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2010 Hyundai Tucson: engine and transmission complaints

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
58%
29 of 50 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

58% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2010 Hyundai Tucson are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 77% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 8 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 50%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
29
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
58
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
4
3 crashes · 1 injuries

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN22 · 38%
SERVICE BRAKES13 · 22%
ENGINE7 · 12%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM6 · 10%
AIR BAGS5 · 9%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER5 · 9%

The years either side

2010
58%
29 of 58
2011
52%
64 of 124
2012
74%
184 of 255
2013
67%
172 of 266
2014
61%
121 of 202
2015
58%
128 of 226
2016
54%
860 of 1,617
2017
79%
840 of 1,084
2018
80%
305 of 393
2019
58%
214 of 378
2020
47%
77 of 176
2021
63%
47 of 78
2022
65%
234 of 381
2023
35%
44 of 132

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Other compact SUVs with no elevated signal in 2010

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE05/23/2024
The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving 40-45 MPH, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from underneath the hood and the temperature gauge fluctuated. The vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The ve…
ENGINE01/18/2023
The engine ran out of oil completely with no leaks no nothing and never had a light come on to show low oil or engine issues. It went from running great to engine knocking with no warning
ENGINE10/12/2022
The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the dealer had repaired the vehicle under Hyundai Technical Service Bulletin Number: 21-01-023H-3 (Engine Monitoring Logic Update). However, two months later, the vehicle stalled while at a complete stop. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehic…

Three of 29 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (4)

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 Tour…
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 TUCSON VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 27, 2010, THROUGH APRIL 17, 2010 FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE …
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 TUCSON VEHICLES. PROPERLY SEATED ADULT RIGHT FRONT SEAT PASSENGERS WEIGHING OVER APPROXIMATELY 240 POUNDS CAUSE THE PASSIVE …

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2010 Hyundai Tucson

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.