Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Hyundai Tucson owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
"Takata recall" on April 8th approximately 6 o'clock in the morning I was awaken out of my sleep to my car on fire in my yard. I called the firefighter department they came out and said it was from bad electrical wires. My car was in my front yard...I last drove it that night to pizza hut
Rear subframe is rotted. My 17 year old was driving on the highway, she lost control, it could have been tragic.the car has been towed and sitting in a parking lot for 2 months as I can not find this part! My mechanic said it was a recall with these cars.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the vehicle's subframe and suspension were severely rusted and corroded. The oil pan, fuel tank, fuel tank clamps, rear chassis cradle, and front end suspension (including the struts, sway bars, sway bar clamp, sway bushings) were replaced by an independent mechanic. Garber Hyundai (5450 bay rd, saginaw, mi) and the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The contact indicated that the vehicle still experienced front end vibration while driving. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 155,000.
Tl contact owns a 2005 Hyundai Tucson. While driving approximately 40 MPH the vehicle was involved in a crash. After the crash occurred the dashboard fell down on her knees. A police report was filed and she was injured. The vehicle was destroyed and towed an independent repair shop where they were unable to inform her as to why the dashboard fell down. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 30,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2005 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the sub frame was completely corroded. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they diagnosed that the sub frame needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was at 180,000.
Letter to nstb and ma attorney general, re Hyundai underbody corrosion on 8/6/2015 I received a Hyundai "service campaign notification" on my 2005 Tucson for "under body corrosion." I did have the recall service completed. ('arrests' it, they claim, but not removes it.) by that date I had already experienced two failures caused by the corrosion, both of which I believe had high potential for serious, even fatal accidents. The repairs cost almost $2,000, but they refused to reimburse. I am more concerned with the safety issues. Luckily, the fuel tank falling onto the drive shaft did not rupture and explode. The right front control arm failure caused loss of steering control and an abrupt stop into the right curb. Had it been the left front,, I would have been steered into oncoming traffic. Had it been at turnpike speed I suspect a likely rollover. …
My 2005 Hyundai Tucson was recalled for rust/corrosion problem on the undercarriage subframe. The service work was done in November, 2015 by my Hyundai dealer in Plymouth, ma. It was inspected again approximately 1 month later and determined that it needed additional preventative rust recall service work to be done. Hyundai motors of America asked for additional photos and another inspection and concluded that they refused to repair more rust problems that had become systemic and will eventually affect the safety of my car as the rust continues to spread over time. This determination came in February, 2016. My car only has 82,000 miles and I was hoping to keep the car for some time longer but now I May not have that option and May not qualify for safety inspections in the future. …
As I was driving down the highway, I noticed that one of the windows in my 2005 Hyundai Tucson sounded like it had been rolled down. Almost immediately, my daughter yelled, "our window is coming off!" I had just enough time to look in my rearview mirror to see the right rear quarter panel window being held on by just a small strip of some sort of adhesive. In less than a second, the window flew off, began pinwheeling through the air and narrowly missed the vehicle just behind me. Even the repairman at the Hyundai dealership that replaced the window for me was speechless when I told him what happened. I contacted Hyundai, and all they would tell me is that my car is out of warranty. While it would have been nice for them to offer to pay for the repair, I was much more concerned with their lack of concern for anything other than the fact that the vehicle was out of warranty. …
During a recent long rain event in the northeast I entered my car to find a 1/2 of sitting water on the passenger side front floor area. The water was trickling from the top portion of the floor mat where it meets the dash. Upon removing the glove box and pulling out the cabin filter, I noticed the water coming down through the ac system. Dealer looked at the door jams and the hood, and found nothing. No resolution at this time. Similar complaint filed on service bulletins. Car was parked on a 10 degree angle nose end down. Water leak through and near electrical components and near passenger side airbag. Loss of airbag integrity with unknown damage if any. Mold and mildew damage is a potential heath issue as well.
My 2005 hundai tuscon seems to be of very poor quality. I rarely use the backhatch window, maybe 5 times in the past 10months. The passenger side hinge broke and is totally corroded (sp?) by just opening it an inch by mistake and closing it, it snapped right off. Hyundai dealer says "well it is 6yrs old". I also have had an issue since I purchased the vehicle where the power locks go on and off on their own and there is something randomly draining the battery if it is not driven every 24-48hrs. It appears both of these issues have been apparent for many 2005 tuscon owners, and Hyundai is failing to acknowledge these factory issues which should have been recalled in my opinion.
Body complaints in other Tucson years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2005 Hyundai Tucson?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the body & structure of the 2005 Hyundai Tucson, 11% of the model year's 185 complaints. The component named most often is body (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Hyundai Tucson body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2005 Hyundai Tucson, though it has 8 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2005 Hyundai Tucson body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.