2011 Hyundai Tucson Brake Problems

34 owners have reported brakes problems with the 2011 Hyundai Tucson to NHTSA — 27% of all 124 complaints for this model year. The typical failure happened around 48,000 miles. That ranks #11 of 21 Tucson model years for brake complaints (a typical year has 35). One related recall has been issued.

34complaints
48ktypical miles
1related recalls
1crashes
1fires
6injuries

Mileage when the problem started

  • Under 25k
    440%
  • 25k–50k
    220%
  • 50k–75k
    110%
  • 75k–100k
    110%
  • 100k–150k
    220%
  • 150k+
    00%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Hyundai Tucson owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The contact owned a 2011 Hyundai Tucson. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available The contact stated while driving 45-50 MPH, there was smoke coming from underneath the passenger's side of the hood. The contact immediately veered to the side of the road and exited the vehicle. The contact stated while attempting to grab the fire extinguisher in the trunk, she noticed that there was fire underneath the vehicle. The vehicle became engulfed in fire. A fire department report and a police report were filed but were not currently available. The contact and the three other passengers who were occupying the vehicle at the time of the incident sustained trauma but did not seek medical assistance. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. …

12,000 miles · Apr 2024 · fire · 4 injuries

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving 25-30 MPH at night, the vehicle was shuddering and lost motive power. The contact was able to veer to the side of the roadway. The contact off and restarted the vehicle, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact continued driving; however, the failure recurred, and the vehicle could not exceed 30 MPH. The contact pulled into the nearest gas station. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer covered the cost of the repair. The vehicle was 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. …

116,000 miles · Sep 2023

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The ABS, the Hill Descent, and an unknown warning light were illuminated. 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 stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact called an independent mechanic and was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

140,000 miles · Jul 2023

Recall # 251 has been going on at great length and I have an appointment for 11:30am April 1,2025 for what they deem as a solution to # 251 Recall that does not fix the problem and goes against everything that the NHTSA and FEDERAL GOVERMENT LAWS are in place for, you are allowing them to continue to not do what the laws clearly state and in a certain time period have repaired, replaced or make restiitution for the recalled issue it also is stated that they do not need to for automobiles older than 15years.Their Bandaid only creates other problems and dangers and by 02/11/2026 my car will be 16years old but it wasn't when all this first started,I own a time bomb and can not afford to buy another vehicle,Im retired and live on a fixed income. …

Sep 2022

Happened to be driving our car (11/23/25) to drop off our other car for brake pad replacement. On the way to our mechanic the brake light came on in the dash cluster. After having spoken to our mechanic we prepared to leave the car we planned to drop off. Got in our Hyundai Tucson and the brake light was still on, odd. Proceed to back up and he brake pedal almost went to the floor. Got out looked underneath the car and there was a puddle of brake fluid. The Hyundai was unsafe to drive as it had no brakes and we left it at our mechanic. He called Friday to say Hyundai longer makes the brake lines and he was searching for the front brake lines that corroded away and failed. He said the rear lines we coated to protect them from corrosion and the front lines were not. …

Jan 2025

The contact's daughter owns a 2011 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that upon his daughter attempting to enter the vehicle through the front driver's side door, the door failed to open. The contact stated that his daughter opened the front passenger's side door and there was black smoke coming from inside the vehicle. The contact's daughter discovered that the front driver's side seat, driver's side door panel, and headliner was burned. The contact stated that the Fire Department was not called to the scene. There was no one injured. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The dealer was notified of the failure and a tow truck was sent to the residence. …

Mar 2025

I am writing regarding the NHTSA Recall Number23V651000. I have been on a waiting list since July when the recall notice about a remedy finally being determined was sent in the mail. I have now called Hyundai of Cool Springs in Tennessee about where I am on the list. At one point they were saying September, then when I called again they were thinking some time in November. We are now almost out of November and I am not getting any updates and would like to park my daughter's vehicle in the garage. The dealership is saying that parts or something on back order with no idea on when I can expect an appointment to resolve this issue. I didn't let my daughter take the car to college thinking I would be able to resolve this by the time we were hitting winter break and her returning to school in January. Please provide guidance on other options to get this remedy taken care of. Thank you

Jul 2024

No known malfunction at this time on my vehicle - however a recall #251 has been issued with no repair available. Recall strongly recccommends parking car outside and away from structures due to possible fire which can also occur during driving. This problem has been going on with Hyundai cars for several years - AND THEY STILL DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION??? I called my two local dealerships and neither was aware of recall campaign 251. I asked if my ABS module completely failed - what module would they replace it with? I was advised that they would probably sell me a new one costing $1900 plus labor THAT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM!!! Hyundai is not taking this seriously - This is not being repaired in a timely manner. PLEASE RESTRICT THEM FROM SELLING ANYMORE CARS IN THE USA UNTIL THIS RECALL HAS A REMEDY!

Nov 2023

The ABS and Master Cylinder both had a pressure leak which caused the brakes to not engage. The sensor light also never activated to indicate a problem. While driving down the road my brakes would not engage unless I began to pump them, and even then they were unpredictable. We do not currently have the old parts as it was disposed of by the mechanic we went to. The independent mechanic was able to replicate the problem when the car was at a standstill in the shop. It was not inspected by anyone but the independent mechanic. There was no warning prior to this issue occurring. It started out small and I reported it to my mechanic but they could not replicate it. However within a time frame of 3 weeks, it was very severe and deemed unsafe to drive. P

Jul 2021

The contact owns a 2011 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 local dealer was contacted and determined that the parts were not available for repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not available for repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Nov 2023

Related recalls

Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module

NHTSA recall 23V-651 · Sep 22, 2023 · 1,649,478 vehiclesPark outside

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.

NHTSA investigations

Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires

NHTSA investigation AQ23002 · opened Nov 17, 2023 · open

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.

Brake complaints in other Tucson years

’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25’2615157714343541566650484211844123419163915
Brake complaints per model year, Hyundai Tucson.

Frequently asked questions

How common are brake problems on the 2011 Hyundai Tucson?

NHTSA has 34 complaints about the brakes of the 2011 Hyundai Tucson, 27% of the model year's 124 complaints.

Is there a recall for 2011 Hyundai Tucson brake problems?

Yes — NHTSA recall 23V-651 (control unit/module, Sep 22, 2023). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

At what mileage do 2011 Hyundai Tucson brake problems start?

Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 48,000 miles, and 40% before 25,000 miles.

Is it dangerous?

Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 6 injuries to brakes 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.