2018 Hyundai Tucson · symptom sheet
Engine rattles or ticks
- 27owner reports
- 71,321median miles
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Aug 12, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
250 of the 397 complaints on this car are about the engine. 27 of those describe engine rattle.
Tick what matches of 27 reports
Engine rattle 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: 2014, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Owners in this group hear something before anything breaks. Most describe a ticking or tapping at idle, a rattle that's worse on a cold start and fades as the engine warms, or a noise that comes and goes over weeks. Some report the check engine light following a while later. It's the early-warning end of the engine complaints, and the reports that end in a named part are useful to anyone hearing the same sound.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the engine (4 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the engine covers the 2018 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into the engine on the Tucson
Loss of motive power. Closed dec 12, 2023.
Engine fires. Closed feb 5, 2024, led to recall 23V-877.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 55,200 and 90,000 miles, from the 17 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“Electric media screen (navigation, radio and etc) died. Screen went black and would not turn on. Car wouldnât start on first attempt this morning. Mild Southern California conditions, garage parked. Car shakes / rattles when starting and powering down”
Filed Mar 1, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 27 reports involved a crash and 1 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 Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
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
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 42 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 40 reports