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Research · Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD

2005 Hyundai TucsonRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 8 safety recalls and 185 owner complaints for the 2005 Hyundai Tucson. Most complaints involve air bags (31) and electrical system (30). The EPA rates it 19–22 mpg combined.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
19–22mpg
EPA · 5 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
8campaigns
Latest Jul 2009
Owner complaints
185
Top: air bags
Fuel cost / yr
$2,850est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

8 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Exterior lighting

Free remedy

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 3,011 MODEL YEAR 2005-2007 ELANTRA, TUCSON, SONATA, AZERA AND ACCENT VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A DEFECTIVE STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFT OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Exterior lightingReported Jul 21, 2009NHTSA 09V280000

Exterior lighting: switch

Free remedy

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 532,633 MY 2006-2007 ACCENT, ENTOURAGE, SONATA, MY 2007 AZERA, ELANTRA AND SANTA FE, MY 2005-2007 TUCSON AND MY 2007-2008 VERACRUZ VEHICLES. THE STOP LAMP SWITCH IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A STOP LAMP SWITCH MALFUNCTION MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFTED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Exterior lightingReported Apr 15, 2009NHTSA 09V122000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, STATIC AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT TESTING CONDUCTED BY NHTSA USING FIFTH PERCENTILE FEMALE DUMMIES INDICATED THAT A SMALL STATURE ADULT DRIVER NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT AND INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL OR NEAR FRONTAL CRASH, THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER AIR BAG MAY NOT OCCUR.

Air bagsReported May 8, 2007NHTSA 07V197000
See all 8 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 9, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

185 complaints filed with NHTSA · Mar 2005 – Nov 2023
  1. Air bags31
  2. Electrical system30
  3. Structure20
  4. Engine and engine cooling20
  5. Engine18
  6. Power train16
  7. Suspension15
  8. Vehicle speed control14
  9. Exterior lighting13

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Tucson model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2005185
2006135
200765
200843
200918
201059
2011124
2012255
2013266
2014203
2015229
20161,626
20171,096
2018398
2019385
2020179
202180
2022389
2023136
202499
2025295
202664
Crashes reported
12
Fires reported
3
Injuries reported
18
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Air bags

31 reports7 crashes1 fire
“I acquired my vehicle as a used car. Although, to my knowledge my vehicle air bags have not deployed, the air bag light is illuminated on my dash panel and this issue is preventing me from obtaining an updated vehicle registration in my state of residence (Delaware). Since the year make and model are listed under the "recall" section of the NHTSA website, specifically for an airbag issue, I am requesting information regarding what nest-steps I nay take to have this problem repaired by Hyundai without any cost to me.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 14, 2023Air bags, Unknown or otherODI 11538428

Electrical system

30 reports1 fire
“This car accelerates while unattended. Most likely due to an ECM malfunction and unable to properly respond/send signals to the motor. On 4 occasions, the car has accelerated, even if in park. It will go 25mph on its own and to stop I had to put it in neutral. I’ve seen that my car isn’t the only one experiencing this. Considering it’s an ECM issue there should be a recall because that is not a part you change during the life of a car.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 1, 2023Electrical system, EngineODI 11505063

Structure

20 reports2 crashes1 fire
“REAR SUBFRAME IS ROTTED. MY 17 YEAR OLD WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, SHE LOST CONTROL, IT COULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC.THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED AND SITTING IN A PARKING LOT FOR 2 MONTHS AS I CAN NOT FIND THIS PART! MY MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A RECALL WITH THESE CARS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 16, 2020Suspension, StructureCrash reportedODI 11339665
All 2005 Tucson problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

5 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Engines
2.0L 4-cyl · 2.7L 6-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic 4-spd · Manual 5-spd
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 9, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Tucson 2WD
Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
192522$2,850404
Tucson 2WD
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
202522$2,850404
Tucson 4WD
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
192421$2,950423
Tucson 2WD
Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 2.7 L · Front-Wheel Drive
182420$3,100444
Tucson 4WD
Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 2.7 L · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
172319$3,300468
  • Tucson 2WD
    Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    19 city · 25 hwy · $2,850/yr
    22
    mpg comb.
  • Tucson 2WD
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    20 city · 25 hwy · $2,850/yr
    22
    mpg comb.
  • Tucson 4WD
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    19 city · 24 hwy · $2,950/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • Tucson 2WD
    Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 2.7 L
    18 city · 24 hwy · $3,100/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
  • Tucson 4WD
    Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 2.7 L
    17 city · 23 hwy · $3,300/yr
    19
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 9, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

1 tested variant
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2005 Hyundai Tucson as of Nov 9, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 9, 2026Vehicle 1384
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2005 Tucson questions

How many recalls does the 2005 Hyundai Tucson have?

8 safety recalls as of Nov 9, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2005 Hyundai Tucson problems?

Owners filed 185 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are air bags (31), electrical system (30), structure (20). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2005 Hyundai Tucson get?

The EPA rates the 2005 Hyundai Tucson at 19–22 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (5 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 9, 2026