Received notice of recall campaign 195 on nov 11th and immediately made an appointment with Hyundai dealership for nov 16th. On nov 16th at 10:13am,I received a text message from the service department saying the part for recallwas not in and I cannot get the service complete. I called the service department immediately and asked when the part would come in and I was told that they were not sure.…
2019 Hyundai Tucson electrical problems
severe 35 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850 · see electrical across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
35
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
2fires
What stands out
Owners have filed 35 electrical complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 5 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2019 Tucson has serious, well-documented electrical and engine issues—stalling without warning, internal fires, and a critical ABS recall still unresolved due to parts shortages. Major concern: Hyundai denied warranty coverage for engine failures and lenders left owners stuck with unusable vehicles and unfulfilled recall repairs for months.
Owners of 2019 Tucsons describe electrical and drivetrain failures that create real hazards. Multiple vehicles stall suddenly on highways without warning lights, losing all acceleration—one owner hit this while merging at speed with a child in the car. A few engines have caught fire mid-drive or at traffic lights with no prior indication. The engine fires align with a recall for the ABS brake module (NHTSA 20V543000), which Hyundai says could corrode and short internally. That recall was issued in September 2020, but owners report parts remain backordered nationwide—some waited 8+ months with no timeframe from dealers or corporate.
Beyond the big failures, owners report intermittent electrical gremlins: dashboard warning lights activating in clusters, then vanishing after restart; transmission computers replaced without fixing the jolt-and-power-loss cycle; an infotainment system that locks up and drains the battery overnight. One owner's knock sensor was swapped at the dealership; the identical stall code came back the next day.
Two owners mention engine-management issues outside the fire risk—one at 69,000 miles the vehicle burned through oil without triggering a warning light, another had oil not registering on the stick despite routine intervals. Hyundai has declined warranty claims for engine replacement in at least one case, citing alleged neglect despite maintenance records.
A recall for a steering-column vulnerability (TikTok theft method) was supposedly addressed by software update, but a vehicle was still stolen in under two minutes—the required window decal was missing, suggesting the update may not have been completed.
Same Hyundai Tucson electrical reports on nearby years: 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2020 · 2022
Failure modes owners describe
Engine stall and loss of acceleration
Engine stalls without warning while driving on highway or pulling into traffic. Vehicle loses acceleration, maxes out at 30 mph or cannot exceed 1.5–2 rpm. Check engine light flashes. Multiple owners report recurrence even after dealer service.
When: 10,800 to 69,000 miles; incidents spanning from early ownership through higher mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls suddenly while driving; Complete loss of acceleration or severe limitation to 30 mph or below; Check engine light flashing or illuminated; Sputter and jerking from complete stop; All dashboard error lights and 'Service Now' alert appear; Vehicle dies and requires restart
Codes mentioned: P1326 (knock sensor), Service Now alert
Repairs/costs cited: Knock sensor replaced under warranty at dealership; problem recurred the next day. One owner reported faulty knock sensor; another reported transmission computer replaced without resolution. Dealers unable to locate error codes (self-erasing on restart per owner report).
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Hyundai denies warranty coverage for engine replacement in one case, claiming vehicle neglect. Lawsuit settlements and class-action suits mentioned for Theta II and GDI NU 2.0L engine defects. Separate settlement for knock sensor failure.
Engine compartment fire
Engine catches fire while driving or at rest, with no prior indication. One owner reports fire within 2–4 minutes of initial symptoms; vehicle fully engulfed on highway. Another fire event occurred at red light with engine seizure and locked doors.
When: Highway driving and stopped at traffic light; one incident around 52,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: White then black smoke from engine bay; Check engine light appears just before or during fire; Engine seizes; Missing key warning light, hazard lights, and locked doors (one case); Abnormal odor and smoke inside and outside vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not inspected by manufacturer in one case. Engine had full synthetic oil and recent oil change in one incident.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: ABS/brake system recall (NHTSA 20V543000, campaign 195) issued for electrical short in anti-lock brake hydraulic electronic control unit that could cause engine compartment fire. Parts backordered nationwide; no timeline provided.
ABS brake system recall—parts unavailability and delay
Hyundai issued recall notice (NHTSA 20V543000, campaign 195) for anti-lock brake hydraulic electronic control unit that could corrode and cause electrical short leading to engine fire. Recall issued September–November 2020, but parts remain unavailable nationwide. Owners instructed to park vehicle outside due to fire risk, but repairs delayed months.
When: Recall issued September–November 2020; parts still unavailable through at least June 2021 and beyond; multiple cases spanning 5+ months of waiting
Symptoms owners cite: No symptoms prior to recall notice; Risk of internal corrosion and electrical short over time; Risk of engine compartment fire
Codes mentioned: NHTSA Campaign 20V543000, Recall #195
Repairs/costs cited: No parts available in dealership inventory nationwide (confirmed by owners contacting 50+ mile radius). Dealers placed customers on waiting lists with no timeline. One owner waited 8 months and received conflicting information from dealers. Parts described as 'ABS modules' and 'ABS fuse kits.'
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall letter issued; owners instructed to park vehicle outside until repair completed. Hyundai customer service failed to call customers as promised. No loaner vehicles offered. No timeframe provided for parts arrival. Hyundai corporate contacted multiple times with no resolution.
Electrical system glitches—sudden warning light activation and system resets
Multiple electrical systems activate simultaneously without cause (forward collision detection, hazard lights, side mirror avoidance, lane keeping assist, anti-skid light, power steering light). Vehicle experiences high RPM, loss of acceleration, or dashboard resets when turned off and restarted. Issues recur after dealer repair attempts.
When: Around 10,800 miles; occurred multiple times on same trip with recurrence after transmission computer replacement
Symptoms owners cite: Forward collision detection warning activates; Hazard lights illuminate; Side mirror avoidance and lane keeping assist lights come on; Anti-skid and power steering lights illuminate; Engine RPM surges while vehicle loses acceleration; Dashboard systems freeze; Jolt felt while driving; All warning lights disappear after vehicle restart; Error codes self-erase after restart
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission computer replaced by dealer; problem persisted. Dealer held car for one week, consulted Hyundai tech line and engineers, could not locate error codes (claimed codes self-erase on restart). Dealer refused to diagnose main computer as root cause.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Hyundai tech line and engineers unable to resolve despite consultation with dealer.
Infotainment system failure (TSB module)
Audio system, touchscreen controls, and hands-free functions fail. Touchscreen freezes and locks on backup camera; audio system continues running after vehicle shutdown, draining battery. Warning beep sounds disabled. System control resets are unable to fix issue.
When: Failure occurred just outside warranty window; no mileage specified in narrative
Symptoms owners cite: Touchscreen freezes after a few seconds; Backup camera image frozen on screen; Audio system does not shut off after vehicle shutdown; Battery drains due to running audio system; Radio controls non-functional (volume unresponsive); Lane assist, blind spot indicator, and warning beeps disabled; Cannot adjust car settings
Repairs/costs cited: TSB (Touchscreen/Body computer module) replacement required according to dealer. Repair normally covered by warranty but owner is just outside warranty window. No repair completed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Known issue per Hyundai dealership. Warranty does not cover (outside window).
Oil consumption and low oil without warning
Engine loses oil at abnormal rate without triggering low oil warning lights on dashboard. Owner checks oil and finds none registered on dipstick despite normal maintenance intervals. No indication of leaks or external oil loss.
When: 69,000 miles; subsequent check at oil change interval shows rapid depletion
Symptoms owners cite: Oil level does not register on dipstick; No low oil warning light on dashboard; Engine stall due to low oil; Burning smell from engine; Need to add 1–2 quarts frequently despite normal intervals
Repairs/costs cited: Owner added 2 quarts at 69,000 miles and 1 quart at subsequent oil change. Technician noted low oil at normal service intervals.
Headlight failure—bulb coil and socket burnout
Headlight bulbs fail suddenly while driving (both low beams). Subsequent inspection reveals burned-out sockets. Both low beam sockets had internally burned contacts, making replacement bulb installation impossible without socket replacement.
When: Early morning drive; no mileage specified but vehicle noted to be outside warranty by a few years
Symptoms owners cite: Low beams fail suddenly during night driving; High beams remain functional; Bulb coil blown on removal; Both low beam sockets internally burned; No warning indicator for high beam failure
Repairs/costs cited: Owner purchased replacement halogen bulbs; found sockets burned and unable to install new bulbs. Sockets require replacement.
Water intrusion into electrical wiring harness
Water overflows from passenger-side floormat area, seeping into wiring harness and causing corrosion. Multiple brake sensors replaced without resolving issue until clogged sunroof drain identified as root cause, requiring wiring harness replacement.
When: Around 30,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Water overflowing from front passenger floormat; Unknown warning lights illuminated; Brake sensor failures recur after replacement
Repairs/costs cited: Two brake sensors replaced without resolving issue. Dealer diagnosed clogged sunroof drain causing water damage and corrosion to wiring harness. Wiring harness replacement required but not completed due to cost. Root cause: design defect (clogged drain), not repair cost covered by owner.
Complete electrical power loss while driving
All electrical power cuts off while vehicle is in motion on interstate, causing complete stall with all dashboard error lights and 'Service Now' alert. Vehicle either restarts after parking and restarting, or fails to start even with jump from state police.
When: While driving on interstate; incidents occurred at least twice on different roads
Symptoms owners cite: Complete loss of electrical power while driving; Vehicle acceleration slows then dies; All error lights appear and flash on dashboard; 'Service Now' alert displays; Vehicle may restart after cooling or may remain dead; Jump start unsuccessful in at least one case
Codes mentioned: Service Now alert
Repairs/costs cited: One vehicle restarted after restart cycle; another required tow truck and would not start even with police jump attempt.
Odometer and fuel gauge display malfunction
Instrument cluster computer displays incorrect odometer reading and fuel level. Issue recurs after dealer fuse replacement.
When: Approximately 1,000 miles (early ownership)
Symptoms owners cite: Incorrect odometer reading; Incorrect fuel level display
Repairs/costs cited: Fuse replaced by dealer; issue recurred. Dealer unable to diagnose on second visit and referred to manufacturer. No repair completed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Referred to manufacturer; no resolution documented.
Vehicle theft vulnerability—inadequate steering column lock
Vehicle stolen despite software update intended to address theft vulnerability. Thieves used well-known TikTok method to start vehicle by breaking steering column. Window sticker decal indicating update completion was missing from driver's door.
When: Theft occurred; software update had been performed a year prior at dealership
Symptoms owners cite: Thieves broke passenger rear window; Steering column broken open by thieves; Vehicle started in less than 2 minutes despite security update; Missing window decal (should indicate update completion)
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle recovered but unable to be driven due to damage from theft. Concerns about engine and drivetrain durability after criminal joyride.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Software update issued but may not have been properly installed or implemented by dealership (window decal missing). Update described as 'should've been a recall' per owner.
Qi wireless charging pad excessive heat
Wireless charging pad generates excessive heat when charging a cellphone.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Qi wireless charging pad becomes very hot during phone charging
Synthesized from 35 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Hyundai is refusing to fix NHTSA recall# 20v543000 claiming there is an unavailability of parts. This recall, left unfixed, presents a fire hazard. I called Hyundai customer care on 12/19/2020 and was informed they "did not know when the parts would be available".
Had electrical trouble with your 2019 Hyundai Tucson?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2019 Hyundai Tucson?
It's a meaningful issue. 35 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Across the 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most electrical failures cluster between 4,350 and 24,000 miles, with the median around 6,736. A quarter of owners report trouble before 4,350; a quarter make it past 24,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2019/Hyundai/Tucson.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.