2011 Hyundai Tucson problems & reliability
124 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 Hyundai Tucson, alongside 5 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
3 complaints report injuries (7 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2011 Hyundai Tucson vehicles were involved in 18 fatal crashes with 12 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 40 | 32% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 21 | 17% |
| Power Train | 20 | 16% |
| Unknown OR Other | 20 | 16% |
| Electrical System | 12 | 10% |
| Service Brakes | 12 | 10% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 9 | 7% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 4% |
| Suspension | 5 | 4% |
| Structure | 4 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 74,600 miles (middle 50% between 34,250 and 110,500 miles), based on 68 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I own a 2011 Hyundai Tucson (VIN: [XXX] ). The vehicle had an engine replacement performed by Hyundai service. Immediately after picking up the car, I noticed a loud abnormal noise coming from underneath the vehicle. I reported the issue right away, but was told nothing was heard and it was dismissed. The noise has…”
Engine · filed Apr 21, 2026
“While driving my speedometer became erratic, just one time. My cruise control is no longer working, my trip odometer is not working and possibly the odometer is not working properly. I googled for speedometer problems with 2011 Hyundai speedometers and found an article that may be false on Reuters "Hyundai Motor to…”
Unknown OR Other · filed Jan 26, 2026
“I purchased a brand new fuel pump on 2-28-24 after car died on freeway. Mission Hills Hyundai diagnosed as pump not turning on, so recommended replacing fuel pump assembly. On [XXX] car wouldn’t start, so took vehicle in and the next day it was determined as faulty starter. Car was picked up 7-3-25 after buying a new…”
Fuel System, Diesel · filed Jul 21, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
Audit Query AQ23002 · opened Nov 17, 2023 · open
- Loss of Motive Power
Defect Petition DP22003 · opened Sep 12, 2022 · closed Dec 12, 2023
Technical service bulletins
124 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2011 Hyundai Tucson. The 10 most recent:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co.…
DTN DL · Other · issued Apr 10, 2026
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety…
DTN DCS · Other · issued Apr 10, 2026
This TSB references the Op codes to use for claim submission and the Parts required based on the vehicle’s inspection results from TSB 22-01-023H-2 (DTC P1326 – Engine Bearing Inspection/Engine Replacement) or the…
26-01-033H TSB · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Mar 26, 2026
This TSB references the Op codes to use for claim submission and the Parts required based on the vehicle’s inspection results from TSB 22-01-023H (DTC P1326 – Engine Bearing Inspection/Engine Replacement) or the latest…
26-01-033H DN · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Mar 26, 2026
In response to this trend, we engineered a software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method and made it available to owners of eligible models free of charge at authorized Hyundai dealers since early 2023…
P33 OL · Other · issued Dec 19, 2025
Upon customer's request ONLY, the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 25-01-089H provides the service procedure for installation of a key cylinder reinforcement protector assembly and two anti-theft decals on the front…
25-01-089H DCS · Other · issued Dec 15, 2025
In addition to the Anti-Theft software provided under Service Campaign 993 (TSB 24-01-009H-1), a zinc reinforced ignition cylinder protector hardware upgrade is being made available to customers upon request. This…
25-01-089H DN · Other · issued Dec 15, 2025
This bulletin provides the service procedure for installation of a key cylinder reinforcement protector assembly and two anti-theft decals on the front windows.
25-01-089H TSB · Other · issued Dec 15, 2025
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of…
25-BD-012H TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 6, 2025
Hyundai is conducting a campaign to enhance the knock sensor software to detect abnormal engine bearing noise before potentially severe engine damage occurs. If abnormal engine bearing noise is detected, the Malfunction…
24-01-068H · Service Campaign · issued Aug 19, 2024
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2011 Hyundai Tucson has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2011 Hyundai Tucson?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 74,600 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.