CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2016 Tucson comes with a dual-clutch, 7-speed transmission. But Hyundai forgot to tell you about one key phrase – zero-move. That's right, an alarming number of owners have said their SUV wouldn't accelerate after a stop.
Turns out that's because the transmission's application logic has been stumbling all over itself. Hyundai recalled the issue in September 2016, but it's difficult to say if owners are out-of-the-woods, or if this is just a sign of things to come.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 17
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
21,716 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.
Was driving down busy road when engine suddenly knocked violently and shut off rendering car inoperable. Inspection revealed low oil, despite not being due for an oil change after and no visible/identifiable leaks. Investigation by mechanic resulted in being told that numerous Hyundai engines like this are having the same problems and need total engine replacements. The call only had 70,000. Dealership said they see one a week.
The vehicle does not accelerate entering roadway, transmission replaced in 2022, catalytic convertor replaced in 2024. Several instances occurred when entering highway vehicle lost power and failed to merge safely, ultimately requiring hasty exit to roadside to avoid collision. The vehicle was purchased used but has been a safety risk since purchase date. Originally diagnosed transmission, then catalytic convertor, then knock control sensor. Engine oil is replaced more often than routine maintenance and refilled in between oil changes. Autonation Hyundai Mall of Georgia originally assisted with transmission replacement Feb 2022, catalytic convertor was replaced in Mar 2024. The vehicle has been parked for considerable time while insurance and car payments continue. In Feb 2025 my daughter was driving and was nearly rear ended when vehicle failed to accelerate, it has primarily parked since that time while exploring repairs. Car fails [XXX] enroute to game. Last quote to repair catalytic convertor was Total Automotive in Gainesville Ga. around 19 May 2025. I believe this vehicle poses a significant safety risk due to acceleration delays, all attempts to resolve have been unsuccessful. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Was driving down busy city road when engine suddenly knocked violently and shut off rendering car inoperable as traffic had to go around my disabled vehicle. Inspection revealed low oil, despite filling 4 weeks prior after change and no visible/identifiable leaks. Investigation by mechanic resulted in being told that numerous Hyundai engines like this are having the same problems and need total engine replacements. They said that they "see this at least once a week in these Hyundai's and Kia's". There were no warning lights or anything prior to the event.
I-??ve been having ongoing issues with my 2016 Hyundai Tucson where the car struggles to accelerate, especially after stopping at red lights or pulling out into traffic. Sometimes, when I press the gas pedal, the car either hesitates badly or doesn-??t move at all. A few times it-??s completely stalled while trying to make turns or cross intersections, which has been really scary and dangerous. I did some research and found there was a known recall for this exact problem related to the Transmission Control Module software and the dual-clutch transmission. The symptoms described in the recall match mine perfectly, but when I checked my VIN, my vehicle isn-??t included. I haven-??t taken it to the dealer yet because I-??m worried I-??ll have to pay out of pocket for something that I believe is part of a known manufacturer issue.
- Forney, TX, USA
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My 2016 tuscon has been giving be problems. I went to the dealership awhile back and told them that the oil has been burning having and that there's a perk when I start my car. They did an oil change and told me that I needed to lube the gears up first before running it. I assumed it was because my warranty was ending and because I was a girl, that was a quick go away problem. Well eastward today. I put oil in the engine at least once a week or more. The car is in the shop, and the machanics at pep boys are saying this is a reoccurring problem for this type of car. Also that all 2016 are made with the same engine pretty much so they should all be recalled. They quoted me 10 grand for a used engine. I'm taking it to hyundai, the pep boys told me that it's the same issues as the other recalls
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving at approximately 15 MPH, the vehicle stalled and shuddered. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle remained at the residence. A dealer was contacted and made the contact aware of an unknown NHTSA Campaign Number; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
Car started to not accelerate when pressing on gas pedal the RPMs would not raise or lower during this time it could be on a hill or on a flat surface at any type of stops whether it was a stop sign or a stoplight it didn't matter how much gas you gave the car it would not move and then it would start bouncing what I would describe as hopping the car would start jerking constantly until you released off the gas and gave it more gas until it would finally go this was happening on highways or on city streets while driving down a highway my engine made a funky sound and it turns out my engine rods blue I went to the dealership they told me my car was safe to drive I continued driving my car until it started not shifting this was 3 days after going to the dealership. I called the dealership back told them I was bringing my car to them due to the issues it was having. After several weeks the dealership told me my car needed a brand new engine and transmission due to engine rods breaking transmission went out and metal in the oil filter. Not even 6 months later my car is have the exact same issues and my dealership is not want to do anything to fix my car even with having a warranty to cover everything they fixed.
The engine sometimes stalls and does not accelerate in relation to the pressure applied to the gas pedal. This has caused me scenarios where I am waiting to make a left turn and putter into the lane of opposing traffic, instead of accelerating through the turn. Another symptom of the engine is burning engine oil excessively. I am not aware if the issues are related or not.
Fuel injectors no warning-??went to get breaks checked, while they were checking them the engine light turned on after that they couldn-??t get my car to start again.
car is in limp mode, will not accelerate.Oil consultant over a few years.Dealership has requested new engine twice and denied by Hyundai USA.i have to put flashers on just to get on highway so im not killed.I will drive down the street and back and my engine will be extremely hot for hours.I am limited to my hometown only.I can not go out of my hometown due to heat of engine and blowing hoses and water pumps which has happened.This car is a danger and I am in financial burden to high repairs and excuses from dealerships.i have spent over 16,000 dollars and 3 catalyc converters later due to clogging, in result to oul consumption.This car is a lemon and has ruined my life for the last 3/4 years.lots of stress and financial expenses only to have the same problem
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shook abnormally with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact noticed an oil odor. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact's father, who is an independent mechanic, inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the vehicle with oil consumption and engine failure. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to monitor the exhaust for smoke and add oil daily. In addition, two days later the contact attempted to start the vehicle, and the vehicle started after several attempts. The was an abnormal oil odor entering the vehicle through the vents. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.
I reported the vehicle to Dealer for above oil consumption, which they confirmed with service check of oil level. Vehicle often stammered and failed to accelerate upon purchase. This vehicle stammered and Engine began to smoke. Vehicle could started first, turned unit off. Vehicle is being towed to shop for diagnostic results.
The exhaust manifold and turbocharger assembly have cracked, causing exhaust gases-?"including carbon monoxide-?"to leak into the cabin. This issue was confirmed by diagnostic testing at Burns Hyundai. The defective component is still installed on the vehicle and has been inspected upon request, costing me over $200 without any suggested reimbursement after I already told them the problem before testing. The cracked exhaust manifold allows carbon monoxide to enter the vehicle-??s interior, posing a serious risk of carbon monoxide poisoning to both the driver and passengers. Additionally, the vehicle-??s engine performance has been negatively affected, which could lead to unexpected failures while driving. Yes. Burns Hyundai conducted diagnostic testing and confirmed the issue, identifying cracks in both the exhaust manifold and turbocharger assembly. Despite this confirmation, Hyundai corporate has refused to cover the repair under warranty. The vehicle has been inspected and diagnosed by a Hyundai dealership service center (Burns Hyundai), and the issue has been reported to Hyundai corporate for review. No inspections have been conducted by law enforcement or insurance representatives at this time. Yes. Prior to the diagnosis, I experienced engine performance issues, including reduced power and inefficiencies, which I reported to Burlington Hyundai in 2021, when the vehicle was still under warranty. At that time, the exact cause was not properly addressed. The problem has since worsened, leading to the recent discovery of the cracked manifold. No specific dashboard warning lights were illuminated for this issue.
Vehicle has shown signs of engine failure for the past two years, all indicating impending need for engine replacement in alignment with engine recall that was issued for vehicle (customer case # [XXX]). Vehicle has been seen for diagnostics related to this problem where both Hyundai in Fredericksburg as well as Springfield Virginia confirmed that the engine was failing. Both dealerships refused to service car (which was under full warranty) because they were prioritizing cars who had already experienced full engine failure. Dealership advised that they could do nothing per the manufacturer until the vehicle experienced full engine failure. They acknowledged that it was a safety risk to myself, passengers & other drivers. The engine has now completely failed, leaving me stranded on [XXX] in the cold winter months & having to pay to have the vehicle towed. It is apparent from my service history report that I took all due diligence in attempting to have Hyundai attend to the engine of this vehicle while under warranty and they flat out refused, citing multiple different reasons. I am requesting a safety inspector come to investigate both the dealerships, the service report history, and the vehicle itself. My legal team is at this point just waiting for me to be offered engine replacement (out of pocket per Hyundai) and once that transaction is complete we are fully prepared to file suit for negligence. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
All my doors stick and sometimes I have to fight with my car to even get a door open. Also, when trying to accelerate sometimes my throttle response is slow and i will not move for a few seconds.
On [XXX], I purchased a 2016 Hyundai Tucson Sport, at the Landover-Jaguar South Hills dealer in Canonsburg, PA. On [XXX] the -??check engine-?? light came on. Since I was 2 hours from home, I purchased a code reader to assess the issue. It read -??A P0420 code-??. I researched potential reasons for this code but returned the car to the dealer who performed additional checks and gave the car a -??clean bill of health-??. On [XXX], I was driving home from about 16 miles away and lost power. A slew of dash lights came on, and I was forced to pull over. I smelled something burning. As I stopped, the smoke from the engine became apparent. The car right behind me pulled up and asked if I knew my car was on fire. Another bystander pulled over and extinguished the fire in my engine. This happened on one of the busier roads in the area and if the vehicle exploded it could have been much worse for all of us. This vehicle is currently sitting at Bowser Hyundai in Pittsburgh and is available for inspection. This engine fire and fail is not a maintenance issue but is clearly a result of a manufacture issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Knoxville , TN, USA