2018 Hyundai Tucson · symptom sheet
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early
- 42owner reports
- 38,900median miles
- 4involved a crash
Newest report Sep 14, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
42 of the 397 complaints on this car describe brake wear.
Tick what matches of 42 reports
Brake wear on other Tucson years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2021, 2023, 2024, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Brake reports cover a wide spread of symptoms. Grinding or squealing is common, and so is a pulsing pedal or a shake through the car when stopping. Others describe pads and rotors worn out long before they expected, a brake warning light, or a pedal that goes soft or sinks toward the floor. The most serious ones say the car didn't stop in time.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the ABS module (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
One recall on the brakes covers the 2018 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) recalled certain 2019-2021 Tucson vehicles on September 4, 2020. On December 30, 2020, Hyundai expanded the recall population, and added certain 2016-2018 Tucson vehicles.
The recall on the 2018 Hyundai Tucson, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the brakes on the Tucson
Hyundai and kia abs module fires. Open.
None of these investigations covers the 2018 model year.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 16,000 and 96,000 miles, from the 15 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 1 service bulletin or notice for the 2018 Hyundai Tucson that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
If you are servicing an applicable vehicle with a (Check Engine Light on) and one or more of the DTC listed below, follow the repair procedure and replace the input/output speed sensor and oil pressure harness.
What owners wrote
“ABS SENSOR, downhill light, traction control light stays on. In August 2023 the transmission had to be rebuilt from slipping. After work there is still transmission slipping. Media display goes blank often and will not show all of display sometimes.”
Filed Apr 21, 2024
“Good day, I hope your day is going well. I have a 2018 Hyundai Tucson and on several occasions when I have tried to stop rapidly my break seem to fail and the car slid further than expected. I noticed that there was an anti lock break hydronic recall on the 2018-2022 models but I never received a letter for my vehicle”
Filed Oct 18, 2022
“In many Instances, I come close to get involved in accident. I cannot apply HARD BRAKING. When the hard braking is applied, I feel my foot is touching the ground and the brake cable is going to break. It is very scary and unsafe.”
Filed Dec 8, 2021
“2018 Hyundai Tucson. Consumer writes in regard to NHTSA Safety Recall 20V-543. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH AN UNREPAIRED OPENED RECALL. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO SCHEDULE A REPAIR IN THE NEAR FUTURE.”
Filed May 18, 2021
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 4 of 42 reports involved a crash and 3 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 116 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 80 reports
- Burns oil or oil level rises 63 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 62 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 40 reports
- Engine rattles or ticks 27 reports