2006 Hyundai Tucson Problems and Recalls (132 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2006 Hyundai Tucson is Airbags (23% of 132 owner reports). There are 5 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Airbags — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 132 complaints · 5 recalls

What problems show up on the 2006 Hyundai Tucson?

31 of 132 filings named Airbags (23% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Engine (14 reports).

There are 5 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Airbags and Lights. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2005 has 180 reports on file; this year has 132. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2006 Hyundai Tucson

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 5 campaigns on file below.
  2. Airbags. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed.
  3. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  4. Brakes. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Airbags. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Airbags 31 complaints · 23.5% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 13
  • Fires 3
  • Injuries 15
  • Deaths 0
All Hyundai Tucson years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Airbags (AIR BAGS) appears in 31 of 132 owner complaints (23.5%) in this vehicle snapshot. Airbags (AIR BAGS): 31 complaints, 23.5% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 8 crash reports 31 · 23.5% Engine (ENGINE): 14 complaints, 10.6% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 14 · 10.6% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 9 complaints, 6.8% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 9 · 6.8% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 8 complaints, 6.1% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 8 · 6.1% Steering (STEERING): 8 complaints, 6.1% of reports Steering (STEERING) 8 · 6.1% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 7 complaints, 5.3% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 crash reports 7 · 5.3% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 7 complaints, 5.3% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 crash reports 7 · 5.3% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 6 complaints, 4.6% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 6 · 4.6% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 6 complaints, 4.6% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 6 · 4.6% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 48 complaints, 36.4% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 2 crash reports 3 fire reports 48 · 36.4% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 31 23.5% 8 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 14 10.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 9 6.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 8 6.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 8 6.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 7 5.3% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 7 5.3% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 6 4.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 6 4.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 48 36.4% 2 crashes · 3 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Apr 2006; the first recall shown was reported in Nov 2006. 2006-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2007-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2007-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2008-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2010-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2010-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2010-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2011-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2012-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2012-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2012-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2013-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2014-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2014-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2014-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2015-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2017-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2017-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2017-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2017-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2018-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2019-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Apr 2006 Oct 2025 Recall campaign 06V445000 ◆ Recall campaign 06V445000 Recall campaign 07V197000 ◆ Recall campaign 07V197000 Recall campaign 09V122000 ◆ Recall campaign 09V122000 Recall campaign 09V280000 ◆ Recall campaign 09V280000 Recall campaign 13V113000 ◆ Recall campaign 13V113000 Investigation PE09003 ● Investigation PE09003
  • Campaign 06V445000 was reported 7 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 07V197000 was reported 174 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 09V122000 was reported 495 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 13V113000 was reported 1,942 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2006-Q2 Owner reports 1
2006-Q4 Owner reports 1
2007-Q1 Owner reports 3
2007-Q2 Owner reports 4
2007-Q3 Owner reports 1
2007-Q4 Owner reports 4
2008-Q1 Owner reports 2
2008-Q2 Owner reports 1
2008-Q3 Owner reports 2
2009-Q1 Owner reports 2
2009-Q2 Owner reports 2
2009-Q3 Owner reports 1
2009-Q4 Owner reports 4
2010-Q1 Owner reports 2
2010-Q2 Owner reports 3
2010-Q3 Owner reports 6
2010-Q4 Owner reports 2
2011-Q1 Owner reports 4
2011-Q2 Owner reports 2
2011-Q3 Owner reports 1
2011-Q4 Owner reports 2
2012-Q1 Owner reports 2
2012-Q2 Owner reports 4
2012-Q3 Owner reports 1
2012-Q4 Owner reports 1
2013-Q1 Owner reports 1
2013-Q2 Owner reports 3
2013-Q3 Owner reports 5
2014-Q1 Owner reports 4
2014-Q2 Owner reports 2
2014-Q3 Owner reports 7
2014-Q4 Owner reports 3
2015-Q1 Owner reports 1
2015-Q2 Owner reports 1
2015-Q3 Owner reports 2
2016-Q1 Owner reports 2
2016-Q2 Owner reports 1
2016-Q3 Owner reports 2
2017-Q1 Owner reports 3
2017-Q2 Owner reports 2
2017-Q3 Owner reports 2
2017-Q4 Owner reports 1
2018-Q1 Owner reports 1
2018-Q2 Owner reports 5
2018-Q4 Owner reports 1
2019-Q1 Owner reports 3
2019-Q2 Owner reports 1
2019-Q4 Owner reports 1
2020-Q3 Owner reports 2
2020-Q4 Owner reports 3
2021-Q1 Owner reports 2
2021-Q2 Owner reports 2
2021-Q4 Owner reports 1
2022-Q1 Owner reports 1
2022-Q3 Owner reports 2
2022-Q4 Owner reports 1
2024-Q1 Owner reports 2
2024-Q3 Owner reports 2
2024-Q4 Owner reports 1
2025-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 06V445000
Recall campaign 1 07V197000
Recall campaign 1 09V122000
Recall campaign 1 09V280000
Recall campaign 1 13V113000
Defect investigation 1 PE09003
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (5)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Airbags and Lights.

  1. Recall campaign 06V445000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    THIS CAN CAUSE INCREASED RISK OF INJURY TO THE DRIVER UNDER CERTAIN CRASH CONDITIONS.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER AIR BAG MODULE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 29, 2007, AND WILL BE CONDUCTED THROUGH SIX MAILINGS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 07V197000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    THIS CAN CAUSE INCREASED RISK OF INJURY TO THE DRIVER UNDER CERTAIN CRASH CONDITIONS.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER AIR BAG MODULE WITH ONE THAT IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE AN INCREASED MARGIN OF COMPLIANCE FOR LOW RISK DEPLOYMENT FOR SMALL STATURE ADULTS WHO ARE NOT PROPERLY WEARING THE SEAT BELTS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2007, AND WILL BE PERFORMED IN TWO MAILINGS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI DE PUERTO RICO AT 1-800-981-0188.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 09V122000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS, ALONE OR IN COMBINATION, MAY LEAD TO A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 29, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-633-5151.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 09V280000

    Safety recall 09V280000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-787-999-4310.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 13V113000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 132 complaints · page 1 of 6
2025-12-07Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11703603
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Rear subframe corrosion
2024-10-28Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
NHTSA ODI 11622348
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the rear subframe had become inoperable and the contact noticed that the rear subframe was corroded. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.
2024-07-21Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11603602
CrashFireInjuryDeath
ESC OFF light does not turn off. I press it off and on while driving and nothing happens. It stays on all the time.
2024-07-01TIRESUnclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11598019
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle hesitated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light and the TPMS warning light were illuminated. Additionally, the engine overheated. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall and Technical Service Bulletin: 952. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
2024-03-13Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11577140
CrashFireInjuryDeath
At first brakes were making noise so I went to replace them after getting parts and I noticed that the brake pedal went to the floor I was able to get it on concrete pad but when I jacked it up I say big chunks of rust falling when I looked under car rear axle subframe was pretty much gone after I say that I decided to order the replacement subframe but when it come in and I was getting ready to do it I body mount where it is bolted also needs replaced I was trying to find them when I come across a factory recall about this issue when I contacted them and the dealer about this issue dealer said it couldn't be done because there was nothing left and he refused to put on a lift because he said the rear subframe would fall on ground but manufacturer denied to repair or make any resolutions for it even though they had in past and they new about the problem I have found over 1000 issues listed and they have repaired a bunch of the same vehicles for the same issue I told them I never received anything about the issue and they said it was my responsibility not there's so not only did they not do or even try to do what they have on recall but they refused to do anything for me and I was glad I didn't try driving after I heard noise because I could of caused a major accident and been severely injured in process not to mention someone else due to rear frame and brakes falling and falling out of car
2024-02-20Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 11572948
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Rear cross member frame broke in 2 spots due to rust. I’ve searched this and found numerous vehicles with same problem contacted dealer and they said they can’t do anything about it. What steps should I take. I called there corporate office left They don’t don’t return calls callsor or texts complaints.
2022-10-15Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11489382
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Driver side rear unibody sub frame rusted through
2022-08-07Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11478061
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Rear control arm mount broke away from subframe while on the highway going 65mph. Violent shaking and steering malfunction occurred immediately. Passed WV inspection just a few months ago.
2022-08-04Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11477625
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owned a 2006 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that after parking his vehicle in the driveway, he looked through the window of his residence and noticed that the vehicle had caught fire from underneath the hood. The contact related the fire to an electrical system failure. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. Police and fire department reports were filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 198,000.
2022-02-22Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11453396
CrashFireInjuryDeath
When I drive my car and right after I put gas in my car I smell gas to the point that my husband and I are coming home with headaches and we're sick to her stomach I've taken it to a mechanic and they say there's nothing wrong the engine check engine light keep on coming on and then it will go off after it sit for a couple minutes turned off I'm about ready to have a baby in June and I'm so worried to have the baby in the car the brakes have stopped working to the point that I've gone in through lights and I can hardly put the brakes on I have to use emergency brake sometimes and nobody will help me get it taken care of I have had almost couple wrecks because I cannot get the brakes to stop take a lock on me and it's scary when you're having a baby and you know your seatbelt your brakes are locking but you for your seat belt to keep safe and my brakes locked to the point I cannot get them after the kick hit them with all my might just to unlock them and nobody will help me fix it

Hyundai Tucson Complaints and Recalls by Year

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2006 Hyundai Tucson?

Owners named Airbags most often — 31 of 132 reports (23%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2006 Hyundai Tucson?

NHTSA lists 5 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Airbags and Lights. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2006 Hyundai Tucson?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources