COMPONENT FAILED: Engine / Powertrain assembly suffering from severe, documented manufacturing internal oil consumption. Available for inspection upon request. SAFETY RISK: My safety was severely put at risk by Napleton Hyundai (2600 Michigan Ave). On XXXX, Service Manager Heliose explicitly instructed me to deliberately drive the vehicle with known severe fluid loss until the engine completely "locked up" and seized on the road so Hyundai would replace it under warranty (Campaign TXXM). Advising a consumer to drive a vehicle until catastrophic engine seizure occurs at high speeds on public highways creates an extreme hazard—risking sudden stalling, loss of control, and major collisions. Furthermore, the dealer falsified a "goodwill" oil test by completely omitting mandatory tamper-evident safety seals on the dipstick and cap, releasing an unverified, unsafe vehicle into traffic. CONFIRMATION/INSPECTION: Severe oil burning was confirmed by Valvoline on XXX, where a fresh oil change ran completely dry within weeks with no external leaks. Napleton Hyundai acknowledged the engine warranty extensions (T6G, TXXM, DTC P132600) on XXX, but held the test hostage behind an unauthorized $1,400 chemical cleaning fee. The car has not been inspected by police or insurance as a crash has been avoided through manual monitoring. The service intake person ([XXX]) put on my invoice oil consumption check. I checked my engine to see if they placed any (Tamper-Evident Sealing) and the technician did not apply security seals, tape, or paint marks to the oil filler cap, dipstick, and drain plug! They fix this so they would not be responsible for my car engine WARNING SYMPTOMS/TIMELINE: Rapid internal oil depletion causing the engine to run dry within a 30-day window. Symptoms started after a routine oil change on XXX. No dashboard warning lamps are active, making the sudden dry engine an invisible, highly dangerous mechanical hazard. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Hyundai Tucson engine failure problems
752 of the 6,343 owner complaints about the Hyundai Tucson describe engine failure, most of them for the 2017 model year.
- owner complaints
- 752
- worst model year
- 2017
- typical repair cost reported
- $6,000
- typical mileage
- 80,579
By model year
Often reported together
Knocking 216Check engine light 215Oil consumption 142Stalling 112Loss of power 112Won't shift 30Fire or smoke 25Won't start 23
Trouble codes mentioned
P1326 19P0300 4P0304 3P0302 3P0301 3P0087 3P0420 2P0326 2P0303 2P0014 2
What owners say
My name is [XXX]. My husband, [XXX], and I purchased a 2017 Hyundai Tucson (VIN: [XXX]) from a Hyundai dealership in 2023 with 53,920 miles for our daughter to commute to school. The vehicle now has approximately 77,940 miles, and she is still attending school. Since purchasing the vehicle, we have consistently returned to the same Hyundai dealership for regular maintenance, trusting its professionals to keep the vehicle safe and reliable. While driving on the freeway, our daughter suddenly lost engine power. The vehicle slowed down and would no longer accelerate. Thankfully, she managed to exit the highway before it stopped completely. Highway patrol assisted her in moving the vehicle to the roadside. The Check Engine Light and oil-pressure warning light came on, the engine made a pronounced knocking sound, and it would no longer run. We believe these symptoms closely resemble the engine defect described in Hyundai's Recall 209 (the federal safety agency 21V‑727), involving connecting-rod-bearing failure in certain 2017 Tucson vehicles. Hyundai Motor America denied our request for assistance, stating that our VIN is not included in the recall and that no warranty coverage applies. We respectfully question whether vehicles experiencing the same or substantially similar defect may have been excluded from the recall. We request a technical investigation into why our vehicle was excluded and whether its engine failure is related to the recalled defect. This was a serious safety concern, not merely a repair expense. Our daughter could have suffered a serious accident had she been unable to exit the freeway safely. We are grateful she escaped without injury. We respectfully request that Hyundai reconsider its decision, review the vehicle's maintenance and diagnostic records, and investigate the engine failure. If the failure is related to the recalled defect, we ask Hyundai to cover the cost of engine repair or replacement. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
the federal safety agency Safety Complaint – 2019 Hyundai Tucson Engine Failure I am reporting a serious engine safety concern involving my 2019 Hyundai Tucson AWD 2.0L (VIN: [XXX]). On XXX, the red engine oil-pressure warning light suddenly illuminated while I was preparing to drive home. Concerned about possible engine failure, I stopped using the vehicle and had it towed to Pohanka Hyundai in [XXX]. On XXX, the dealership provided a diagnostic video indicating that the engine was defective and needed replacement. A written estimate dated XXX quoted $7,823.58 for an engine replacement. Despite this diagnosis, the dealership later declared the vehicle drivable and returned it after adding oil, without providing a satisfactory explanation for reversing its original findings. The engine problems continued, and the vehicle had to be returned to the dealership. This presents a serious potential safety hazard. An unresolved engine or oil-pressure problem could cause sudden engine failure, loss of propulsion, or a breakdown while driving on a highway or in heavy traffic, increasing the risk of a collision and injuries to occupants and other motorists. I am particularly concerned that a vehicle initially diagnosed as needing engine replacement was subsequently declared safe to drive without documented evidence that the underlying problem had been corrected. I request that the federal safety agency investigate whether this engine failure represents a broader safety defect affecting 2019 Hyundai Tucson vehicles and whether additional safety measures, including a recall investigation, are warranted. Vehicle: 2019 Hyundai Tucson AWD 2.0L VIN: [XXX] Mileage at diagnosis: Approximately 87,656 miles Incident Date: XXX INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
engine failure even though this car has always had oil changes at 110,000 miles. I would like the company to fix this since i am not the first to complain about this. I still have the car parked.
While driving on the highway 65 mph in our 2019 Hyundai Tucson AWD, the vehicle suddenly experienced a severe power loss, loud engine knocking, engine light flashing, and the car in limp mode. This caused a terrifying hazard. We exited to safety, the car was towed and is at a Hyundai dealership. It pulled a diagnostic engine trouble code P1326 (Knock Sensor Detection System). The dealership confirmed the code, but is refusing to replace the engine under the Hyundai Engine II Class Action Settlement without an out-of-pocket 'combustion cleaning' fee, which, as seniors, we cannot afford on a fixed income. The dealership service manager told us that he requested Goodwill from Hyundai Corporate for the combustion engine cleaning. And because of a past denial, corporate denied it a 2nd time. So, we contacted our Hyundai Corporate case manager, who said our request for “the engine replacement” was still pending and in review by their team. She saw no denials, except for a loaner, which would be approved, upon repair approval. We added the dealership service manager on this call to discuss confusion about goodwill be denied by Corporate for the “combustion cleaning”. He said this case manager would not see the combustion cleaning requirement, because it was instructed by another department. His then pivoted the topic & said we received an estimate for combustion cleaning. My response “we never received an estimate & have no estimate in my email”. His response “I hate to use this word, but you’re a liar”. My husband then took the call saying “we did not receive an estimate in writing, although we had asked the tech for an estimate but nothing was final.” The service manager cut him off and said “we are done come pick up your car” & hung up. This dealership phone interaction needed to be included in this incident because now we are being put in grave danger as he is expecting us to pick up our un-drivable, unsafe & hazardous car with no concern for safety.
While going down the highway at around 72 mph , my car went into limp mode. I was unable to accelerate, the brake and wheel locked. And then the engine light began flashing. The limp mode , non acceleration, and flashing engine light have happened twice before this instance. The first two times the pulled the P1326 knock sensor code and replaced it. Did the update, and sent me on my way saying it was fine. Now this most recent time (the 3rd time), the engine has failed. A CARFAX report says my car already had the engine replaced at 52k miles, meaning there’s 1 something internally wrong and 2 it’s still well within mileage warranty for another engine replacement. This car is extremely dangerous as it can literally stop in the middle of the highway. I went from 72 to about 15 mph in seconds, I was unable to get over or accelerate. It was terrifying. Now dealing with Hyundai - they don’t want to take fault.
I have had 2 catalytic converters the original and a 2nd one. Now I need a 3rd due to excessive oil consumption. Corporate did a good will for a combustion cleaning and that did nothing. The dealership checked my oil and said there was excessive oil consumption and submitted for an engine replacement and it was rejected. Absolutely ridiculous.
Unknown believe it engine was replaced due to engine knock
Vehicle was operating normally and when arriving at a gas station to refuel the vehicle would not start after turning off. Vehicle was towed to the dealership (Larry Miller Hyundai Albuquerque, and a seized motor was described as the discrepancy. No further maintenance has been performed.
An authorized Hyundai dealership performed a major engine replacement on my vehicle on June 11, 2024. The vehicle mileage was documented as 110,797 miles in and 111,799 miles out. In September 2026, after the vehicle had reached 129,430 miles, I brought it to an authorized Hyundai dealership because of a severe gasoline odor and evidence of gasoline entering the engine oil. The dealership documented the vehicle at 129,430 miles in and 129,431 miles out. The documented mileage from the 2024 engine replacement's out-mileage of 111,799 to the September 2026 diagnostic in-mileage of 129,430 is 18,633 miles. The vehicle was returned to me, but the fuel/oil contamination condition recurred within approximately 48 hours. The oil level subsequently increased substantially. I repeatedly requested the dealership's technician narrative, diagnostic findings, test results, and electronic service documentation showing what was inspected, what was tested, and what findings supported the dealership's diagnosis. The dealership performed the work, yet these records have not been provided to me. Hyundai corporate has also not provided the requested documentation and has directed me toward additional diagnostic expense rather than providing the records from the inspection already performed. The 2024 engine-replacement documentation lists the replacement engine and associated service parts, including service kits 21111-2GK50-QQH and 21111-2GK70-QQH, as well as oil-cooler pipe/hose assembly 25470-2G050-QQH. I am requesting that the actual service records establish what components were installed, replaced, transferred, or reused during that repair. I am not claiming that the available information by itself establishes the root cause. My concern is the recurrence of apparent fuel contamination of the engine oil only 18,633 miles after the documented engine-replacement out-mileage, combined with the lack of diagnostic documentation from the authorized dealership's inspection. I am su
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: critical fasteners
- What is wrong
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson and Santa Fe vehicles. The connecting rod bolts in the engine may have been improperly tightened, which can cause a loss of drive power and engine damage, possibly resulting in an oil leak.
- Risk
- A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. An oil leak in the presence of hot engine components can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the engine, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1‑855‑371‑9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 281.
Recall number 25V549000 · Recall details
Engine
- What is wrong
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Tucson and Sonata Hybrid vehicles. The connecting rod bearings inside the engine may wear prematurely, which can result in engine damage.
- Risk
- A damaged engine can increase the risk of a fire or it can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the engine. If bearing damage is found, the engine will be replaced. Dealers will also install a software update containing a new Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS). Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owners were notified of the defect on November 16, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed January 15, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1‑855‑371‑9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 209.
Recall number 21V727000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine
- What is wrong
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Tucson vehicles. The engine oil pan may leak and, if not addressed, the loss of oil may result in engine damage.
- Risk
- A damaged engine can increase the risk of a fire or it can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Hyundai has notified owners, and dealers will inspect for an oil pan leak, replacing it if necessary, and install an updated oil pressure switch, free of charge. The recall began August 19, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1‑855‑371‑9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 181.
Recall number 19V063000 · Recall details
Questions about the Hyundai Tucson engine failure
Which Hyundai Tucson years have engine failure problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2017 (187 complaints), 2016 (126 complaints) and 2018 (75 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix engine failure on the Hyundai Tucson?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $6,000 (median of 93 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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