Certain Tucson (NX4A), Santa Cruz (NXT), Santa Fe (TMA), and Santa Fe Hybrid (TMA HEV) vehicles may exhibit a brake judder condition. This bulletin describes the procedure to inspect the brakes, resurface or replace and perform a brake burnishing procedure.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2022 Hyundai Tucson brakes problems
severe Owners of the 2022 Hyundai Tucson have filed 18 NHTSA complaints about the brakes at roughly $450 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See brakes across all vehicles →
Complaints
18
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$450
| Model year | brakes complaints |
|---|---|
| 2018 Tucson | 34 |
| 2019 Tucson | 100 |
| 2020 Tucson | 33 |
| 2021 Tucson | 9 |
| 2022 Tucson (this page) | 18 |
| 2023 Tucson | 14 |
| 2024 Tucson | 11 |
| 2025 Tucson | 27 |
| 2026 Tucson | 13 |
2crashes
1fire
2injuries
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering brakes on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report brake failures across several distinct scenarios. Some experience complete loss of braking at highway speeds—one driver slammed into a semi at 60 mph when manual brakes did not engage and forward collision warning failed. Others describe soft, unresponsive brake pedals that require multiple applications to stop the vehicle at traffic lights; independent mechanics confirm pads and fluid are normal, pointing to possible ABS or master cylinder issues.
Unexpected emergency braking is another pattern: multiple owners describe the system activating with no vehicle ahead, traveling between 40 and 80 mph, nearly causing rear-end collisions. One owner's navigation briefly cut out before brakes failed. Dealers have been unable to reproduce these events.
Brake pedal pulsation at highway speeds led to rotor replacement at one dealership, but the issue recurred; a second dealership could not duplicate it. One owner reported extreme brake pedal hardness after driving over bumps, requiring the vehicle to be restarted. Additionally, one 8,000-mile vehicle caught fire in the engine compartment at the ABS electrical location with no prior warning signs. An owner also reported engine stalling when slamming brakes with auto start-stop enabled, causing an intersection hazard. Several owners note dealerships initially refused diagnosis without diagnostic fees or claimed they could not reproduce failures despite clear safety concerns.
Same Hyundai Tucson brakes reports on nearby years: 2019 · 2020 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025
Failure modes owners describe
Engine stalling and loss of power with brake pedal lockup
Vehicle loses engine power during normal driving, slowing dramatically and sputtering. After parking and waiting, brake pedal becomes extremely hard to depress or immovable. Tapping the pedal gradually loosens it. Engine shakes violently when restarted. One complaint involved excessive smoke from the rear of the vehicle.
When: Reported at various points; one incident Feb 2023, another narrative describes previous weeks of misfiring before major failure
Symptoms owners cite: Engine sputtering and chugging during acceleration; Vehicle speed drops to 15–27 mph unexpectedly; Brake pedal extremely hard to depress or completely locked; Violent shaking and vibration when engine restarts; Excessive smoke from rear of vehicle; Engine warning and battery warning lights; Speed limited to 3 mph after restart
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to identify root cause after 3 days of inspection. One case involved Technical Case File opened but unresolved after 1 week
Brake system fire in engine compartment
Vehicle caught fire in engine compartment, right front driver side. Insurance investigation indicated fire originated in electrical system, most likely ABS. Fire spread to garage roof and caused total loss of home. No warning signs or symptoms prior to fire.
When: 5 months and 8,000 miles; oil change performed at dealership 5 weeks prior to fire
Symptoms owners cite: Fire in engine compartment, right front driver side; No warning lights or symptoms before fire started; Smoke from garage area
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle inspected by State Farm; manufacturer required to inspect but had not completed inspection as of report date
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Hyundai offered to buy vehicle back; has not inspected vehicle or house as promised
Brake pedal pulsation at highway speeds
Brake pedal pulses or vibrates when depressed during highway driving. Multiple dealer visits resulted in brake rotor resizing, but issue persisted. Second dealer could not duplicate the failure. One complaint also describes high-speed vibration and abnormal echoing vibrating sound above 65 mph, resolved by rotor turning at 76,000 miles.
When: Reported at approximately 3 miles on one vehicle; at 76,000 miles on another
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal pulsating when depressed; Vibration and abnormal echoing sound above 65 mph; No warning light illuminated
Repairs/costs cited: Brake rotors resized and then turned; issues persisted or resolved only after rotor turning
Soft or unresponsive brake pedal after driving over bumps or uneven roads
Brake system intermittently fails after the vehicle encounters bumps or uneven road surfaces. Brake pedal becomes soft and unresponsive; vehicle continues rolling for several seconds before brakes engage. Occurs repeatedly. No warning lights or error messages. Independent mechanics confirmed brake pads, rotors, and fluid are in good condition, suggesting possible air in brake lines, faulty ABS, or faulty master cylinder.
When: First noticeable in 2022; worsened over time
Symptoms owners cite: Soft, unresponsive brake pedal after bumps or uneven roads; Vehicle continues rolling forward for several seconds; No warning lights or error messages; Vehicle rolled through red light on one occasion
Repairs/costs cited: Independent mechanics confirmed brake pads, rotors, and fluid levels normal. Possible causes: air in brake lines, faulty ABS, or faulty master cylinder
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer service center initially refused inspection without upfront diagnostic fee; later offered assistance after escalation. Service director described issue as 'unsettling but normal'
Complete brake failure during highway driving at speed
Vehicle experienced simultaneous failure of forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and manual brakes while at highway speed with semi-truck in front. Driver had to swerve to avoid collision and hit semi at approximately 60 mph, then spun into concrete barrier.
When: Highway driving at 60–65 mph with cruise control and LKA active
Symptoms owners cite: Forward collision warning failed to activate; Adaptive cruise control failed to activate; Manual brakes completely unresponsive; No warning before failures
Unexpected automatic emergency braking activation
Vehicle automatically applies emergency brakes without a vehicle in front or any obstacle detected. Multiple incidents at highway speeds. In some cases, driver had engaged passing maneuver and vehicle braked, almost causing rear-end collision. One complaint mentions navigation system briefly cutting out before brake failure. Dealership unable to reproduce the issue.
When: Multiple incidents: 5 times over 4 weeks at 40–80 mph in one case; 3 times within 25 minutes on highway at 65 mph in another
Symptoms owners cite: Automatic emergency braking activation with no vehicle ahead; Forward collision warning activation with no object detected; Vehicle slams on brakes unexpectedly; Navigation system briefly cut out before one braking event; Triangle caution sign and car icon warning light in amber
Repairs/costs cited: One owner planned to wash vehicle to clear warning light
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership unable to reproduce failures; no inspections performed
Brake system warning with insufficient braking force
Brake system warning light appears while driving. Vehicle exhibits reduced braking force; brake pedal must be released and reapplied multiple times to bring vehicle to a complete stop at traffic lights. Vehicle may creep forward after brake is initially applied. Occurs repeatedly over 3-year period. One complaint notes manufacturer advised replacement of IEB module and brake pedal module.
When: Two failures over 3 years; another incident on 4-4-2026 (fourth occurrence in recent months)
Symptoms owners cite: Brake system warning light appears; Brakes do not bring vehicle to complete stop; Vehicle creeps or moves forward when braking; Requires multiple brake applications to stop; Vehicle continues to accelerate when braking applied
Repairs/costs cited: IEB module and brake pedal module replacement recommended by dealer
Engine stall during emergency braking with auto start-stop enabled
When driver slammed on brakes in emergency situation with auto start-stop feature enabled, engine shut off. When attempting to restart, fluttering/grinding noise occurred. Feature requires being manually turned off for each use to avoid this hazard.
When: Emergency braking situation in turning lane
Symptoms owners cite: Engine turns off when brakes applied with auto start-stop enabled; Fluttering/grinding noise when attempting restart; Vehicle stalls in intersection
Insufficient braking distance and brake pad wear
Vehicle takes excessive time to stop; driver had to brake close to other vehicles on multiple occasions. After brake pad replacement, stopping distance worsened. Dealer agreed to remove and reinstall parts but issue recurred after two months.
When: Ongoing issue; two months after initial parts reinstallation
Symptoms owners cite: Extended stopping distance; Vehicle not stopping in expected distance; Issue worsens after brake pad replacement
Repairs/costs cited: Brake pads replaced; parts removed and reinstalled; issue persisted
Synthesized from 18 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Vehicle randomly activated automatic emergency braking and the forward collision warning with no other vehicles in sight. The vehicle slammed on the brakes almost causing a trailing car to rear end our vehicle. This has happened 5 times with speeds between 40 and 80 mph over the past 4 weeks. Conditions were cloudy. Problem has not been reproduced by the dealorship. No inspections have occurred.
Had brakes trouble with your 2022 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 brakes problem on the 2022 Hyundai Tucson?
It's a meaningful issue. 18 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $450.
At what mileage does the brakes typically fail?
Based on the 18 complaints filed, brakes issues most often appear around 76,000 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $450 for brakes 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 brakes?
No active recalls currently cover brakes 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/2022/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.