2013 Hyundai Tucson Engine Problems

I was driving on the highway going 65 mph and scared when the engine started clicking and shaking a tiny bit. Plus it was slowing down no matter what i did. Well in a 4 lane highway. There was No engine light, no previous issues. The car drove great until this issue. I had the car only 3 months. Now i am afraid to drive it because i had seen theres an engine recall online for my car. Once i saw the recalls i tried calling alot of my local Hyundai dealer ships and they denied me because of the mileage.when i bought the car it was at 180 mileage. At this point i am not sure what to do with the car, i am hoping it can get fixed.

NHTSA ID

11751801

Incident

Jun 17, 2026

My 2013 Hyundai Tucson with 89,417 miles experienced complete engine failure due to severe rod knock from connecting rod bearing wear. This vehicle was brought to our local Hyundai dealership with confirmed diagnosis. This is a well-documented manufacturing defect in the 2.4L Theta II engine. This vehicle was bought 10/28/205 with 29,494 miles. The vehicle was properly maintained with regular oil changes from time of purchase- records attached. Hyundai denied warranty coverage under the TXXM extended program citing incomplete Campaign 966 (KSDS software update) and improper maintenance. However, I never received any recall notices or campaign notifications. When inquiring about notices, Hyundai cited an address that I have not lived at for over 10 years. This sudden engine failure has left me without a vehicle with Hyundai refusing to address this known problem with their engines. I request that NHTSA investigate this issue as well as Hyundai's inadequate notification practices.

NHTSA ID

11741013

Incident

May 7, 2026

On Monday, [XXX], I was traveling northbound on [XXX] headed towards Roanoke from Salem at an approximate speed of 65 MPH. At approximately mile marker [XXX], before the exit to [XXX] , the vehicle started to lose power rapidly, and the car began to go into what I perceived as "limp mode" and was shaking. In an attempt to not be stranded on one of busiest and most dangerous highways in VA, I was able to get the vehicle pulled onto the shoulder of the on ramp of [XXX] going towards Roanoke. By this time, the vehicle had completely lost power and was not able to move, so I shut it off. At this point, I was stranded on the side of [XXX] , and extremely busy highway. This was a great safety concern, as the shoulder was very narrow and cars were moving through 2 lanes of traffic with many drivers exceeding 75 mph. My own personal safety was greatly jeopardized with the failure occurring with absolutely no warning and shutting off the car while on [XXX]. The vehicles failure was catastrophic and was undriveable. The vehicle was then towed to a nearby shop. There were no warnings whatsoever before this failure occurred. No engine lights were on beforehand, and the car drove completely fine and has been comprehensively maintained its entire life. The problem of a rod-bearing failure has been confirmed with a local service center, One Stop Automotive in Vinton. The Service Department at Southern Hyundai based in Roanoke VA is refusing to look at the vehicle and submit a claim to Hyundai USA , even though the failure has already been confirmed by a licensed mechanic. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11733552

Incident

Mar 30, 2026

I am having issues with the main window switch for the second time. 1 out of 3 windows goes down but not back up. Also I took it for a check up and found nothing but the engine is making a loud noise and shakes the car when in drive. I don’t feel safe driving this car sometimes.

NHTSA ID

11715376

Incident

Jan 1, 2026

FIRSTOF ALL I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT THE RECALLS WHICH NEED TO BE COMPLETED. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY THE ENGINE BLEW UP AND CAR BROKE DOWN. THERE IS A HOLE IN THE ENGINE, I TOWED THE CAR TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT THE ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE OCCURED BECAUSE THE RECALL WAS NOT COMPLETED. I TOWED THE CAR TO HYUNDAI IN PARAMUS WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR. THIS DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO FIX MY CAR CLAIMING I NEED TO PAY A DIAGNOSTIC FEE OF $800. I ADVISED THEM THAT I SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBE FOR THIS FEE AS THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO MANUFACURER ISSUE. THEY HAVE MY CAR FOR 2 WEEKS NOW AND EVERYTIME I CALL THEY ASK FOR MONEY AND HANG UP THE PHONE. RECALLS SHOULD BE FOR FREE, ITS THE LAW.

NHTSA ID

11614134

Incident

Aug 19, 2024

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was serviced under Technical Service Bulletin: 22-01-028H-1. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH the following day, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was scary for the contact and her minor child who was a passenger in the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with the knock sensor failure. The contact was informed that the knock sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired under approval from the Manufacturer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed four days later, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the software update on older Hyundai vehicles was causing the engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer informed the contact that the repair was not eligible for coverage under Warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 213,000.

NHTSA ID

11606708

Incident

Jul 12, 2024

Mileage

213,000 mi

I recently had a car accident, which has made dealing with my car issues even more stressful. On April 23rd, I went for a recall appointment at Kerry Hyundai in Florence. While the anti-rust recall was covered, the mechanic informed me that the remedy for my specific issue wasn't available. This was surprising, as I received a letter stating that the remedy for my Tucson, identified by its VIN, was available as of April 3, 2024. This seems like clear negligence, and I need assistance from www.safercar.gov. Here is the message I sent and the responses from the Kerry representative. Unfortunately, I can't attach the screenshot. **Recall Notice:** - Date: 2024-04-03 - Manufacturer recall issued - NHTSA: #23V651000 - Recall: #251 ABS FUSE REPLACEMENT (VARIOUS MODELS) - Status: Remedy Available I urgently need an appointment before 9 am at the soonest available time for my 2013 Tucson recall. Despite my visit for another recall and this recall on April 23rd, the agent's responses were negligent. They claimed the Tucson is not under Hyundai Recall Number: 251 as of April 23, 2024, which contradicts the recall notice. Here are the responses: - "So I just checked it will still stay on there because there's no fix for this vehicle yet." - "It's only for the Sonatas and Santa Fe Sport." - "The vehicle listed in this is how we can proceed but the Tucson is not yet available."

NHTSA ID

11606679

Incident

Aug 3, 2024

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 156,000.

NHTSA ID

11605823

Incident

Jul 21, 2024

Mileage

156,000 mi

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start, and the battery failed to hold charge. The contact stated that the engine, oil, and TPMS warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the failure was due to the battery. The battery was replaced by the mechanic. 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 stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 149,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11593896

Incident

May 1, 2024

Mileage

149,000 mi

NHTSA campaign number 19V063000 Engine oil leaks

NHTSA ID

11585613

Incident

Feb 5, 2019

We experienced engine failure of a 2013 Hyundai Tucson on 2/20/24. There were no warning lights displayed on the instrument panel. There was an unidentified noise and a loss of power/compression. We are in the process of learning the difference between a Service Campaign and a Recall Notification and I can’t say we understand it yet. We were not notified nor aware of potential engine failure issues. The research we’ve been able to obtain regarding Service Campaign 966 (“SC966”) appears to exclude the 2013 Tucson model unless it has a Theta II engine. The service department at Dick Smith Hyundai stated that if we would have had our car serviced at the dealership, we would have been informed of SC966. As we are the second owner of an eleven-year-old vehicle, we do not typically have it serviced at a dealership. Oddly enough, we received a notification regarding the knock sensor on 3/18/24 almost one month after we contacted Hyundai Customer Support and after the vehicle was towed to Dick Smith dealership and we spoke with the service department. We have been informed by the local dealership (Dick Smith Hyundai service department) that it is unlikely that the engine will be replaced under the Hyundai Class Action Lawsuit, or any open Recalls and it will be 2-4 months before a decision is rendered regarding the matter. We are also being charged a diagnostic fee for their services of approximately $200.00. Regardless of the recall coverage, our experience with this vehicle engine seems to mimic the exact same symptoms and issues as the Make/Models that are included in the published Recall notice by Kia/Hyundai, and we would like to make this known to protect other consumers and to see if there is any recourse and/or assistance for us.

NHTSA ID

11578410

Incident

Feb 20, 2024

With the recall in February 2023 my vehicle has a burning smell when I'm driving it which I don't feel safe in however, I have to work. Also, my vehicle will cut for now reason while driving which is so not safe as it has happened several times while on the highway. Something needs to be done or Hyundai needs to buy back my car. There have been several recalls

NHTSA ID

11568247

Incident

Jan 1, 2023

I am writing about the recall on the Hyundai vehicles that apparently are at risk for catching fire. Hyundai sent a letter that told us to park it away from our house and garage structures. We got this letter in early November and I called customer service as well as emailed to find out when we would hear about a fix. First of all, to get to a human being takes a minimum of 4 minutes. Then, they can’t tell me a darn thing. I found out from my first contact that we would hear something by the “end of the month.” That was in November. Well, November came and went and it has started to snow. No one wants to park outside nor do we care to have the house and car catch fire. I called and emailed again on December 2nd and the line was, “Well, we just don’t have a fix yet. Keep waiting.” If this is so serious, why can’t someone figure this out? Surely they have engineers working for them who have some idea as to how to fix this. It can’t be that difficult. Take out the parts that catch fire and replace them with good parts. It is my feeling that they are looking a cheap way out since this involves so many vehicles. Next, I attempted to reach the corporate office through an email. They contacted my husband on December 5th and offered him $100. What are we supposed to do with that? We need the car fixed. The snowplow cannot plow the driveway with his car outside of the garage. I really need to know what the timeline is on this. I am so disgusted with the lack of communication and the poor customer service. Please, is there anything at all that can be done?

NHTSA ID

11558557

Incident

Dec 5, 2023

I have owned the vehicle for 10 months and it had about 80,000 miles on it. The engine light started flashing 2 days ago. The vehicle started running rough, so I drove 10 miles back home at no more than 40 mph. I took the vehicle to my trusted mechanic. He conducted a diagnostic test & received a code 1326, which meant there was a vibration indicating excessive connecting rod bearing wear. He advised me this is a common issue with this 2.4 liter engine. I had the vehicle towed to the dealer. While at the dealer, a mechanic came in with a 2013 Hyundai Sonata. We started speaking and found out the Sonata he brought in was having the same issue and is also a 2.4 litre four cylinder engine, which produced a 1326 code during a diagnostic test.

NHTSA ID

11550502

Incident

Oct 15, 2023

350 miles from home the car started a knocking noise and that the engine failed. My family was in risk , i had my 2 year old son in the car and it was behind shock. No lamp no nothing. On my expenses took the car with a tow company and send it to a mechanic, he told me this cars are recalled. I got shocked again because Hyundai never send me mail or something for the KSDS update recall

NHTSA ID

11531121

Incident

Jul 5, 2023

Camshaft Sensors keep going bad. I just replace both sensors last year cost me over $500 and now I'm getting a readout that its bad again. Check engine light has been coming on & off intermittently ever since. vehicle only has 881 miles on it. it was hardly driven.

NHTSA ID

11515239

Incident

Jun 6, 2022

The automobile has 99,800 miles driven on it. While I was driving on the interstate, the engine seized up and shut off almost causing an accident and left me stranded 193 miles from home. The vehicle was inspected and there were metal shavings in the oil pan. A new engine is needed to repair this vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11487094

Incident

Aug 16, 2022

I was driving on the freeway and my engine started making a knowing sound. Then my car died. I pulled over to the side and couldn't even brake and I had to put the emergency brake on. Then when I tried to start my car it made a loud screeching noise from the engine so I turned it back off. I have had it checked out by a mechanic who says it's a rod bearing went out. It is common with my vehicle but my specific year hasn't been recalled but other years have been recalled for the same problem.

NHTSA ID

11479262

Incident

Jul 24, 2022

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Tucson. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V063000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for a software update. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the same local dealer where it was diagnosed that the oil pressure sensor switch, PCM module, and electrical fan needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

NHTSA ID

11468300

Incident

May 17, 2022

Mileage

79,000 mi

Engine made some rattling noise, then smoke came from muffler while driving on a highway. The vehicle stalled and the vehicle needed to be towed. The vehicle was inoperable (unable to start the engine)..

NHTSA ID

11457622

Incident

Mar 12, 2022

The vehicle has an engine oil leak at the oil pan gasket. This was previously recalled by Hyundai (19V063000) as potentially causing a sudden loss of power or rapid slowing of the vehicle during operation. The Hyundai dealership addressed that recall by placing RTV on the gasket. It appeared to fix the issue for a few months to a year. Then I noticed the vehicle was dripping oil and that it appeared to be coming from the oil pan gasket. The "fix" that Hyundai previously performed has stopped working resulting in the same safety issue as identified in the prior recall. My wife took the vehicle to a Hyundai dealership today and where they confirmed that it was leaking from the oil pan and quoted $396 to fix it. My wife was told that they would not remediate the safety issue since they already performed work for that recall and it had been a year. I feel this is a serious issue - that the work they did to resolve a safety recall has failed and they are unwilling to fix it. I wonder if the work to my vehicle was done correctly compared to others (did the remediation call for RTV to be used?), or if Hyundai did not take the correct approach to remediate the issue (should it have been a new, thicker gasket instead of the RTV?). In either case, the fix has failed and resulted in the same deficient safety condition stated in the prior recall.

NHTSA ID

11451071

Incident

Feb 8, 2022

This is in direct relation to Hyundai Recall Campaign 181. NHTSA recall # 19Vx-063. Engine stalled without warning - no engine light - in February of 2020. Vehicle was towed to a local certified and well known auto repair shop for $115.00. Owner of repair shop advised he looked for recalls and at that time, nothing was showing up for my vehicle and because the engine had 171,000 miles on it, we authorized him to locate the same engine (used) and install it. Cost to us, $5000.00. It wasn't until months (?) year (?) down the road that we received a recall notice from Hyundai; campaign recall 181. (Their letter's are not dated nor are the envelopes postmarked with dates, so I cannot provide those dates). My vehicle was slated to be inspected on 12/3/21; I advised the dealership that it is not the original engine, but the vehicle never made it to the inspection. The weekend prior to 12/3/21 (Thanksgiving weekend of 2021), the vehicle stalled (engine seized) on the highway at 65mph; lost power steering and it had to be towed. Our cost $310. We have a video where you can hear the awful grinding noises it made during that time. This time we towed the vehicle to the dealership where they confirmed the engine seized. Hyundai denied any claim to the engine seize. This used engine had less than 100,000 miles on it when it seized. We expected they would fix this one, but they told the dealership that since we did not get the 1st engine fixed by the dealership they won't replace the 2nd engine for us. We towed the vehicle back to our home where it is sitting. Safety was definitely a concern at 65mph and engine seizing; lost power steering. The problem has been confirmed by the dealership. No warning lights or messages; the grinding noise just came out of nowhere and the vehicle continued to lose power and stall on the side of the highway.

NHTSA ID

11449399

Incident

Nov 28, 2021

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that after her husband made a right turn at a low rate of speed, the engine ceased without warning. The vehicle failed to restart after multiple attempts. Due to the failure, her husband had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The manufacturer had been notified and informed her that there were no recalls on the vehicle; they offered no further assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the possession of the mechanic. The failure mileage was 121,600.

NHTSA ID

11448764

Incident

Jan 13, 2022

Mileage

121,600 mi

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the catalytic converter was stolen, and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for repair. The vehicle remained in its possession for a month before being returned to the contact. While the contact was driving home from the mechanic shop at an unknown speed, the engine shut off without warning. The contact initially towed the vehicle back to the independent mechanic who then informed her of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V063000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact then had the vehicle towed to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed, and it was determined that the vehicle experienced engine failure. The results were sent to the manufacturer who informed the dealer that the failure was not a result of the recall and that they would only cover half the cost of a new engine. The contact called the manufacturer directly and was given the same information. A case was filed. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

NHTSA ID

11446292

Incident

Dec 3, 2021

Mileage

150,000 mi

My engine failed without any check engine lights prior. Started making a REALLY loud flapping noise when accelerating and would get worse the higher the RPM and the higher MPH. Even while coasting the noise was still prominent. It started around 12pm on 12/11/2021 and at 1:07pm (approximately 1 hour later) on the same day, it officially failed. The noise had started and gradually got worse while I was on the highway going approximately 65-70mph. I had stopped and pulled over shortly after it had started and made some calls to some certified Hyundai dealers to try and see what to do. I had made an appointment for first thing on Tuesday morning, 12/14/2021. I told them I would drop it off as soon as possible because I was sure it was going to blow. Tuesday appointment was the earliest appointment available at ANY Hyundai dealer within an acceptable/safe range. After I had made the calls, I proceeded to try and make it home. I was about 35-40 miles to home and my engine got EXTREMELY loud and not running properly. I was approximately 10 minutes from the dealership I bought my car from and I decided, if I made it there that I would leave the car there and not drive it home because I did not feel safe. About 45-60 seconds after the noise got so loud I couldn’t hear the radio. I was trying to find a safe spot to pull over but apparently didn’t make the decision in time because at 65-70mph (cruise control set at 67mph) my engine made a crash/boom sound then every light on my car’s dash lit up and car longer was functioning. I got pulled off to the curb immediately and shut the car off. Approx 5/2021, check engine came on, code read all cylinders were misfiring, spark pugs were changed because no engine failure was detected. My KDS recall serviced 11/27/2021, approximately 78,000-79,000 miles. Shop never mentioned and concerns with my car while it was there. Engine failed just over 80,000 miles.

NHTSA ID

11443845

Incident

Dec 11, 2021