I Bought a 2018 Hyundai Tucson and After Driving It 2,000 Miles the Engine Died, Now the Dealer Refuses To Honor Their Warranty

"I bought a Hyundai Tucson from a dealer, and after only 2,000 miles, I had to get a new engine. Now they are telling me the warranty I purchased will not cover it." 

That's what happened to Justin Algae. A report from Automotive News says that Justin purchased a used 2018 Hyundai Tucson from a Subaru dealer in Connecticut, bought an extended warranty, and immediately started having problems with the small SUV. However, that was just the beginning of his problems. 

Justin, not one to back down, had to get an attorney involved because the dealer refused to cover it under the car's extended warranty, which Justin purchased with the vehicle. Here is what he told his attorney, Daniel Blinn, of Rocky Hill, Connecticut.  

Justin's ordeal began just 18 days after he purchased his 2018 Hyundai Tucson. 

This is the conversation with his lawyer, 

"I Bought a 2018 Hyundai Tucson on July 1, 2024, and 18 days later the engine had died. I only put 2,000 miles on the car, and then it had to be towed to the dealer where I purchased it for them to check it out."  

"They kept my Tucson for two weeks and told me the engine needed to be replaced. So, I told them to put in a new engine because I had purchased a service contract for $2,500 from them and it is covered." 

"The service contract was well within the 60-day warranty period. They had my car for over a month, and I finally got the Tucson back in September. They told me my car was fixed, and I drove it home."

"However, after two weeks, I noticed the car was not running properly. I looked under the hood, and I saw there was a crack in the exhaust manifold. I contacted the dealer in early November, and the service advisor told me to bring it back in and have the engine install checked." 

Justin goes back to the dealer.

"They fixed the faulty exhaust manifold and had to keep my car for another month, and they did not give me a loaner car while it was being fixed." 

"Once I got my Hyundai Tucson back, the check engine light went on, and I had to take it back to the dealer again. The dealer told me I needed a new catalytic converter and oxygen sensors, which would cost me $3,500 to $4,000. 

Justin's lawyer, Daniel Blinn, told Automotive News, 

"We have alleged that the engine replacement should have been covered under the dealer warranty. We have also alleged that the subsequent repairs were not covered because the benefits under the service contract had been exhausted."

"We have also alleged that the expending of the service contract limits was the reason for denial of coverage for the subsequent repairs," Blinn said.

The complaint says, 

"Dealerships are required to perform warranty repairs at their own expense."

"At times, dealerships shift the expense of warranty repairs to the service contract by delaying repairs to deceive the service contract administrator into believing the defects arose after the sale and outside the seller's warranty," it said.

"Shifting harms customers because service contracts frequently have coverage limits, and claims improperly made will reduce or eliminate future coverage," the complaint said, adding that service contracts usually require a deductible."

The Subaru Dealer Doesn't Pay For the Warranty Claim

Dan Perkins Subaru submitted the first claim to the service contract administrator rather than paying for the work itself, the complaint filed in March said.

The Subaru dealer then submitted the catalytic converter and oxygen sensor repair to the service contract administrator, which denied the claim because the policy cap had been reached based on the average Kelley Blue Book trade-in price of the vehicle, the report from Automotive News says.

The report says the consumer protection and breach of implied warranty lawsuit accuses Dan Perkins Subaru, in Milford, of violating a Connecticut state law requiring it to provide a 60-day, 3,000-mile warranty on used vehicles that cost more than $5,000 and are less than seven model years old.

They are accused of improperly shifting financial responsibility for what should have been warranty work, covered by the Subaru dealer, on Justin's 2018 Hyundai Tucson to a service contract administrator.

First question: does the 2018 Hyundai Tucson have reliability issues?

One of the most frequent issues reported by 2018 Hyundai Tucson owners is engine-related. The 2.0L 4-cylinder engine has a reputation for knocking, stalling, and sometimes seizing entirely. This is what happened to Justin's Tucson.

Consumer Reports says the 2018 Hyundai Tucson has a reliability rating of 28/100. 

The engine gets a 1/5 score. CR says it has low marks because of engine rebuild or replacement issues, cylinder head, head gasket, turbocharger or supercharger, and timing chain or belt issues.

What Owners Say

Engine rebuild or replacement

A Consumer Reports survey customer says, "I bought the Hyundai Tucson in 2018 with less than 10,000 miles. The car ran great. At 45,000 miles, the engine died while driving the car. Hyundai had issues with my particular engine model - shards of metal mixing in with the oil." 

A Reddit user says,

"I just paid off my 2018 Hyundai Tucson in December, 87,000 miles. It started chugging and wouldn't go over 45 miles per hour. I took it to a mechanic shop; they said the engine was knocking. I had to have it towed to the dealer." 

"The Hyundai dealer confirmed it was the engine knocking issue, and today we found out that the engine replacement was approved, thankfully. So it's been 8 days total, and I just got the loaner. I'm so disappointed with Hyundai and I was totally oblivious to these issues."

Is the 2018 Hyundai Tucson a Good Used SUV? 

2018 was a bad year for the Hyundai Tucson since there were still some engine problems, giving it a low overall score in Consumer Reports. Owner reviews complain about steering issues, expensive repair bills, and electrical and transmission problems. 

Conclusion:

Justin discovered that the 2018 Hyundai Tucson is unreliable and experienced a major engine problem. If you are purchasing a used Tucson, buyers should always have it checked by a certified technician. It could save you money and time. 

It's Your Turn

Have you owned a Hyundai Tucson, and what is your experience with the small SUV? If so, click the red Add New Comment link below and let us know.

Check out my Hyundai Palisade story: My 2021 Hyundai Palisade Needs A New Engine and Hyundai Says They Won’t Cover It Because I Was 2,000 Miles Over For an Oil Change

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl