10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 7
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
66,770 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2013 Hyundai Tucson engine problems

engine problem

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2013 Hyundai Tucson Owner Comments (Page 1 of 7)

problem #140

Aug 162022

Tucson

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The automobile has 99,800 miles driven on it. While I was driving on the interstate, the engine seized up and shut off almost causing an accident and left me stranded 193 miles from home. The vehicle was inspected and there were metal shavings in the oil pan. A new engine is needed to repair this vehicle.

- Atoka, TN, USA

problem #139

Jul 242022

Tucson

  • miles
I was driving on the freeway and my engine started making a knowing sound. Then my car died. I pulled over to the side and couldn't even brake and I had to put the emergency brake on. Then when I tried to start my car it made a loud screeching noise from the engine so I turned it back off. I have had it checked out by a mechanic who says it's a rod bearing went out. It is common with my vehicle but my specific year hasn't been recalled but other years have been recalled for the same problem.

- Clovis, CA, USA

problem #138

Mar 122022

Tucson

  • miles
Engine made some rattling noise, then smoke came from muffler while driving on a highway. The vehicle stalled and the vehicle needed to be towed. The vehicle was inoperable (unable to start the engine)..

- Vienna, VA, USA

problem #137

Feb 082022

Tucson

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The vehicle has an engine oil leak at the oil pan gasket. This was previously recalled by Hyundai (19V063000) as potentially causing a sudden loss of power or rapid slowing of the vehicle during operation. The Hyundai dealership addressed that recall by placing RTV on the gasket. It appeared to fix the issue for a few months to a year. Then I noticed the vehicle was dripping oil and that it appeared to be coming from the oil pan gasket. The "fix" that Hyundai previously performed has stopped working resulting in the same safety issue as identified in the prior recall. My wife took the vehicle to a Hyundai dealership today and where they confirmed that it was leaking from the oil pan and quoted $396 to fix it. My wife was told that they would not remediate the safety issue since they already performed work for that recall and it had been a year. I feel this is a serious issue - that the work they did to resolve a safety recall has failed and they are unwilling to fix it. I wonder if the work to my vehicle was done correctly compared to others (did the remediation call for RTV to be used?), or if Hyundai did not take the correct approach to remediate the issue (should it have been a new, thicker gasket instead of the RTV?). In either case, the fix has failed and resulted in the same deficient safety condition stated in the prior recall.

- Elverson, PA, USA

problem #136

Nov 282021

Tucson

  • miles
This is in direct relation to Hyundai Recall Campaign 181. NHTSA recall # 19Vx-063. Engine stalled without warning - no engine light - in February of 2020. Vehicle was towed to a local certified and well known auto repair shop for $115. Owner of repair shop advised he looked for recalls and at that time, nothing was showing up for my vehicle and because the engine had 171,000 miles on it, we authorized him to locate the same engine (used) and install it. Cost to us, $5000. It wasn't until months (?) year (?) down the road that we received a recall notice from Hyundai; campaign recall 181. (Their letter's are not dated nor are the envelopes postmarked with dates, so I cannot provide those dates). My vehicle was slated to be inspected on 12/3/21; I advised the dealership that it is not the original engine, but the vehicle never made it to the inspection. The weekend prior to 12/3/21 (Thanksgiving weekend of 2021), the vehicle stalled (engine seized) on the highway at 65mph; lost power steering and it had to be towed. Our cost $310. We have a video where you can hear the awful grinding noises it made during that time. This time we towed the vehicle to the dealership where they confirmed the engine seized. Hyundai denied any claim to the engine seize. This used engine had less than 100,000 miles on it when it seized. We expected they would fix this one, but they told the dealership that since we did not get the 1st engine fixed by the dealership they won't replace the 2nd engine for us. We towed the vehicle back to our home where it is sitting. Safety was definitely a concern at 65mph and engine seizing; lost power steering. The problem has been confirmed by the dealership. No warning lights or messages; the grinding noise just came out of nowhere and the vehicle continued to lose power and stall on the side of the highway.

- Oak Grove, MN, USA

problem #135

Jan 132022

Tucson

  • 121,600 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that after her husband made a right turn at a low rate of speed, the engine ceased without warning. The vehicle failed to restart after multiple attempts. Due to the failure, her husband had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The manufacturer had been notified and informed her that there were no recalls on the vehicle; they offered no further assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the possession of the mechanic. The failure mileage was 121,600.

- Seabrook, TX, USA

problem #134

Dec 112021

Tucson

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My engine failed without any check engine lights prior. Started making a REALLY loud flapping noise when accelerating and would get worse the higher the RPM and the higher MPH. Even while coasting the noise was still prominent. It started around 12pm on 12/11/2021 and at 1:07pm (approximately 1 hour later) on the same day, it officially failed. The noise had started and gradually got worse while I was on the highway going approximately 65-70mph. I had stopped and pulled over shortly after it had started and made some calls to some certified Hyundai dealers to try and see what to do. I had made an appointment for first thing on Tuesday morning, 12/14/2021. I told them I would drop it off as soon as possible because I was sure it was going to blow. Tuesday appointment was the earliest appointment available at ANY Hyundai dealer within an acceptable/safe range. After I had made the calls, I proceeded to try and make it home. I was about 35-40 miles to home and my engine got EXTREMELY loud and not running properly. I was approximately 10 minutes from the dealership I bought my car from and I decided, if I made it there that I would leave the car there and not drive it home because I did not feel safe. About 45-60 seconds after the noise got so loud I couldn-€™t hear the radio. I was trying to find a safe spot to pull over but apparently didn-€™t make the decision in time because at 65-70mph (cruise control set at 67mph) my engine made a crash/boom sound then every light on my car-€™s dash lit up and car longer was functioning. I got pulled off to the curb immediately and shut the car off. Approx 5/2021, check engine came on, code read all cylinders were misfiring, spark pugs were changed because no engine failure was detected. My KDS recall serviced 11/27/2021, approximately 78,000-79,000 miles. Shop never mentioned and concerns with my car while it was there. Engine failed just over 80,000 miles.

- Omaha, NE, USA

problem #133

Nov 122021

Tucson

  • miles
The whole engine shut down as I was going 70 mph on an interstate. At that time both the oil light and battery light came on. Once I pulled over, I could smell burning wires and a haze of smoke started coming in through the front air vents. The SUV was towed first to my mechanic then to the Hyundai service center who said this was a recall defect and they would look into it. At the time of the failure, I was out of cell tower range, but able to make a 911 call from the side of the 4 lane interstate. I was able to put on my hazard lights. I received a ride home from a state trooper. The car had regular oil changes, tire rotations, and normal inspections. Nothing out of the ordinary; no concerns about the engine. No warning lights came on prior to the shut down. It was 100% out of the blue. The Hyundai service center has now informed me the 2013 Hyundai Tucson has an -€œopen campaign-€ recall on it (#966). They have extended coverage to repair/replace any engine under150,000 miles. My Tucson has 125,197 miles on it, but because I did not see their recall flyer in the mail, this service center is refusing to cover the expense of replacing the engine. Instead, they are asking me to foot the bill to the tune of $12,000. This is not an expired recall and a know issue by Hyundai.

- Stevens Point, WI, USA

problem #132

Sep 122021

Tucson

  • miles
Was driving at 70mph on the highway when the failure occurred. The engine began making a very loud knocking noise and I was thankfully able to safely pull over before the car completely shut down. No check engine or oil lamps turned on and there were no signs that the engine was failing. It just all of a sudden started knocking while driving on the highway and I was lucky to get to the side of the road without causing an accident or being stuck in the middle of the highway with a broken engine. Checked the oil and found metal shavings on the dipstick so I called a tow truck to have the vehicle towed to the dealership that last serviced it. The dealership initially kept telling me it was upper engine noise until I pushed them to actually tell me which part failed. They then finally admitted that it was one of the engine bearings. This failure was also 2 months after that same dealership had pulled the oil pan off and replaced the gasket and oil pressure sensor for an active recall. This seems to be a VERY common problem for this 2.4theta engine from Hyundai. Hyundai is refusing to warranty the engine and wants $9600 to replace the engine that failed and left me stranded on the highway 2hrs away from home. The vehicle has now been at the same dealership for over 2 months while I fight with Hyundai's warranty and customer service dept who keep denying my claim that the engine is defective and should be warrantied. While my car has been at this same dealership they have preformed another NEW active recall for programming the knock sensor to sense bearing failures on these engines. THIS NEW RECALL WORK WAS DONE WITHOUT MY CONSENT AND I DID NOT SIGN OFF ON THEM PREFORMING THIS WORK BECAUSE THE ENGINE HAS ALREADY HAD A BEARING FAILURE!!!

- North Aurora, IL, USA

problem #131

Sep 252021

Tucson

  • miles
Was driving on the highway at 74 mph when the engine started knocking and smelled of smoke, no other warning symptoms and all routine maintenance have been performed timely, in fact on-time pul change was performed the day before. I safely exited the highway and when I came to a complete stop at the end of the off ramp the oil, engine _ battery light came on and engine died. I checked the oil - it was clean and full. Had to get towed to a shop. They said the rod in the 4th cylinder is the culprit and requires a new engine ($7,500). I've called the Hyundai dealer and am waiting to hear back. Cars mileage is 139k and otherwise in excellent condition.

- Arvada, CO, USA

problem #130

Sep 262021

Tucson

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I have Only 113186 miles on my Tucson.I started hearing a engine knock while driving the vehicle and then the vehicle started stalling out.The next day I took it to my mechanic.He tested everything then he drained my oil and found metal shavings from the rod bearing and told me the engine was no good.I changed the oil at regular intervals.I found out they have a recall on the 2017-2018 Tucson's with bad bearing issues.The engine is the same as mine the 2.0

- Canyon Lake, CA, USA

problem #129

Sep 112021

Tucson

  • miles
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request" Engine failure while operating vehicle How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My wife, 2 children and myself were on a busy interstate and immediately lost all power from the engine, unable to accelerate. Had to navigate other vehicles to reach the shoulder where we were stranded for at least an hour. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The independent service center immediately cited well known issues with this specific 2.4L engine and recommended we go to the dealer. Awaiting the dealers feedback at this time. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Not at this time Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear" No; the vehicle was well maintained. The oil/fluid levels were appropriate before the start of the trip. No warning lamps or the like were present prior to the incident. No symptoms evident prior to the incident.

- Kenner, LA, USA

problem #128

Aug 292021

Tucson

  • 65,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the vehicle engine failed. When driving with the cruise control set at 70 mph, the engine emitted a loud knocking sound and the vehicle decelerated. The vehicle powered off and the vehicle rolled onto the road shoulder. The contact was able to open the hood and smoke emitted from under the hood and emitted an engine oil burnt odor. The vehicle was not towed to a dealer or mechanic to have a diagnostic performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 65,000.

- Reseda, CA, USA

problem #127

Jun 302021

Tucson

  • miles
Daughter was driving up a mountain pass. Suddenly engine emitted a puff of smoke and she pulled over. Car failed to start after. Noticed oil all over ground. Towed 100 miles over pass into Denver. Mechanic said it was engine failure with a hole blown in the engine. Mileage was only 90K. Well maintained. Insurance wouldn't cover and mechanic advised not to fix because it would require a complete engine overhaul for $6000.

- Denver, CO, USA

problem #126

Aug 242021

Tucson

  • miles
My 81 year old Mother was driving the vehicle when it just stopped on her on a busy intersection and a tow company and police had to be called. The tow company tried to jump the car and it did not work. The mechanic said that the engine is shot and it only has 124k miles and has been well taken care of and all recalls have been addressed. This is a hazardous and dangerous issue that could have ended badly. I contacted the Hyundai dealer that did my recall to check it and they do not have any appointments until 09-15-2021 which is 3 weeks away. I do not understand how a vehicle that has regular maintenance has the engine just go with no prior warning.

- Irvington, NJ, USA

problem #125

Jul 162021

Tucson

  • miles
2.4 Theta-II engine failed at 95k miles. The engine is the same engine recalled on the santa fe and sonata and dealer does not want to replace.

- Indian Trail, NC, USA

problem #124

Jul 042021

Tucson

  • miles
Driving on highway 65miles an hour plus, car started making horrible knocking/banging sound. No lights or indicators had went off. I pulled off highway and car just stopped and died. From full speed. Had I not pulled off the highway or was unable to get over it would have stopped without warning and someone could have hit me. I towed the vehicle straight to Hyundai. They told me it was internal engine failure in the lower bearing system. They recommended a full engine replacement. No warning lights. Car was maintained with ALL suggested maintenance and oil changes. My particular car is not under recall however this issue in the 2013 Hyundai happens too frequently for it to be a coincidence. In a well maintained car.

- Weymouth, MA, USA

problem #123

Jun 202021

Tucson

  • miles
Sunday june 20th 2021 My husband and Son were driving down the highway at 70mph (speed limit) suddenly and without warning the car died. He was unable to steer, with his defensive driving training he was able to veer to the side of the road. The engine oil and Battery indicator flashed AFTER he was pulled over to the side of the road. If it wasn't for my husbands training he would have had ZERO abilities to pull the car over. He is a truck driver and this incident scared him. The semi truck behind him almost slammed into him and the car coming twards him. He was worried about the safety of our family as well as everyone on the road. They were in an isolated location with no cell service. He and my son had to walk 5 miles in the 110° heat to call for help. I towed the car to a mechanic who looked at it. He said the oil pan was leaking from the seal. He dropped the pan to look at the damage, he instructed me to call Hyundai after learning there was a recall for that issue.

- Fallon, NV, USA

problem #122

Jun 012021

Tucson

  • 207,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and diagnosed by an independent mechanic as engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle was no longer under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 207,000.

- Brooksville, FL, USA

problem #121

Jun 102021

Tucson

  • miles
Driving vehicle, engine started knocking, noises got louder, engine stalled, caused 360 in the highway, was able to come to a stop on side of road. Inspected by mechanic, noted as engine failure, if vehicle would not have been stopped, would have caused fire in engine.

- Sumrall, MS, USA

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