2005 Hyundai Tucson: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2005 Hyundai Tucson: 8 recalls, 185 owner complaints and up to 22 mpg combined.
Recalls
8 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Electronic Stability Control Vehicle recall #05V119000 · 2005 · 30,558 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with electronic stability program (esp), the yaw rate sensor May become too sensitive and May recalibrate inaccurately. While driving the esp program May cause the engine to reduce power and May cause a brake at one of the wheels to be inappropriately.
Why it matters: Brake application caused by inadvertent esp activation May result in loss of control and a crash.
The fix: Dealers will reprogram the esp hydraulic electronic control unit free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2005.
Electronic Stability Control Vehicle recall #05V177000 · 2005 · 349 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with electronic stability program (esp), the yaw rate sensor May become too sensitive and May recalibrate inaccurately. While driving the esp program May cause the engine to reduce power and May cause a brake at one of the wheels to be inappropriately.
Why it matters: Brake application caused by inadvertent esp activation May result in loss of control and a crash.
The fix: Dealers will reprogram the esp hydraulic electronic control unit. The recall is expected to begin during May 2005.
Parking brake Vehicle recall #05V315000 · 2005 · 6,146 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain sport utility vehicles, the parking brake lever ratchet pawl was not properly manufactured and my damage the teeth of the parking brake lever ratchet. Damaged parking brake lever ratchet teeth May prevent the parking brake from engaging or May allow the parking brake to release after it has been engaged.
Why it matters: The inability to engage, or the inadvertent release of, the parking brake lever May allow your vehicle to roll while it is parked and May result in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the parking brake lever assembly. The recall began on July 29, 2005.
Parking brake Vehicle recall #05V342000 · 2005 · 330 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain passenger vehicles, the parking lever ratchet pawl was not properly manufactured and May damage the teeth of the parking lever ratchet. Damaged parking brake lever ratchet teeth May prevent the parking brake from engaging or May allow the parking brake to release after it has been engaged.
Why it matters: The inability to engage or the inadvertent release of the parking brake lever, May allow your vehicle to roll while it is parked and May result in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the parking brake lever assembly. The recall began on September 12, 2005.
Airbags Vehicle recall #06V445000 · 2006 · 128,300 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain sport utility vehicles, during static air bag deployment testing conducted by NHTSA using fifth percentile female dummies indicated if a small statured adult driver, not wearing a seat belt, is involved in a frontal or near frontal crash, deployment of the driver air bag May result in an insufficient margin of compliance as measured by the test dummy used in the NHTSA test.
Why it matters: This can cause increased risk of injury to the driver under certain crash conditions.
The fix: Dealers will replace the driver air bag module. The recall began on January 29, 2007, and will be conducted through six mailings.
Airbags Vehicle recall #07V197000 · 2007 · 2,967 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: This can cause increased risk of injury to the driver under certain crash conditions.
The fix: Dealers will replace the driver air bag module with one that is designed to provide an increased margin of compliance for low risk deployment for small stature adults who are not properly wearing the seat belts. The recall began on September 6, 2007, and will be performed in two mailings.
Exterior lights Vehicle recall #09V122000 · 2009 · 532,633 vehicles
What's wrong: 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…
Why it matters: Any of these malfunctions, alone or in combination, May lead to a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch free of charge. The recall began on June 29, 2009.
Exterior lights Vehicle recall #09V280000 · 2009 · 3,011 vehicles
What's wrong: 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…
Why it matters: Any of these malfunctions could lead to a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch free of charge. The recall began on September 2, 2009.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 3 mention a fire, 18 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Airbags (31): the most common themes are warning light on (10), fails to deploy (6).
- Electrical (30): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (9), door / lock issues (7), electrical failure (7).
- Engine & cooling (20): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (11).
- Body & structure (20): the most common themes are rust / corrosion (9), door / lock issues (4).
The 2005 Hyundai Tucson has 185 owner complaints, ranking #11 of 22 Tucson model years for complaints (about average; the typical year has 286). Complaints peaked in 2005 (24 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 6 years old, at a median of 57,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2006 (135 complaints, 5 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 L 4-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 19 | 25 | 22 | Regular |
| 2.0 L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 | 25 | 22 | Regular |
| 2.0 L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 19 | 24 | 21 | Regular |
| 2.7 L 6-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 18 | 24 | 20 | Regular |
| 2.7 L 6-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 17 | 23 | 19 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2005 Hyundai Tucson.
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FAQ
Does the 2005 Hyundai Tucson have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 8 vehicle recalls for the 2005 Hyundai Tucson. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2005 Hyundai Tucson problems?
Owners have filed 185 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are airbags (31), electrical (30), engine & cooling (20).
What gas mileage does the 2005 Hyundai Tucson get?
EPA ratings run up to 22 mpg combined (2.0 L, Automatic 4-spd), across 5 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2005 Hyundai Tucson repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.