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What 253 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Hev

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (253)Crash / fire / injury (28)Engine (158)Brakes (35)Transmission & drivetrain (26)Electrical system (17)Engine & cooling (10)Body & structure (9)Speed control (9)Airbags (6)Steering (6)Wheels (5)

4 of 253 complaints match · Brakes · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

May 20, 2024BrakesEngineFire

Customer was driving down the road when he brakes were not functioning properly. The vehicle began to smoke and she pulled over and the fire started under the hood. We are the insurance carrier that paid for the damages.

NHTSA ODI 11589585

Feb 2, 2024BrakesCrash

While driving in October I hit a curb when I hit the brake it accelerated and I jumped a curb while my foot was still on the brake, I came to a stop after hitting a pole, the cops came to the they thought I would be able to drive off however the brakes were not working and neither was the emergency brake, I have yet to get the car fixed but I do think it's important that you made aware

NHTSA ODI 11569606

Jan 26, 2024Electrical systemBrakesEngineFire

Our [XXX] daughter was driving the vehicle from our home to work in Richmond Heights (approx. 19 miles) on [XXX] on {XXX]. At approximately [XXX] and before the [XXX] exit ([XXX] area), the vehicle made a load bang/popping noise, began to lose power, and the interior began to fill with smoke. She was driving in one of the center lanes and luckily made it over to the right shoulder without incident despite traffic and the smoke impairing her view and use of the rear and side mirrors. She immediately got out and called 911. Luckily there was no accident involved and she was not trapped in the vehicle. She was not injured, just very shaken. The vehicle was on fire under the hood and eventually burst into flames. The Kirkwood City Police Officer called the Kirkwood Fire Department and Terry's Towing. The fire was put out, but not before causing the vehicle to be totaled (see photos). Terry's Towing towed the vehicle to its lot, where it is currently stored. The vehicle is a total loss. As we purchased the vehicle from a family member earlier in 2023 as a spare car for our 16yo son and 20yo daughter (when she's home on break from college) for local and short drives, we only carried liability insurance on it with Progressive. We were not aware of Hyundai Recall 251 / NHTSA Recall # 23V651000 until after this happened to our daughter. We have filed a case with Hyundai. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by them or anyone else. The vehicle was running fine. The ABS light had come on sometime prior to this incident. The vehicle was going in for an oil change and system check after the holidays. In the process of obtaining the fire department report. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11568090

May 22, 2012Transmission & drivetrainBrakesCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO DRIVE 1 INDEPENDENTLY. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHEN APPLIED AND AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL GARAGE DOOR AND IMPACTED THE INTERIOR WALL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE UNTIL THE OTHER DAMAGES HAD BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 700 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 950.

NHTSA ODI 10459275

Working with the data? Download all 253 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 20, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Hev verdict →