YearToAvoid

2016 Hyundai Tucson Engine Problems

Engine complaints make up 504 of 1,619 total complaints (31%) filed against the 2016 Hyundai Tucson, with a median failure mileage of 32,000 miles. NHTSA also logs 17 fires, 6 crashes, and 3 injuries tied to this component, though no related recalls are listed.

Engine complaints
504
31% of 1,619
Crashes reported
6
Fires reported
17
Injuries reported
3
Median mileage
32,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Engine stalls or loses power suddenly while driving, sometimes followed by smoke or a fire under the hood.
  • Underhood fires start with no warning lights on, occurring both while parked and while driving.
  • Check engine light comes on with abnormal engine noise, sometimes followed by loss of power on the highway.
  • Owners describe unintended acceleration while parking, leading to collisions with stationary objects.
  • High oil consumption reported after higher mileage, in one case preceding a turbocharger and engine failure.

When 2016 Hyundai Tucson engine complaints were filed

First complaint Apr 11, 2016, latest Sep 9, 2026.

2016 Hyundai Tucson engine complaints: complaints filed per quarter292016 Q22017 Q42019 Q22020 Q42022 Q22023 Q42025 Q2
504 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2016 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2016 Q3 (29).

Engine recalls for the 2016 Hyundai Tucson

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Tucson model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201010 (17%)
  2. 201147 (38%)
  3. 2012172 (67%)
  4. 2013160 (60%)
  5. 2014114 (57%)
  6. 2015126 (56%)
  7. 2016504 (31%)
  8. 2017662 (61%)
  9. 2018256 (65%)
  10. 2019204 (54%)
  11. 202075 (42%)
  12. 202143 (54%)
  13. 2022124 (33%)
  14. 202333 (25%)
  15. 202423 (24%)
  16. 202524 (8%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are engine problems in the 2016 Hyundai Tucson?
NHTSA lists 504 engine complaints for the 2016 Tucson, which is 31% of the 1,619 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2016 Hyundai Tucson engine?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this engine complaint category on the 2016 Tucson.
At what mileage do engine problems typically occur?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for engine complaints on the 2016 Tucson is 32,000 miles.
Do engine problems on the 2016 Tucson lead to fires?
NHTSA data shows 17 fire incidents and 6 crashes associated with engine complaints on the 2016 Tucson, along with 3 injuries.
How does the 2016 Tucson compare to other years for engine complaints?
The 2016 Tucson's 31% engine complaint share is lower than several other years, including 2012 (67%), 2017 (61%), and 2018 (65%).

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.