2025-2026 Hyundai Tucson Engine Fastener Recall (25V549)
Hyundai Motor America · 29 vehicles · Reported August 25, 2025
Hyundai Motor America is recalling 29 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa FE; 2025-2026 Hyundai Tucson vehicles. The connecting rod bolts in the engine may have been improperly tightened, which can cause a loss of drive power and engine damage, possibly resulting in an oil leak. A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. An oil leak in the presence of hot engine components can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 25V549 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 25V549000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | 281 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | August 25, 2025 |
| Manufacturer | Hyundai Motor America |
| Vehicles | 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa FE; 2025-2026 Hyundai Tucson |
| Units affected | 29 |
| Build dates | February 5, 2025 to August 7, 2025 |
| Component | Engine And Engine Cooling > Critical Fasteners |
| Safety risk | A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. An oil leak in the presence of hot engine components can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2025-2026 Hyundai Tucson in recall 25V549?
The connecting rod bolts in the engine may have been improperly tightened, which can cause a loss of drive power and engine damage, possibly resulting in an oil leak.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson and Santa Fe vehicles. The connecting rod bolts in the engine may have been improperly tightened, which can cause a loss of drive power and engine damage, possibly resulting in an oil leak.
Is it safe to drive a 2025-2026 Tucson with recall 25V549?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. An oil leak in the presence of hot engine components can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. An oil leak in the presence of hot engine components can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire.
There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your Tucson shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the critical fasteners, have it checked before driving further.
Which vehicles are included in recall 25V549?
Recall 25V549 covers 29 vehicles: 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa FE; 2025-2026 Hyundai Tucson.
NHTSA lists 29 vehicles in this campaign, built February 5, 2025 to August 7, 2025. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-2026 | Hyundai | Santa FE |
| 2025-2026 | Hyundai | Tucson |
What is the fix for the Tucson engine fastener recall?
Yes. Dealers will replace the engine, free of charge.
Dealers will replace the engine, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 281.
When was recall 25V549 announced?
Hyundai Motor America reported recall 25V549 to NHTSA on August 25, 2025. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as October 23, 2025.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| February 5, 2025 | First affected vehicle built (per Hyundai Motor America's filing). |
| August 7, 2025 | Last affected vehicle built. |
| August 25, 2025 | Hyundai Motor America filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 25V549000. |
| October 23, 2025 | Owner notification letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 13 months ago, and vehicles were built over a span of 183 days. If your Tucson was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Tucson is part of recall 25V549?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 25V549 is open on your Tucson, it will be listed there.
The fastest check is NHTSA’s VIN lookup. Type in the 17 characters from your registration or insurance card. Because only some 2025-2026 Tucson vehicles are included, the VIN check is the only reliable way to know. A brand-new recall may take several days to show up.
What should Tucson owners do about recall 25V549?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 25V549000 applies to your Tucson.
- Call a Hyundai dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
- Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
- Write down when symptoms involving the critical fasteners happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.
What are Tucson owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 516 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 29 of them about the engine.
Since recall 25V549 was reported on August 25, 2025, owners have filed 26 complaints with NHTSA about the engine on these vehicles. 4 of them (15%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt.
How we counted: we matched NHTSA owner complaints for the model years in this recall that list the engine and were received on or after August 25, 2025, then flagged narratives that describe a repeat failure or a problem returning after a dealer repair, recall service or software update. Data from NHTSA, accessed October 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports and may involve a related engine issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 516 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 29 of them involve the engine. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2025 Hyundai Tucson: 285 complaints in total, 12 about the engine
- 2025 Hyundai Santa FE: 134 complaints in total, 13 about the engine
- 2026 Hyundai Tucson: 61 complaints in total, 2 about the engine
- 2026 Hyundai Santa FE: 36 complaints in total, 2 about the engine
Examples of what owners have reported to NHTSA (unverified excerpts):
Yesterday while I was driving I almost was hit by another car in an intersection. My car did not respond fast enough, the engine did not have any stregth. I found today after I took it for service that it needs a replacement of the oil pump.
2025 Hyundai Santa FE owner, NC, NHTSA complaint 11692191, filed October 8, 2025
Bought this brand new Santa Fe in July 2025 and on day 5 after purchasing this vehicle, car stopped accelerating while driving on highway, which is a serious safety concern. Took the vehicle back to the dealership and turned out the issue is with failed catalytic converter and they had to replace it.
2025 Hyundai Santa FE owner, TX, NHTSA complaint 11695081, filed October 22, 2025
My 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid has recurring powertrain communication failures starting at only 67 miles and continuing at 5,300 and 6,200 miles. Diagnostic trouble codes include U010100 (lost communication with engine control module) and multiple U100xxx codes related to transmission and CAN bus communication failures. These indicate loss of communication between critical control modules.
2025 Hyundai Santa FE owner, TX, NHTSA complaint 11710618, filed January 13, 2026
Can recall 25V549 make my Tucson a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
A recall by itself does not make a car a lemon. Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, what matters is whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety, and whether the manufacturer or its dealers fixed it within a reasonable number of attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).
An engine problem that leaves you stranded, or that keeps lighting up the check engine light after a repair, is the kind of defect that can substantially impair a vehicle's use, value or safety.
The recall repair is available at dealers. If it works, great. If the same symptom comes back, the recall visit is one repair attempt and the next visit is another.
Civil Code 1793.22(b) sets out a presumption that applies in the first 18 months or 18,000 miles: two or more repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four or more attempts for the same defect, or more than 30 total days out of service for repairs. Written notice to the manufacturer is required in some cases. Owners outside that window can still have a claim.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
A typical pattern: an owner reports the transmission slipping, and the dealer can't verify it. Six months later, NHTSA issues a recall for the same problem. Because the recall confirms the defect, the mileage offset goes back to that first visit.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Tucson been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Hyundai Tucson recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 25V549
Did the recall 25V549 fix work?
Since recall 25V549 was reported on August 25, 2025, owners have filed 26 complaints with NHTSA about the engine on these vehicles. 4 of them (15%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt. If your vehicle still has the problem after the recall repair, go back to the dealer, get a repair order, and talk to a lemon law attorney.
When will owners be notified?
According to NHTSA, owner notification letters were or are scheduled to be mailed October 23, 2025.
Is the 25V549000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Tucson is part of recall 25V549000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 25V549000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Hyundai. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.