Home › Cars › Hyundai › Tucson › 2021
2021 Hyundai Tucson problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
63% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2021 Hyundai Tucson are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 84% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 3 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 61%).
Does the 2021 Hyundai Tucson have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 48 of 76 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Hyundai Tucson concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (63%), and the largest group is filed under engine (39). For comparison, the 2020 scores 48% and the 2022 scores 65%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2021 compares with other Hyundai Tucson years
Of the 14 Hyundai Tucson years with enough complaints to score, the 2021 is the 6th-worst on engine and transmission share (63%). The worst is the 2018 (80%), the best the 2023 (36%). By volume, the 2021 drew 79 complaints (48 drivetrain), against 178 for the 2020 and 383 for the 2022.
Hyundai Tucson years to avoid and best years →
2010 Tucson problems · 2011 Tucson problems · 2012 Tucson problems · 2013 Tucson problems · 2014 Tucson problems · 2015 Tucson problems · 2016 Tucson problems · 2017 Tucson problems · 2018 Tucson problems · 2019 Tucson problems · 2020 Tucson problems · 2021 · 2022 Tucson problems · 2023 Tucson problems
The rest of the picture on the 2021 Hyundai Tucson
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2021 Hyundai Tucson said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 48 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2021 Hyundai Tucson engine and transmission recalls
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2021 Hyundai Tucson, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
1 other recall on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2021 Hyundai Tucson? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.Questions people ask about the 2021 Hyundai Tucson
Does the 2021 Hyundai Tucson have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 48 of 76 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Hyundai Tucson concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (63%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Hyundai Tucson?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2021 Hyundai Tucson is engine: 39 of 79 complaints (49%) name it, followed by service brakes (12) and electrical system (11). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.
Is the 2021 Hyundai Tucson reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 63% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (very high signal). That is worse than 84% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Hyundai Tucson years we score, it ranks 6th-worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2021 Hyundai Tucson?
No. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2021 Hyundai Tucson, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
Which Hyundai Tucson years are better?
Among the Hyundai Tucson years we track, the 2023 (36%), the 2020 (48%) and the 2011 (52%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2021 (63%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/hyundai-tucson
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.