AI Damage2023 Hyundai Tucson Plug-IN Hybrid reliability: common problems
Owners of the 2023 Hyundai Tucson Plug-IN Hybrid filed 11 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and powertrain. The maker issued 13 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 11
- involving a crash
- 1
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 13
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 55% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 36% of all complaints
- 3 Forward collision avoidance 27% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 18% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 18% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 9% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 9% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 9% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 6 complaints (55% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (36% of all).
- Forward collision avoidance: 3 complaints (27% of all).
- Engine: 2 complaints (18% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (18% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 11 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 6 | 0 | 4 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Structure | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 1 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Unintended acceleration and brake failure. While in the parking lot at [XXX]. The check brake warning light came on and prior to this when pressing the gas pedal the car was not responding or going very slow.
No warning lights appeared. I had to press hazard lights coast to shoulder and turn vehicle off and on to regain power]. This created a hazardous situation as traffic was behind me and could not anticipate my sudden loss of speed.
Car is PhEV and it failed 4 times in 3 years due ac compressor failure, main reason identified was due to high voltage it was failing EV and other systems. Car stopped two times in the middle of highway. All 4 times Hyndai kept the car with dealers for major part replacement.
3 of the times there was a car behind me that had to check up I guess because my brake lights came on. I reported the problem to the dealer and was told no other owner has ever reported than problem.
I was driving 55 mph on the freeway and the automatic emergency braking engaged. The dash lights flashes, there was an audible alarm and the car braked. There was no danger in front of the vehicle and this action put me at risk of being hit from the rear by the car behind me.
On Tuesday August 6th 2024 car was put in the shop for an automatic DTC notification/check engine light. Our car is less than a year old with less than 10,000 miles on it. Our car was in the shop for a full 5 days and was given to us on the evening of Monday August 12th with assurances that it was safe to drive.
On several instances of highway driving during the first 1,000 miles, on highways and at highway speeds, the forward collision avoidance system activated without any reason and applied the brakes at highway speed.
Since the day I took possession of the car there is a bad visibility situation with the windshield. It happens only when the sun is low in the sky and shining directly toward the windshield. Under those conditions the entire windshield has millions of dense specks or sparkles that impair visibility.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 9,867 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 31% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Tucson Plug-IN Hybrid has 5 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 11, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Forward collision avoidance. Radar and camera: calibration after bumper or windshield replacement.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil…
Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin outlines the combustion chamber cleaning procedure for vehicles diagnosed with this…
- Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil…
Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin provides the inspection and repair procedures for vehicles exhibiting this condition…
- Certain Santa Fe Hybrid (TM HEV), Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid (TM PHEV), Tucson Hybrid (NX4 HEV), and Tucson…
Certain Santa Fe Hybrid (TM HEV), Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid (TM PHEV), Tucson Hybrid (NX4 HEV), and Tucson Plug-in Hybrid (NX4 PHEV) vehicles may experience intake air line freezing and Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR)…
- This bulletin provides information related to the navigation and head unit software changes introduced in…
This bulletin provides information related to the navigation and head unit software changes introduced in the 2026 1st Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle type, model, and…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety…
- This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the…
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of…
- This bulletin provides information related to the changes introduced in the 2025 1st Navigation Map and…
This bulletin provides information related to the changes introduced in the 2025 1st Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle type, model, and navigation system as described in this…
- This bulletin provides information related to the changes introduced in the 2024 2nd Navigation Map and…
This bulletin provides information related to the changes introduced in the 2024 2nd Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle type, model, and navigation system. Refer to the 2024…
- This letter communication is to educate owners around the use of the Manual Speed Limit Assist (MSLA) feature
- Some vehicles may exhibit a loss of connectivity or interruptions in the middle of using Bluelink Service…
Some vehicles may exhibit a loss of connectivity or interruptions in the middle of using Bluelink Service functions. This may be due to an irregular disconnection on Verizon’s communication network. Follow the…
- This email communication is to educate owners around the use of the Manual Speed Limit Assist (MSLA) feature
NHTSA lists 13 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2023 Hyundai Tucson Plug-IN Hybrid?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, powertrain, forward collision avoidance. Total complaints: 11. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (45%), brakes on its own (phantom braking) (18%), driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2023 Hyundai Tucson Plug-IN Hybrid?
NHTSA lists 13 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2023 Hyundai Tucson Plug-IN Hybrid from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2023 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.