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Engine coolingPart report

2012 Hyundai Tucson Engine cooling Problems

Complaints
10about this part
Share
4%of 255 total for the year
Median mileage
139,500miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 10 complaints about the engine cooling of the 2012 Hyundai Tucson, 4% of the 255 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 139,500 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved and 1 a fire, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“I bought a new car. 3 1/2 months later , I was rear-ended. I took car to dealership to get tailgate and pan and bumper repaired. When we picked up vehicle, strong toxic fumes from repair were so strong that we could not drive car. Instant headache, upper respiratory aggravation, sore throat, burning eyes. Car has been to repair shop numerous times and months later still causes illness in family. At one time that I drove car I almost lost consciousness. I have informed Hyundai dealership several times. I informed Hyundai corporation. …”

NHTSA complaint #10534365, filed 2013-08, 14,440 miles

“Brand new car- a few days after purchasing and driving the car, noticed car was not driving right. Several symptoms became noticeable. Car would jerk when accelerating and braking. Cars pick up was delayed and had a very uncomfortable vibration, while in idle and while driving, to the point of getting nauseous while driving in the car. Took car to Hyundai service and told them of symptoms and my concerns of something not right with the car. The mechanics felt the problems I explained above and said something was wrong, now had to figure out what exactly. …”

NHTSA complaint #10440922, filed 2011-12

“The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving 75 mph, the contact heard a clicking sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated moments later, a loud explosion came from the rear of the vehicle. The contact saw smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle stalled while driving to the side of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with the engine needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …”

NHTSA complaint #11424083, filed 2021-07, 150,000 miles

“The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled and entered into Limp Mode without warning. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V063000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) which she linked to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 141,000.”

NHTSA complaint #11485917, filed 2022-09, 141,000 miles

“The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was smoke coming from the tailpipe and a gurgling sound was coming from the exhaust. Additionally, the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption. The vehicle was taken to the local service center who diagnosed that the engine oil was present inside the engine cylinder and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 137,000.”

NHTSA complaint #11564391, filed 2024-01, 137,000 miles

Related recalls

Related service bulletins

Engine cooling: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202210%
202134%
202011%
201941%
201882%
2017172%
2016101%
201521%
201431%
201331%
2012104%
201154%
200849%
200746%
200697%
20052011%

Other parts of the 2012 Hyundai Tucson

Engine
160 complaints
Brakes
35 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
26 complaints
Electrical system
17 complaints
Other or unknown
12 complaints
Body and structure
9 complaints
Vehicle speed control
9 complaints
Air bags
6 complaints
Steering
6 complaints
Fuel system
5 complaints
Wheels
5 complaints
Suspension
4 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2012 Hyundai Tucson

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology