EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2005 Hyundai Tucson
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 185 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2005 Hyundai Tucson, most frequently naming the engine, airbags and electrical categories. 8 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 67 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 2012 | 1 | 100 |
| Jun 2012 | 2 | 102 |
| Jul 2012 | 3 | 105 |
| Aug 2012 | 1 | 106 |
| Nov 2012 | 2 | 108 |
| Jun 2013 | 2 | 110 |
| Jul 2013 | 3 | 113 |
| Aug 2013 | 1 | 114 |
| Sep 2013 | 2 | 116 |
| Apr 2014 | 1 | 117 |
| May 2014 | 1 | 118 |
| Jun 2014 | 2 | 120 |
| Sep 2014 | 2 | 122 |
| Oct 2014 | 1 | 123 |
| Nov 2014 | 1 | 124 |
| Jan 2015 | 2 | 126 |
| Jul 2015 | 1 | 127 |
| Oct 2015 | 1 | 128 |
| Nov 2015 | 1 | 129 |
| Dec 2015 | 2 | 131 |
| Mar 2016 | 2 | 133 |
| Sep 2016 | 1 | 134 |
| Nov 2016 | 1 | 135 |
| Mar 2017 | 1 | 136 |
| Apr 2017 | 1 | 137 |
| Jun 2017 | 2 | 139 |
| Sep 2017 | 2 | 141 |
| Oct 2017 | 2 | 143 |
| Nov 2017 | 1 | 144 |
| Jan 2018 | 1 | 145 |
| Feb 2018 | 1 | 146 |
| May 2018 | 1 | 147 |
| Jun 2018 | 2 | 149 |
| Jul 2018 | 1 | 150 |
| Aug 2018 | 1 | 151 |
| Oct 2018 | 3 | 154 |
| Dec 2018 | 1 | 155 |
| Feb 2019 | 3 | 158 |
| Mar 2019 | 1 | 159 |
| Apr 2019 | 2 | 161 |
| Jun 2019 | 2 | 163 |
| Jul 2019 | 1 | 164 |
| Sep 2019 | 2 | 166 |
| Nov 2019 | 2 | 168 |
| Jan 2020 | 1 | 169 |
| Jun 2020 | 1 | 170 |
| Jul 2020 | 1 | 171 |
| Aug 2020 | 1 | 172 |
| Jan 2021 | 1 | 173 |
| Apr 2021 | 2 | 175 |
| May 2021 | 1 | 176 |
| Jan 2022 | 1 | 177 |
| Feb 2022 | 1 | 178 |
| Jun 2022 | 1 | 179 |
| Nov 2022 | 1 | 180 |
| Jan 2023 | 1 | 181 |
| Feb 2023 | 1 | 182 |
| Jul 2023 | 1 | 183 |
| Aug 2023 | 1 | 184 |
| Nov 2023 | 1 | 185 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Engine3814.7%
- Airbags3112.0%
- Electrical3112.0%
- Driver assistance2810.9%
- Body & structure207.8%
- Brakes187.0%
- Suspension155.8%
- Fuel system135.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
8 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govEXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Safety investigations
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
STOP LAMP SWITCH FAILURE
BY LETTER DATED APRIL 15, 2009, HYUNDAI NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 09V122) TO REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCHES ON MANY OF ITS MODEL YEAR 2005-2008 VEHICLES.SEE RECALL 09V122 FOR A COMPLETE LIST. THE AGENCY OPENED ITS INVESTIGATION BASED ON FIVE COMPLAINTS OF STOP LAMP FAILURE ACROSS SEVERAL 2007 HYUNDAI MODELS. THE AGENCY ALSO RECEIVED EARLY WARNING (EWR) REPORTS ON THIS ISSUE.MOST OF THOSE FAILURES WERE TRACED TO THE IMPROPER OPERATION OF THE STOP LAMP SWITCH THAT CONTROLS STOP LAMP ILLUMINATION.A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE'S BRAKE LIGHTS NOT TO LIGHT DURING BRAKING, OR ALTERNATIVELY, IT CAN CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO STAY LIT EVEN WHEN A DRIVER TAKES THE FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL. FAILURE OF THE STOP LAMPS TO ILLUMINATE PROPERLY CREATES THE HAZARD OF REAR END COLLISIONS WHEN DRIVERS FOLLOWING THE SUBJECT VEHICLE DO NOT RECOGNIZE THAT THE VEHICLE IS SLOWING OR STOPPING. HYUNDAI REPORTED ONE CRASH INCIDENT (A FRONTAL IMPACT), WITHOUT INJURY, THAT WAS ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THIS DEFECT.THE AGENCY REVIEWED THE INCIDENT AND CANNOT CONCLUDE THAT IT IS RELATED TO THIS DEFECT. THERE ARE OTHER POTENTIAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO FAILURE OF THE STOP LAMP SWITCH: FAILURE OF THE CRUISE CONTROL TO DISENGAGE, INTERFERENCE WITH PROPER FUNCTIONING OF ANTILOCK BRAKES AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, AND INABILITY TO MOVE THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER OUT OF PARK POSITION.BASED ON THE ABOVE SAFETY RECALL, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
Caught on fire. Started under passager floor board. Burnt completely up
- NHTSA ID
- 11553467
- Incident
- Nov 3, 2023
I acquired my vehicle as a used car. Although, to my knowledge my vehicle air bags have not deployed, the air bag light is illuminated on my dash panel and this issue is preventing me from obtaining an updated vehicle registration in my state of residence (Delaware). Since the year make and model are listed under the "recall" section of the NHTSA website, specifically for an airbag issue, I am requesting information regarding what nest-steps I nay take to have this problem repaired by Hyundai without any cost to me.
- NHTSA ID
- 11538428
- Incident
- Mar 10, 2022
The contact owns a 2005 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the front passenger side air bag wiring harness; however, the part was discontinued. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 75,880.
- NHTSA ID
- 11533224
- Incident
- Jun 28, 2023
- Mileage
- 75,880 mi
This car accelerates while unattended. Most likely due to an ECM malfunction and unable to properly respond/send signals to the motor. On 4 occasions, the car has accelerated, even if in park. It will go 25mph on its own and to stop I had to put it in neutral. I’ve seen that my car isn’t the only one experiencing this. Considering it’s an ECM issue there should be a recall because that is not a part you change during the life of a car.
- NHTSA ID
- 11505063
- Incident
- Jan 31, 2023
ESP off ligh comes on and off have to turn suv off to ture light off Had report it to nhtsa twice but no one replied 2/28/22 # 05V119000 2/14/22 #11454471
- NHTSA ID
- 11501574
- Incident
- Feb 14, 2022
The contact owns a 2005 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving 65 MPH and attempting to accelerate, the RPM failed to raise, and the vehicle failed to respond. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11492859
- Incident
- Oct 25, 2022
- Mileage
- 105,000 mi
Air bag light on dashboard Esp light comes on and off
- NHTSA ID
- 11469714
- Incident
- Jun 9, 2022
The contact owns a 2005 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) warning light was illuminated. The contact parked on the side of the road and restarted the vehicle. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the warning light disappeared. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11454471
- Incident
- Feb 14, 2022
- Mileage
- 109,000 mi
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
AIR BAGS
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN), that have been identified in U.S. vehicles following prior crashes, theft, or non‑certified airbag replacements. These inflators are not approved for use, may rupture during deployment, and have caused serious injuries and fatalities. Please see attached announcement, provided by NHTSA, for more details.
AIR BAGS
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN). These inflators were not supplied, approved, or authorized by the vehicle manufacturers and have primarily been found in vehicles that previously experienced a crash and underwent airbag replacement using non-genuine parts. These dangerous inflators have ruptured during deployment, posing a serious risk of injury or death due to metal fragments entering the vehicle cabin. To date, Hyundai is aware of three people who have died while driving a Hyundai vehicle with one of these substandard replacement airbag inflators that deployed in what likely would have been a survivable crash. NHTSA has issued a public advisory urging vehicle owners and service professionals to have vehicles inspected if there is reason to believe that a non-genuine replacement airbag may have been installed. Vehicles with salvage or rebuilt titles, prior airbag deployments, or unknown repair histories may present a higher risk. NHTSA strongly cautions against self-inspection by vehicle owners and recommends inspection by trained technicians.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of condensation inside the lamp assembly. Lamp assembly replacement is NOT necessary in most cases. This condition can be eliminated by turning on the lamps with the engine running for several minutes or during normal driving operation.
VISIBILITY; VISIBILITY/WIPER
This bulletin contains information about the proper removal of the windshield wiper blade protective cover on all models. If the protective cover is not removed correctly, there is a possibility of the rubber insert and rail spring becoming partially separated on the inner side of the wiper blade, which could lead to poor wiping performance and/or possible scratching of the windshield glass. Follow the procedure in this bulletin to properly remove the windshield wiper blade protective cover on all new wiper blades.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Hyundai applies a Paint Protection Film (PPF) on new vehicles before delivery to dealerships. It provides a barrier between the paint and contaminants, such as rail dust, acid rain, and industrial fallout. In rare cases, the paint can become clouded under the PPF. These spots are the result of moisture trapped between the PPF and the paint.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 54 | 5 | 0 | 71.6 |
| 2025 | 269 | 6 | 0 | 67.7 |
| 2024 | 90 | 4 | 0 | 63.6 |
| 2023 | 130 | 2 | 0 | 58.3 |
| 2022 | 370 | 3 | 2 | 63.8 |
| 2021 | 76 | 1 | 1 | 61.1 |
| 2020 | 175 | 1 | 1 | 53.8 |
| 2019 | 371 | 1 | 2 | 55.0 |
| 2018 | 389 | 1 | 1 | 54.1 |
| 2017 | 1,079 | 3 | 2 | 60.5 |
| 2016 | 1,615 | 5 | 1 | 55.4 |
| 2015 | 226 | 1 | 2 | 51.0 |
| 2014 | 200 | 2 | 2 | 55.8 |
| 2013 | 266 | 3 | 2 | 63.5 |
| 2012 | 254 | 3 | 3 | 62.9 |
| 2011 | 124 | 5 | 2 | 57.5 |
| 2010 | 57 | 4 | 2 | 56.5 |
| 2009 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 54.8 |
| 2008 | 43 | 1 | 0 | 46.0 |
| 2007 | 65 | 5 | 1 | 56.8 |
| 2006 | 135 | 5 | 1 | 58.8 |
| 2005Viewing | 185 | 8 | 1 | 55.9 |
| 2004 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.