The 2018 Hyundai Tucson carries 1 open NHTSA recall — most recently covering control unit/module. Owners report 8 recurring issue clusters, led by “Exterior paint peeling and flaking.” Hyundai's owner's manual splits service into Normal and Severe schedules. Most US drivers qualify as Severe due to short trips, extreme temperatures, or stop-and-go traffic. Hyundai Assurance covers the first 3 years / 36,000 miles of complimentary maintenance on new vehicles. The Theta II 2.0L and 2.4L engines (2011-2019) are subject to TSBs around oil consumption — strict adherence to oil intervals matters.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
Campaign #20V543000 · Apr 9, 2020
Issue: 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. The Anti-lock Brake Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) could corrode internally and cause an electrical short, possibly resulting in an engine compartment fire.
Risk: An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury or crash.
Fix: 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. Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. The recall began November 2, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 195.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2018 Hyundai Tucson.
STRUCTURE
4 NHTSA complaints · 2023-07 → 2025-05
“The paint on my 2018 Hyundai Tucson began peeling off the side mirrors and the shark-fin antenna on the roof. I have found that many other Hyundai owners are experiencing the same issue”
“The white paint on the hood began to flake off. Currently, the missing paint is about 3 inches in diameter. There is an appearance of paint bubbling on the roof of the vehicle and in the hood”
ENGINE
52 NHTSA complaints · 2023-03 → 2026-07
“The engine is burning excessive oil. Down 3 quarts over approx. 3,000 miles. Mechanic verified there are no leaks - it is burning the oil”
“I own a 2018 Hyundai Tucson with 87,000 miles that consumes about four quarts of oil per 1,000 miles. I first noticed the problem at 51,000 miles, despite regular maintenance. The issue has worsened, repeatedly damaging spark plugs and causing the car to seize”
“The engine consumes a quart of oil every 1,000 - 1,500 miles with no signs of leakage or burning”
ENGINE
61 NHTSA complaints · 2023-04 → 2026-08
“The 2.0L engine catastrophically failed during normal highway driving, consistent with a thrown connecting rod. The vehicle suddenly lost power on a roadway with tractor-trailer traffic”
“My connecting rod came apart and went through the oil pan while I was on the highway. There were no engine or oil lights until the engine was already smoking and no longer accelerating luckily I was in the far right lane already and was able.to coast to safety”
“The car was making an engine noise and stopped working. My car oil was on level and the oil wasn’t need any change , then was confirmed that the car engine is blown”
ENGINE
14 NHTSA complaints · 2023-06 → 2026-02
“It started [XXX] when i took my car to the dealership due to it going into limp mode. The dealership took it in and said it was throwing error code p1326 which is the knock sensor code”
“The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed”
“In the last 3 months I have had my vehicle go into Limp Mode due to a faulty engine. All 3 times while I was on the highway and I was almost seriously injured due to traffic. Ever since I got the Knock Sensor update, I have had nothing but problems”
POWER TRAIN
25 NHTSA complaints · 2023-03 → 2026-08
“My transmission was replaced by Hyundai when the car only had approximately 15,000 miles (give or take) and now at 73,000 miles, I'm experiencing the same issue again! The delayed engagement when accelerating from a stop has been stressful, to say the least”
“When accelerating from a stop (particularly when taking a left turn across traffic, and uphill), the car often will hesitate and near-stall. It does not respond to driver “punching” the accelerator even to the floor, the car won’t respond, then suddenly catches and lurches…”
“When pulling out of the parking lot and onto the road, the transmission stalled. The car did not move, the rpms jumped to 5-6 and the lurched and jerked forward then stopped and lurched forward again with the rpms jumping high”
ENGINE
14 NHTSA complaints · 2023-07 → 2026-05
“Catalytic converter failure. Driving and vehicle slowed down while attempting to pass another vehicle in spite of foot being on accelerator. We were nearly hit head on by a semi trailer. Vehicle unable to increase speed over 50 mph”
“Van Hyundai Dealership in Carrollton, TX has confirmed excessive oil consumption causing catalytic converter failure that results in the engine stalling and unable to accelerate”
“My vehicle is burning 2 1/2 quarts of oil a month , my catalytic converter is clogged due to this, Hyundai is fighting me and will not take responsibility for either”
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
4 NHTSA complaints · 2023-05 → 2025-10
“The headlights and taillights fail frequently. I have replaced each every 90 days. I find the contacts melted on them when they fail. I have never seen this happen on any other vehicle I have owned”
“Since 2019, the vehicle has had repeated headlight failures (at least 12 bulb replacements), persistent “bulb out” warnings, and eventually melted wiring requiring headlamp assembly replacement in 2025”
ENGINE
3 NHTSA complaints · 2023-05 → 2026-04
“While driving on the highway, about ten minutes from home, my car suddenly burst into flames. There were no warning lights in the cockpit. There was no smoke in the cabin”
“We smelled something burning, and suddenly smoke was coming out of my center console. I pulled over and flames were coming out of the driver side. As soon as we evacuated the vehicle, it burst into flames”
Note: NHTSA also opened 1 defect investigation(s) on this vehicle that closed without action.
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Severe service: every 3,750 miles. Normal service: 7,500 miles. Theta II 2.0L/2.4L (Sonata, Santa Fe, Tucson 2011-2019): never extend — oil consumption issues are documented in Hyundai TSBs.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Rotate tires every 7,500 miles. AWD Tucson and Santa Fe owners benefit from rotation at 5,000 miles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
Inspect brake pads, rotors, calipers, and parking brake every 7,500 miles. Elantra and Sonata front pads typically last 40,000-50,000 miles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
Replace DOT 3 brake fluid every 30,000 miles or 24 months. Required to maintain ABS and ESC pump life.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$180–$200
Shop
~$125–$140
DIY
~$10–$25
DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
Replace engine air filter every 30,000 miles. Severe service or dusty conditions: 15,000 miles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Severe service: every 30,000 miles. Normal: 60,000 miles. Use Hyundai SP-IV or SPH-IV — substitutes can cause harsh shifting and torque converter damage.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$330–$500
Shop
~$235–$355
DIY
~$60–$180
Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.
Iridium spark plugs are rated 105,000 miles on Theta II, Lambda II, and Smartstream engines. 1.6T (Veloster N, Kona N): 60,000 miles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$390
Shop
~$200–$275
DIY
~$25–$100
Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.
Hyundai Long-Life Coolant (pink): first change at 60,000 miles, then every 30,000. Do not substitute green or orange coolant — it damages the cylinder head gasket on GDI engines.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Replace cabin air filter every 15,000 miles. Located behind the glove box on most Hyundai models.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.
Inspect serpentine belt and tensioner every 60,000 miles. Replace at 90,000 miles on most models.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$195–$235
Shop
~$135–$165
DIY
~$20–$50
DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.
Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)
33 crashes 1990–2024
How the 33 occupant deaths break down
27
driver deaths
6
passenger deaths
33
occupant deaths
Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2018 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number
FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.
Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.
Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.
IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.
Owner-reported problem signals
Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.
13
complaints mentioning a crash
9
complaints mentioning a fire
Reviewed known issues for this vehicle·Open recalls for this vehicle
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 2018 Hyundai Tucson reflects Hyundai's published service intervals and the Service Reminder system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.