2010 Hyundai Tucson

Showing the 2010 Tucson HGS. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version

Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 18, 2026.

Fuel economy
24–26 mpgcombined; city 21–23, highway 28–31; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$12,490–$13,530U.S. average; Ohio $11,160–$12,090 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
Recall campaigns
4over its history; check a VIN for open ones
Owner complaints
59filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2010 Tucson. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.

Problems owners report

Owners have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Tucson. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.

Complaints by part of the car
PartComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuries
Power train22100
Service brakes8110
Engine7010
Electrical system6000
Service brakes, hydraulic6012
Air bags5101
Unknown or other5010
Exterior lighting3000
Structure3000
Vehicle speed control3100
Equipment2000
Latches/locks/linkages2000
6 more parts
Suspension2000
Electronic stability control (ESC)1000
Seat belts1000
Steering1000
Visibility1000
Wheels1000
What the columns count

Complaints by model year

Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.

  1. 2006135
  2. 200765
  3. 200843
  4. 200918
  5. 201059
  6. 2011124
  7. 2012255
  8. 2013266
  9. 2014202
  10. 2015229
  11. 20161,624
  12. 20171,092
  13. 2018399
  14. 2019384
  15. 2020178
  16. 202180
  17. 2022506
  18. 2023180
  19. 2024149
  20. 2025437
  21. 202693

Every Tucson year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2010 Tucson over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.

Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip

NHTSA campaign 23V651000 · reported Sep 22, 2023 · 1,649,478 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign

Park outside

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

NHTSA's record and documents

Exterior lighting: brake lights

NHTSA campaign 13V113000 · reported Apr 1, 2013 · 1,712,336 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign

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.

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

Risk: 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.

NHTSA's record and documents

Exterior lighting

NHTSA campaign 11V259000 · reported Apr 26, 2011 · 7,829 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR REFLECTOR ASSEMBLIES, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JUNE 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI'S CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-633-5151.

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 TUCSON VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 27, 2010, THROUGH APRIL 17, 2010 FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT," FOR THE PHOTOMETRY REQUIREMENTS OF THE REAR REFLECTOR ASSEMBLIES INSTALLED IN THE REAR BUMPERS.

Risk: THIS COULD LEAD TO REDUCED VISIBILITY OF THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

NHTSA's record and documents

Air bags: frontal

NHTSA campaign 10V061000 · reported Feb 25, 2010 · 515 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE PODS MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. HYUNDAI ANTICIPATES OWNERS NOTIFICATION BEGAN BY TELEPHONE ON FEBRUARY 15 2010 AND THE NOTIFICATION WAS MAILED ON MARCH 5, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-633-5151.

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 TUCSON VEHICLES. PROPERLY SEATED ADULT RIGHT FRONT SEAT PASSENGERS WEIGHING OVER APPROXIMATELY 240 POUNDS CAUSE THE PASSIVE OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (PODS) MODULE PROGRAM TO ILLUMINATE THE "AIR BAG" WARNING LAMP.

Risk: IF "AIR BAG" WARNING LAMP IS ILLUMINATED, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL DEPLOY IF A CRASH OF SUFFICIENT FORCE TO REQUIRE FRONT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IS EXPERIENCED, AND WILL NOT BE DEACTIVATED IF A CHILD IS SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEATING POSITION, WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO A CHILD FRONT PASSENGER.

NHTSA's record and documents

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 111 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2010 Tucson, the latest on Oct 8, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: power train (31), equipment (26), engine and engine cooling (22), electrical system (12), engine (8).

NHTSA defect investigations

Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.

InvestigationPartOpenedStatus
Audit query AQ23002
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires · covers 3 makes
Service brakes, hydraulicNov 17, 2023Open
NHTSA's summary names recall 20V520000, 20V543000, 21V161000, 21V160000, 21V303000, 22V056000, 22V810000, 23V651000, 16V815000, 20V518000, 20V519000, 21V137000, 21V331000, 22V051000, 22V800000, 23V652000
NHTSA's record and documents
Defect petition DP22003
Loss of Motive Power · covers 3 makes
EngineSep 12, 2022Closed Dec 12, 2023
Petition denied
NHTSA's record and documents

Maintenance

Oil

The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2010 Tucson.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Used ones for sale

See used 2010 Hyundai Tucsons for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax

These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.

Specs

EPA class: sport utility vehicle. Each version EPA tested:

VersionEngineTransmissionFuelCity / hwy / comb
Tucson
Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cylAutomatic 6-spdRegular Gasoline23 / 31 / 26
Tucson
Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cylManual 6-spdRegular Gasoline22 / 30 / 25
Tucson
4-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cylAutomatic 6-spdRegular Gasoline21 / 28 / 24
Tucson
4-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cylManual 6-spdRegular Gasoline21 / 28 / 24

Sources and dates

Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data