2012 Hyundai Tucson Engine Problems

Vehicle suddenly slipped into limp mode. Vehicle was then immediately taken to have code read. Code came back P1326. Was advised due to previous recall campaign(s) to contact Hyundai of America for guidance. Was told that vehicle needed to be confirmed per the BCT at any Hyundai dealership to which the agent scheduled the appointment myself and that i should get the other 4 recalls fixed as well. My spouse drove the vehicle there and that was our last true communication verbally with Hyundai of America. Vehicle barely made it to the dealership and then spouse was offered a ride home an hour and a half later without paperwork or any type of understanding other than it would take time for the service team to get it on the BCT. A week later I was told it would cost $250. We have argued that we were never told it would cost anything as it relates to this major recall nor the others and in fact it would be performed at zero cost. Then, a service manager stated that now the vehicle needed $10k worth of work and began having finance firms contact me that he said were employed by Hyundai but are not. Here we are a month later, and still no vehicle and we have contacted Hyundai of America numerous times and have all communications regarding such contact and have gotten nowhere. We have yet to actually speak to someone over the phone. We were assigned a case manager who is now on vacation. We're without an income now because after not having transportation to work my partner has lost his job, and we are in dire condition. Inside of my vehicle that this dealership is holding hostage is my infant’s car seat and a brand new catalytic converter. They have refused to communicate with me and supposedly with this case manager according to her emails. We are in need of help.

NHTSA ID

11753637

Incident

Jul 5, 2026

Engine started knocking luckily I was right by my mechanics place. They said needs new engine. Not to drive as a rod might go right through the engine. Only 98000 miles on it. Maintenance always done on time.

NHTSA ID

11736110

Incident

May 6, 2026

Car suddenly stalled on the interstate (sudden deceleration, could barely make it to the shoulder; engine and oil lights, loud knocking sound, burning smell); per Hyundai dealership, it is sudden engine rod failure. Hyundai recall 181 described this exact situation. If not for quick thinking and moving to the shoulder/shutting down the engine immediately, there was a high chance of either being hit by other vehicles or engine fire. I could have been killed or severely injured. Yes, problem was confirmed by Hyundai dealership. No warning prior to sudden deceleration. Engine and oil warning lamps did not appear until after sudden drop in speed, followed by burning smell.

NHTSA ID

11627693

Incident

Nov 9, 2024

My 2012 Tucson started dumping large amounts of oil. Would be ok not dumping then would start drastically using then stop again. Vehicle ran fine then it started doing this maybe 3 months into this approx a week ago it started making noises coming from the motor. It is doing as I was told the motors Hyunda has recalled already done yet it is not listed in that recall. From what I understand it is a fire hazard as well as a road safety hazard due to it possible stalling. I have has 2 mechanics tell me it's pertains to the recalled motors. To see if it's a issue I'm expected to pay the dealership to evaluate this issue which is unfair to me You can clearly hear and see the issue is there. Why is it I am having to miss work, delay bills, be without transportation for them to acknowledge this concern. Please tell me there is a alternate solution help anything?!

NHTSA ID

11609346

Incident

Aug 15, 2024

The contact owned a 2012 Hyundai Tucson. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and 19V063000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and requested to be removed from the recall distribution list. The manufacturer was contacted.

NHTSA ID

11596111

Incident

Jun 24, 2024

Customer was driving down the road when he brakes were not functioning properly. The vehicle began to smoke and she pulled over and the fire started under the hood. We are the insurance carrier that paid for the damages.

NHTSA ID

11589585

Incident

May 14, 2024

I was driving on the road way and the entire engine seized. I had to glide over to the side of the roadway and call AAA. I called Route 1 Hyundai, where the car was originally bought, 7324126502 brand new in 2012. and they told me no warranty on vehical. I had vehical towed to a mechanic in Hightstown, NJ and they told me to check that he just put in a new engine in the same car covered under a class action lawsuit for the same problem. I called the dealership service manager William, and they told me that they are not willing to do anything. I am the original owner and what happened was very dangerous and I could have lost my life! I usually drive on highway going 65mph. This could have been a catastrophe with no warning!!

NHTSA ID

11582504

Incident

Apr 10, 2024

On [XXX], Gas pedal failed to accelerate car while transitioning from [XXX\ on-ramp to the highway lane. Was able to steer car to shoulder before momentum dissipated. Warning lights for oil and motor were illuminated on dash. No power steering. Turned off motor. Restarted car eventually. Warning lights not illuminated. Gas pedal worked. Drove about 30 minutes to dealer. Hyundai did agree to replace motor and I paid a fraction of the cost ([XXX]). Since then, they have agreed to reimburse me for my cost. However, an oil leak was detected at the dealer two months ([XXX]) after receiving the car + rebuilt motor. Dealer has tried 4 more times to fix the VERY slow oil leak. Leak is still not fixed. Service dept now not returning my call (2/2/2023). Have called Hyundai customer care 800# and obtained a case number. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11569625

Incident

Dec 5, 2019

Our [XXX] daughter was driving the vehicle from our home to work in Richmond Heights (approx. 19 miles) on [XXX] on {XXX]. At approximately [XXX] and before the [XXX] exit ([XXX] area), the vehicle made a load bang/popping noise, began to lose power, and the interior began to fill with smoke. She was driving in one of the center lanes and luckily made it over to the right shoulder without incident despite traffic and the smoke impairing her view and use of the rear and side mirrors. She immediately got out and called 911. Luckily there was no accident involved and she was not trapped in the vehicle. She was not injured, just very shaken. The vehicle was on fire under the hood and eventually burst into flames. The Kirkwood City Police Officer called the Kirkwood Fire Department and Terry's Towing. The fire was put out, but not before causing the vehicle to be totaled (see photos). Terry's Towing towed the vehicle to its lot, where it is currently stored. The vehicle is a total loss. As we purchased the vehicle from a family member earlier in 2023 as a spare car for our 16yo son and 20yo daughter (when she's home on break from college) for local and short drives, we only carried liability insurance on it with Progressive. We were not aware of Hyundai Recall 251 / NHTSA Recall # 23V651000 until after this happened to our daughter. We have filed a case with Hyundai. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by them or anyone else. The vehicle was running fine. The ABS light had come on sometime prior to this incident. The vehicle was going in for an oil change and system check after the holidays. In the process of obtaining the fire department report. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11568090

Incident

Dec 28, 2023

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was smoke coming from the tailpipe and a gurgling sound was coming from the exhaust. Additionally, the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption. The vehicle was taken to the local service center who diagnosed that the engine oil was present inside the engine cylinder and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 137,000.

NHTSA ID

11564391

Incident

Mar 1, 2021

Mileage

137,000 mi

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while having an oil change by an independent mechanic, the contact was informed there was a leak in the engine compartment. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact called another local dealer, Vallejo Hyundai (3266 Sonoma Blvd., Vallejo, CA 94590). The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11559535

Incident

Nov 27, 2023

Mileage

180,000 mi

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the vehicle made abnormal knocking sounds. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was referred to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The contact received a notification for Hyundai Campaign Number: 966. Additionally, the contact received an unknown NHTSA Campaign Number however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was eligible for repair. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11558310

Incident

Dec 4, 2022

Three months ago, I was driving my car when the engine shut down while I was driving on the highway. I was able to pull over safely, however, I could have been in a fatal accident as my engine could no longer accelerate while I was on the highway. My car has been sitting in the Hyundai dealership since September 9 when the incident occurred, with Hyundai stating it can take 6-8 months. This has since placed my financial situation at a personal difficulty as the dealership has not been able to even diagnose car yet as they’ve stated, many other cars have the same issue that are ahead of mine. I tried reaching out to Hyundai customer support to get a rental car, but they said they cannot provide one until a proper diagnosis has been met so I would have to pay out-of-pocket until then, which I don’t know for sure if the rental will for sure be covered in full, much less I cannot afford to pay out of pocket in the meantime anyhow. If Hyundai could send a certified diagnosis to the customer support, that would then allow them to fund a rental car while the dealership finishes repairing the engine.

NHTSA ID

11558098

Incident

Sep 9, 2023

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard a grinding sound under the hood. The contact then stated that he heard a loud clunk sound and the vehicle then swerved across the road almost causing a crash. The contact was able to regain control of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle then stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to navigate the vehicle off the roadway. The contact then stated that he smelled an oil odor and a noticed a trail of oil on the ground and pieces of the piston rods. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that, the day before the failure, the vehicle was taken to the dealer and repaired under Manufacturer Recall Number: 993,999,966. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number and advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 169,374.

NHTSA ID

11525092

Incident

Jun 1, 2023

Mileage

169,374 mi

While driving my vehicle I accidentally knocked it out of gear and into neutral when I did the car died I was able to pull off of the interstate onto the shoulder where it was scary there were cars passing me at 70 mph, with very little room the car will not start the engine will crank a half of a crank and then freeze up. It had to be towed home where it remains broken down. I don't know if it's the engine I don't know if it's electrical but it will not start the battery is fine the alternator is fine I reported it to Hyundai's consumer hotline and was told to take it to a dealer and have it looked at but the car is not drivable I cannot afford another tow bill to have it taken to a Hyundai mechanic

NHTSA ID

11521260

Incident

May 8, 2023

Hola el motor del auto se tranc Hello the engine of the car stalled

NHTSA ID

11518785

Incident

Apr 23, 2023

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled and entered into Limp Mode without warning. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V063000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) which she linked to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 141,000.

NHTSA ID

11485917

Incident

Jul 1, 2021

Mileage

141,000 mi

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle lost all motive power and stalled without warning. The vehicle was eventually towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted or notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11485798

Incident

Sep 16, 2022

Mileage

100,000 mi

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that she had a routine recall repair completed at the dealer however, while attempting to leave, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who informed the contact that a diagnostic test was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to a manager. The approximate failure mileage was 155,000.

NHTSA ID

11484008

Incident

Sep 10, 2022

Mileage

155,000 mi

I was driving down the interstate, going approximately 70mph, and my 2012 Hyundai Tucson started having difficulty maintaining speed. The engine started revving up while the car was still slowing down. Suddenly, I felt a knock and smoke started bellowing out of the engine bay. I pulled over immediately, opened the hood to inspect, and was almost burnt by the flames. There was a fire near the back of the engine block which I was able to put out with some water. I had my vehicle towed to the Hyundai of West Allis in Wisconsin. The dealership and a corporate Hyundai inspector determined that the cause of the fire was a thrown engine rod. There were no signs of issues or engine lights prior to this event. My Tucson has been at the dealership for nearly two months. After tens of hours dealing with Hyundai customer service and the dealership, both entities decided that they will do nothing to remedy the situation. My Hyundai vehicle has the 2.4L Theta II engine which is clearly implicated in the recent class action lawsuit against Hyundai for faulty engines. There is a recall for the rod bearing which was the direct cause of my engine throwing a rod and causing the fire.

NHTSA ID

11483215

Incident

May 24, 2022

Driving home doing about 70 mph, i perchased this vehicle directly from a Hyundai Dealership, (112,445 at time of perchase) I had the vehicle for about a month and half, the vehicle did not give me any warnings until it randomly started to rev high while on the highway and very quickly after that I heard a clanking noise and my dash lights came on and my car filled with white smoke I had to pull over and there was oil all over the back of my car, the dealer never told me exactly was was wrong (after it was fixed) with it besides it happened near the engine block, there have been reports of this engine breaking (Hyundai Theta II 2.4L) due to faulty connecting rod bearing in the engine that may starve themselves of oil (there is actually a pending lawsuit for oil consumption) I believe this is what caused my engine to go. They gave me a different engine with 16,000 miles less (it has yet to break) At the dealership (where I bought it from)it took about a month and half to get it back it was “inspected” by my extended warranty and Hyundai mechanics, I was left without a loaner for two weeks and paid 106$ out of my pocket for a faulty engine, the dealership was kind enough to cover a big portion of it.

NHTSA ID

11470782

Incident

Jun 23, 2022

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Tucson. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V063000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer and had a recall remedy completed. The contact stated that three days later while driving 70 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The contact stated that the low oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to park at a nearby parking lot and checked the oil level and saw that the level was low. The contact added one-fourth of a quart of oil and restarted the vehicle but heard an abnormal noise. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the engine to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000. The consumer stated the replacing the engine costs $12,000 and this is the 2nd vehicle destroyed with an oil incident. This has cost her 2 engines, oil change, and a engine switch.

NHTSA ID

11469352

Incident

Aug 1, 2021

Mileage

180,000 mi

2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON Bought it used, 1 prior owner ~50K, very clean. Since is VERY well maintained (incl. oil changes). Periodic engine light off & on for no reason. NO other probs, no oil leaks EVER. All recalls done. Dealership checked 11/2021 when doing recall, didn't document, it's "a short in wiring", "expensive to fix" & blamed "not tightening gas cap"?! THEN...On freeway with no warning light, a loud "bang" noise heard, vehicle began shaking. Initially felt like flat tire, barely able to control, lost power but able to steer off highway, engine died. VERY, VERY dangerous situation in heavy traffic. During tow to dealership, found # to national recall center who assigned a case number & was told "it's being escalated nationally..a corporate case worker (CW) will call in 3-5 days". Told "tell dealership to give loaner car". No loaners b/c LONG waiting list. Corporate requested multiple exams & photos from dealership in search of "engine sludge" (shift blame technique "poor maintenance") none was found. Engine pictures pristine (per dealership) "like a new engine". Corporate even requested 1st owner records!? Diagnosis:"catastrophic engine failure" due to bearing failure, estimate ~$7K+ for new engine. Corporate offer: 80% of engine replacement cost w/parts warranty (1 yr/12K), no loaner car unless delay due to backorder. Owner gets to counter offer or discuss w/ CW whose role (apparently)is to negotiate w/owner. 3 wks, never rec'd call from anyone. Hrs, days, wks spent chasing elusive CW. "Cust. Care" answers "hello, what's VIN & mileage?". Forced to repeat same story over & over, finally learned CW out on PTO, no one reassigned (someone slipped w/ "we are SOO busy here"). Finally reached CW. Call #1: nice guy. Call #2: lied, blamed dealership, mean, shaming, told to quit calling, wasting HIS time. Take it or leave it on 80/20 deal to replace w/another Theta II (aka we never fixed our prob) engine. NEVER BUY HYUNDAI! SOMEONE COULD'VE DIED.

NHTSA ID

11461335

Incident

Mar 10, 2022

My 2012 Tucson engine, with 62,000 miles, locked up on 09/22/21 while I was on a trip, without warning & no check engine light came on. Luckily, I was able to coast to the small shoulder. It suddenly seized on a stretch of I15 in the mountains of the Mohave Desert. The engine completely stopped so suddenly that I was lucky I was able to coast to the shoulder. The shoulder was very narrow, so I was barely off a very busy highway, at night. The breakdown happened just before midnight. I was stuck on the side of the road as cars and trucks were flying by us, with little room to avoid hitting us. It took 4 hours to find someone who would tow my car. I was towed to Midas shop at a cost of $800. The Midas shop confirmed that my engine had seized, was full of oil, and no explanation for the engine seizing could be found. The only option was to replace the engine. I wanted a new one, but they could not find one. They found a "used" one from a 2012 Tucson, supposedly with 40,000 miles on it. The mechanic had to go to Huntington Beach to pick it up. He was amazed at the cost of the engine (much higher than they had paid for any other used engine). Ultimately the replacement cost $12,118.41. When I picked up my car on 10/15/21 I headed home to San Diego (170 miles). After approx 100 miles, the transmission suddenly stopped shifting into any gear. It would not come out of neutral. I was in a lane close enough to the shoulder to coast just far enough to get a few inches off the highway. Because it was a Friday evening, there were no auto shops open. I had no choice but to have the car towed to my house (70 miles) at a cost of $500. A local transmission shop diagnosed my transmission problem. It was due to failure of the part that pumps fluid into the transmission. Yet another problem that shouldn’t occur in a car with only 61,000 miles on it. The cost of the repair was $4,200. The failure of those parts put me in 2 very dangerous situations and cost me $20,000.

NHTSA ID

11454743

Incident

Sep 22, 2021

Air conditioning system was just replaced for $2000. A week later, car to a dealership for a recall. Two and a half weeks later, while driving, engine lights came on, hard to accelerate, then rattling noise from engine. My son was on way back to college and on a rural road with not too much traffic. He pulled over and was not able to restart car. Had to be towed to nearest town (between home and his school, about 1 1/2 hours from each). The repair shop said total engine failure. They investigated and not able to find a rebuilt engine because engine has too many problems and a used engine would be $8000 to install and would likely have same defect. The car only has 96,000 miles. We bought used, from a Hyundai dealership, with a good CarFax report. It was a safety problem because he could have been devastating if he was on a busy highway. Unfortunately, it happened in a scarcely populated area and he was stranded while it was getting dark waiting for the tow truck. No warning lights until time of engine breakdown. Car had just been seen at a service station and car dealership just days before breakdown. We cannot take chance of investing that much money into a car that would have same problem. Had to have car sold for scrap.

NHTSA ID

11448133

Incident

Jan 11, 2022