2016 Hyundai Tucson Problems, Recalls & Reliability
2,168 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Hyundai Tucson, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 100/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 8,800 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2016 Hyundai Tucson sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2005–2008, 2010–2012, 2014–2015, 2020–2021.
Avoid
Where 2016 sits among all Tucson years
What owners report
“When you put the vechicle in reversel sometimes it will not move then you have to put it back in park and try it againand it will move”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Tucson
“My engine has 98,000 miles and is burning two quarts of oil every 1000 miles. I have no visible oil leaks.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Tucson
“Back doors completely stop working. Not able to open the door from the inside or out”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Tucson
“Rear passenger door will not open when unlocked with either outside handle nor inside handle without jarring door. Safety issue due to not being able to get children out of carseat”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Tucson
“Rear passenger door does not open. It will not open from inside or outside of the vehicle. Driver door is now starting to stick.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Tucson
“Passenger side rear door lock failed at 71000 miles. Could not open door from outside or inside.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Tucson
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 1,045 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 32,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 7,000 and 66,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) recalled certain 2019-2021 Tucson vehicles on September 4, 2020. On December 30, 2020, Hyundai expanded the recall population, and added certain 2016-2018 Tucson vehicles. The Anti-lock Brake Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit…
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the HECU fuse. For 2019-2021 model years, the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) software will also be updated. Recall repairs will be performed…
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Tucson vehicles manufactured May 19, 2015, to November 14, 2016, and 2017 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured November 28, 2015, to November 14, 2016. The affected vehicles may be equipped…
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected accessory trailer hitch wiring harnesses, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 13, 2017. Owners may contact…
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016 Tucson vehicles manufactured May 20, 2015 through May 31, 2016 and equipped with a 7-speed EcoShift Dual Clutch Transmission. Certain driving conditions and high temperatures may cause the…
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the Transmission Control Module software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on October 28, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai…
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016 Tucson vehicles manufactured May 19, 2015 to March 14, 2016. In the affected vehicles, if the primary hood latch has been released, and the vehicle is driven, the secondary hood latch may…
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary hood latch, free of charge. The recall began on June 30, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.…
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016 Hyundai Tucson vehicles manufactured May 26, 2015 to January 15, 2016 and equipped with an accessory trailer hitch harness either included with the accessory trailer hitch or sold as a…
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the tow hitch harness, free of charge. The recall began on May 2, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9640. Hyundai's…
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
167 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2016 Hyundai Tucson. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2016 Tucson TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2016 Hyundai Tucson reliable?
The 2016 Hyundai Tucson drew 2,168 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 100/100, scored against the model's worst year (2016).
What are the most common 2016 Hyundai Tucson problems?
The top reported problems for the 2016 Hyundai Tucson are transmission & drivetrain (517 complaints), engine (432), and other (273).
At what mileage do 2016 Hyundai Tucson problems show up?
Owners most often report 2016 Hyundai Tucson problems around 32,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 7,000 and 66,000 miles.
Does the 2016 Hyundai Tucson have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 Hyundai Tucson. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.