2016 Hyundai Tucson engine problems
433 of the 1,620 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Hyundai Tucson name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 42 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database2 of the 433 reports a crash · 17 a fire · 2 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 36 · 2017: 23 · 2018: 19 · 2019: 26 · 2020: 30 · 2021: 41 · 2022: 59 · 2023: 78 · 2024: 41 · 2025: 49 · 2026: 31
Half of the 168 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 9,000 and 94,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
1,620 complaints in all about the 2016 Hyundai Tucson, 31 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Hyundai Tucson engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Hyundai Tucson 2016,1300 miles. In heavy stop and go traffic on gw bridge, transmission overheating warning (pull over safely) car would not move, after 5 harrowing minutes was able to drive, taken to dealer, "never heard of this before" could not fix because nothing wrong. So much for ,100000 mile warranty.
05/06/2016 @ 1600 cond-rainy. While at a stop light I pressed the accelerator and the SUV did not move. The engine revved but the SUV did not go forward. It slowly engaged and lurched forward after approx 3-5 seconds. 5/19/2016 @ 1800 cond-rain /not driven in approx 4 days.
This car needs to be recalled and the transmitting replaced. It is dangerous. First it was the shudder and erratic hesitation starting out in 1st gear. Like you have a choice what gear you start in. So it's crazy frustrating. Now it has advanced to not engaging 1st gear from time to time. Twice while in the middle of a busy intersection.
"takata recall" -the transmission does not engage at the proper times. Headrests make your head bend so far foward your chin is almost touching your chest
Reported hesitation when trying to accelerate from a stop, in traffic, or when exiting a turn. Service tech acknowledged as did the sales team that they experienced the issue in the vehicle but since there are no recalls that apply to the vehicle there is nothing they can do until corporate decides to address the issue.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsNHTSA investigation
- DP22003 Loss of Motive Poweropened Sep 12, 2022 · closed Dec 12, 2023
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints i…
42 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- 26-01-033H TSB Warranty extensionMar 26, 2026
- This TSB references the Op codes to use for claim submission and the Parts required based on the vehicle’s inspection results from TSB 22-01-023H-2 (DTC P1326 – Engine Bearing Inspection/Engine Replacement) or the latest version.
- 26-01-033H DN Warranty extensionMar 26, 2026
- This TSB references the Op codes to use for claim submission and the Parts required based on the vehicle’s inspection results from TSB 22-01-023H (DTC P1326 – Engine Bearing Inspection/Engine Replacement) or the latest version.
The 2 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P1326 P0011 P0300 P0302 P0304 P0326 P0420 P259F
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2016 Hyundai Tucson names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2016 Hyundai Tucson
Source: the same files- transmission and drivetrain problems 518 complaints
- electrical problems 216 complaints
- latch and lock problems 157 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2016 Hyundai Tucson?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 433 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (27% of everything owners filed about it), and 42 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2016 Hyundai Tucson?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 5 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the 2016 Hyundai Tucson?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 65,000 miles; half of them between 9,000 and 94,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.