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 / 14
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
23,782 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.

2016 Hyundai Tucson engine problems

engine problem

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2016 Hyundai Tucson Owner Comments (Page 3 of 17)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #294

Mar 082023

Tucson

  • miles

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

Prior to these oil changes and tires was completed and March 2023 engine light on and whining noise took it to Firestone twice they ran complete diagnosis twice and mechanic found no leak around the engine or leak in bottom and they recommended that I take it Hyundai dealership which I did that same month again Hyundai Service ran diagnosis and recommended replacing some air valve to fix the problem but the part needed to be ordered; again it took over six weeks to get appointment for service at this Hyundai Service dealership do said repair and I ask if I can still drive the car with engine light on they said it was o.k as long as engine light not was blinking. The next day engine light came on again and it took over six weeks to get appointment with Hyundai Service dealership in my area and the car sat in the driveway for over month. Now September 2023 same Hyundai Service ran engine diagnosis now need gasket and valve and they said engine failure because no oil in the engine and would cost $11K to replace. So please tell me in over month that car sat in driveway with no visible leaks in engine area and no leaks in the driveway, so where did the oil go and only answer I can deduce engine is defective.

- Clarksville, TN, USA

problem #293

Sep 012023

Tucson

  • 101,795 miles
My car has an engine oil leak that has been happening for over a year now since I bought it. I have to change my oil every 2,000 miles because of the leak, when Ive been told this car should be changing its oil for every 7,000 miles. My passenger door no longer opens from the outside once my car is unlocked. I have to put my window down in order to get inside and this is a safety hazard.

- Manassas, VA, USA

problem #292

Sep 012023

Tucson

  • miles
Recently the transmission was replaced because the original one was defective. After a couple of weeks, I had turned on the clean air control and it started blowing cold air, so I turned the heater control higher, and the air was even colder. I don't know why this started happening all of a sudden. I'm the type of driver that rarely turns on the heater or air conditioning, I always use the recycle air button that pulls from off the engine and from outside.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #291

Sep 032023

Tucson

  • miles

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

I bought a used 2016 Hyundai Tucson locally. Had the car 3 days, & both rear window actuators had to be replaced. Had the car a week, oil pump/pan seal failed. Then the rear seal fail. Then the boot on the right CV joint failed. The aAC started blowing hot on the passenger side, while cold on the driver side, but I DON-??T have dual controls for the temperature & it-??s full. Bluetooth randomly connects/disconnects. Gas gauge is inaccurate says 40 miles left & then suddenly your light is on & it says you-??ve 20. REPEATEDLY replaced my brake light bulbs/front turn signal bulbs, several times within a few months of each other, often on the same side. Having my phone plugged into the charging ports, the phone often overheats to the point of being too hot to touch. Even placed out of the sun-??s rays, & shaded. Must pull front passenger door 2x externally before it will open. RR passenger door you can pull all day/push from inside /outside, doesn-??t matter, WON-??T OPEN.The car is equipped with a CVT, which allows you to shift manually if needed. Then the transmission refused to shift automatically. No codes would show. Today car died on me in the middle of the road, while I was turning, check engine is on, & car refuses to start. I was almost hit by cross traffic from both directions. A few people drove around me, before two very nice young men pushed my car out of the middle of the road onto the shoulder of a county road, on a holiday weekend. If not for a Good Samaritan, I-??d have been walking 6 miles home in the dark. I-??m almost 50, & a woman, & diabetic. The car has plenty of oil & coolant. Tried putting the car in neutral, still won-??t start. Air filter is clean. Battery is good. Says it has gas; 40 miles til empty. Car tries to turn over but won-??t catch. Tachometer will barely register to the line above zero, & even giving it gas makes NO difference. Have been told it is the timing & transmission. Dealer won-??t honor extended warranty. Car has -??just-?? passed Hyundai warranty.

- New Boston , TX, USA

problem #290

May 102023

Tucson

  • miles
The engine is consuming oil that may cause mechanical failure while driving on a busy road or highway. At the last oil change the technician informed me that there was hardly any oil left in the car. When I took the car to Hyundai they confirmed that the engine was consuming oil. Hyundai Motors refuses to replace the engine. There are over 2 million recalls on the same type of engine that my car has but there isn-??t a recall for my car. Please help me hold the manufacturer responsible for this manufacturer defect.

- Fort Myers, FL, USA

problem #289

Sep 302022

Tucson

  • miles
I have been to multiple Hyundai dealerships, and opened about 3 to 4 Hyundai consumer cases; for WELL known engine problems. My vehicle has failed oil tests and combustion tests done by Hyundai dealers. Springfield Hyundai/ Genesis kept my vehicle for 5 months claiming they found issues with the engine that was consistent with the other vehicles recalled for obsessive oil consumption. After their findings, Hyundai corporate decided not to do any repairs, after 5 months! They claim my vehicle is out of warranty and can not carry through the goodwill repair/replacement. Hyundai corporate and I have proof of my engine complaints and failed oil tests before 100,000mi warranty expired (which is why Hyundai submitted a goodwill repair request on my behalf took the car in the first place). My vehicles VIN is not included in engine recall, nor the theft recall. My car has been driven away from the key fob multiple times through the years; indicating it can be stolen. My last communication with a Hyundai dealership, the service manager informed me that engines that have already failed can be submitted. Basically I and others that are trying to be proactive, will have to wait until the engine fails and possibly cause an accident, injuring or killing people!! Due to this fear myself and others have to check and get more frequent oil changes and travel with oil in the trunk to keep the engine from locking up on the highway. This vehicle continues stalling, hesitating, losing power, and loud knock engine noise. I have been complaining of the bad DCT system since 2017 (2nd complaint written to NHTSA). Before my limited warranty was expired I've been denied by corporate even when the dealership found issues and admitted Hyundai is screwing over thousands of people and I am just another one. I have every work order and oil change from day one, that indicates that I kept up with the maintenance of my vehicle. I believe Hyundai is not including VIN#s that should be included in recall

- Fredericksburg, VA, USA

problem #288

Jun 092023

Tucson

  • miles

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

Heading to Dallas from Houston. I got halfway to Dallas and my car started making this crazy knocking noise. Sound like a Go-Kart. Well we never made it to Dallas. Check engine light didn-??t come on until hours later. A knocking noise from the engine that increases in frequency as the engine rpm increases. Reduced power and/or hesitation and vibration. I realized my 2016 Hydaui did not have an engine recall on it even though it was a well known issue. Every year was recalled but my car. Called dealership and received no response. My car has 111k miles and is paid off. I have known complaints at the dealership on my oil change that it was burning oil before 3k miles. They looked as me as if I was exaggerating. Majority of the time the oil light never even came on.

- Katy, TX, USA

problem #287

Dec 012022

Tucson

  • miles
I recently purchased a 2016 Hyundai Tucson, Limited 1.6T. After a few weeks of driving I noticed it would shake when at a stoplight. It also loses acceleration and 'skips' when making turns, going over speed bumps or just taking off from a complete stop. There have also been times that I press the accelerator pedal and the car doesn't move. After researching I discovered this is a known issue and Hyundai issued a Technical Service Bulletin (number 21-AT-014H) in August 2021 instead of a recall. My vehicle had less than 40K miles on it when I purchased it (from a non-Hyundai used dealership) I took my car to a Hyundai service center, when I explained the problems to a technician, he suspected he knew exactly what the problem was. I chose to have them perform a "judder" test to confirm and the tech was right, it did in fact fail the judder test. In order to fix this issue, I have to have the entire clutch assembly replaced for approximately $2500. This issue is a huge safety risk and I believe Hyundai should issue a recall and fix this issue at no charge to the vehicle owner. I have read hundreds of similar complaints, they know there is a problem, they know how to fix the problem, the financial burden should not fall on the consumer.

- Albuquerque, NM, USA

problem #286

Aug 142023

Tucson

  • 129,222 miles
Engine consistently burns oil over federal regulations. This increased oil consumption has led to the catalytic converter to fail on the vehicle.

- Covington, LA, USA

problem #285

Aug 082023

Tucson

  • miles
Engine began ticking and knocking and needs complete replacement confirmed by independent service center. No warning lights came on, regular maintenance has been performed, including oil changes at dealership.

- Puyallup, WA, USA

problem #284

Aug 062023

Tucson

  • miles

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

1.6 Turbo engine failure while on freeway. Towed to mechanic, then informed needs new engine. This vehicle seized on the freeway

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #283

May 012023

Tucson

  • 94,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to reverse. After several attempts, the vehicle worked as designed. While approaching a stop, the vehicle was jerking. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #282

Jul 202023

Tucson

  • miles
Excessive oil consumption NM, replaced catalytic converter twice. Losing power again. 122450 miles. Trans mission slipping, not shifting into higher gear. Gas mpg down to 19mpg. Unsafe on highway, loses speed and revs too high

- Topeka, KS, USA

problem #281

Jul 262023

Tucson

  • miles
Entering on the 65 mph interstate. Tucson would not accelerate past 60 mph. When it reached 60 mph it rapidly lost power and speed. Air conditioner was on also. When accelerating while at a stop light or making a turn vehicle hesitates to accelerate. All occurrences of this happening A/c was on.

- Apex, NC, USA

problem #280

Jul 032023

Tucson

  • miles
There are four safety concerns I have with the 2016 Hyundai Tuscon: 1.) The Check Oil light failed to illuminate indicating the need for more oil. 2.) The excessive oil consumption may have caused my catalytic converter to misfire and melt. 3.) The Check Engine light failed to illuminate when my catalytic converter misfired and melted. 4.) The Knock Sensor (if it is bad), which is installed on my vehicle, could fail and not warn me about any engine problems. On 7/3/23, my vehicle was having a difficult time accelerating up a mountain. My brother and I also heard a rattling noise, so my brother drove to a safe place. I had my vehicle towed to a local auto service garage, where I was told the catalytic converter melted due to misfiring and that I needed to replace it. On 7/5/23, I had my vehicle towed to the closest Hyundai Dealership, where they confirmed that the vehicle's catalytic converter was melted due to misfiring. After researching the causes catalytic converters misfiring, I read several complaints about the said vehicle's oil consumption and poor acceleration. I suspect there might be a connection to the catalytic converter misfiring and melting. Incidentally, I have had two other incidents where my vehicle lacked acceleration and started shaking. One occurred on 12/28/22, while I was entering an intersection. The other happened on 4/1/23, while I was attempting to pass another vehicle. All three incidents could've ended tragically. The Check Engine light did illuminate during two of the incidents, but not the incident that occurred on 7/3/23. Additionally, the catalytic converter was previously tested on 12/31/22 and it didn't have any bad codes. Sparkplugs were also replaced on 12/31/22, and a 3-Step Fuel System Cleaning was done on 6/12/23. The Check Oil light only illuminated once since I have owned the vehicle, but failed to illuminate when my oil was getting low in between oil changes. My SUV is still in service waiting for a Catalytic Converter.

- Rocklin, CA, USA

problem #279

Jul 202020

Tucson

  • miles
The engine of my car is consuming several quarts of oil between oil changes. I have read that this is a common problem with some models of Hyundia vehicles. I have also read that this defect has led to engine failures and possibly fires.

- Lenoir City, TN, USA

problem #278

Mar 152021

Tucson

  • miles
Car is using more than one quart of oil per 1,000 miles. Car is not leaking oil and oil changes are done at the dealership every 3500 miles. Having to check oil levels constantly and keep quarts of oil in car to fill in case it is low. Hyundai St augustine dealership says there is not a problem.

- St Augustine, FL, USA

problem #277

Apr 172021

Tucson

  • miles
Engine is consuming oil and we are waiting for it to totally fail. We have a long list of things. These are notes from the end of the process when we gave up. I responded after the fourth consumption test on 11/28/2022 asking for them to re-open my case and have not heard from them so I called on 12/9/2022 to speak to my case manager. We started this journey with 118,000 miles and now we have close to 164,000. Went from 1qt every 1000 miles to 2qt-??s every 1000 miles. Had to get another case manager to leave a message for my case manager to call me back. I don-??t even know if they re opened my case. Hyundai has refused to admit the have a large issue with their GDI motors. They should not be consuming oil as much as they are. Only Theta motors are being covered in Non Turbo cars. This is my second vehicle currently owned with a gamma turbo motor. This one is waiting to fail and the other one has failed.

- Blanchard , OK, USA

problem #276

Jul 052023

Tucson

  • 118,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the vehicle was serviced under warranty and the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) was replaced; however, after the repair, while driving 62 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The contact stated that he drove the vehicle back to the dealer and was informed by the mechanic that there would be a cost for the repair. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

- Moscow, ID, USA

problem #275

Feb 202023

Tucson

  • miles
I purchased a 2016 Hyundai Tuscon new in April 2017. From the beginning I felt there were issues with this vehicle but was also told that everything was fine. In 2019 the car stopped getting power and I was unable to go over 60mph on the highway. Hyundai said it had run out of oil but I had always gotten my oil changes from Hyundai directly. Also- no alert that my oil was low every came on. They replaced the engine or parts of it but I was still required to pay about $3,000 at the time. In Jan. of this year I realized that the car was not running as it should. Hyundai in Milford, CT had me pay for the oil change and also pay for the oil consumption test. On Feb. 20th I was approved for a new engine. I have been given multiple dates of when I my car would be repaired with the last date being May 17, 2023. I have not heard anything from Hyundai. I submitted a complaint with Hyundai corporate (21515374) and they have done nothing except tell me that they are still waiting for an answer as well. I am afraid to drive my vehicle long distances and do not know what kind of service I should get while waiting for a new engine. I am now carrying oil around in my vehicle but think that this is horrible wrong. I am still paying almost $600 a month for a vehicle that I am afraid to drive and I have not received any answers from anyone regarding when my repairs will be done or even getting a rental while I wait. After reading hundreds of other complaints this seems to be an issue with Hyundai and everyone says the same thing about the oil warning light not coming on at all. I purchased my vehicle from Hyundai in Milford, CT.

- Bridgeport, CT, USA

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