Tucson Transmission Problems - Are There Any Special Issues?

Hyundai Tucson is one of the popular SUVs made by the Korean company and sold in the US market. It seems like a good car when you compare it with competitors and see its advantages. Unfortunately, the fresh generation added not only in design and technologies but also in price. Now, the cheapest trim will cost you almost $28,000 which is pretty expensive.

Automatic transmission malfunction highlights

• Level of importance:Medium
• Reasons:Electronic control problems, shifter issues, sensor-related issues
• Needed expertise:High
• Needed tools:Professional tools set
• Time taken:1-8 hours
• Can you drive? Not recommended
• Possible issues: Fatal damage, overheating, torque converter damage, TCU damage.

Types and differences in Tucson automatic transmissions

In the US, the Tucson has been sold since the end of 2004. The first generation came equipped with the 4-speed automatic transmission and it's not a bad transmission at all. But we won't spend a lot of time on this, because not a lot of Tucsons are still alive with this transmission.

Starting with the second generation in 2010, the American Tucson has been equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Thank goodness, the DCT transmissions, and manual options have only been sold in different markets. Now, the latest generation offers 8-speed automatic transmission (though the hybrid version is still equipped with the 6-speed one).

So, basically, we'll be interested in the 6-speed automatic and the 8-speed automatic. And here's what you should know about these transmissions:

• there have been several versions of the 6-speed transmission, the 8-speed was only offered recently;
• all of these transmissions are classic torque-converter automatic gearboxes with traditional construction;
• they have some common problems, but overall, these transmissions are pretty reliable and durable;
• we should say that all types of Tucson transmissions ensure wonderful gas mileage if you drive carefully;
• even if these transmissions are broken, they can be repaired, no need to replace them unless the warranty covers this procedure;
• unlike DCT transmissions in other countries, traditional automatic transmissions in Tucsons are decent and aren't going to let you down in most cases.

Still, to drive your Tucson for a lot of miles and years, you will need to maintain these units. If you read the manual, you will be surprised that the manufacturer doesn't recommend any maintenance for the transmission. In some countries, Hyundai insists on changing the transmission fluid every 90,000 miles or so which is ridiculous and will lead to certain transmission damage.

So, we recommend changing transmission fluid every 40,000 miles so that your transmission survived longer and didn't get on your nerves. Also, use original Hyundai fluids when maintaining the gearbox. Without this, you are sure to have a lot of minor and major problems after 100,000 miles.

What's the durability of the Hyundai Tucson transmission?

All types of automatic transmissions offered for US buyers are able to go about 150,000 miles even without proper maintenance. This is good for an automatic transmission and well above average for modern gearboxes.

But if you maintain the unit, and provide it with the proper fluid changes and other care, you should be able to drive it up to 200,000 miles. Unfortunately, when you see this mileage on the dash of your SUV, you should get ready to pay for the transmission repair or replacement.

By the way, this kind of automatic transmission doesn't need replacement. You can go on with repair if something is wrong which is much cheaper.

What's the average price of transmission repair or replacement for the Tucson?

Automatic transmissions are not considered to be simple to repair. Even taking it off the vehicle is a task for professionals. The construction of the gearbox is pretty complicated and you'll need a lot of experience as an auto repair mechanic to do something with this unit.

So, the repair cost may be pretty hard to pay. Also, the parts are not cheap at all. And you aren't supposed to find any cheaper alternatives because if this alternative breaks down, you'll have to pay again for the transmission repair.

We suppose the average cost of the repair will be about $2,500. This includes labor and parts, in most cases. If mechanics in the shop tell you that the repair is going to cost more than that, it could be a clever idea to replace the transmission with a new or rebuilt one.

The price of the new Hyundai Tucson transmission is hard to estimate, but we believe a dealer will ask about $3,800 for a six-speed transmission and over $4,000 for the 8-speed one. Still, it's worth buying a new transmission if your repair costs are too high.

The new transmission comes with a warranty if you buy it from a dealer, so you will be able to drive a vehicle for 2-3 more years without even thinking about the transmission faults and problems.

What problems are common for the Hyundai Tucson automatic transmission?

If you are one of those "lucky" guys who got a 7-DCT transmission, you should get ready for bad repairs. These gearboxes are not durable at all. We've seen people complaining about these transmissions before their cars hit 50,000 miles!

But 6-speed and 8-speed automatic transmissions don't seem that bad. They are durable, relatively easy to repair, and also don't get on your nerves much with minor problems.

Still, some flaws are to be named here.

1. No reverse in your Hyundai Tucson

One of the most common issues is when you don't have a reverse gear in the Tucson. This is one of the simple ways for the transmission to show that there is a mechanical problem. Sometimes, it's all about the transmission electronic control module, but in most cases, the problem is in the mechanical parts of the gearbox.

2. Only reverse gear is working

Another possible issue is when the reverse gear is the only one that is engaged and working in your vehicle. Sometimes, you may use manual mode and engage gears by the stick shift as you accelerate. But anyway, this is a clear sign that your Tucson is missing a good mechanic. Unfortunately, the repair, in this case, will not be too cheap.

3. Jerking and kicking transmission

If your Tucson jerks when accelerating or the transmission kicks when changing gears, it's a clear sign of a mechanical problem. But what you can try before disassembling the gearbox is actually fluid change. Sometimes, bad fluid clogs the system and doesn't let the transmission work properly. This means you will be able to invest $200-$300 instead of those thousands you will pay for a proper repair.

4. Transmission fault codes on the dash

The Tucson doesn't have a very clever diagnosing system. But still, if your transmission has some electric problem like a malfunctioning sensor or bad wiring, the computer will detect it and send some fault code to the ECU. After that, the vehicle will flash some error message on the dash. For example, it can say "Transmission temp. is high. Stop safely" hinting that the transmission has overheated.

5. Not changing gears or slipping

Hyundai Tucson has torque-converter transmissions. The torque converter is a very tender part that can easily be damaged because of any physical impact or just after some mileage. If your Tucson doesn't change gears when needed or you see slippage on your tachometer, you should get ready to pay some money for the transmission repair. Torque converter replacement is not the cheapest repair you can imagine for your Hyundai SUV.

6. Grinding noise when driving

The last symptom is not that common for Hyundai Tucson models. But still, if you see some grinding noise from the transmission when driving, it's a good idea to stop your vehicle and not start it again until you have a good mechanic near you who can listen to the noise. At any moment, some mechanisms in the transmission may just get stuck and destroy the whole unit. So, the cheaper way is to call a tow truck and deliver your vehicle to the shop.

Final words

You can see now that automatic transmissions in Hyundai Tucsons are not bad at all. They are torque-converter transmissions without any DCT or CVT technologies. It means that your Tucson transmission may leave a long life without demanding a lot of money for its maintenance.

But anyway, even these transmissions may fail and ask for a repair. In this article, we tried to show all possible symptoms of transmission damage. We also wanted to show you why these problems may occur and how you can avoid them in your vehicle. We hope this helps you drive your Tucson for more miles with no error messages on your dash.