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 5 of 17)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #254

Mar 292021

Tucson

  • 0 miles

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

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle almost stalled. The contact heard an abnormal popping sound. The contact stated that the vehicle began to lose motive power. The accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact then smelled an abnormal burning odor. The contact stated that when she attempted to depress the brake pedal, the pedal became very stiff. The contact stated that the check engine and battery warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to pull off the roadway and the vehicle stalled. The contact had difficulty shifting the vehicle into park(P) and was unable to restart the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V226000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was unknown.

- Gainesville, GA, USA

problem #253

Mar 012023

Tucson

  • miles
We never missed a service on the vehicle and with 1,000 miles until the next oil change the engine light came on. The oil had dried out with nothing leaking. The engine seemed to just be burning through oil far quicker then the recommended time to get your oil changed.

- Hendersonville, TN, USA

problem #252

Feb 262023

Tucson

  • miles
On Sunday, February 26, 2023, as I was en route to my home in Liberty Hill, Texas, I heard a noise from what seemed to be under the hood. The noise sounded somewhat like a card in bike spokes. No warning lights were lit. When I arrived home, I had a neighbor listen to the noise. His opinion was that it sounded like the rods & to take it to a mechanic. I had a friend take me to the nearest garage/mechanic on Monday to make an appointment. I took my car to Cross Tech Automotive at 8 am on February 28. The 5 miles to Cross Tech was the only time I drove the car after the initial noise on Sunday 2/26/2023. The technician remarked that it was crazy that no warning lights were on, given the noise made by my car. After the car was examined, I was told that my car had no oil in it. I had routine oil changes done throughout the time I owned the car since late 2015. In fact, I-??d asked the mechanics to do an oil change while the car was in their facility. There were never any oil on my driveway to alert me to a problem. There had been no sign of any problem until the noise I heard 2 days prior. And never a warning light of any kind. I was given an estimate of $12,000 to replace the motor, including labor. Because it didn-??t make sense to spend $12,000 on a vehicle that was likely worth $15,000 prior to this problem, it was necessary to buy a different car. After doing an internet search, I discovered that excess oil consumption appears to be a problem with 2016 Hyundai Tucsons, among other Hyundais and Kias. I was never made aware of any issues by Hyundai Motor Company. The technician who diagnosed the problem wrote a brief description of what he found. I can provide this description. The invoice was for the diagnosis not repairs of any kind.

- Liberty Hill , TX, USA

problem #251

Feb 262023

Tucson

  • miles

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

Engine light came on Feb 26th car started shaking got it towed to the dealership morning of Feb 27th Was told: Foiled oil returning ring caused oil consumption, burning oil overheated valves and caused cylinder wall damage and 4 valves to burn holes in them leading to low engine compression and loss of power. Engine needs to be replaced to fully correct the issue. Hyundai is refusing to cover the cost because I am 2nd owner, even though my car has under 100,000 miles on it.

- Dennisport, MA, USA

problem #250

Jan 162023

Tucson

  • miles
The vehicle engine stopped working while on the interstate. The oil, battery and engine lights all came on with no warning. I was able to safely pull aside in order to avoid an accident. The vehicle was towed to the dealership where it was diagnosed to be an engine block failure. After doing my research I learned that Hyundai had a Theta Engine Settlement from 2021 however my 2016 Hyundai Tucson was not listed in the settlement. The years that were affected skipped 2016 and 2017. Online I have found many 2016 owners with the same issue. The vehicles built in 2016 and 2017 also needed to be reviewed for faulty engine blocks. This is a safety hazard. My vehicle has been in the dealership awaiting a new engine for over 7 weeks. Hyundai says that part is on backorder. There has been so many vehicles in need of a new engine due to the faulty block that the manufacturer can't keep up. And we are stuck paying car rental fees.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #249

Mar 032023

Tucson

  • miles
My car is currently around 126,000 miles. I got a tune up last year. About a week ago the car started to jumping and driving very slowly while I was on the highway. The check engine light started flashing so I pulled over. After a few minutes I attempted to drive up and the car made it. I spoke with my mechanic and scheduled to bring it into him after getting the check engine light code read. The codes were related to a misfire on spark plug 2 and 4. I then had those replaced. When picking up the car, my mechanic let me know that the engine was producing metal shaving and they were getting on the spark plugs which was causing the issues to keep according. He let me know I would probably need a new motor. After doing some research I found Hyundai Tucson around my same year have a similar issue with the motor going out very early in the cars life. I-??m not sure why they weren-??t already included but I believe the 2016 Hyundai Tucson need to be investigated for the issues as well. The car is only worth $7,000 with a working motor so it doesn-??t make sense to buy a new engine but I still own payment on this vehicle and it-??s completely unfair for Hyundai to vehicles like this and not take accountability. I-??m planning to get the code read on the car again and actually write down the number so I can reference it here for you information.

- Franklin, VA, USA

problem #248

Feb 272023

Tucson 4-cyl

  • miles

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

I am referring to two notices; see attached. Inability to accelerate from a Stop and Rough idle in drive. The dealership, DeMontrond Hyundai Service Center will not repair as a recall. Please advise. Thank you, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX]. Due to this problem, the car is hesitant to accelerate which causes problems INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Pearland, TX, USA

problem #247

Jun 102022

Tucson

  • miles
The Hyundai engine is defective and consumes oil at a rate of 5 quarts every 3,000 miles. It ran completely out of oil and left me stranded on the highway in rush hour traffic 3 hours from home. Several people were put at risk! No warning lights; no check engine and no oil light until the car stalled completely. I was able to add oil and get the car in limp mode to the dealership where they ran oil consumption tests, and it failed due to being 106k miles. The car was returned to me and I was told to watch the oil. Weeks later the car broke down again in the middle of the road. The spark plug tips were burnt completely off and there was a dime sized hole in a valve. Multiple mechanics outside of Hyundai agree that both the plugs and the valve damage are a direct result of the defective engine. Again, Hyundai has denied all claims and refuses to acknowledge any wrongdoing on their part, despite the amount of claims, lawsuits and upset customers stacked against them.

- Athens, OH, USA

problem #246

Dec 162022

Tucson

  • miles
There was a previous recall with some of these vehicles where car seems to have acceleration problem after being at stop and the vehicle has difficulty accelerating and shifting gears. This has happened while in the middle of traffic and driving which could have caused an accident. Not sure if it is something with the transmission or what the issue is. The vehicle has been taken twice to Hyundai Service centers and they cannot seem to find a problem but yet it still exists and is a safety hazard when suddenly the car stops accelerating after a stop. This seems to happen randomly and more often now. This was a previous recall for other same make, model and year vehicles but somehow ours was not included and I feel it is potentially having the same or similar issue. The vehicle is available for inspection. All the check engine and lights come on when the vehicle is turned off and then eventually turn off.

- Winter Garden, FL, USA

problem #245

Feb 012023

Tucson

  • miles
My vehicle is burning excessive amounts of oil and no leaks can be found. Almost one quart every 750 to 1,000 miles. The turbo went bad recently and had to be replaced at a cost of $1,400 which, I'm told, is possibly due to the oil consumption problem. All services have been done at Hyundai dealership every 3,000 - 5,000 miles. I travel the interstate every day and am worried about engine failure in rush-hour traffic. Dealership indicates the only thing they can do is replace engine at a cost of at least $12,000!!

- Chester, VA, USA

problem #244

Dec 272022

Tucson

  • miles

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

On December 27, 2022 I was driving on the highway (Interstate 64 in Illinois westbound exit 16) and my car's engine failed at around noon. It was working fine that morning. The car started giving a rattling sound and wasn't speeding up and the "low oil pressure" light came on. I got off the highway and as I was turning into a Valvoline the car completely stopped. It has been at a Hyundai dealership in St. Louis for the last month and a half and they do not feel this is something they are responsible for.

- St. Louis, MO, USA

problem #243

Feb 142023

Tucson

  • miles
Massive oil consumption issue that lead to a knocking motor and my wife and kids stranded on the side of the interstate.

- Terry , MS, USA

problem #242

Oct 232022

Tucson

  • miles
1. 04/2021 I purchased the 2016 Tucson (cash) with 70,000 miles from Automobile Consulting Services Bullhead City AZ. 2. 75,000 est miles oil change Valvoline, Bullhead city 3. 80,000 est miles oil change Valvoline, Bullhead City 4. 90,000 est Valvoline, Bullhead city oil change, fuel system cleaned, transmission flushed, air filter changed 95,000m est changed oil at a different establishment which I will retrieve records. 5. 6. 12/2021, Replaced battery December 12/29 /2021 ( High Desert Hyundai Kingman AZ ) Replaced Temperature Actuator $ 210 ( no heat for 2 weeks because of scheduling issues via High Desert Hyundai ),replaced cabin filter $30, 34 point inspection ( services dept. reported every thing is good), New tires all around 1. 102,000m est changed oil/filter at a different establishment wich I will retrieve records. 2. 108,000m est changed oil/filter Quality Care Auto, Bullhead City AZ 3. 113,000m est changed oil/filter Quality Care Auto, Bullhead City AZ 4. 118,000m est missing documents 5. 125,000m est missing documents 6. 09/ 12/ 2022 130,000m est changed oil/filter Quality Care Auto, Bullhead City, AZ 7. 09 /19/2022 34 point Inspection Quality Care Auto, Bullhead City AZ, NO ISSUES except brakes and shocks. 8. 09/26/2022 (Advice from the Inspection done at Auto Care/ I needed new brakes and Rotors with in the next 1,00 miles ) 09 /26/2022 Brake Masters # 176. Life time brakes service Package, All 4 Suspension Struts and Coil Spring assembly, Transmits Fluid FLUSH, Fuel Rail, PFI & GDI Service. 9. Drivers side door handle does not open without repeatedly 5-10 X-??s lifting up on the door handle, rear passenger, and drivers side door handles also stick and must be lifted several times. 10. 10/20 /2022 Returning from work I went to work-out at Planet fitness and parked the car.... No Engine Light or Oil light -??EVER-??since I-??ve owned the vehicle. After working-out I started the car and drove for about a mile. The engine began too sputter, and both the

- Bullhead City, AZ, USA

problem #241

Jul 042022

Tucson

  • miles
2022 my wife's 2016 engine began making a noise. This was a known safety problem with the engines but a recall was never issued. Instead there was a lawsuit against Hyundai in 2020 and 2021 in which consumers were compensated for their cost, or received a new engine.However, her engine went out in 2022. She did not get that benefit. Hyundai paid for a portion and she had to pay a portion for a new engine. This should have been a recall! Now currently 2022 & 2023, Hyundai's alarm is defective which is causing theft, and car jackings. This too is a known safety issue and nothing is being done unless she pays $550 for a security feature to be added to the vehicle. This is a problem! Hyundai should pay for this! She read that the Kia and Hyundai vehicles at issue don-??t come with an anti-theft device called an immobilizer, which uses a chip to authenticate a key against the car-??s electronic control unit. An immobilizer, which can be found in most modern cars, prevents the vehicle from being started if the key is not detected. It-??s also been reported that some of the windows in the affected vehicles may not be connected to the cars-?? security system, meaning they can be broken without the alarm being triggered, per the case. It stated, these vulnerabilities have caused thieves to view Kia and Hyundai vehicles as -??easy targets, -?? especially after a viral social media trend highlighted. Now State Farm announced they are not accepting new Hyundai customers. More than likely my insurance is going to increase and the value will decrease.I need this governing body to govern and have Hyundai right their wrong. Issue a recall and do what is best for the consumers and not the company! She has been in contact with Hyundai National Consumer Department and it appears that her communication efforts aren't successful. She purchased her first Hyundai Excel in 88.Our immediate family have since purchased four Hyundai's. DO THE RIGHT THING! ISSUE A RECALL. FROM A CONCERNED HUSBAND!

- Matteson, IL, USA

problem #240

Feb 012023

Tucson

  • miles
Engine started Knocking, check engine light came on and car went in to -??limp mode-??. Car needs new engine.

- Gurnee, IL, USA

problem #239

Nov 222022

Tucson

  • miles
My used 2016 Hyundai Tucson Eco, 1.6 Turbo, currently with 118,000 miles has been consuming 1 quart of oil every 500 miles. Unfortunately, my 5 year warranty by mileage has passed. Since the vehicle warning system doesn't have a low oil light; if you don't stay vigilant checking the oil level dipstick, the engine could fail and seize up during usage without warning, not ideal while driving the vehicle on the highway, which this vehicle does frequently. The vehicle was inspected by a Hyundai dealership service department and Hyundai indicated we do not qualify for engine replacement because the mileage is too high. Nothing in written was provided, just verbal notification. About $1,000 was spent on "cleaning" the engine and replacing the spark plugs and other effected components, with no improvement on oil consumption. After researching on-line, several sites indicate this type of engine failure for our model is common for the type of engine and Hyundai is well aware of it. Why no recall then? Also saw a few articles that Canada has recently recalled several Hyundai motors for similar issues for replacement. A rebuilt engine is around $5,000; not an option for us at this time.

- Hanover, PA, USA

problem #238

Jan 282023

Tucson

  • 55,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while accelerating, the vehicle started to lose motive power. The check engine warning light was intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed and the mechanic retrieved fault code: P1326 (KSDS). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the knock sensor detection system failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that she needed to provide proof of ownership. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

- Liberty, MO, USA

problem #237

Aug 152022

Tucson

  • 78,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

- Sheffield, PA, USA

problem #236

Jan 082023

Tucson

  • miles
The car started to shake while driving on the highway and it lost power causing it to slow down dramatically, the car driving behind almost hit my car. The issue started with the engine losing motor oil, the dealership said there were no oil leaks and maybe the head gasket needed to be replaced. After the incident one the highway, the car was towed to the closes dealership for service, after diagnosing it was determine that cylinders 1 and 2 are miss-firing and the piston were stuck making it loose compression. Dealer said that they have seen this before, but my VIN does not take part of a recall campaign with other cars having the same symptoms.

- Wesley Chapel, FL, USA

problem #235

Jan 062023

Tucson

  • miles
I heard a knocking sound on the morning on 1/6/22, immediately took it to a Hyundai (Capital Hyundai) dealership who informed me it was a known issue they are having to rebuild tons of engines. They would not be able to even look at my car for a few weeks, but I needed to leave it because the engine could seize at any moment. While thy offer loaner vehicles, I wasn't eligible because of the time before they even could look at my car. After paying to rentals out of pocket for two weeks, I received a call today to tell me that because I'm not the original owner (I'm the 2nd owner) they are not honoring the rebuild and I could pay them $8300 plus and additional $2500 to repair their known issue that their Service manager acknowledged. Not to mention Hyundai recent class action lawsuit in 2021. If that wasn't enough, I just received a call from Hyundai corporate office to say sorry if you were the original owner, we could help. I asked the representative if it was a company practice to use that as a deterrent from acknowledging their design/mechanical fault to save cost and she said I'll make a note of that. Is there anything I can do? My vehicle has been serviced every 3000 miles and I have my records. Considering contacting my attorney as well

- Greensboro, NC, USA

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