What 383 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell

Hyundai Tucson has been jerking and shaking for over over 4 years now and either when taking to the dealership they reset the dual clutch and have replaced the same part twice in the dual clutch. This shaking has been happening since the car was bought brand new like a year after. The vehicle now will get stuck in gear and while driving will go down to 20 mph and get stuck in that speed. This is a serious safety issue. The dealer could replicate the shaking but not the gears being stuck. It has happened on more than one occasion and they just reset something but this continues to happen. There are no warning lights when the gears get stuck it just happens while driving and it has happened twice now in the last 3 weeks.

NHTSA ODI 11719222

The engine and engine management system of my 2018 Hyundai Tucson experienced repeated failures resulting in loss of propulsion and unsafe drivability. In November 2025, while traveling approximately 75 mph on a freeway, the vehicle suddenly entered limp mode without any prior warning, causing an abrupt loss of power in active highway traffic. No warning lamps or messages appeared before the failure. After the loss of propulsion occurred, the check engine light, battery light, and oil light illuminated sequentially. Diagnostic trouble codes P1326 and P0326 were recorded. Initial inspection indicated severe oil consumption despite a recent oil change less than 2,000 miles earlier. A Hyundai dealership replaced knock sensors under warranty. Shortly after release (30 miles), the vehicle again exhibited severe drivability issues, including a flashing check engine light, and required immediate towing. A second Hyundai dealership replaced the short engine block under warranty. Approximately 180 miles after the engine replacement, the vehicle again developed unsafe drivability symptoms, including delayed throttle response, failure to accelerate unless the accelerator was fully depressed multiple times, jerking or lugging when slowing or stopped, and a faint whining noise. The check engine light illuminated again. These failures represent repeated loss of propulsion and unsafe operation following manufacturer-approved repairs, including full engine replacement. The vehicle has been out of service for approximately 57 days and remains in the custody of a Hyundai dealership awaiting diagnostics. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The sudden and unpredictable loss of power at highway speed created a significant risk of collision and serious injury to the driver and surrounding motorists.

NHTSA ODI 11710941

Van Hyundai Dealership in Carrollton, TX has confirmed excessive oil consumption causing catalytic converter failure that results in the engine stalling and unable to accelerate. We’ve already replaced the catalytic converter once in 2024 because it was full of oil and causing engine failure. Less than a year later (less than 10,500 miles) the same problem was reproduced. The dealership refuses to replace our engine due to the engine defect. This problem directly impacts the engines ability to perform, unable to accelerate on the interstate, and engine stalling which directly impacts our safety and puts our family into a life threatening situation when the engine fails on the highway. The engine has a defect that Hyundai refuses to address. There are no warnings or engine lights that appear beforehand which is extremely concerning and a liability. Hyundai motor company is corrupt. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11690365

car would not speed up no matter how hard i pressed accelerator, vehicle wouldn't speed up kept going at slower speed had to have towed to dealership. Don't know what is wrong. I was scared someone would hit me, or my speed would cause an accident. Only after issue started did engine light come on.

NHTSA ODI 11617721

It started [XXX] when i took my car to the dealership due to it going into limp mode. The dealership took it in and said it was throwing error code p1326 which is the knock sensor code. they replaced the knock sensor, drove my tucson home after the replacement, by the time i got home it went into limp mode again, took my car back to the dealership turns out it was a faulty sensor they received. So the dealership replaced the sensor again, did not have an issue with it until decemember 2023, so i took it to get the error code read again and it was the p1326, so i make an appointment with the dealership to bring it back in and they said hyundai of america says it needed the combustion chamber cleaning, which i had to pay for. even though it was throwing the p1326 error code. but after the cleaning is done i pick it back up and not even ten miles from the dealership my car goes back into limp mode, so i turn around and take it back. they just got back to me on [XXX] saying hyundia of america is declining to replace my engine since its no longer under warranty. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11574982

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Tuscan. The contact stated that while her daughter was operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle inadvertently decelerated to 30 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the contact was informed that the failure was due to a faulty sensor, which had malfunctioned when the oil change was due. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions when the oil change was due. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 30,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11501210

The car will jerk while driving. The problem was fixed last year and again it is happening now.Worse..the car while being driven will suddenly slow down inspite stepping more on the gas pedal.

NHTSA ODI 11493324

While driving my car normally 9 dashboard lights came on suddenly including the check engine, ABS, brakes while at the same time the dials on the dashboard including the rpms, speedometer, oil temperature and more all stopped working. This happened suddenly while the car was in drive and also caused issues with the transmission as the car stopped shifting gears properly and was driving very rough. With this sudden onset of many different issues out of nowhere driving the vehicle was very dangerous when trying to get to a safe location. After parking this electrical issue would not allow me to take the car out of park or use a OBD reader do to the electrical issue. After researching this problem I found several reports online describing nearly identical symptoms all of the sudden resulting in the car being undrivable and in a dangerous state. These owners said they took the cars to the dealer who tried replacing several components without fixing the issue with hours of diagnosis charges. Eventually after having the vehicles for several days they replaced the reverse camera which it turns out was shorting a significant amount of other critical car electrical components. With no prior damage to the camera or these electrical components the abrupt and random onset of this issue pose a significant safety risk to Hyundai Tucson drivers (at least in 2016 -2018 models) . My experience with the Hyundai Dealership was very similar to them even after I had diagnosed the issue to the camera the dealer said they had contacted the manufacturing engineers who took several days to determine what was causing these electrical issues. This is not an isolated issue as multiple hyundai tucson owners have reported this to Hyundai and their dealerships yet they fail to recognize the risks associated with the faulty cameras they install in their factories. They need to recall their vehicles prone to having this issue. This has cost me $1000 to fix and put me at risk on the road

NHTSA ODI 11492001

Knock sensor recall was done in May 2022. Brought vehicle into service for Ac problem and oil change, which was completed. Was on highway going home 65 mph speed limit hit a hill, my engine light started flashing, my transmission downshifted and I lost all accelaration while on hill, speed wouldn’t go any higher then 50 at that point. Got to closest gas station and had car towed back to dealership, I just want to point out that the knock sensor is going to put people in danger in certain situations like myself, I am not to happy.

NHTSA ODI 11488457

While driving the vehicle, while accelerating the vehicle would lose power or disengage from gas pedal at 17 mph and then again at 26 mph. After about 3 miles the check engine light came on and a TCM warning appeared on the radio screen. Immediately took the car to the dealership and was turned away since I didn’t have an appointment. On my way home from the dealership I made a stop at a store. I reversed out of the parking spot with no issues. When I put the vehicle in drive, it would not accelerate. I could drive in reverse but not forward. Vehicle was towed to the dealership. Diagnostics revealed it was a failed TCM. Further research revealed this same issue occurred in 2016 models. How was this not fixed or prevented in later models?

NHTSA ODI 11467907

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving up a hill, the vehicle lost motive power. While driving the vehicle at undisclosed speeds and turning, the vehicle hesitated and then accelerated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11459016

SAME DUAL CLUTCH PROBLEM AS ON 2016 HYUNDAI TUCSON. HESITATES FOR SEVERAL SECONDS PRIOR TO ENGAGING WHICH CAUSES SIGNIFICANT DANGER IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THE 2016 AND HYUNDAI CONTINUED TO DENY ANY KNOWN PROBLEMS. NOW THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REGARDING THIS ISSUE. I TRADED MY 2016 IN FOR THE 2018 TO GET AWAY FROM THE PROBLEM BECAUSE I WAS SO SCARED. NOW I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE NEW CAR. THIS PROBLEM IS ONGOING. ALSO I WAS COASTING WITH FOOT NOT ON THE PEDAL AND NOT IN CRUISE CONTROL AND THE RPM'S SHOT UP TO 4200 THEN DOWN TO NORMAL, THEN BACK UP TO 2200 AND THEN BACK TO NORMAL. VERY SCARY. HAD CLUTCH ENGAGED CAR WOULD HAVE SHOT FORWARD INTO CAR IN FRONT OF ME. DEALER HAS ACKNOWLEDGED TROUBLE WITH BOTH PROBLEMS AND INFORMED ME THAT HYUNDAI HAS SWITCHED CLUTCH MANUFACTURERS.

NHTSA ODI 11289662

WHEN SHIFTING GEARS, IE P TO R OR R TO D OR P TO D, THE CAR JERKS / CATCHES. SOME HAVE CALLED IT "TURBO LAG". IT'S DEFINITELY MOST NOTICEABLE AT A DEAD STOP. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS "LAG" WHILE BACKING UP OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AND THEN TRASFERRING TO DRIVE, AS WELL AS BEING AT A DEAD STOP AT A STOP SIGN / RED LIGHT, AND THEN ACCELERATING. BOTH EXPERIENCES HAVE BEEN IN THE CITY, HIGHWAY, TURNING, AND LOCAL ROADS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAS CAUSED OR WHAT IS CAUSING THIS ISSUE. PERHAPS IT'S THE TORQUE CONVERTER? I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW IN NOV 2018 AND HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE SINCE JAN 2019. I HAVE HAD OTHER PEOPLE DRIVE MY CAR AND THEY HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE. OTHER HYUNDAI TUSCON DRIVERS HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE, AND HAVE DISCUSSED IT AT THIS WEBSITE: HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/HYUNDAI/TUCSON/2018/TRANSMISSION/WILL_NOT_ACCELERATE.SHTML

NHTSA ODI 11280822

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HYUNDAI TUCSON. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 1 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS PUMPED 5-6 TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE RESPONDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FAULKNER HYUNDAI (11500 ROOSEVELT BLVD, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19116, (215) 673-7462) TO BE DIAGNOSED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE PERFORMED AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED DURING LEFT TURNS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300.

NHTSA ODI 11182804

ONCE MY BRAND NEW TUCSON HIT 500 MILES ON IT, IT SUDDENLY UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATES WHILE MY FOOT IS ALREADY PRESSING FIRMLY ON THE BREAK PEDAL. THE FIRST TIME, IT HAPPENED AS I WAS APPROACHING THE PEAK OF A HILL. I WAS GOING 25 MPH. MY FOOT WAS ALREADY PRESSING ON THE BREAKS, ANTICIPATING THE DECLINE, WHEN MY CAR JOLTED FORWARD AND TOOK OFF. MY FOOT SLAMMED ON THE BREAKS EVEN HARDER, HOWEVER I WATCHED MY SPEEDOMETER HIT 40 MPH WHILE SIMALTANEOUSLY, MY RPM DECREASED TO 1... (YES, DOWN A HILL.) FOR ABOUT 5-7 SECONDS THE RPM AND SEPPDOMETER WOULD NOT INCREASE OR DECREASE ONCE HITTING 40 MPH AND 1 RPM. I HAD TO LEAN OVER THE WHEEL AND SLAM MY BREAKS TO THE FLOOR BEFORE I REGAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ONCE THIS OCCURRED, THE CAR LAGGED, STRUGGLING TO ACCELERATE THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE DRIVE (ALL FLAT ROADS). IT IS NOW DAY 5 OF EXPERIENCING THIS, AND IT NOW OCCURS MULTIPLE TIMES EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, WHETHER BREAKS ARE BEING APPLIED PRIOR, OR NOT, REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF ROAD I AM ON (FLAT, HILL ETC.) I WAS EXITING A PARKING GARAGE THAT HAD A MEDIOCRE RAMP TO EXIT THE GARAGE. MY VEHICLE WAS GOING 12 MPH WHEN I TURNED RIGHT TO PROCEED DOWN THE RAMP. MY FOOT SLOWLY PRESSED THE BREAK PEDAL, AND MY VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 28 MPH, AND MAINTAINED THAT SPEED FOR 3 SECONDS, BEFORE RESPONDING TO MY BREAKS. YES, MY FOOT HAD THE BREAKS PRESSED ALL THE WAY DOWN. ANOTHER EXAMPLE, YESTERDAY I WAS ON A FLAT ROAD DRIVING AT 27 MPH WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 45 MPH, AND THE RPM DROPPING SUDDENLY FROM 2, TO 1. AFTER A FEW SECONDS OF MY FOOT SLAMMED ON THE BREAKS I REGAINED CONTROL AND PULLED THE CAR OVER. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND WAITED ABOUT 5 MINUTES. WHEN I TURNED IT BACK ON, AND BEGAN DRIVING (3 MINUTES LEFT IN MY DRIVE), THE CAR CONTINUED TO LAG, LUNGE FORWARD, AND COULD NOT REACH SPEEDS HIGHER THAN 30 MPH. THIS CAR IS BRAND NEW.

NHTSA ODI 11129724

THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING SEVERE INTERMITTENT FAILURES TO ACCELERATE. FAILURES OCCURR FROM A STOP AND WHILE IN MOTION. ALL GEAR LEVELS APPEAR TO BE AFFECTED. FAILURES WERE FIRST NOTICED AT APPROXIMATELY 7000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 11122439