The Hyundai Tucson even though a compact SUV, offers great space that suits the majority of the family audience. Being the best-selling SUV for Hyundai, Tucson sold over 47,000 units. The 2014 Hyundai Tucson is a very reliable option as the complaints have been limited to 114 and have been recalled only twice. Major issues that Tucson was reported to face were a drastic battery drain and the engine blowing up in some cases. The frequency at which the problems occurred was low, suggesting the car to be a safe bet to rely on. For a starting price of $22,325, the Hyundai Tucson undercuts the price of its rivals like the Kia Sportage, the Honda CR-V, and the Ford Escape. The "Everyman Driver" finds it to be "a firm and stiff ride and wished it to be a little more comfortable".
User complaints and problems
Electrical Problems
- Battery – The users found the battery completely drain after the car was parked for a couple of days. This made most of the electronics in the car inoperable and the car also took time to crank up. The dealers ran a diagnosis and found the radio amplifier to be drawing power even while the car was shut off. The dealers recommended getting the amp replaced or upgrading the alternator to a more powerful one.
- Driver seat – It was found that the driver seat was locked in position and was impossible to change its posture. This made it uncomfortable when there are multiple drivers in a family who has different ergonomics preference. The seat motor was said to be at fault and needed a replacement.
Mechanical Problems
- Engine – Users experienced a sudden drop in power post which the engine started stuttering. This led the vehicle to stall and the car had to be towed to a nearby dealership. The dealers confirmed the engine to have blown up and needed a replacement. This was also said to be a very common issue among the owners and dealers were able to find tiny metal shavings inside the compartment.
- Fuel system – The owner who reported the complaint was able to smell gasoline in the car while driving. It didn’t take much time for the car to misfire and stall. The fuel gauge displayed empty and the owner could see a trail of fuel behind the car. Dealers examined the problem to find a leak from one of the stainless steel fuel tubes.
- Brakes – Users complained about the brakes making a whining noise when applied and this was said to be happening because of the excessive corrosion on the rotors. All four brake rotors had to be replaced to keep the operation smooth as intended.
- Steering wheel – It was found that the steering wheel would feel loose all of a sudden and returns back to being normal. This issue was found to happen on multiple occasions and the dealers inspected the vehicle to find out that the steering rack had a fault and needed a replacement.
Safety Problems
- Airbags – The users complained and filed a legal case as the airbags failed to deploy in a crash, leading to injuries, the dealers didn’t give any explanation and were ignorant about the issue.
2014 Hyundai Tucson recalls
|
S. No. |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. |
3rd February 2022 |
22V056000 |
ABS unit may cause engine compartment fire. |
The malfunctioning of the ABS module can cause an electrical short, leading to a fire. |
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is done. Dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse. |
|
2. |
13th May 2014 |
14V224000 |
Airbag assembly may loosen in the steering wheel. |
Improperly mounted airbag assembly may increase the risk of injury during a crash. |
Dealers will inspect and tighten any loose bolts that secure the driver’s airbag assembly. |
Should you buy the 2014 Hyundai Tucson?
There really isn’t a red flag that the 2014 Hyundai Tucson holds and all the problems that have been reported were seen in very limited numbers. Hyundai offers great value in terms of reliability, drive, and passenger comfort. The only concern with this model is the engine and we recommend getting the engine health checked and if the crankshaft operates as intended in order to avoid a possible engine failure. Hyundai should have addressed the affected cars through a recall like how they addressed a few other models that share the same engine. However, tick all the checklist, and you are left with a reliable vehicle. We recommend going for the 2014 Hyundai Tucson as it carries lesser complaints overall and is priced lower than its rivals.
