESIGNED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR. I'M ORIGINALLY FROM CHICAGO, IL, AND AM QUITE USED TO DRIVING VEHICLES IN SNOWY CONDITIONS. THIS WAS A MOST UNUSUAL AND SCARY EXPERIENCE WITH THE TUSCON. I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND CAME ACROSS SEVERAL COMPLAINTS, LABELING THE STOCK TIRES ON THE TUSCON AS 'HAZARDOUS' IN SNOWY/WET CONDITIONS. APPARENTLY, OTHER DRIVERS HAVE NOTICED THESE TIRES LOSE ALL TRACTION DURING SNOWY/WET WEATHER. I'M NOT SURE IF OTHER FACTORS BESIDE THE TIRES IMPACTED THE CAR'S SCARY PERFORMANCE DURING WET/SNOWY CONDITIONS. I DID CONTACT HYUNDAI, AND THEY ASKED ME TO HAVE THE CAR INSPECTED, WHICH I DID. AFTER THAT I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE COMPANY TELLING ME THEY HAD FOUND NO PROBLEM AND THAT WAS THE END OF THE DISCUSSION. IF THE PROBLEM IS LIMITED TO THE TIRES, THEN CONSUMERS NEED TO BE MADE AWARE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASING A HYUNDAI TUSCON THAT THE TIRES STOCKED BY HYUNDAI ARE POTENTIALLY TREACHEROUS IN WET/SNOWY CONDITIONS. *TR

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