Most common 2021 Hyundai Tucson problems
Share of the 80 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 →
2021 Hyundai Tucson recalls (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 certain 2016-2018 Tucson vehicles.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the HECU fuse. For 2019-2021 model years, the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) software will also be updated. Recall repairs will be performed free of charge.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2021 Hyundai Tucson:
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 2021 Hyundai Tucson owners say
Engine & cooling all 42 →
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. The contact's girlfriend also saw flames coming out of the A/C vents. The contact closed the hood and assisted his girlfriend and his pet in exiting the vehicle. The contact stated that his girlfriend slipped and fell while exiting the vehicle. The contact's girlfriend sustained back pain and the contact sustained a flash burn. There was no further information provided. The contact stated that the entire vehicle caught on fire. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire department. A fire department report was filed. …
The contact owned a 2021 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, an abnormal clicking sound was coming from under the hood. No warning lights illuminated. In addition, the contact managed to pull over to the shoulder of the road, where white smoke was noticed leaking from under the hood, and the intensity was increasing while the smoke turned black. The local fire department arrived on scene to extinguish the fire. The source of the fire was not identified. It was unknown if a Fire report was filed. A police report was filed. No injuries were sustained, and medical attention was not sought. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was deemed a total loss as it was majoily consumed by the fire. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. …
Electrical system
I've had numerous issues with my vehicle, including power steering, brakes, loss of power, and more. On a few occasions, I started my vehicle and put it into drive, only to find that the power steering hadn't disengaged. This led to near collisions, such as almost hitting another vehicle while backing out of a parking spot and nearly running into a wall. I've reported these issues to Hyundai multiple times, but the dealership can't reproduce the problem, despite having recordings of the incidents. I've also experienced delayed release of the electronic e-brake and it feeling like it hadn't fully disengaged. In a recent event, with passengers in the car, the e-brake auto-engaged while driving downhill, bringing the vehicle to a halt. I had to manually disengage it and restart the vehicle to resume normal operation. …
Vehicle stalled approximately 15 times between April 17 and May 4, 2026, including once on Interstate [redacted] at approximately 50mph with minor children ages [redacted] and [redacted] in the vehicle. The oil and battery lights illuminated simultaneously at each stall. Diagnosed as ABS module failure first, then left front wheel speed sensor failure on the 2nd occasion, both confirmed by a Hyundai dealership. Multiple warning lights illuminated, including check blind spot and anti lock brake system messages on the dashboard BUT no error codes following the 2nd repair. The vehicle has been inspected and repaired twice by the manufacturer's dealership with a 3rd repair currently pending as of May 11, 2026. An open case has been filed with Hyundai Motor America regarding this issue. Issue remains unresolved and the vehicle is still at the dealership.
Brakes
The issue started just before my vehicle had 60,000 miles on it and only occurred every once and a while but, now it happens more often. When braking at low speeds my car makes a hissing/buzzing noise and the pedal goes soft. We got to a dealership when it had 60,420 miles on it. The dealership had it for two weeks saying they have never experienced anything like this issue before. They even contacted Hyundai Tech to help them. No warning lights ever came on and that was my concern. Finally after two weeks they said my tone ring on my driver's front side was bad and causing a false 0 reading. When I asked why the warning lights didn't come on they told me everything was working like should. Then after I pointed out that they said it was reading a false zero they were like no that must have been a typo its reading four miles under the rest and that's causing the abs system to activate. …
Purchase new Tucson from Hyundai of Saint Augustine FL in April 2021, the vehicle worked fine. Then in July 2021 the vacuum assist brakes would not hold a vacuum after the engine was shut down, so when you went to start the vehicle it required excessive pressure on the brake peddle to clear the interlock before the vehicle would start. Took vehicle to dealer and told service writer that I thought it was the Check Valve leaking. After 2 hours service writer told me Tucson was ready and their technician did not find anything wrong and that there is no Check Valve. Drove vehicle home and the vacuum assist brake was still not correct so I filed a case with Hyundai USA (#18769467) about the problem and waited for them to contact me. When they contacted me they told me to take it back to dealer and they would fix the problem. …
2021 Hyundai Tucson engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 23 / 28 / 25 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 28 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 22 / 25 / 23 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 21 / 26 / 23 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2021 Hyundai Tucson a good car?
Based on 80 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2021 Tucson rates use caution: 1.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Tucson at the same age. It is one of the Tucson years we suggest avoiding. 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 2021 Hyundai Tucson?
The engine & cooling — 42 complaints, 53% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (12) and brakes (12).
How many recalls does the 2021 Hyundai Tucson have?
There is 1 recall for the 2021 Hyundai Tucson, the most recent from September 4, 2020 (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 2021 Hyundai Tucson problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 29,000 miles; 64% 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.