Most common 2010 Hyundai Tucson problems
Share of the 59 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Hyundai Tucson complaints by model year
Best Tucson years: 2011. Years to avoid: 2025, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2023. Compare all years →
2010 Hyundai Tucson recalls (4)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge.
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 Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.
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 safety standard no.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear reflector assemblies, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during June 2011. Owners May contact Hyundai's customer assistance center at 1-800-633-5151.
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 occupant detection system (pods) module program to illuminate the "air bag" warning lamp.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the pods module free of charge. Hyundai anticipates owners notification began by telephone on February 15 2010 and the notification was mailed on March 5, 2010.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2010 Hyundai Tucson:
Loss of Motive Power
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021.
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando.
What 2010 Hyundai Tucson owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 22 →
When traveling at about 35-40 MPH, the vehicle sometimes does not engage when trying to automatically shift to the next gear. This causes the driver to lose all acceleration and essentially puts the vehicle into a coast. Tapping on the accelerator does nothing to engage the transmission again. However, after a few seconds or more, the transmission will finally engage. If you happen to have the accelerator pressed this will lurch the vehicle forward. If you happen to be behind another vehicle this could potential cause an accident by ramming the vehicle in front of you. There have been a couple of 'close calls'. I have videos of the engine revving that I can supply, but the file sizes are too large to upload. This has been occurring since I purchased the vehicle new. They replaced the transmission at 5000 miles for a similar situation. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the electronic stability control and down hill brake control warning lights illuminated. In addition, the gear shifter failed to shift into park from the drive position. Also, while driving various speeds, the gear shifter shifted out of the drive position into the park position independently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the vehicle would need to be repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 13V113000 (exterior lighting, service brakes, hydraulic). The vehicle was repaired, but the failure with the gear shifter was not addressed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 88,692.
Brakes
The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Tucson. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while her significant other was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal burning odor coming from under the passenger's side dashboard. Upon further inspection, there was a small fire starting. The vehicle was pulled over to the shoulder of the road, and the fire was extinguished using his hand and water. The contact stated that while her significant other was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal burning odor coming from inside the vehicle. The driver pulled over to the shoulder of the road, and there was a fire coming from underneath the driver's side seat. The driver sustained burns on both hands and severe mental trauma. …
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 vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that upon opening the hood, an unknown engine part was fractured, and several unknown parts had detached and were leaning on the driver's side of the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted, and an appointment was scheduled for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Additionally, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. …
Engine & cooling
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 vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that upon opening the hood, an unknown engine part was fractured, and several unknown parts had detached and were leaning on the driver's side of the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted, and an appointment was scheduled for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Additionally, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. …
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 vehicle was pushed to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the Engine Monitoring Logic had failed and an unknown repair needed to be completed. The dealer sent a diagnostic report to the manufacturer who informed the dealer that they would cover half of the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact contacted the manufacturer but was unable to speak to a live agent. The failure mileage was approximately 168,000.
2010 Hyundai Tucson engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 23 / 31 / 26 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | FWD | 22 / 30 / 25 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 21 / 28 / 24 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | 4WD | 21 / 28 / 24 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2010 Hyundai Tucson a good car?
Based on 59 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2010 Tucson rates better than average: 74% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Tucson at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2010 Hyundai Tucson?
The transmission & drivetrain — 22 complaints, 37% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the brakes (14) and engine & cooling (7).
How many recalls does the 2010 Hyundai Tucson have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2010 Hyundai Tucson, the most recent from September 22, 2023 (control unit/module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Hyundai Tucson?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2025, 2016, 2017, 2022 and 2023. See the full Hyundai Tucson years comparison.
At what mileage do 2010 Hyundai Tucson problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 46,000 miles; 54% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.