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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)

5 of 253 complaints match · Electrical system · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

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

Jul 28, 2018Electrical systemBody & structureEngineFire

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE DRIVEWAY - IT HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN OR EVEN STARTED IN OVER 28 HOURS. THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND IT WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DID NOT CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP DID FULL BRAKE WORK 10 DAYS PRIOR TO THE FIRE OCCURRING.

NHTSA ODI 11114308

Dec 24, 2014Electrical systemEngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON. WHILE PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A POLICE AND A FIRE REPORT WERE FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

NHTSA ODI 10668152

Jun 17, 2014Electrical systemBody & structure1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ENTERING OR EXITING THE VEHICLE, SHE ALWAYS RECEIVED AN ELECTRIC SHOCK WHEN TOUCHING THE DOORS. THE VECHILE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10598868

Jul 25, 2012Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemCrash

THIS CAR HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND IT PULLS OUT OF PARK VERY EASILY WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION OR FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THIS LED TO MY CAR ROLLING DOWN A HILL AND HITTING A TREE WITH NO ONE IN THE DRIVERS SEAT. WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALER THEY TRIED THIS ON ANOTHER CAR IN THE LOT AND IT DID THE SAME THING. I WAS TOLD BY HYUNDAI CORPORATE OFFICES THAT THIS IS A "CAMPAIGN" ITEM. I CAN NOT FIND THIS PROBLEM LISTED AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BEFORE IT LEADS TO INJURY OR DEATH. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10467728

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 →