2015 Hyundai Tucson: won't start

Filed Jul 21, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · IN

While driving on a US highway, the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle lost the ability to start/run normally, requiring the vehicle to be pulled off the road and towed to an authorized Hyundai dealership. Dealer diagnostic testing found the engine failed a bearing/performance test, consistent with connecting rod bearing wear. This failure mode — Check Engine light, DTC P1326, abnormal noise, or a no-crank/no-start condition caused by connecting rod bearing wear — is described in the manufacturer's own internal dealer service bulletin covering an engine warranty extension program for multiple engine families (Theta II MPI and Nu GDI engines) across several model years and vehicle lines. That bulletin acknowledges the failure as a known condition and extends coverage to 15 years/150,000 miles for original and subsequent owners. The failure occurred suddenly and without warning while the vehicle was in active use on a highway, creating a stall/loss-of-power hazard in moving traffic — the vehicle could not be restarted at the roadside. The dealership's own multi-point inspection performed shortly after intake confirmed engine fluid levels and oil grade were within normal range, indicating the failure was not attributable to a lack of lubrication at the time of failure. Despite this, the manufacturer denied warranty coverage for the repair, citing an inability to produce maintenance receipts for a prior period, even though the dealership's own inspection findings do not support a maintenance-related cause. This report is submitted because of the safety hazard posed by unwarned loss of engine power/starting capability while driving, and because this failure pattern appears consistent with a defect the manufacturer has already acknowledged for closely related engine platforms, raising the question of whether additional vehicles with this engine design should be included in that existing warranty/defect campaign.

Filed Nov 12, 2025 · Engine · IA

Driving on interstate for approx 30min and the car stopped accelerating. We safely merged off to the side and the car completely shut off. The car would not start. We put oil in and it started up by engine light was on. We got vehicle towed 1hr back into town. We are lucky no cars were behind us to cause an accident. We are also lucky engine did not catch on fire. This happened completely out of the blue. I get my vehicle serviced regularly and serviced at Hyundai dealerships for major repairs. The engine failed us and is available for inspection. Our claim was denied by Hyundai due to my mileage being 10k over the warranty. However they installed the faulty engine so regardless of mileage this needs to be resolved.

Filed Mar 4, 2024 · ID

I went out side at 6 AM on Sunday, March 3rd, 2024, and found my 2015 Hyundai Tucson locked and running. The windshield wipers were on. I did not start the car myself and it was locked. Both keys were inside my house and had not been out of my care. The remote start key was in my locked jewelry box, never having been used since I owned the car. My regular key was in my purse. I did not know what to do so looked on line and found several incidents similar to this but unexplained. I called two Hyundai dealerships, a corporate office, and a national Hyundai help line. No one from Hyundai that I spoke with had ever heard of such an incident, although there were a few reported by private individuals on the internet. On that evening the car started up on its own outside my house at 6:00 o’clock. I called the police who told me to disconnect the battery for safety’s sake. I called the Hyundai numbers again and they have agreed to talk with in a few days.

Filed Oct 2, 2021 · Electrical · NY

On date of incident, I had accelerated to enter onto the Major Deegan Expressway in Bronx,NY and made my way into the left lane when I felt the vehicle hesitate a second and downshifted in speed with some of the dashboard lights turning on. I was able to safely get to the emergency shoulder where the vehicle stopped and would not start again thought it had power. I was towed off the highway some hours later. The vehicle was towed to Central Avenue Hyundai in Hartsdale,NY for service on September 7, 2021 under my Hyundai warranty plan. A few days later I was advised by Ryan of the service area that the engine was the problem and needed to be replaced. Currently awaiting approval from warranty for that work to take place.

Filed Jul 26, 2019 · Engine · 114,196 miles · OK

My problem seems to be consistent with other drivers. I was driving home at night when I turned a corner and the vehicle jerked and then died. No warning signals came on. No leaking fluids. Vehicle wouldn't start up anymore. Bought a new battery and still unable to start the car. Took the vehicle to a mechanic tested the alternator and starter and neither one was the problem. The mechanic diagnosed it as a locked up motor. This is very dangerous and should be looked into.

Filed Nov 14, 2018 · Engine · 70,000 miles · TX

2015 tucson engine blew after only 70,000 miles. It did not show any signs of failure but as I was driving the engine made a bang noise and just stopped and would not start again. After I did some research I found out that this is not the first tucson to have engine failure after 70,000 miles.

Filed Sep 22, 2017 · Electrical, Engine · 30,000 miles · WV

I purchased this car november 8 2014 with 99 miles on it. We've had severe issues with it in the last year. We've had it to the dealership where we purchased the vehicle and they've been in communication with hyundai in order to fix it. There was no solutions, just "try this & see if it works." in july 2016 I started having medical issues, we've had issues with the vehicle not wanting to start. At first it wasn't wanting to start & then the check engine light came on. We took it to our local dealership and there was a recall on it for the exhaust system, they claimed that was the issue. So that recall was preformed and the light went off. Low and behold the issue was not corrected, the car still had episodes where it would not start. The issue was not something the service department could re-create. Second trip to the dealership for the same issue and they replaced the inhibitor switch, and that also has not worked. Now the check engine light is on again but the code is coming back as the purge valve. The car currently has no power and feels as if the motor could die at any second. I travel away about twice a month for various specialist doctor appointments. My vehicle has left me stranded there several times. I no longer feel my vehicle is safe or dependable for myself or any of my 3 children to be transported in it. I have contacted the hyundai company directly but no response from them as of yet. For a 2015 model vehicle this may issues is ridiculous!! My husband and I are very disappointed and will never own another hyundai vehicle!

Filed Nov 22, 2015 · Electrical · 30 miles · CT

With the 2015 hyundai tucson, within 12 hours of owning the car and driving it off the dealership lot, we experienced issues with the key indicator blinking while attempting to start the car and car would not start at work. It started fine at home an mostly anywhere else. Only by pressing the fob itself on push button start, did car start at work parking lot. If fob not pressed onto push button, would not start. Dealership replaced key fob and batteries, did not fix problem. Service department member accompanied us to parking lot, experienced same issue in work parking lot. With assistance from security guards at work, realized this issue only occurred when parking next to a solar panel on a sunny day at work parking lot. To compensate for issue now, car is parked farther away from office building as it was discovered solar panels on light pole interfered with antenna for key. Service dept member from hyundai said they believe they saw an email/service bulletin referencing such an issue, and did not suggest any remediation except tp park away from the light pole. Our workaround has been to park away from solar panel light poles or cover the sensor on the top of the dashboard. This hyundai dealership's solution was to send an email with the hyundai corporate phone number for further escalation. This is a huge concern for us as more houses and companies are erecting solar panels, and now will we have to pick where we park our tucson based on if a solar panel is nearby. If you live near solar panels, don't buy a tucson with a push button star.