Numerous reports detail recurring issues with the 2025 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, including electrical failures, safety system malfunctions, and driver assistance concerns. These defects have been highlighted through consumer complaints, NHTSA data, and dealership feedback.
The 2025 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid positions itself as a feature-rich compact SUV combining fuel efficiency with modern technology. However, recent owner feedback and safety reports reveal persistent issues affecting reliability and safety. This article investigates the most common problems reported by consumers, relying on data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Lemberg Law’s internal research, and reported owner experiences. The article also includes lemon law information to provide context on consumer rights related to vehicle defects.
Problems Overview
Based on multiple sources, the following problems are among the most frequently reported:
Electrical Failures and Dashboard Display Issues: Flickering, blanking, and rebooting of the heads-up display (HUD) and instrument cluster.
Unintended Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB): Sudden and unnecessary full stops triggered by faulty forward collision systems.
Driver Attention Warning and Adaptive Cruise Control Malfunctions: Overly sensitive eye sensor causing frequent deactivation of cruise control, especially when wearing sunglasses.
Powertrain and Transmission Failures: Unexpected loss of power, stalling, and shift system malfunctions rendering the vehicle immobile.
Rear Hatch Safety Hazard: Rear hatch closing unexpectedly and causing injury due to lack of presence detection.
2025 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Complaint Summary
Complaint Category
Number of Complaints
Electrical System
28
28
Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings
21
21
Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control
Top Problem #1: Electrical Failures and Dashboard Display Issues
Many 2025 Tucson Hybrid owners report intermittent failures of critical electronic displays. Both the main instrument cluster and heads-up display can flicker, go completely blank, or reboot repeatedly during operation. These issues significantly impair the driver’s ability to monitor speed, fuel levels, and safety alerts.
The problem often manifests under normal driving conditions, sometimes triggered by temperature or road bumps. Affected owners report:
The instrument cluster going black with a “No Signal” message.
All dashboard warning lights illuminating and staying on unexpectedly.
HUD flickering or shutting off, removing essential driving information from the windshield.
Display failures persisting even after dealer repairs, including cluster or wire harness replacements.
As one driver shared from their experience:
“My HUD was going off and on, especially on bumpier roads. This could happen several times on a drive. At least once, when the HUD went out, the dash lit up like a Christmas tree (all the warning lights came on), and a couple times it went totally black. I took it to the dealer and they diagnosed a bad head unit, and am awaiting parts.”
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Top Problem #2: Unintended Automatic Emergency Braking Activation
Another significant issue involves the forward collision avoidance system engaging emergency braking without justification. Owners recount sudden, harsh stops when no obstacle is present or the vehicle in front is at a safe distance. This poses a real risk of rear-end collisions, especially in heavy traffic.
Reported symptoms include:
Emergency brakes slamming on during slow-speed city driving or highway conditions.
The system reactivating automatically after being manually disabled.
Frequent warning alerts and safety notifications associated with false positives.
Dealers often unable to replicate or fully resolve the problem.
Many owners have expressed frustration with the inability to permanently disable the feature, stating it endangers themselves and other road users.
Here’s how one owner describes the issue:
“No less than 6 times since leasing this vehicle the forward collision warning / automatic emergency braking has activated when it was not required as slow speed with vehicles behind me almost rear ending me. It is to the point where I no longer have confidence in using these systems and deactivate them when turning the car on. I have set the sensitivity to “Late” to decrease the incidence of this happening, to no avail. I am not the only complaint about this. This vehicle is not safe to use with this feature and should be investigated and a recall issued. [The] vehicle is going in for service on 5/29 for this issue.”
Top Problem #3: Driver Attention Warning and Adaptive Cruise Control Malfunctions
The driver attention warning system monitors the driver’s eyes to ensure engagement but has proven overly sensitive in the 2025 Tucson Hybrid. Owners frequently report the system shutting off adaptive cruise control and issuing distracting alerts even when fully attentive.
This problem is especially common when wearing sunglasses or prescription eyewear, causing the system’s inward-facing camera to fail recognizing the driver’s eyes. The effects include:
Adaptive cruise control disabling without warning, sometimes leading to sudden deceleration.
Inability to permanently deactivate the driver attention warning without losing other safety features.
Dealer acknowledgments of the issue but no permanent fixes available yet.
Encouragement by dealers to switch eyewear rather than addressing the system flaw.
An owner described the issue this way:
“The Smart Cruise Control (SCC) on my 2025 Hyundai Tucson Limited HEV cuts off whenever I wear prescription sunglasses. The Driver Attention Warning comes on within seconds when the in-cabin camera mounted on the steering wheel is unable to see my eyes, the SCC cuts off, and the vehicle suddenly starts breaking. This puts me and anyone behind me at risk. Both the dealership and Hyundai Motor Company have been unresponsive or unwilling to fix this widely known issue which is well documented in multiple owners’ online chat groups. The dealership told me the manufacturer is responsible for fixing the problem.”
What Should You Do If You Think You’ve Got a Lemon?
A “lemon” vehicle is one that exhibits substantial defects impairing its use, value, or safety which persist despite reasonable repair efforts. Consumer protection laws, including lemon laws in many states, provide legal recourse for owners facing recurring, unresolved defects.
If you believe your Tucson Hybrid qualifies, consider these steps:
Document all issues: Keep detailed records of complaints, repair orders, dealer correspondence, and repair attempts.
File complaints: Report defects to the manufacturer, your state’s consumer protection agency, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Consult legal counsel: Understanding your rights under lemon law can help you pursue a refund, replacement, or compensation.
Repeated electrical failures, safety system malfunctions, and unresolved repairs reported with the 2025 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid may entitle owners to remedies under lemon laws. Timely action is crucial because these claims have strict deadlines.
Think your 2025 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid might be a lemon? Contact Lemberg Law today for a free consultation and explore your legal options.
About the Author:
Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
