The Lemon Index2005 Hyundai Tucson.
The 2005 Hyundai Tucson is worse than average by owner complaints: 64 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 136, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about engine, it has 8 recalls, and it gets 19 to 22 mpg combined. The best Hyundai Tucson year is 2021.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 185 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Hyundai Tucson year. 2005 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 22K to 110K miles on the car (139 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- airbags complaints mostly came at 11K–129K miles
- electrical complaints mostly came at 30K–99K miles
- engine complaints mostly came at 2K–47K miles
Recalls 8
- lights 2009
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 3,011 MODEL YEAR 2005-2007 ELANTRA, TUCSON, SONATA, AZERA AND ACCENT VEHICLES.
- lights 2009
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.
- airbags 2007
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 FRONTA…
Show all 8 recalls
- airbags 2006
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 F…
- parking brake 2005
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE PARKING LEVER RATCHET PAWL WAS NOT PROPERLY MANUFACTURED AND MAY DAMAGE THE TEETH OF THE PARKING LEVER RATCHET.
- parking brake 2005
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.
- electronic stability control 2005
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM (ESP), THE YAW RATE SENSOR MAY BECOME TOO SENSITIVE AND MAY RECALIBRATE INACCURATELY.
- electronic stability control 2005
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM (ESP), THE YAW RATE SENSOR MAY BECOME TOO SENSITIVE AND MAY RECALIBRATE INACCURATELY.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Hyundai told dealers about
Hyundai sent dealers 70 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Automatic transaxle oil leak between transaxle and transfer case
- Higher-than-expected engine oil
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- ClosedStop lamp switch failure2009
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover —
Fuel cost and engines
About $2900–3400 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.0L 4-cyl, 2.7L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
2005 Tucson Hyundai dies out while decelerating and at stop.
2005 Hyundai Tucson owner · NHTSA complaint 10170787
More owner reports
2005 Hyundai Tucson has experienced intermittent stalling.
NHTSA complaint 10148615
2005 Hyundai Tucson developed problems with the engine and the engine light.**
NHTSA complaint 10137727
Quick answers
Is the 2005 Hyundai Tucson reliable?
No, it is worse than average by government complaints. It drew 1.4× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 136; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Hyundai Tucson year by this measure is 2021.
What are the most common 2005 Hyundai Tucson problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are engine (20%), airbags (19%) and brakes (11%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2005 Hyundai Tucson have?
8 safety recalls (latest: lights). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2005 Hyundai Tucson get?
19 to 22 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2005 Hyundai Tucson problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 22,000 and 110,900 miles. The middle report was at 57,000 miles, from 139 complaints.
Does the 2005 Hyundai Tucson have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
How much does the 2005 Hyundai Tucson cost in fuel a year?
About $2900 to $3400 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2005 Hyundai Tucson have?
2.0L 4-cyl, 2.7L 6-cyl.
What Hyundai Tucson year is better than the 2005?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2021, 2013 and 2014.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works