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2021 Hyundai Tucson: engine and transmission complaints

VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
63%
47 of 75 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

63% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2021 Hyundai Tucson are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.

Worse than 83% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 3 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 60%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
47
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
78
this model year
Fires reported
3
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
1
2 crashes · 7 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE38 · 49%
SERVICE BRAKES12 · 15%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11 · 14%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER10 · 13%
POWER TRAIN8 · 10%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM8 · 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 in 2021

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

ENGINE07/31/2023FIRE2 INJURED
The contact called on behalf of his girlfriend who owned a 2021 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH in the driveway, there was steam coming out from under the hood. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact parked the vehicle. The contact stated that as he opened the hood, flames came out. …
ENGINE08/29/2026
Engine knock sensor went off and now the engine needs replacement due to faulty cylinder rod.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN08/20/2026
See attached document for complaint.

Three of 47 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 (1)

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
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 …

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

Before you buy a 2021 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.