2023 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid problems

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I am reporting a critical Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve failure on my 2023 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid. The failure resulted in an immediate loss of engine power, reduced vehicle performance, reduced fuel efficiency, and the vehicle entering limp mode while driving, creating a significant safety hazard in traffic. Diagnostic & Technical Details: Error Codes Captured: Diagnostic trouble codes in the P0400 series (EGR system flow/circuit malfunction) were confirmed during diagnostic inspection. Root Cause: The component failure is directly linked to an internal short circuit in the EGR valve assembly, caused by solder flux contamination during manufacturing. Manufacturer Response & Escalation Denial: When contacting Hyundai regarding this failure, I was informed that my vehicle’s VIN is "not included in Safety Recall 260" (NHTSA Campaign 24V-308). I formally escalated this claim to Hyundai Corporate, but my request for reimbursement and coverage was explicitly denied on the grounds that my VIN falls outside the designated recall parameters. However, this exact failure mode, part assembly line, and manufacturing defect (solder flux contamination) are identical to the safety defect described in Recall 260 as well as Hyundai Service Campaign 9B3. Hyundai is restricting coverage based on narrow VIN manufacturing windows despite identical, defective parts being installed across non-recalled vehicles. Because a sudden EGR failure causes unexpected loss of power while traveling in traffic, and because Hyundai Corporate has refused to cover this out-of-pocket repair, I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue and compel Hyundai to expand the scope of Recall 260 to protect affected owners and mandate reimbursement for out-of-pocket repair costs.

NHTSA complaint #11753488 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I am reporting a critical Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve failure on my 2023 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid. The failure resulted in an immediate loss of engine power, reduced vehicle performance, reduced fuel efficiency, and the vehicle entering limp mode while driving, creating a significant safety hazard in traffic. Diagnostic & Technical Details: Error Codes Captured: Diagnostic trouble codes in the P0400 series (EGR system flow/circuit malfunction) were confirmed during diagnostic inspection. Root Cause: The component failure is directly linked to an internal short circuit in the EGR valve assembly, caused by solder flux contamination during manufacturing. Manufacturer Response & Escalation Denial: When contacting Hyundai regarding this failure, I was informed that my vehicle’s VIN is "not included in Safety Recall 260" (NHTSA Campaign 24V-308). I formally escalated this claim to Hyundai Corporate, but my request for reimbursement and coverage was explicitly denied on the grounds that my VIN falls outside the designated recall parameters. However, this exact failure mode, part assembly line, and manufacturing defect (solder flux contamination) are identical to the safety defect described in Recall 260 as well as Hyundai Service Campaign 9B3. Hyundai is restricting coverage based on narrow VIN manufacturing windows despite identical, defective parts being installed across non-recalled vehicles. Because a sudden EGR failure causes unexpected loss of power while traveling in traffic, and because Hyundai Corporate has refused to cover this out-of-pocket repair, I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue and compel Hyundai to expand the scope of Recall 260 to protect affected owners and mandate reimbursement for out-of-pocket repair costs.

NHTSA complaint #11753488 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I am reporting a critical Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve failure on my 2023 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid. The failure resulted in an immediate loss of engine power, reduced vehicle performance, reduced fuel efficiency, and the vehicle entering limp mode while driving, creating a significant safety hazard in traffic. Diagnostic & Technical Details: Error Codes Captured: Diagnostic trouble codes in the P0400 series (EGR system flow/circuit malfunction) were confirmed during diagnostic inspection. Root Cause: The component failure is directly linked to an internal short circuit in the EGR valve assembly, caused by solder flux contamination during manufacturing. Manufacturer Response & Escalation Denial: When contacting Hyundai regarding this failure, I was informed that my vehicle’s VIN is "not included in Safety Recall 260" (NHTSA Campaign 24V-308). I formally escalated this claim to Hyundai Corporate, but my request for reimbursement and coverage was explicitly denied on the grounds that my VIN falls outside the designated recall parameters. However, this exact failure mode, part assembly line, and manufacturing defect (solder flux contamination) are identical to the safety defect described in Recall 260 as well as Hyundai Service Campaign 9B3. Hyundai is restricting coverage based on narrow VIN manufacturing windows despite identical, defective parts being installed across non-recalled vehicles. Because a sudden EGR failure causes unexpected loss of power while traveling in traffic, and because Hyundai Corporate has refused to cover this out-of-pocket repair, I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue and compel Hyundai to expand the scope of Recall 260 to protect affected owners and mandate reimbursement for out-of-pocket repair costs.

NHTSA complaint #11753488 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Vehicle exhibits a dangerous 2-to-3-second delay/total loss of accelerator response at low speeds or rolling stops (5–15 mph). When stepping on the gas pedal to pull into traffic or make a turn, the vehicle hesitates completely before engaging power, even when the pedal is fully depressed. This creates an extreme crash risk when entering oncoming traffic or merging.

NHTSA complaint #11751741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Vehicle exhibits a dangerous 2-to-3-second delay/total loss of accelerator response at low speeds or rolling stops (5–15 mph). When stepping on the gas pedal to pull into traffic or make a turn, the vehicle hesitates completely before engaging power, even when the pedal is fully depressed. This creates an extreme crash risk when entering oncoming traffic or merging.

NHTSA complaint #11751741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

While driving, I am repeatedly receiving a sudden “trunk open” warning on the dashboard. This warning is often accompanied by a loud noise, which can be startling and distracting while the vehicle is in motion. The abruptness and unexpected nature of the alert are alarming, especially on highways or in high-traffic situations, where any distraction could pose a serious safety hazard. This issue has occurred multiple times, and I am concerned that it could potentially cause an accident, either by drawing my attention away from the road or by causing confusion to other drivers who may see the trunk appearing to open or triggering the warning lights. The recurrence of this problem suggests that it may be due to a malfunction in the trunk sensor, latch system, or electronic control unit. This is not only inconvenient but potentially dangerous for the person operating the vehicle. I urge that this be investigated thoroughly as it may affect more vehicles and pose a broader safety risk if not addressed.

NHTSA complaint #11683133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

VIN: [XXX] Component Failed: Panoramic Sunroof Type of Failure: Spontaneous Explosion/Rupture from the Inside Occurred: Saturday [XXX] at [XXX] Road Conditions: Smooth Road, Clear Day (No Rain or Hail), Temperature mid 80’s degrees Fahrenheit, No Other Cars on Road. Milage on Car: 19640 Initial Event: Driving on the road when passengers hear what sounded like a gunshot (no firearms present in the vehicle). Pulled over to the side of the road to check tires. Tires were okay but noticed the sunroof had spontaneously shattered. Initial Event Photo Indicates Rupture occurred from the inside of the vehicle and not an external force, but there was no access from the inside of the vehicle as the additional fabric roof prevented shrapnel from entering the vehicle. The glass continued to crumble as the driver returned the vehicle to the house for safety concerns. Patterson Hyundai dealer in Tyler, Texas, tried to submit warranty claim and subsequent appeal, but Manufacturer refuses to own manufacture defect. Drivers contacted glass repair companies in the area, and companies explained they had seen this occur several times before. Evidence: Initial Event Photo Indicates Rupture occurred from the inside of the vehicle and not an external force. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11674085 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1. Sometimes vehicle does not start. Only starts if battery reset button pushed. 2. Sometimes vehicle while moving has delayed braking after juddering. Only stops when car stopped and restarted. 3. Sometimes vehicle while moving suddenly revs, RPMs spike until car stopped and restarted. Engine revs but does not shoot forward. 4. Spookiest of all, while moving car suddenly stops accelerating. Pedal on the floor and it is coasting to a stop. When car stopped, and turned off, then it will work. Had we been on the interstate we would have died, These incidents were sporadic and occurred on and off during the month of April and May. Each of the above occurred numerous times to different drivers. Service at two locations were unable to ID. We sold the moving death trap to one of the Hyundai dealers who could find no mechanical problems with the vehicle. The vehicle was terrifying to drive. There are other reports on this vehicle of these issues ... which appear to be electronic. Hyundai has good engineers. They know what is causing this and simply do not want to replace a very expensive but obviously failing electronic control module.

NHTSA complaint #11670164 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1. Sometimes vehicle does not start. Only starts if battery reset button pushed. 2. Sometimes vehicle while moving has delayed braking after juddering. Only stops when car stopped and restarted. 3. Sometimes vehicle while moving suddenly revs, RPMs spike until car stopped and restarted. Engine revs but does not shoot forward. 4. Spookiest of all, while moving car suddenly stops accelerating. Pedal on the floor and it is coasting to a stop. When car stopped, and turned off, then it will work. Had we been on the interstate we would have died, These incidents were sporadic and occurred on and off during the month of April and May. Each of the above occurred numerous times to different drivers. Service at two locations were unable to ID. We sold the moving death trap to one of the Hyundai dealers who could find no mechanical problems with the vehicle. The vehicle was terrifying to drive. There are other reports on this vehicle of these issues ... which appear to be electronic. Hyundai has good engineers. They know what is causing this and simply do not want to replace a very expensive but obviously failing electronic control module.

NHTSA complaint #11670164 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES

1. Sometimes vehicle does not start. Only starts if battery reset button pushed. 2. Sometimes vehicle while moving has delayed braking after juddering. Only stops when car stopped and restarted. 3. Sometimes vehicle while moving suddenly revs, RPMs spike until car stopped and restarted. Engine revs but does not shoot forward. 4. Spookiest of all, while moving car suddenly stops accelerating. Pedal on the floor and it is coasting to a stop. When car stopped, and turned off, then it will work. Had we been on the interstate we would have died, These incidents were sporadic and occurred on and off during the month of April and May. Each of the above occurred numerous times to different drivers. Service at two locations were unable to ID. We sold the moving death trap to one of the Hyundai dealers who could find no mechanical problems with the vehicle. The vehicle was terrifying to drive. There are other reports on this vehicle of these issues ... which appear to be electronic. Hyundai has good engineers. They know what is causing this and simply do not want to replace a very expensive but obviously failing electronic control module.

NHTSA complaint #11670164 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Horn does not work. On going issue with this model per Hyundai Tucson forum.

NHTSA complaint #11669393 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Horn does not work. On going issue with this model per Hyundai Tucson forum.

NHTSA complaint #11669393 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

On June 3, 2025, I experienced a terrifying and dangerous incident while driving my 2023 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid on a three-lane road at approximately 50 mph. Without any warning, the gas pedal became completely unresponsive, and the car abruptly decelerated from 50 to 20 mph. This sudden loss of acceleration was incredibly frightening, especially with vehicles close behind me that nearly collided with mine. There were no warning lights or check engine alerts. Fortunately, I was able to safely cross all lanes and pull over before having the vehicle towed to a local Hyundai dealership. I shudder to think what might have happened if this had occurred on a highway at higher speeds. This is not the first time I’ve experienced serious issues with this vehicle. In February 2024, at about 17,000 miles, I received an urgent alert recommending a system check. At that time, the car was revving while idle and would occasionally lurch at low speeds. The dealership had difficulty diagnosing and resolving the issue, and my vehicle remained in the shop for over a month before they ultimately replaced the oxygen sensor. Since then, the car has continued to lurch intermittently — for example, when backing out of a parking space or in stop-and-go traffic. In fact, approximately 10 minutes before the June 3 incident, the vehicle lurched several times while moving slowly in traffic. When the car began to lose speed during the most recent incident, I pressed the gas pedal all the way down, but it failed to respond at all. I believe the current issue may be related to the unresolved problems from last year and represents a significant and recurring safety concern. I’ve also read in Tucson owner forums that other drivers have experienced similar issues, suggesting this may be part of a broader, systemic defect. At this point, I do not feel safe driving this vehicle. I truly believe this car is a lemon. This vehicle is still at the dealership, but they have not given me any updates yet.

NHTSA complaint #11665014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

On June 3, 2025, I experienced a terrifying and dangerous incident while driving my 2023 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid on a three-lane road at approximately 50 mph. Without any warning, the gas pedal became completely unresponsive, and the car abruptly decelerated from 50 to 20 mph. This sudden loss of acceleration was incredibly frightening, especially with vehicles close behind me that nearly collided with mine. There were no warning lights or check engine alerts. Fortunately, I was able to safely cross all lanes and pull over before having the vehicle towed to a local Hyundai dealership. I shudder to think what might have happened if this had occurred on a highway at higher speeds. This is not the first time I’ve experienced serious issues with this vehicle. In February 2024, at about 17,000 miles, I received an urgent alert recommending a system check. At that time, the car was revving while idle and would occasionally lurch at low speeds. The dealership had difficulty diagnosing and resolving the issue, and my vehicle remained in the shop for over a month before they ultimately replaced the oxygen sensor. Since then, the car has continued to lurch intermittently — for example, when backing out of a parking space or in stop-and-go traffic. In fact, approximately 10 minutes before the June 3 incident, the vehicle lurched several times while moving slowly in traffic. When the car began to lose speed during the most recent incident, I pressed the gas pedal all the way down, but it failed to respond at all. I believe the current issue may be related to the unresolved problems from last year and represents a significant and recurring safety concern. I’ve also read in Tucson owner forums that other drivers have experienced similar issues, suggesting this may be part of a broader, systemic defect. At this point, I do not feel safe driving this vehicle. I truly believe this car is a lemon. This vehicle is still at the dealership, but they have not given me any updates yet.

NHTSA complaint #11665014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

The windshield had a minuscule chip at the edge and it developed into a big crack. It seems like product defect and maybe dangerous.

NHTSA complaint #11665144 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

On June 3, 2025, I experienced a terrifying and dangerous incident while driving my 2023 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid on a three-lane road at approximately 50 mph. Without any warning, the gas pedal became completely unresponsive, and the car abruptly decelerated from 50 to 20 mph. This sudden loss of acceleration was incredibly frightening, especially with vehicles close behind me that nearly collided with mine. There were no warning lights or check engine alerts. Fortunately, I was able to safely cross all lanes and pull over before having the vehicle towed to a local Hyundai dealership. I shudder to think what might have happened if this had occurred on a highway at higher speeds. This is not the first time I’ve experienced serious issues with this vehicle. In February 2024, at about 17,000 miles, I received an urgent alert recommending a system check. At that time, the car was revving while idle and would occasionally lurch at low speeds. The dealership had difficulty diagnosing and resolving the issue, and my vehicle remained in the shop for over a month before they ultimately replaced the oxygen sensor. Since then, the car has continued to lurch intermittently — for example, when backing out of a parking space or in stop-and-go traffic. In fact, approximately 10 minutes before the June 3 incident, the vehicle lurched several times while moving slowly in traffic. When the car began to lose speed during the most recent incident, I pressed the gas pedal all the way down, but it failed to respond at all. I believe the current issue may be related to the unresolved problems from last year and represents a significant and recurring safety concern. I’ve also read in Tucson owner forums that other drivers have experienced similar issues, suggesting this may be part of a broader, systemic defect. At this point, I do not feel safe driving this vehicle. I truly believe this car is a lemon. This vehicle is still at the dealership, but they have not given me any updates yet.

NHTSA complaint #11665014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, there was a loud explosion coming from the roof of the vehicle. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and discovered that the rear of the sunroof had exploded, and there was glass inside the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The Insurance Company was contacted and referred the contact to Paul Island Glass and the sunroof was covered with tape. The glass was scheduled to be replaced, but the vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

NHTSA complaint #11657741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

While traveling out of town, our 2023 Tuscon HEV with 31,000k started chugging/hesitating during acceleration. This chugging continued to worsen, so we took it to a Hyundai dealership to diagnose. We were told that fuel injector #3 was misfiring, and, as they did not have the parts in stock, that it would be safe to make the 5 hour drive back home to service the vehicle. During the first 4 hours of the drive the chugging/hesitating worsened, several times suddenly losing power and speed dropping from 70 or so mpg, to 40 mpg and lower, creating extremely harrowing and dangerous conditions from the higher speed drivers behind and around us on the highway. During the last hour of the drive, the vehicle started making a screeching sound, and emitting a burning smell, and chugging so convulsively that we made an emergency detour to drop it at the closest Hyundai dealership. The second dealership said that they could not use the 1st dealerships diagnosis, and that they would need to do their own assessment. Almost 2 weeks later, we were informed that the vehicle was fixed and that issue was a cracked tensioner belt and that likely is what set off the other code(s), including the fuel injector code. Upon picking up the vehicle we discovered that the same chugging issue was still occurring and returned it to dealership #2. They ran another diagnostic and determined that fuel injector #3 needed to be replaced-the issue that dealership #1 originally diagnosed. We were also told that, the problem is with the outsourced company that makes the fuel injectors, and that this is a recurring issue with the other injectors. Unfortunately, Hyundai has yet to take responsibility and save its customers a lot of inconvenience and safety concerns, by allowing dealerships to go ahead and replace all of the fuel injectors at once when the 1st one goes bad.

NHTSA complaint #11622083 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Automatic transmission started malfunctioning at about 23,600 miles. Seemed unable to shift into higher gears and made strange noise. No warning lamps, signs, or malfunction codes appeared. Dealer confirmed bearing noise from transmission and said new transmission needed. New transmission installed 10/11/24 under warranty.

NHTSA complaint #11620349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Our 2023 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid developed an issue with the forward radar. At speed, the car produces a warning ding and then a warning message is displayed stating, "Critical Forward Safety functions are limited. Radar blocked." If the adaptive cruise control is engaged at the time of the warning, it immediately disengages, forcing the driver to quickly respond. If there is a vehicle in the adjacent lane to the right, the automatic braking may at times activate. It happens rain or shine, in good or inclement weather. We have cleaned the areas of the sensors without effect. One dealership has evaluated the vehicle twice and a second dealership once but we have been informed that there was no defect identified. I believe this issue to be a serious safety defect.

NHTSA complaint #11616748 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES

Our 2023 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid developed an issue with the forward radar. At speed, the car produces a warning ding and then a warning message is displayed stating, "Critical Forward Safety functions are limited. Radar blocked." If the adaptive cruise control is engaged at the time of the warning, it immediately disengages, forcing the driver to quickly respond. If there is a vehicle in the adjacent lane to the right, the automatic braking may at times activate. It happens rain or shine, in good or inclement weather. We have cleaned the areas of the sensors without effect. One dealership has evaluated the vehicle twice and a second dealership once but we have been informed that there was no defect identified. I believe this issue to be a serious safety defect.

NHTSA complaint #11616748 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

Our 2023 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid developed an issue with the forward radar. At speed, the car produces a warning ding and then a warning message is displayed stating, "Critical Forward Safety functions are limited. Radar blocked." If the adaptive cruise control is engaged at the time of the warning, it immediately disengages, forcing the driver to quickly respond. If there is a vehicle in the adjacent lane to the right, the automatic braking may at times activate. It happens rain or shine, in good or inclement weather. We have cleaned the areas of the sensors without effect. One dealership has evaluated the vehicle twice and a second dealership once but we have been informed that there was no defect identified. I believe this issue to be a serious safety defect.

NHTSA complaint #11616748 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

I was seated in the front passenger seat while the car was parked. I swatted a mosquito on the top of the windshield, just right of the rearview mirror/camera area. I did not use much force. The windshield cracked from the impact. The car is not available for inspection. The crack became considerably larger as we drove the vehicle. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone yet, but will be taken for repair to an auto glass shop recommended by our insurer. There was no warning before the incident, and the windshield seemed to be in perfect condition. I called Hyundai to see if this was covered by the warranty, but they said no. I was shocked that such a small impact cracked the windshield - this seems like a defect to me

NHTSA complaint #11593224 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The ABS, ! Brake and Auto Hold lights activated. I took in into the Hyundai Joplin, MO dealership on May 2, 2024. They could not find any thrown codes and suggested it was most likely the "IEB Module" which they replaced and after doing so, the warning lights remained activated. As of May 22, 2024, they are ordering a new IEB Module to install (backordered into June). This seems oddly similar to previous ABS and brake problems of earlier models and makes me feel uneasy with the safety of this vehicle should they ever get it remedied.

NHTSA complaint #11590164 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.