HyundaiTucson2016Overview/hyundai/tucson/2016/base/

2016 Hyundai Tucson

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2016 Tucson.

Body SUV

The 2016 Hyundai Tucson is an SUV that accumulated 1,612 owner complaints—the highest tally across the model’s 2005–2026 range—with Power Train issues representing the top complaint area and five recalls issued for the model year. This complaint volume stands in stark contrast to the 2009 model’s eighteen reported issues, marking 2016 as the most problematic year in the Tucson’s documented history. For researchers, this positions the 2016 model as a definitive outlier within the reliability spectrum, offering a concentrated case study of the lineup’s most significant owner-reported failures.

Model year202620252024202320222021202020192016

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI NS · NS CCA battery, OE oil filter 2630035505. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI NS · NS CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnONOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225/60R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter2630035505
Front wiper blades00F09AU016HY alt 99H09AKA26H

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length176.4 in
Overall width72.8 in
Overall height65 in
Wheelbase105.1 in
Curb weight3602 lb
Track (front / rear)63.4 / 63.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)58/42

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Tucson of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.4–9.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.40 sec — 2016 Eco
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2016Eco 1.6L Turbo I-47.40 sec15.90 sec175 hpAWD
2016Limited 1.6L Turbo I-47.60 sec16.00 sec175 hpAWD
2016Limited 1.6L Turbo I-48.10 sec16.30 sec175 hpAWD
2016Limited 1.6L Turbo I-48.30 sec16.50 sec175 hpAWD
2016Limited 1.6L Turbo I-48.40 sec16.50 sec175 hpAWD
2016SE 2.0L I-49.70 sec17.20 sec164 hpFWD
2017Limited 1.6L Turbo I-47.90 sec16.20 sec175 hpAWD
2019Ultimate 2.4L I-48.40 sec16.60 sec181 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine 75W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 25.3-32.5 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.5
Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Differential Gear Oil75W-90 · GL-5
Engine CoolantEthylene-Glycol
Engine Coolant Capacity8.4 qt
Engine CoolantEthylene-Glycol
Engine Coolant Capacity7.9 qt

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts14
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts36-40 ft/lbs.
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug25.3-32.5 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs78.0-121.0 inch lbs. ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Driveshaft Flange to Transmission36.1-50.6 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance0.56-0.68 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5950-8050 ohms
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance0.56-0.68 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5950-8050 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerHyundai
Spark Plug Gap.031 - .035 in
Spark Plug Torque11 - 18 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.15-1.30 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity3.70-4.40 oz
Standard BCI Group Number121R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Service checks

Intake Valve Lash0.0006-0.0009 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.0009-0.0011 in
Intake Valve Lash0.0067-0.0009 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.0105-0.0130 in

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront or rear: 16-23 / 16-23
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 58-; Rear: 36-
ABS Sensor Torque6.0-7.0 / NS
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .921; Rear: .330
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.0002
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .0016; Rear: .0011

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
113.0-16.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9013–16 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
113.0-16.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9013–16 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
113.0-16.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9013–16 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
111.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 22.0 ft. lbs., Step 3: 122.511 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 3,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 3,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 6,200 miAir Intake System (inspect) · Intercooler (inspect)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Fuel Tank (add fluid conditioner) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Vacuum Line (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Filter (inspect)
Every 37,500 miDifferential (inspect fluid level) · Transfer Case Assembly (inspect fluid level) · Transmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2016 Hyundai Tucson represents a dramatic inflection point in this vehicle's federal record, with complaints surging to 1,612 — roughly seven times the 224 complaints recorded for 2015 and far exceeding any other model year in the entire dataset. This spike coincides with what appears to be a generational redesign, as prior years (2010–2015) had settled into a range of 57–265 complaints annually, and the subsequent years (2017 at 1,074, then 383 in 2018) show a gradual decline as issues were presumably addressed. The top complaint areas — Power Train (317), Engine (217), Structure (177), and Unknown/Other (154) — suggest broad, systemic problems rather than a single isolated defect, and the 24 fire complaints plus 14 crash complaints add a safety dimension that the data alone cannot fully explain in terms of root cause. Recalls also jumped from just 1 in 2015 to 5 in 2016, reinforcing that regulators and the manufacturer both recognized significant problems with this model year. **Bottom line: the 2016 Tucson is a model year to avoid** — the complaint volume is an unmistakable red flag, and buyers should look to 2018 or later, when the numbers return to more normalized levels.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
167
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1,612
Owner complaints
14 involved a crash · 24 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1,612 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train317
Engine217
Structure177
Unknown Or Other154
Latches/Locks/Linkages145
Electrical System65
Power Train,Engine51
Power Train,Electrical System31

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

16V628000Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm)Reported 30/08/2016

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016 Tucson vehicles manufactured May 20, 2015 through May 31, 2016 and equipped with a 7-speed EcoShift Dual Clutch Transmission. Certain driving… Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the Transmission Control Module software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on October 28, 2016. Owners may…

16V842000Electrical System:WiringReported 21/11/2016

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Tucson vehicles manufactured May 19, 2015, to November 14, 2016, and 2017 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured November 28, 2015, to November 14, 2016… Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected accessory trailer hitch wiring harnesses, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 13, 2017…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 167 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
DTN DL2026-04-10Air BagsThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of…
DTN DCS2026-04-10Air BagsThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety…
26-01-033H TSB2026-03-26EngineThis TSB references the Op codes to use for claim submission and the Parts required based…
26-01-033H DN2026-03-26EngineThis TSB references the Op codes to use for claim submission and the Parts required based…
P33 OL2025-12-19Electrical SystemIn response to this trend, we engineered a software upgrade that addresses the social…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Tucson. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2016 Tucson have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.