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2011 Hyundai Tucson: engine and transmission complaints

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
52%
64 of 124 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

52% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2011 Hyundai Tucson are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 68% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
64
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
124
this model year
Fires reported
3
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
5
5 crashes · 7 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE40 · 32%
SERVICE BRAKES34 · 27%
HYDRAULIC21 · 17%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER20 · 16%
POWER TRAIN20 · 16%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM12 · 10%

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

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

STRUCTURE,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE05/23/2019CRASH2 INJURED
HIGHWAY, BRIDGE, FOLLOWING SIGNIFICANTLY FAR BACK. CAR STOPS AHEAD AND I BRAKE IN PLENTY OF TIME (MY SON WAS IN THE FRONT SEAT AND CAN ATTEST TO THAT). CAR BRAKES BUT VERY SLOWLY, NOT IN TIME SO WE HIT THE STATIONARY CAR AND THEN WE WERE HIT MUCH HARDER FROM BEHIND. AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE CAR IMMEDIATELY FILLED WITH…
ENGINE04/21/2026
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 co…
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING03/26/2024
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for scheduled maintenance, the contact was informed that an oil pan seal leak had been discovered. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related …

Three of 64 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 (5)

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Tucson vehicles. The engine oil pan may leak and, if not addressed, the loss of oil may result in engine da…
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011 Hyundai Tucson vehicles manufactured July 22, 2010, to October 31, 2010. The affected vehicles have …
AIR BAGS
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Hyundai Tucson vehicles manufactured January 3, 2011, through December 23, 2013. In the affecte…

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

Before you buy a 2011 Hyundai Tucson

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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.