-Very high oil consumption. Going through a little over a quart very 900-1000 miles. Has a GDI turbo engine. -Transmission issues. Has a dual clutch transmission that slips.
Hyundai Tucson slipping problems
60 of the 6,347 owner complaints about the Hyundai Tucson describe transmission slipping, most of them for the 2016 model year.
- owner complaints
- 60
- worst model year
- 2016
- typical mileage
- 14,620
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Jerking 13Stalling 8Hesitation 5Transmission failure 4Loss of power 4Check engine light 4Shudder 3Oil consumption 3
Trouble codes mentioned
P1921 1
What owners say
Transmission previously replaced after failed Judder test. Transmission is failing again: Last few days the car will accelerate to 15 then it attempts to shift and power drops and pressing the pedal has no response or very little then it changes into what feels like 4th or 5th gear at 20 mph and acceleration is very sluggish and also switching into manual gear control is completely unresponsive. Power drop at 15 mph, the transmission jumping into what feels like 4th or 5th gear at 20 mph, and sluggish acceleration — is consistent with the clutch pack slipping and the TCM essentially giving up on lower gears and defaulting to a higher gear to protect itself. Manual mode being completely unresponsive is a significant red flag — it means the TCM may have entered a limp or failsafe mode where it’s overriding driver input entirely.
The transmission began slipping and hesitating within days of purchase. The vehicle intermittently fails to accelerate when pressing the gas pedal, especially when pulling into traffic or crossing intersections. This creates a serious safety risk because the vehicle does not respond when needed, leaving me exposed to oncoming traffic. The issue is intermittent and does not always trigger warning lamps or fault codes. The problem has been reproduced multiple times by me while driving under normal conditions. The selling dealer performed only a brief test drive and stated they could not duplicate the issue, but the hesitation and failure‑to‑accelerate continue to occur. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by Hyundai, but the symptoms match known issues with the 2016 Tucson’s dual‑clutch transmission and TCM logic. There were no warning lights prior to the failure, and the symptoms first appeared within the first week of ownership. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
The vehicle has a transmission (powertrain) malfunction that first appeared in July 2025, a few weeks after I purchased the vehicle and after the warranty had expired. At the time the issue began, the vehicle had well under 80,000 miles. The transmission slips, fails to properly engage, and cannot provide sufficient power, particularly when accelerating or driving uphill. The vehicle struggles to move forward and behaves unpredictably during normal driving conditions. This defect has put my safety and the safety of others at risk. On one occasion, the transmission failed while I was driving and I became stuck in the middle of an intersection, unable to accelerate, creating a serious traffic hazard. The issue has been reproduced consistently and has persisted despite repeated transmission fluid services. Multiple mechanics have inspected the vehicle and have indicated that the problem is not due to lack of maintenance, but instead is likely caused by the transmission not being properly filled with transmission fluid at the time of manufacture. Despite servicing, the problem continues, indicating an internal or manufacturing-related defect. I have also been in contact with multiple owners of the same make and model vehicle who report the same transmission failure, suggesting this is a widespread issue rather than an isolated incident.
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving and exceeding 30 MPH, the transmission was slipping out of gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer located in Canada, where it was diagnosed that the transmission sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the transmission started slipping while accelerating. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 16V628000 (Power Train, Electrical System). The contact called an independent mechanic who provided a printout of a recall. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.
There is an intermittent problem with the transmission. It’s impossible to predict when the transmission will slip. When navigating traffic, it has happened multiple times trying to pull out across oncoming traffic, and the transmission begins slipping so badly in a couple of instances nearly causing a side impact. There are no recalls related to this, but the dealership confirms it is common… the fact that it is intermittent makes it worse. You get used to the transmission performing as it should… Next thing you know it slips when you can’t afford for it to slip..
My transmission has failed fully. It cannot even reverse. I took my car into Hyundai several times to check on the issue and they said the same thing, that the transmission slipping is a standard issue for dual clutch. I told them over and over that this is different. I did some research as to how to have them cover it and have it changed but the dealership said nothings wrong. Fast forward and now my cars transmission is fully gone and it probably won’t be covered when I know that it should have been part of the recall ! Just this year I’ve spent $5000 on repairs for this vehicle and now I’m looking at another $5000 for only a 7 year old vehicle. If that does not constitute a lemon I don’t know what does.
I bought my 2016 Tuscon brand new. Ever since I bought the vehicle, I've complained to the dealer about the transmission slipping. They have told me that this issue is common but there is nothing they can do. Now it seems to be getting worse so I decided to look up the problem and found out a recall notice was issued for some 2016 Tuscons but mine wasn't included. My Tuscon has the exact same problem as described in the recall issued by Hyundai. I"ve almost been in accidents because you press on the gas to go and it hesitates,l. What can I do? My Vin number is [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
loss of power, transmission slipping. unable to get car to move creating hazard. happened 5 times. Diagnosed by dealer as systemic transmission component failure and known issue. many of the same complaints on internet, Code p1921
Related recalls
Power train: automatic transmission: fluid/lubricant: pump
- What is wrong
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Palisade Tucson, 2023 Sonata, Elantra, and Kona vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump controller to overheat.
- Risk
- An electric oil pump assembly that overheats increases the risk of a vehicle fire.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the electric oil pump controller, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed starting September 7, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1‑855‑371‑9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 246.
Recall number 23V526000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission: cooling unit and lines
- What is wrong
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011 Hyundai Tucson vehicles manufactured July 22, 2010, to October 31, 2010. The affected vehicles have a transmission fluid cooler hose that may have been improperly manufactured, resulting in a transmission fluid leak.
- Risk
- If enough transmission fluid leaks out, the transmission may not function properly and the vehicle may stop moving, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transmission fluid cooler hose, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 25, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1‑800‑633‑5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 139.
Recall number 16V057000 · Recall details
Questions about the Hyundai Tucson slipping
Which Hyundai Tucson years have transmission slipping problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2016 (31 complaints), 2017 (20 complaints) and 2018 (3 complaints).
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