2018 Hyundai Tucson: ABS light or ABS activating

Filed May 8, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · TX

The 2.0L engine catastrophically failed during normal highway driving, consistent with a thrown connecting rod. The vehicle suddenly lost power on a roadway with tractor-trailer traffic. The driver and a child passenger narrowly avoided being struck by a semi-truck before the vehicle could be brought to a safe stop. No prior warning lamps, no check engine light, no abnormal noises, and no indications of any kind preceded the failure. The failed engine is currently at a Hyundai dealership and is available for inspection. The dealer has confirmed catastrophic engine failure and submitted an engine replacement request to Hyundai Motor America. Hyundai Motor America declined the engine replacement request, citing incomplete status on Service Campaign 966 (Knock Sensor Detection System update for connecting rod bearing wear). The owner purchased the vehicle used and was never notified by Hyundai of Service Campaign 966. The owner also was never notified of the federal safety agency Recall 20V543000 (ABS module fire risk), which remains open and unrepaired on this vehicle, demonstrating a pattern of failed manufacturer notification to the current registered owner. This vehicle is a Class Vehicle in the Hyundai/Kia Theta II engine class action settlement (In re: Hyundai and Kia Engine Litigation), which extended powertrain coverage to a lifetime warranty for connecting rod bearing failure on 2018 Tucson vehicles equipped with the Theta II 2.0L engine. The failure mode experienced is precisely the defect this settlement and Campaign 966 were designed to address. Component that failed: engine, specifically connecting rod bearing/short block assembly. Component is available for inspection. Vehicle has approximately 71,000 miles. The failure created an immediate and severe risk of fatal collision involving a child passenger. Manufacturer has been contacted and has denied warranty coverage. the federal safety agency action is requested regarding both the engine defect denial pattern and the unrepaired ABS fire-ri

Filed Feb 6, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · ME

While driving on a public road, the vehicle experienced multiple simultaneous, dangerous malfunctions: Dashboard Warnings: All lights illuminated, including engine (flashing), ABS, traction control, airbag, TPMS, and parking brake, which stayed on though disengaged. Engine & Transmission: Tachometer fluctuated wildly in park; engine revved without accelerator input. Shifting to drive/reverse caused unexpected “kicks.” Vehicle sometimes failed to move when pressing gas, requiring engine restart. Driving Issues: Speedometer read 0 or jumped inconsistently. RPM continued erratically while maintaining speed without accelerator. Steering became extremely difficult. I immediately determined the vehicle was unsafe to drive and returned home with it, which was only a couple miles away. Follow-Up: Hyundai advised dealership diagnosis; they suggested a backup camera module will resolve the issues I experienced in entirety, but also in the same email stated that they could not guarantee it would resolve all of the issues I experienced. This is the second major engine/powertrain failure: first approximately ~70,000 miles (full engine replacement), current approximately ~95,000 miles (approximately ~25,000 miles post-replacement). Recurrence indicates a serious, unresolved safety defect. I am deeply concerned for passenger safety, including children. Other owners report similar issues; the attorney general’s office advised reporting to the federal safety agency. Summary of Safety Risks: sudden loss of control/power, erratic acceleration, dashboard failures, steering resistance, unpredictable handling, recurrence of major defect. I am submitting this report to the federal safety agency to request investigation of these recurring defects. I do have video documentation of all of this, as well as ALL written communication with Hyundai National Consumer Affairs and the dealership. I am having a hard time uploading them because of the file limits. Please let me know if any of this will be helpful to you.

Filed Jan 28, 2026 · Wheels · NY

The situation I’m about to explain has happened twice—once in December 2025 and again on January 22, 2026. In December, the roads were very icy, but there was no snow on the ground. As I made a right turn into a Walmart parking lot, I heard a loud metal-breaking sound while turning. I immediately got out and looked underneath my 2018 Hyundai Tucson SEL but didn’t see anything unusual. After finishing my shopping, I started the SUV to pull out of the parking space. The car was trying to move, but the rear tires were not moving at all. A man waiting for my parking spot noticed this and told me one of the tires wasn’t turning. As I drove home, I heard extremely loud metal noises coming from the back of the vehicle—sounds like metal twisting, breaking, and falling to the ground. At no point did any warning lights come on. I took the car to a highly rated mechanic, Premier Car Care, where they did a thorough inspection and found nothing wrong. After being reassured that the vehicle was safe, I continued driving it. Then on January 22, 2026, the same issue happened again. I was driving to my internship, and the roads were slushy. Suddenly, the Tucson became unstable, slid unexpectedly, and I heard the same metal twisting and breaking noises. This time, the ABS light came on briefly and then went off. The vehicle felt unsafe and unstable, even though I was driving very slowly—around 15 miles per hour. I was terrified and nearly hit someone. I had the car towed through Triple A back to the mechanic, but once again, they were unable to find the cause after inspecting it, and it is sitting in my driveway. I am reaching out because I am on disability, I have three children with autism, and I am also currently in school. I rely on this vehicle, and I truly need help investigating what is happening so this issue can be properly identified and fixed before someone gets seriously hurt.

Filed Apr 21, 2024 · Brakes, Electrical · MS

ABS SENSOR, downhill light, traction control light stays on. In August 2023 the transmission had to be rebuilt from slipping. After work there is still transmission slipping. Media display goes blank often and will not show all of display sometimes.

Filed Sep 9, 2023 · Engine · FL

The engine, rod bearing failure, constantly ABS Kits, Engine monitoring system (car is available for inspection). Our safety and others put at risk because the auto stopped dead on Interstate during rush hour traffic barely escaped death and seriously injuries to all travelers close to us. Towed it to a dealer for diagnostic testing who confirmed it's the engine and rod bearing system on report of inspection and estimate invoice. Manufacture told us to take it to a dealership and we took it to Wallace Hyundai of Stuart Florida. The warning was a knocking sound and oil light flickering just before auto began to sliw down to final stop. All took place on August 8, 2023. I have 7 photos to upload but your site is not allowing more than 10 documents. I tried to delete some documents but it did not have a delete function once I uploaded the documents.

Filed Nov 2, 2022 · Acceleration, Electrical · VA

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

Filed May 12, 2021 · Brakes · FL

The parts to fix this recall are backordered. They have been for the past 6 months and owners don't know when the parts will be available. In the meantime, we risk having our cars start a fire which can lead to severe damage and/or death. Sep 04,2020 manufacturer recall number195 the federal safety agency recall number20v543000 recall status: recall incomplete summary hyundai motor america (hyundai) is recalling certain 2016-2021 tucson vehicles. The anti-lock brake hydraulic electronic control unit (hecu) could corrode internally and cause an electrical short, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire. Safety risk the subject vehicles are equipped with anti-lock brake system ("ABS") modules that could malfunction internally and cause an electrical short over time, an electrical short could result in significant overcurrent in the ABS module, increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire.

Filed Mar 18, 2021 · Driver assistance · FL

I received a safety recall that the ABS modules may corrode and possibly cause fire. I took car to dealer immediately and was told parts are on order and they gave me an appointment for april 26..7 weeks away..I was told to park my car outside of its secured garage until part comes in. I think this is unexceptable & now I may have to spend money to rent a car to drive to louisiana for an upcoming planned trip??? Why would hyundai issue this danger and then not have parts to fix ?

Filed Mar 16, 2021 · Brakes · FL

With a recall involving ABS modules that can cause engine fire is a serious recall. No shops in the area had availability to resolve this issue in less than a week. This is too long of a time for these types of issues. I am not blaming the shops, there is only so much they can do. But, more assistance should have been offered to them to meet the needs of this issue. I called the morning after I got the notice.