2006 Hyundai Tucson Reliability
The 2006 Hyundai Tucson has 135 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Compared with nearby Tucson model years (2005–2008), it rates as a solid year: complaints are in line with the Tucson's typical year.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
135
NHTSA owner complaints
5
Recall campaigns
15
Complaints citing a crash
3
Complaints citing a fire
2006 Hyundai Tucson complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2006 model year, filed between 2006 and 2025. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 37 | 27% |
| Electrical system | 16 | 12% |
| Service brakes | 15 | 11% |
| Body structure | 13 | 10% |
| Suspension | 13 | 10% |
| Steering | 13 | 10% |
| Engine | 12 | 9% |
| Unknown or other | 11 | 8% |
2006 Hyundai Tucson recalls
5 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2006 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06V445000 | Nov 22, 2006 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | On certain sport utility vehicles, during static air bag deployment testing conducted by NHTSA using fifth percentile female dummies indicated if a small statured adult driver, not wearing a seat belt, is involved in a frontal or near frontal crash,… |
| 07V197000 | May 8, 2007 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | On certain vehicles, static air bag deployment testing conducted by NHTSA using fifth percentile female dummies indicated that a small stature adult driver not wearing a seat belt and involved in a frontal or near frontal crash, the deployment of the driver… |
| 09V122000 | Apr 15, 2009 | Exterior lighting — brake lights / switch | Hyundai is recalling 532,633 my 2006-2007 accent, entourage, sonata, my 2007 azera, elantra and santa fe, my 2005-2007 Tucson and my 2007-2008 veracruz vehicles. The stop lamp switch in the affected vehicles may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch… |
| 09V280000 | Jul 21, 2009 | Exterior lighting | Hyundai is recalling 3,011 model year 2005-2007 elantra, Tucson, sonata, azera and accent vehicles. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to fail to illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause the brake lights to remain… |
| 13V113000 | Apr 1, 2013 | Exterior lighting — brake lights / switch | Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe,… |
How the 2006 compares with nearby Tucson years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Tucson analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 185 | 8 | Air bags | Caution |
| 2006 (this page) | 135 | 5 | Air bags | Solid |
| 2007 | 65 | 5 | Air bags | Solid |
| 2008 | 43 | 1 | Service brakes | Better year |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2006 Hyundai Tucson
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Body: look under the car for rust or damaged subframe and rocker areas, and check panel gaps for signs of repair.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 5 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2006 Hyundai Tucson can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2006 Hyundai Tucson reliability FAQ
Is the 2006 Hyundai Tucson reliable?
The 2006 Hyundai Tucson has 135 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Compared with nearby Tucson model years (2005–2008), it rates as a solid year: complaints are in line with the Tucson's typical year.
What are the most common 2006 Hyundai Tucson problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2006 Hyundai Tucson are air bags (37), electrical system (16), service brakes (15), body structure (13). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2006 Hyundai Tucson have recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2006 Hyundai Tucson, including 06V445000 (air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module) and 07V197000 (air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2006 Hyundai Tucson compare with the 2005 and 2007 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2005 has 185 complaints and 8 recalls (caution); the 2007 has 65 complaints and 5 recalls (solid). The 2006 has 135 complaints and 5 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2006 Hyundai Tucson?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Hyundai Tucson research
Other Hyundai Tucson model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2006 Tucson, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.