What 1,536 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell

On [XXX], I purchased a 2016 Hyundai Tucson Sport, at the Landover-Jaguar South Hills dealer in Canonsburg, PA. On [XXX] the “check engine” light came on. Since I was 2 hours from home, I purchased a code reader to assess the issue. It read “A P0420 code”. I researched potential reasons for this code but returned the car to the dealer who performed additional checks and gave the car a “clean bill of health”. On [XXX], I was driving home from about 16 miles away and lost power. A slew of dash lights came on, and I was forced to pull over. I smelled something burning. As I stopped, the smoke from the engine became apparent. The car right behind me pulled up and asked if I knew my car was on fire. Another bystander pulled over and extinguished the fire in my engine. This happened on one of the busier roads in the area and if the vehicle exploded it could have been much worse for all of us. This vehicle is currently sitting at Bowser Hyundai in Pittsburgh and is available for inspection. This engine fire and fail is not a maintenance issue but is clearly a result of a manufacture issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11629617

A/C failure & Heat Failure which resulted in an accident. Was not the thermostat. ACCEDENT was unable to defrost/defog windows, causing the driver to crash

NHTSA ODI 11564862

Manufacturer’s defect, all (4) windows quit operating. Hyundai dealer where vehicle was purchased did repair my driver window, however; shortly after that window was repaired, all other (3) windows quit working at the same time. One (1) window was in the down position. Hyundai of New Port Richey said they would not repair my windows, however; they did get the window up and suggested I purchase door stops to place in the window to keep it up….this also happened to the other rear window. I live in Florida and on August 17, 2023 I had to drive myself to Mease/Countryside Hospital, the heat index was 115 degrees, I had to get into my extremely hot vehicle. I was diagnosed with heat exhaustion. My bill was $ 23,000. I also have a grand baby I have to place in my very hot vehicle when I babysit. Three (3) windows do not function. On September 08, 2023, Hyundai of NPR Service Advisor gave me a ball park quote of $ 750.00, including labor to repair all three (3) windows….I then made a formal complaint to the complaint number I found in my vehicle manual: Case Number [XXX] they did not help and referred me to the General Manager of the dealership. Now the price to repair is $ 2,100.00. They will fix if I pay half! I have talked with other 2016 Hyundai Tucson owners who have run into the same problem. The manufacturer is at fault, the window parts are defective! Please help me, my health has been affected and I hate putting my Grandchild [XXX] in unheathy environment. Thank you for anything you can help me with. [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11555918

Driving vehicle home from work a 7 mile commute driver front rotor and passenger rear rotors caught fire. Called fire department to ensure preventive measure of entire car catching fire. It appears both corners have fused pads to rotors creating high friction. No check engine lights or ABS light notifications on dash to warn of issue. Brakes and rotors replaced approximately 2 years ago and 25k miles with zero issues. Brake master reservoir is only low about 1 ounce of fluid with no signs of fluid leak on floorboard or firewall of vehicle. Abs module appears to have no fluid residue or leaks either. Have not checked fuses as of yet for failure.

NHTSA ODI 11535658

I was driving down the highway and I saw my usb cord smoking, I immediately threw it out the window to avoid a fire and pulled over on the highway. My heart was racing and then I called my mom. She thought it was the AC filter that needed to be changed. A few months later in October, the engine failed. A dealership fixed the engine, but it's still consuming a lot oil. I called Hyundai about the engine issues but I forgot about the smoke I saw. They closed the case on the engine, because they claimed I had no warranty. I have no warranty, because Fairfax Hyundai told me they no longer accept car shield. Hyundai closed my case last month and reopened it on 6/30, because of the smoke. I originally bought the car from Waldorf Honda, in Maryland. Dozens of issues have been reported with this vehicle. On 6/30 I realized that the two back doors also stopped opening from the inside and outside.

NHTSA ODI 11529754

I have a 2016 Hyundai Tuscon Limited Turbo which I bought USED in August of 2018. The same week I left the lot I returned multiple times complaining that the car was hesitating and seemed like the transmission was having problems. The car would hesitate to go from a stop, several times leaving me and my infant (at the time) in the middle of intersections crossing traffic and unable to move. It almost got us SLAMMED multiple times. I explained this to them and they just kept telling me it was because of the turbo. I said NO ONE in their right mind would manufacture a car that goes fast at the cost of safety. That was insane to me but they kept sending me home. I returned over and over and over again for the entire 1st year I had the car with no resolution. Eventually, I also discovered issues if I had to brake hard, several times almost running into the back of people and on 08/08/2020 I actually DID slam into the back of someone. I got to eat the cost of the insurance claim - only later to find out that there was a recall on the ABS system which I believe caused the accident. In 2020 when the transmission died, they replaced it under warranty. It took 49 days to replace, meanwhile I have an infant and riding a bus and riding my bike everywhere because the dealer did not help me with a rental or loaner. Then a year later in the middle of 2021 the engine died which they replaced under warranty, this time providing me with a rental for only a short time of the month long situation. Also racked up tow and tow storage bills exceeding $500 because it broke down on a major road in the middle of the night. Now, on 03/11/2023 I heard a sound coming from the engine which sounded like a cat screaming, coupled with severe hesitation when trying to accelerate. Took it to the dealer and they refuse to fix it, said the warranty company declined it. Called Hyundai Corporate and they said the same thing. Called warranty company and they said NO ONE EVER SUBMITTED A CLAIM!!!!!

NHTSA ODI 11515354

While driving on an interstate the engine lost power and I pulled over to the shoulder. Popped the hood and the engine cover was blown back and the engine was on fire! Had 3 passengers, dog, and luggage in the car. Was able to get most out before the fire spread. Left family stranded hours from home on side of interstate. Unsure of exact cause of the engine fire. Fire spread to entire car before fire department came to put it out.

NHTSA ODI 11501143

I was driving my vehicle on Highway 45 North in Spring Tx and my engine caught on fire while driving, my Tucson was on fire and started smoking i had to pull over and getvhelpp

NHTSA ODI 11499720

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle began to stall and he saw smoke coming out from underneath the hood of the vehicle. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and quickly exited the vehicle. The contact waited several minutes. The contact stated that upon opening the hood of the vehicle, he saw flames. The contact was able to extinguish the fire by shutting the hood closed. The contact stated that in the process of exiting the vehicle, he bumped his knee and twisted his ankle and received care from his caregiver. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The engine was replaced under an unknown recall. However, the contact stated that after the repair, the vehicle was experiencing rough starts and the engine was misfiring while driving. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer, Ron Tonkin Hyundai (675 NE Burnside Rd, Gresham, OR 97030), where it was diagnosed that the cylinder was misfiring. The dealer replaced the fuel injector, the spark plugs, and the cylinder head, and completed an oil change. However, the engine was knocking upon starting the vehicle. The dealer informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that he would need to pay an Engine Control Unit (ECU) repair fee. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA ODI 11490880

While back out of my driveway in my 2016 hyundai tucson, it suddenly accelerated on its own out of control rendering me helpless and just along for the ride. Finally stopped while in reverse the car went across the street crashing violently into my neighbors boat and engine was still reving until I shut it off after the crash. Both my car and neighbors boat had major damage.

NHTSA ODI 11481663

I was on my way to work as normal. There were no warning lamps or other notifications/signs of a problem when all of a sudden, my vehicle started decelerating. I looked in the rearview mirror and saw smoke. I immediately pulled over and the smoke increased. Within a matter or seconds flames started to shoot out from under the hood. I don't know if the fire started from something electrical or engine-related but it spread fast! Before the police and fire truck arrived at the scene, my car was engulfed in flames! This was a terrifying and horrific experience! Prior to this, I had to replace all of the motors on the windows and noticed the jerky movements when driving in Turbo mode that I was told was normal. I didn't even have the car for 2 years! When I contacted Hyundai about the windows, they did nothing and the Rep referred me to get rid of it! I should have listened.

NHTSA ODI 11470071

The engine caught fire while driving. The entire vehicle was engulfed in flames as a result. Total loss of vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11462222

While climbing the hill on Highway 5 south, the engine RPM dropped so I was moving the car to the shoulder, and while moving, black smoke came out of the engine hood and stopped the car on the shoulder, and then, the fire began to rise under the engine hood. An insurance company investigation determined all losses. Geico Claim #0547433700101042

NHTSA ODI 11461565

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while coming to a stop at approximately 2 MPH at a traffic light, the vehicle rolled forward, failing to come to a complete stop, and collided with the rear bumper of the vehicle in front. The contact stated that the "four-way braking" warning light and another unknown light were illuminated. The contact stated that there was damage to the rear bumper of the vehicle in front. The police were called but no report was written and there were no injuries. The contact had driven the vehicle to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with an issue with the ABS related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V543000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and needed to be taken to a manufacturer dealer for repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.

NHTSA ODI 11460785

On Friday, September 11, 2022, I had just returned from running errands. I parked the car, which had no warning lights on whatsoever, and exited the vehicle. A few seconds later, smoke started streaming out from under the hood. I popped the hood but did not open it, and started toward the house to get some water, thinking that something was overheated. Before I had taken ten steps, flames were shooting out from the hood. I called 911, but before the fire department arrived, part of my house also caught fire. It has been inspected by the fire marshal and my insurance company.

NHTSA ODI 11452621

Car started eating oil after 110K miles. Seems as if 2 quarts low in 3,000 miles between oil changes. Started carrying extra oil and checking level during and after long trips. at 140,000 miles the turbo charger failed and engine failed in the middle of pulling out of a parking lot. No lights on instrument panel ever lit up until 40 miles before the engine failed. Oil light never came on as engine oil was burned up in the turbo. Car is now dead and needs a new engine. Internet posts show numerous Hyundai owners with the 1.9 liter turbo engine experiencing the same problem.

NHTSA ODI 11451895

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving at 65 - 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and there was smoke coming from the bottom of the vehicle. Additionally, the vehicle made abnormal sounds. Upon the vehicle being placed onto the tow truck, there was oil leaking from underneath the vehicle onto the ground. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with rod bearing failure in the lower part of the engine, which caused a hole in the engine block. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

NHTSA ODI 11446511

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that a week after purchasing the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The mechanic informed the contact that the warning light would be reset. While performing a final test drive, the mechanic became aware of smoke coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The mechanic pulled over and attempted to open the hood but was unable to do so. The mechanic then noticed fire coming from underneath the vehicle. The fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. No one was injured. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard by the police. The contact was made aware that the vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 20V543000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) which was the cause of the fire. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 11420157

ESTAVA COM MINHA FAMILIA A CAMINHO DA FISIOTERAPIA QUANDO COMECOU A PEGAR FOGO NO CARRO NA PARTE DA FRENTE! A SORTE FOI QUE UMA OFICINA QUE ESTAVA PERTO ME MIM TINHA EXTINTOR E ME AJUDOU A APAGAR O FOGO!

NHTSA ODI 11386194

HAVING TURNED ONTO THE SUBDIVISION STREET TOWARDS OUR HOUSE, MY HUSBAND NOTICED A CHEMICAL SMELL. HE ROLLED DOWN THE CAR WINDOW AND THE SMELL WAS MORE INTENSE, SO HE ASSUMED IT WAS COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE .AFTER ABOUT 1/4 MILE DRIVE, HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN RIGHT ONTO THE STREET TOWARDS OUR HOUSE, BUT HAD TROUBLE WITH THE STEERING. AT THAT POINT THE WINDOW STATED TO FOG UP. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH. HOWEVER HE DECIDED TO PULL THE CAR TO THE SIDE AND OUT OF THE STREET AND ONTO AN EMPTY LOT. THERE WERE POPPING SOUNDS AND HE SAW SPARKS COMING FROM THE HOOD. HE MANAGED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR JUST IN TIME TO ESCAPE THE ENSUING FLAMES. LUCKILY, HE WAS NOT DRIVING ON A BUSY STREET OR HIGHWAY!. THERE WAS NO WARNING RE THE FIRE AND THE CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED SO WHAT WAS THE REASON?

NHTSA ODI 11366663

WHILE DRIVING IN MOTION ON CITY STREET, WEST BOUND ,PEOPLE WERE YELLING AT ME... WASN'T SURE WHAT WAS GOING ON...I ROLL DOWN MY WINDOW TO HEAR THEM YELLING " YOUR CAR IS ON FIRE" SO I PULL OFF ROAD IN TO A PARKING LOT...STOP AND OPEN DOOR AS FIRE RUSHING IN AS I'M "LITERALLY" HAVING TO JUMP OUT ! TRYING TO PUT FIRE OUT WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHER ,BUT DID NOT WORK...MAYBE 10 MINS LATER ,FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVES AND PUTS IT OUT

NHTSA ODI 11331610

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HYUNDAI TUSCON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED AND SMOKE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER OPENING THE HOOD FLAMES WERE DISCOVERED COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. A FIRE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE HOME. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. IN ADDITION, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH WAS INOPERABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

NHTSA ODI 11327051

I'M THE OWNER OF A 2016 HYUNDAI SANTA FE THAT THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING AND WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD CAR WAS ON FIRE I LOOKED LIKE A MOVIE CAR BLOW UP BURSTING GLASS EVERYWHERE I ALMOST DIED IF I DIDN'T STOP TO LOOK AT IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11326426

MY CAR WAS MAKING A LOW, RUMBLING NOISE WHEN I ACCELERATED. IT STARTED GETTING LOUDER AND AS I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, MY VEHICLE LOST POWER AND SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE HOOD OF MY CAR. WHEN I GOT OUT OF MY CAR AND WALKED AWAY FROM IT, I COULD SEE A FIRE HAD STARTED UNDER THE CAR AROUND THE ENGINE. MY CAR WAS QUICKLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES AS I WAITED FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES TO RESPOND. AS A RESULT, MY VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND I LOST ALL OF MY PERSONAL BELONGINGS IN MY CAR

NHTSA ODI 11289539

MY VEHICLE WAS RECALLED IN 2016, SHORTLY AFTER I LEASED IT, FOR A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. PRIOR TO MY RECALL APPOINTMENT, I WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I PRESSED THE GAS AND THE CAR FAILED TO ACCELERATE. WHEN IT FINALLY DID, IT SURGED FORWARD INTO AN INTERSECTION. WHILE VERY SCARY, NO ONE WAS HURT. THE RECALL ISSUE WAS "ADDRESSED" BY THE DEALER. IN FEBRUARY 2019, THE CAR AGAIN HAD AN ISSUE WHERE IT FAILED TO ACCELERATE. I WAS IN A PARKING LOT ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, IT BACKED UP. I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND HIT THE GAS. NOT ONLY DID THE CAR FAIL TO ACCELERATE FORWARD BUT THE BRAKE WAS STUCK. WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR, IT REVERSED UNTIL IT HIT A DUMPSTER, BUSTING MY TAIL LIGHT AND PUTTING A DENT IN MY TRUNK. AGAIN, LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED. IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL HAVE HAD THE ISSUE THAT I AM DESCRIBING. THERE HAVE BEEN SUITS UNDER THE LEMON LAW. MOREOVER, THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER HAVE BEEN LESS THAN HELPFUL. IT TOOK MULTIPLE CALLS TO GET A NATIONAL CASEWORKER ASSIGNED. WHEN I FINALLY RECEIVED A CALL, INWAS TOLD TO BRING IT TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. MY CAR HAS BEEN WITH THE DEALER FOR 5 DAYS WITH NO ANSWERS AND AND NO LOANER VEHICLE. AT THIS POINT I FEEL IT IS NECESSARY TO WRITE TO YOU TO TAKE ACTION. SAFETY SHOULD BE PARAMOUNT TO ANY CAR MANUFACTURER. IGNORING THE WELL-DOCUMENTED HISTORY OF THIS CAR'S SAFETY ISSUES, CANNOT BE TOLERATED. FAILURE TO ACT, AND WORSE, ATTEMPTS TO SOMEHOW PLACE ONUS ON THE LESSEE IS AN ETHICAL ISSUE AND AN ATTEMPT FOR THE MANUFACTURER TO SAVE FACE. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE. THE ISSUE IS INTERMITTENT AND CANNOT BE PREDICTED. ANY ATTEMPT TO PUT ME BACK IN A FAULTY VEHICLE TO COLLECT MY LAST 4 MONTHLY PAYMENTS IS A DISGUSTING DISPLAY OF A LACK OF CONCERN FOR DRIVER'S SAFETY.

NHTSA ODI 11185507