Troubled Tucson owner strongly advises not to buy CKD Hyundai cars

It has now been nearly 3 months since the car entered the service centre. I am left with no choice but to sell my SUV just 3 years after the purchase as soon as it is repaired.

BHPian LONG_TOURER recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The various issues with the Tucson after the catalytic converter replacement at 21k kms seem to persist even after the vehicle has covered over 51k Kms since its purchase in January 2021. Such experiences coming from a reputable brand like Hyundai with their flagship product have led me to conclude that Hyundai technicians are not competent in diagnosing their CKD products, nor do they keep adequate spare parts in case of malfunctions.

Going back to November 2023, the vehicle underwent its 6th service, which went smoothly. All general check-ups were conducted, including changing the Oil Filter, Air Filter, and Engine Oil replacement, at a reasonable cost of around 8,000 INR. During the service, the Service Advisor noted a peculiar issue though. After reviewing previous service records, it was discovered that during the 4th service, only 5.5L of Engine Oil was poured instead of the required 7.7L for the diesel variant. I didn’t budge much as the vehicle was functioning normally after the 6th service.

After a little bit of research, I found out that the 2.0L petrol engine of the Tucson requires only 5.5L of engine oil, while the diesel engine requires 7.7L of Engine Oil. It appeared that during the 4th service, Hyundai technicians mistakenly presumed the vehicle to be a petrol variant and added petrol engine oil to our diesel Tucson. This highlights the lack of familiarity among Hyundai technicians in servicing the Tucson, which signifies their inadequate training for handling CKD products.

On 3rd December 2023, after driving approximately 200 kms post service, the "Check Engine" light illuminated on the instrument cluster. Since I was often away from home due to work, I instructed my mother, the primary user of the vehicle, to take it to the Hyundai Authorized Service Center, Adabari, Guwahati. The vehicle was taken for diagnosis on December 4th, and I remained connected with the Service Advisor via WhatsApp/call throughout the process. After conducting a test drive, the service team claimed to find no issues with the vehicle and later cleared the error codes using their OBD scanner. However, this left me doubtful of the thoroughness of their inspection as they did not even bother to check the engine or any noise coming from the vehicle. Despite this, the vehicle continued to operate normally for the next 500 kms.

However, on 28th December 2023, the check engine light reappeared, which led to an immediate visit to HASS, Adabari, Guwahati for a thorough diagnosis. Initially, technicians refrained from using OBD and instead opted for a test drive with our chauffeur. Approximately 10 kms into the drive, smoke began emanating from under the hood, and the vehicle lost power before coming to a complete halt, leaving it stranded in the middle of the road. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the tappet cover was broken, resulting in engine oil spillage in the engine bay.

Smoke Emitting from the engine during the Trial run by Hyundai Technicians

The vehicle was towed back to the Hyundai workshop, where it remained unattended for three days due to New Year celebrations, causing considerable anxiety in me as I used to pamper the vehicle a lot. On 6th January 2024, eventually, a technician diagnosed the issue, revealing that loosely mounted injectors had caused all four head gaskets to blow which led to breakage of the tappet cover breakage. I was also told that the head gaskets and the tappet cover needed to be replaced. Therefore, extensive repair work was required which included opening the engine head. However, I was assured that the engine would be fitted to the factory finish after the work was completed.

Engine Head Opening in Progress

Broken Engine Tappet Cover

A very sad sight of the vehicle gathering dust inside the workshop with the windows open. They didn't even bother to keep the interior dust-free

Bumper thrown away without any proper handling, I have spotted scratches on the bumper as well

A layer of dust accumulated on the bonnet

In the meantime, an i20 N Line DCT was provided as a loaner car until repairs were completed. However, the required parts were not readily available at the service centre, because as per Hyundai, they are uncommon failures and, therefore needed to be shipped from South Korea resulting in a 20-day wait time. Orders for the head gasket and blown tappet cover were subsequently placed on January 7th, with assurances of updates on the shipment's status.

After the parts finally arrived, I was notified via WhatsApp, and BHPian ChiranjitP and I took the vehicle on a trial run on 28th January 2024 along with a Hyundai Technician. During this test drive, a noticeable abnormal noise at higher RPMs was observed, which was acknowledged by the accompanying Hyundai technician. Therefore, I declined to take delivery until the noise issue was addressed.

The vehicle underwent further diagnosis until they found that the turbocharger needed to be changed which again was assured to be covered under warranty. This diagnosis process took another 7 days until I was notified of the failed turbocharger. Despite the subsequent replacement of the turbocharger under warranty, which took another 20 days for parts to arrive from South Korea, the abnormal noise persists. The service team is still unable to provide a definitive timeline for resolving this persistent issue. It has now been nearly three months since the car entered the workshop for repairs, leaving a bitter taste with the brand, particularly considering its reputation for reliability, at least in India.

For anyone considering purchasing CKD products like the Tucson, Kona, or Ioniq, I strongly advise against it. Hyundai technicians lack familiarity with these products, and spare parts for replacements are often unavailable. There are undoubtedly better alternatives to these so-called premium Hyundai products. I am left with no choice but to sell this vehicle just 3 years after the purchase as soon as it is repaired.

Request your opinion if I should keep the vehicle or sell it as this vehicle is mostly used in inter-state travel and any breakdown in the middle of nowhere might get me and my loved ones in trouble.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.