Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) recalled certain 2019-2021 Tucson vehicles on September 4, 2020
An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury or crash.
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The 2020 Hyundai Tucson has 174 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 active recall campaign on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2020 Hyundai Tucson has 174 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 recall on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is engine at 56 complaints, typically surfacing around 94,674 miles (~$3,100 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 Tucson | 1,078 | 3 |
| 2018 Tucson | 386 | 1 |
| 2019 Tucson | 370 | 1 |
| 2020 Tucson (this page) | 174 | 1 |
| 2021 Tucson | 75 | 1 |
| 2022 Tucson | 365 | 3 |
| 2023 Tucson | 126 | 2 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Standard · Lane departure warning: Standard
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2020 Hyundai Tucson SUV AWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: powertrain is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 5,700 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 1 active recall on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 7.4/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →Tl* the contact owns a 2020 Hyundai tucson. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20v543000 (service brakes, hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable…
Tl* the contact owns a 2020 Hyundai tucson. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20v543000 (service brakes, hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable…
Engine light was flashing on and off in September 2022 I took it in to a Hyundai dealer in September and was told it was the Catalytic convertor. The catalytic convertor was replaced in October 2022, 2 weeks later the engine light was flashing and the car would not accelerate. I…
Tl* the contact owns a 2020 Hyundai tucson. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20v543000 (service brakes, hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury or crash.
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. AQ23002 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.4 out of 10 based on 174 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2020 Hyundai Tucson is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
The 2020 Hyundai Tucson is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 7.4/10 — around the segment average; 1 recall campaign on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the engine first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 56 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 94,674 miles. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 7.4 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 174 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is engine. Typical failure occurs around 94,674 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is engine, with 56 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 94,674 miles. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop.
The engine is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 94,674 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 174 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $3,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.