Model year report

2017 Hyundai Tucson: what breaks, and at what mileage

What breaks on the 2017 Hyundai Tucson

On the 2017 Hyundai Tucson, the failure owners report most often is other engine problem, and the reports cluster around 56,000 miles. The earliest to appear is other fuel system problem, reported by a median of 5,000 miles. Overall it scores 81 out of 100, severe risk for a 2017.

Severe risk for a 2017 — 32nd riskiest of the 263 2017 vehicles we can rate. 1,461 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.

What breaks on the 2017 Hyundai Tucson

Owners have reported 74 named failure modes on the 2017 Hyundai Tucson, and the three most-reported carry 44% of everything filed.

Other engine problem leads with 313 reports, about 2.9 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 31k to 80,000 miles.

Other powertrain problem follows with 182 reports, usually reported between 1k to 20,000 miles. 1 of those report mention a fire.

Excessive oil consumption follows with 151 reports, usually reported between 65k to 100,000 miles.

By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (597), transmission (302) and body (76).

When these failures get reported

593 of the reports on the 2017 Hyundai Tucson came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 23,000 miles.

Cumulatively, 70% by 50,000 miles, 92% by 100,000 miles and 99% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.

The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 33% of the dated reports.

62% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.

In the order they tend to show up: other fuel system problem around 6k, other powertrain problem around 8k, software fault or failed update around 8k and dual-clutch or clutch-pack failure around 10k.

Median

Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens

Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 74. The full list is in the table below.

How reports accumulate

Share of reports filed by each mileage

half by 23k

Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.

Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Dashed the median reported mileage

What happens when these parts fail

Across the named modes, 22 mention a crash, 35 a fire, 20 an injury and 2 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.

The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.23, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.

What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other engine problem at $300–$4,000, other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500, excessive oil consumption at $900–$6,500 and dual-clutch or clutch-pack failure at $1,800–$5,500. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.

62% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures, so more than half of what owners complained about here is expensive.

Every reported failure mode

Mileage figures are percentiles of owner-reported readings. Click a column to sort.
Failure mode	System	Reports	With reading	25th	Median	75th	Per 1,000	Typical repair	Severity
Other engine problem	engine	313	119	31k	56k	80k	2.9	$300–$4,000	High
Other powertrain problem	transmission	182	113	1k	8k	20k	1.7	$400–$4,500	High
Excessive oil consumption	engine	151	23	65k	75k	100k	1.4	$900–$6,500	High
Dual-clutch or clutch-pack failure	transmission	95	58	3k	10k	18k	0.9	$1,800–$5,500	High
Other speed control problem	adas	56	38	5k	15k	26k	0.5	$250–$2,000	Critical
Other electrical problem	electrical	46	15	17k	34k	55k	0.4	$250–$2,000	Moderate
Other fuel system problem	fuel	45	24	1k	6k	24k	0.4	$300–$2,200	High
Other body or interior problem	body	37	7	—	34k	—	0.3	$200–$2,000	Moderate
Other brake problem	brakes	36	16	32k	48k	88k	0.3	$300–$1,800	High
Door latch or handle failure	body	29	10	49k	62k	69k	0.3	$250–$1,200	High
Misfire or rough idle	engine	28	11	22k	40k	89k	0.3	$250–$1,600	Moderate
Complete engine failure or seizure	engine	27	3	—	40k	—	0.2	$4,500–$12,000	Critical
No-start or intermittent start failure	engine	19	12	28k	39k	85k	0.2	$200–$1,800	Moderate
Stalling while driving	engine	16	5	—	93k	—	0.1	$300–$2,500	Critical
Complete transmission failure	transmission	14	4	—	15k	—	0.1	$2,800–$8,000	Critical
Software fault or failed update	software	14	9	6k	8k	10k	0.1	$0–$600	Moderate
Tail light, brake light or signal failure	lighting	13	8	28k	29k	29k	0.1	$100–$900	Moderate
Oil leak	engine	11	2	—	56k	—	0.1	$250–$2,200	Moderate
Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure	fuel	11	8	23k	30k	40k	0.1	$250–$1,800	Moderate
Engine bay fire	engine	9	2	—	13k	—	0.1	$4,000–$20,000	Critical
Transmission will not engage a gear	transmission	9	4	—	2k	—	0.1	$1,500–$6,000	Critical
Wiring harness or short circuit	electrical	9	3	—	400	—	0.1	$400–$3,500	High
Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin	emissions	9	6	—	83k	—	0.1	$250–$2,000	High
Tire blowout or tread separation	wheels	8	0	—	—	—	0.1	$200–$1,500	Critical
Other wheel or tire problem	wheels	8	3	—	200	—	0.1	$200–$1,500	High
Other lighting problem	lighting	8	5	—	26k	—	0.1	$120–$1,200	Moderate
Engine knock or bearing noise	engine	7	1	—	104k	—	0.1	$2,500–$9,000	High
Seat belt or retractor failure	airbag	7	1	—	450	—	0.1	$200–$900	High
Other steering problem	steering	7	2	—	104k	—	0.1	$350–$2,400	High
Lane keep or steering assist fault	adas	6	2	—	36k	—	0.1	$200–$1,600	High
Sunroof failure or glass breakage	body	6	2	—	16k	—	0.1	$700–$4,500	High
Other driver assistance problem	adas	6	3	—	8k	—	0.1	$250–$1,800	High
Head gasket failure	engine	5	0	—	—	—	0.0	$1,400–$4,000	Critical
Overheating	cooling	5	2	—	19k	—	0.0	$400–$3,500	High
Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure	electrical	5	0	—	—	—	0.0	$250–$1,500	High
Infotainment screen failure	infotainment	5	3	—	49k	—	0.0	$400–$2,600	Low
Backup camera failure	infotainment	5	2	—	18k	—	0.0	$250–$1,200	Moderate
Loss of braking	brakes	5	5	—	2k	—	0.0	$400–$3,000	Critical
ABS module or sensor failure	brakes	5	1	—	30k	—	0.0	$500–$2,400	High
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault	airbag	5	2	—	4k	—	0.0	$300–$1,600	High
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure	electrical	4	1	—	11k	—	0.0	$700–$3,000	High
Cruise control failure	adas	4	0	—	—	—	0.0	$200–$1,400	High
Paint peeling or clear coat failure	body	4	0	—	—	—	0.0	$600–$6,000	Low
Catalytic converter failure	emissions	4	3	—	93k	—	0.0	$900–$3,500	Moderate
Headlight failure or clouding	lighting	4	3	—	101k	—	0.0	$150–$1,800	Moderate
Other visibility problem	glass	4	2	—	11k	—	0.0	$150–$1,400	Moderate
Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure	engine	3	1	—	92k	—	0.0	$1,200–$4,500	Critical
Turbocharger or supercharger failure	engine	3	1	—	45k	—	0.0	$1,500–$4,500	High
Intake carbon buildup	engine	3	1	—	90k	—	0.0	$400–$1,200	Moderate
Alternator or charging system failure	electrical	3	3	—	9k	—	0.0	$450–$1,600	High
Parking brake failure	brakes	3	0	—	—	—	0.0	$250–$1,300	Moderate
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash	airbag	3	0	—	—	—	0.0	$1,000–$5,000	Critical
Airbag inflator rupture	airbag	3	0	—	—	—	0.0	$0–$0	Critical
Tire pressure monitor failure	wheels	3	0	—	—	—	0.0	$80–$600	Low
Electrical fire or melted wiring	electrical	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$1,500–$9,000	Critical
Lifter, cam or cylinder-deactivation failure	engine	2	1	—	30k	—	0.0	$1,800–$7,000	High
Thermostat failure	cooling	2	1	—	78k	—	0.0	$250–$900	Moderate
Fuel pump failure	fuel	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$600–$2,600	High
Fuel leak or fuel odor	fuel	2	1	—	11k	—	0.0	$300–$2,500	Critical
Audio or connectivity failure	infotainment	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$150–$900	Low
Automatic braking for no reason	adas	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$0–$1,500	Critical
Loss of power steering	steering	2	1	—	155k	—	0.0	$600–$2,800	Critical
Air conditioning failure	hvac	2	1	—	3k	—	0.0	$400–$2,800	Moderate
Other suspension problem	suspension	2	1	—	200	—	0.0	$350–$2,000	Moderate
Water pump failure	cooling	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$500–$2,200	High
Radiator or coolant leak	cooling	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$350–$1,900	High
Transmission slipping	transmission	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$1,200–$5,500	High
Manual clutch or hydraulics failure	transmission	1	1	—	26k	—	0.0	$900–$2,800	Moderate
Parasitic battery drain	electrical	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$200–$1,200	Moderate
Instrument cluster or gauge failure	infotainment	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$350–$1,400	Moderate
Premature brake pad or rotor wear	brakes	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$300–$1,400	Moderate
Blind spot monitor failure	adas	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$250–$1,300	Moderate
Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure	steering	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$700–$2,600	High
Wiper or washer failure	glass	1	1	—	12k	—	0.0	$120–$800	Moderate
Unclassified problem	other	101	36	2k	18k	53k	0.9	—	Moderate

Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.

How often, against how many were built

Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2017 Hyundai Tucson draws about 13 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 91st percentile of complaint rates among 2017 vehicles we can rate.

That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.

The working figure is 108,670 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2017 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.

What owners wrote

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.

Recalls on the 2017 model year

NHTSA has issued 3 recall campaigns covering the 2017 Hyundai Tucson, affecting an estimated 158,484 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.

The campaigns cover engine, service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electron and electrical system:wiring. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.

Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.

21V727000

ENGINE

95,515 vehicles 2021-09-17

Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Tucson and Sonata Hybrid vehicles. The connecting rod bearings inside the engine may wear prematurely, which can result in engine damage.
Consequence: A damaged engine can increase the risk of a fire or it can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the engine. If bearing damage is found, the engine will be replaced. Dealers will also install a software update containing a new Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS). Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owners were notified of the defect on November 16, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed January 15, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 209.

20V543000

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

652,024 vehicles 2020-09-04

Defect: 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.
Consequence: An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury or crash.
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. 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.

16V842000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

6,172 vehicles 2016-11-21

Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Tucson vehicles manufactured May 19, 2015, to November 14, 2016, and 2017 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured November 28, 2015, to November 14, 2016. The affected vehicles may be equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result, in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices…
Consequence: If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected accessory trailer hitch wiring harnesses, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 13, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 153.

Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.

How it ranks in the 2017 field

The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.

Risk score against the rest of the 2017 field

Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.

Left fewer and less serious reports
Right more, or worse
Marker this vehicle

Where 2017 sits in the model line

Severe risk for a 2017 — 32nd riskiest of the 263 2017 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.

Across the 22 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2007 comes out best at 63 and 2017 worst at 81, with 2017 itself at 81.

If the model year is negotiable, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2020, 2006, 2010, 2005, 2014, 2026, 2021, 2015, 2024, 2011, 2013, 2012, 2025, 2019, 2018, 2023 and 2016 score lower than 2017 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.

Within the 2016–2021 generation specifically, 2020 is the strongest year at 69 and 2017 the weakest at 81.

Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.

Risk score by model year, out of 100

Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.

Within the 2016-2021 generation, 2020 Hyundai Tucson scores best at 69 and 2017 Hyundai Tucson worst at 81.

What to look at before buying one

The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other powertrain problem from about 1k, other fuel system problem from about 1k, dual-clutch or clutch-pack failure from about 3k and other speed control problem from about 5k.

On a 2017 Hyundai Tucson with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other powertrain problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.

None of this is a diagnosis. It is a list of what other owners of the same model year reported, ordered by when they reported it, which is a good place to point an inspection and a poor place to stop.

What this page cannot tell you

1,461 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.

Of those 1,461 reports, 593 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 41% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".

Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.

And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.

Questions this page answers

What are the most common problems with the 2017 Hyundai Tucson?

The most-reported failures are other engine problem (313 reports, median 56,000 miles), other powertrain problem (182 reports, median 8,000 miles) and excessive oil consumption (151 reports, median 75,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.

At what mileage do 2017 Hyundai Tucson problems start?

Other fuel system problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 5,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 1,300 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 23,000 miles.

Is the 2017 Hyundai Tucson reliable?

It scores 81 out of 100 on our risk index, which is severe — 32nd riskiest of the 263 2017 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2017 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.

Which year of the Hyundai Tucson is best?

Within the 2016–2021 generation, 2020 scores best at 69 out of 100 and 2017 worst at 81. Same body, same engines, different luck.

Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.

What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car

Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt 30 August 2026 Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed