2016 Hyundai Tucson steering problems

Upper pinch bolt or intermediate steering shaft becomes loose, producing clicking, clunking, or rattling noises when turning the wheel or driving over rough surfaces. In one case, tightening the pinch bolt temporarily resolved the issue before it returned. Another owner reported the steering column bolts loosened twice at different mileages. One case involved a faulty intermediate steering shaft diagnosed by the dealer.

When: Observed from 14,037 miles onward; one owner noted onset around 80,000 miles; another at 49,000 miles.

Symptoms owners cite: Clicking or clunking noise when turning steering wheel; Rattling from steering column over bumpy roads; Steering wheel play or jiggling when going over bumps; Loosened steering column bolts requiring re-torquing

Repairs/costs cited: Dealership re-torqued bolts at 14,037 miles and again at 55,053 miles. One owner self-diagnosed and replaced faulty upper pinch bolt; another replaced intermediate steering shaft. Repair costs quoted at $250 diagnosis fee and over $1,000 for steering mechanism repair.

Steering wheel locked up suddenly while making a sharp left turn at low speed, causing loss of vehicle control and collision with a barrier. No failure code found by dealer; vehicle was not repaired.

When: At 28,738 miles

Symptoms owners cite: Sudden steering wheel seizure without warning; Loss of vehicle control; Collision resulted

Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed to Heritage Hyundai Towson but no failure code could be found and vehicle was not repaired.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was not notified of the failure.

Steering wheel coupler component failed on multiple Hyundai/Kia vehicles in the owner's household. Owner has four Hyundai vehicles total; two Sonatas and one Elantra had couplers replaced under extended warranty coverage before 100,000 miles, but the 2016 Tucson coupler failure at 80,000 miles was not covered.

When: All failures occurred before 100,000 miles; Tucson failure at 80,000 miles

Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel coupler failure

Repairs/costs cited: Coupler replacements were covered under extended warranty on other Hyundai models but not on the 2016 Tucson.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Extended warranty coverage inconsistently applied across models; Tucson not covered after 50,000 miles per one complaint.

Transmission hesitates or delays when accelerating from a stop, then surges forward abruptly. Occurs at stoplights, during intersection crossings, and on inclines. Creates dangerous situations with near-miss collisions. One complaint specifically mentions the Dual Clutch Transmission Reprogramming recall affecting transmission engagement logic in higher temperatures.

When: Observed from 35,000 miles onward; one case involved recall affecting transmission at unspecified mileage.

Symptoms owners cite: Transmission hesitation when accelerating from stop; Delayed engagement and lurching forward; Vehicle shaking during hesitation/lurch episodes; Loss of acceleration at stoplights; Surge forward after hesitation, nearly causing accidents

Repairs/costs cited: One dealership diagnosed need for full transmission replacement; another case cited the Dual Clutch Transmission Reprogramming recall affecting engagement logic. Engine replacement estimated at $14,000 in one case due to related internal engine failure.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dual Clutch Transmission Reprogramming recall mentioned in one complaint. Hyundai dealer Larry Miller denied financial assistance for $14,000 engine replacement in another case.

Engine burns or consumes oil at excessive rates with no visible external leaks. One owner found engine completely dry of oil three thousand miles after an oil change. Another owner reports consumption progressing from 1 quart per 1,000 miles to 1 quart every 500-800 miles, triggering low oil pressure warning light. No mechanical cause found by technicians; one mechanic recommended engine replacement.

When: Began around 100,000 miles in one case; another began after 80,000 miles; one started after oil change in 2020.

Symptoms owners cite: Oil level dropping rapidly between services; No visible external leaks; Oil pressure warning light activation; Engine running dry of oil

Repairs/costs cited: Mechanics unable to determine cause despite inspections for leaks. One mechanic recommended full engine replacement; another quoted $14,000 for engine replacement in a related internal engine failure case.

Left turn signal fails to engage intermittently when using the one-touch feature, occurring approximately 25-30 percent of the time during left turns or lane changes. When engaged fully, the lever snaps back but the signal continues blinking a few times then off, sometimes requiring increased pressure or clicking the lever off and back on. Right signal functions normally.

When: Occurring on an every-other-daily basis at time of complaint

Symptoms owners cite: Left turn signal fails to engage with one-touch feature intermittently; Delayed signal activation requiring increased lever pressure; Signal continues blinking after lever returns to neutral; Right signal functions normally

Repairs/costs cited: Dealership unable to reproduce the problem and suggested owner obtain recording.

Electrical faults cause power steering to fail and multiple safety sensors to flash. In one case, water entry into a secondary vacuum pump caused major electrical component failures including inoperative speedometer, tachometer, airbag deactivation, and inability to display gear selection. Another complaint describes inability to use power steering and all warning lights illuminated; steering becomes very stiff at reduced speeds. Low battery voltage and weak horn noted.

When: Unspecified timing; one case resulted in water entry into vacuum pump

Symptoms owners cite: Power steering inoperability; All safety sensor lights flashing; Speedometer and tachometer malfunction; Airbags deactivated; Gear position indicator inoperative; All warning lights illuminated; Steering wheel stiff or hard to turn at low speeds; Low battery voltage; Weak horn output

Repairs/costs cited: Water entry into secondary vacuum pump caused the electrical cascade failure; replaced pump to remedy. Hyundai dealership in Italy refused to service the affected vehicle.

Traction control system activates randomly during normal driving without apparent cause or trigger.

When: Unspecified

Symptoms owners cite: Traction control kicks on randomly while driving

Electricity to the vehicle cuts off completely while driving on the highway, then comes back on. On a subsequent occurrence, the power cut out again and the steering wheel locked up, nearly causing a wreck. The vehicle has been stranded multiple times and would not turn over to remove it from the roadway, requiring police assistance to block traffic.

When: Multiple incidents; one critical incident involving locked steering wheel occurred while driving on highway with children in car

Symptoms owners cite: Complete electrical power cutoff while driving; Power restores after brief interruption; Steering wheel locked when power cuts out; Vehicle would not turn over; Smoke from engine reported; Rattling noises from engine

Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed multiple times; dealership unable to reproduce problems. Owner reports smoking from engine and rattling noises that dealership could never replicate during service visits.