Reliable Auto DB

2019 Hyundai Tucson reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2019 Hyundai Tucson holds 379 complaints after 8 years, a rate of 52 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Tucson years here — over the median of the other years, which is 23. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Brake control module.

2012 Hyundai Tucson
Photo by Mr.choppers, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
Complaints

379

Per year

52

Recalls

1

Years on the road

8

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (196 of 379), then Hydraulic brakes (62) and Service brakes (53). Those filings include 15 that report a crash, 11 that report a fire, and 7 that report an injury.

Next to 2018 and 2020

The 2018 Tucson has 395 complaints, 21 per year, and the 2020 has 177 complaints, 24 per year. The 2019 has more complaints per year than the 2018. The 2019 has more complaints per year than the 2020.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2019 Hyundai Tucson. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall Brake control module 2020-09-04 · NHTSA campaign 20V543000
Summary 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 (HECU) could corrode internally and cause an electrical short, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.
Remedy 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 free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. The recall began November 2, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 195.

Complaints by component (379 total)

Engine
196
Hydraulic brakes
62
Service brakes
53
Electrical system
46
Powertrain
41
Fuel and propulsion system
25
Speed control
16
Forward collision avoidance
13
Structure
7
Exterior lighting
6
Lane departure
5
Engine and engine cooling
4
Air bags
3
Air brakes
3
Electronic stability control (ESC)
3
Seats
3
Steering
3
Visibility
3
Seat belts
2
Suspension
2
Visibility and wipers
2
Rollover
1
Wheels
1
Show 15 more Show less
Crash-flagged

15

Fire-flagged

11

Injury reports

7

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

12018192019662020692021302022382023632024562025372026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. A Forward Collision Avoidance message was displayed. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was…"
    Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-09-16
  • "I had bought my car in May of 2025 and within 12 hours of owning it. The check engine light came on. They replaced the sensor well. A couple days later, the check engine light came on again, and they had to rebuild my…"
    Powertrain, Engine · filed 2026-09-10
  • "My 2019 Hyundai Tucson repeatedly shuts off while driving , without any warning. It rolls backwards while in park. The car could easily hit me taking things out of the trunk or hit my neighbors walking past my drive.…"
    Unknown or other, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-09-04
  • "The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the driveway and turned off, the vehicle rolled backwards and occasionally ended up in the street in front of the…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-02
  • "While traveling northbound on [XXX] in Florida traffic came to a stop, and when I stopped, my engine seized, I attempted to restart, but was unable to get a restart. My attempts to restart caused the starter to start…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-02

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2019 Hyundai Tucson SUV AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2019 Hyundai Tucson SUV FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Tucson all-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) All-wheel drive 22 25 23 MPG $2800
Tucson all-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) All-wheel drive 21 26 23 MPG $2800
Tucson front-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 22 28 25 MPG $2600
Tucson front-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 23 30 26 MPG $2500

Specs and fitment

3rd generation (TL), 2012–2020
Body styles SUV
Oil 5W-20 or 0W-20 (2.0L and 1.6L turbo per manual) , 4.8 qt capacity
Tire size 225/60R17 to 245/45R19 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 2,000 lbs

Known issues for this generation

Owner complaints for mid-generation years (especially 2016) concentrate on the power train and engine. Safety recall 20V-543 covers certain 2016-2021 Tucson vehicles: the anti-lock brake Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) can corrode internally and short, with a possible engine-compartment fire; dealers replace the HECU fuse, and for 2019-2021 also update ESC software, while owners are advised to park outside until remedied. Safety recall 16V-628 covers certain 2016 Tucsons with the 7-speed EcoShift dual-clutch transmission that may fail to move after repeated accelerator tip-in in heat; dealers update TCM software. Safety recall 16V-348 covers certain 2016 Tucsons whose secondary hood latch may not hold if the primary latch is released, so the hood can open while driving; dealers replace that latch.

Compare

Previous year 2018 Hyundai Tucson Next year 2020 Hyundai Tucson See every Hyundai Tucson model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 Hyundai Tucson reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2019 Hyundai Tucson holds 379 complaints after 8 years, a rate of 52 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Tucson years here — over the median of the other years, which is 23. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Brake control module.

What are common problems with a 2019 Hyundai Tucson?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (196 of 379), then Hydraulic brakes (62) and Service brakes (53). Those filings include 15 that report a crash, 11 that report a fire, and 7 that report an injury.

Is the 2019 Hyundai Tucson more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2018 Tucson has 395 complaints, 21 per year, and the 2020 has 177 complaints, 24 per year. The 2019 has more complaints per year than the 2018. The 2019 has more complaints per year than the 2020.

Has the 2019 Hyundai Tucson been recalled?

The 2019 Hyundai Tucson has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2019 Hyundai Tucson?

Owners have filed 379 complaints about the 2019 Hyundai Tucson with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2019 Hyundai Tucson get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2019 Hyundai Tucson is 24.3 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Tucson take?

5W-20 or 0W-20 (2.0L and 1.6L turbo per manual)

What does NHTSA recall 20V-543 cover on the Hyundai Tucson?

Safety recall 20V-543 covers certain 2016-2021 Tucson vehicles: the anti-lock brake Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) can corrode internally and short, with a possible engine-compartment fire; dealers replace the HECU fuse, and for 2019-2021 also update ESC software,…

What generation is the 2013 Hyundai Tucson?

3rd generation (TL) (2012-2020).