Hyundai Tucson Transmission Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Yes. Owners have filed 1,221 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2008–2025 Hyundai Tucson. For the Hyundai Tucson, that's 1.07 transmission complaints per 1,000 sold across the 2015–2022 cohorts, 3.8× the median of the 53 models we can rate. The worst years are 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Transmission complaints
1,221
Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
1.07
2015–2022 cohorts
Share of all complaints
20.1%
of 6,072 complaints for this model
Transmission recalls
3
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Hyundai Tucson transmission complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline), and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Transmission complaints | Per 1,000 sold | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Transmission recalls | Transmission TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 2 | — | 4.7% | 1 | — | 8 |
| 2009 | 0 | — | 0% | 0 | — | 8 |
| 2010 | 22 | — | 38.6% | 1 | — | 33 |
| 2011 | 20 | — | 16.1% | 0 | 16V057000 | 32 |
| 2012 | 26 | — | 10.3% | 4 | — | 25 |
| 2013 | 16 | — | 6% | 1 | — | 25 |
| 2014 | 11 | — | 5.5% | 1 | — | 24 |
| 2015 | 19 | 0.3 | 8.5% | 1 | — | 24 |
| 2016WORST | 515 | 5.74 | 32% | 7 | 16V628000 | 36 |
| 2017WORST | 287 | 2.5 | 26.7% | 8 | — | 28 |
| 2018WORST | 100 | 0.65 | 26.1% | 5 | — | 20 |
| 2019 | 40 | 0.29 | 10.8% | 3 | — | 12 |
| 2020 | 9 | 0.07 | 5.3% | 1 | — | 9 |
| 2021 | 7 | 0.05 | 9.7% | 0 | — | 3 |
| 2022 | 92 | 0.52 | 19% | 2 | — | 22 |
| 2023 | 27 | — | 16% | 3 | 23V526000 | 12 |
| 2024 | 7 | — | 5% | 1 | 23V526000 | 10 |
| 2025 | 21 | — | 5% | 1 | — | 0 |
- Per 1,000 sold = complaints ÷ published U.S. calendar-year sales × 1,000. Calendar-year sales stand in for the model-year cohort. A dash means no published figure or fewer than 5,000 sold, too small to divide by.
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the transmission.
Common Hyundai Tucson transmission problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 1,221 transmission complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Hyundai Tucson years to avoid for the transmission
2016 Hyundai Tucson
515 transmission complaints (32% of the year's 1,611), 5.74 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: hesitation or delayed engagement. Covered by transmission recall 16V628000.
2017 Hyundai Tucson
287 transmission complaints (26.7% of the year's 1,074), 2.5 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: hesitation or delayed engagement.
2018 Hyundai Tucson
100 transmission complaints (26.1% of the year's 383), 0.65 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: hesitation or delayed engagement.
Worst years are those with at least 10 transmission complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Hyundai Tucson years to avoid.
Hyundai Tucson transmission recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Power Train for any Hyundai Tucson model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 23V526000 · 2023-07-27 · 2023–2024 models
The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump controller to overheat.
- 16V628000 · 2016-08-30 · 2016 models
Certain driving conditions and high temperatures may cause the vehicle to not move if the accelerator pedal is pressed and released repeatedly.
- 16V057000 · 2016-01-28 · 2011 models
The affected vehicles have a transmission fluid cooler hose that may have been improperly manufactured, resulting in a transmission fluid leak.
Which transmission does the Hyundai Tucson use?
- Hyundai/Kia 7-speed DCT — 2016–2018
Years are as listed for that transmission's applications. Some apply to certain engines only.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2016 Hyundai Tucson have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 515 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2016 Hyundai Tucson, 32% of all 1,611 complaints for that year, or 5.74 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "hesitation or delayed engagement" (134 complaints). One transmission-related recall covers it: 16V628000. 7 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2017 Hyundai Tucson have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 287 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2017 Hyundai Tucson, 26.7% of all 1,074 complaints for that year, or 2.5 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "hesitation or delayed engagement" (120 complaints). 8 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2018 Hyundai Tucson have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 100 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2018 Hyundai Tucson, 26.1% of all 383 complaints for that year, or 0.65 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "hesitation or delayed engagement" (33 complaints). 5 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Hyundai Tucson years have the most transmission complaints?
2016 (515), 2017 (287) and 2018 (100), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the transmission. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.
What are the most common Hyundai Tucson transmission problems?
In the 1,221 transmission complaints, owners most often describe hesitation or delayed engagement (25.6%), jerking, lurching or harsh shifts (18.4%) and loss of power or limp mode (12%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a transmission failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Dividing by sales shows how often owners complain relative to how many were sold, which makes models of different sizes comparable.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Hyundai Tucson model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a transmission complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline).
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 transmission complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration