GDI injector defect + ISG fire recall on 2022-2024 Tucson. Repeat repair visits may qualify for a California buyback. Free consultation.
The fourth-generation Hyundai Tucson — the NX4, sold as 2022-2024 models — arrived with a completely redesigned exterior and a new 2.5L direct-injection engine. It also arrived with a set of defects that owners have been documenting in NHTSA's complaint database at a rate that should concern anyone still within the warranty window. The most pressing issue is a fuel injector design that fails from the inside. The internal filter inside the GDI injector breaks apart, causing fuel to leak past the injector tip and triggering engine misfire codes (P0300-P0304). The 2022 Tucson alone generated an estimated 80 or more NHTSA complaints on this problem — the single highest-complaint category for that model year. Dealers confirmed it as a known defect, with part number changes on replacement injectors proving a redesign had already occurred. For owners who had one injector replaced, the problem often came back because the remaining three were still the faulty design. Layered on top of the injector defect is a second fire hazard in the Idle Stop & Go (ISG) system. A manufacturing defect — a damaged capacitor on the transmission electric oil pump's printed circuit board — caused overheating, melting, and confirmed fires in 2023 Tucson models before Hyundai issued recall 23V526000 (Hyundai Recall 246) covering 4,238 vehicles. NHTSA's recall description and Hyundai's own owner letter both recommended parking outside and away from structures. California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act covers both of these defects and the others documented here. If your 2022-2024 Tucson has been back to the dealer for engine misfires, stalls, fire warnings, or loss of power steering — especially more than once — your warranty repair history may already qualify you for a buyback.
The issues owners report most, ranked by severity — each one verified against a cited NHTSA source.
No visible warning before failure. After recall notification, owners advised to park outdoors. Possible check engine / system warning lights if CAN communication is disrupted. Thermal events (smoking, burning smell) may occur in engine bay.
Vehicle stalls or fails to restart automatically after the Idle Stop & Go system shuts the engine off at a stop (e.g., red light). Owner must manually restart the vehicle. Condition may repeat.
Check engine light with misfire codes (P0300, P0301–P0304). Engine running rough, losing power, or stalling. May recur after single-injector replacement. Some owners required multiple dealer visits.
Vibration or shudder felt in steering wheel or brake pedal when stopping, especially after highway driving or heavy braking. Condition returns after rotor resurfacing.
Intermittent or inoperative trailer lighting (turn signal, stop, parking lamps). In rare cases, electrical short causing overheating, melting plastic, or smoke from rear wiring area.
Sudden loss of power steering assist (steering becomes very heavy). Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) may illuminate. Condition may occur without warning during driving.
A settled Margarian Law case on this exact model, published with the actual settlement math.
Open any defect for the symptoms and why it matters for a California lemon-law claim. Each is tied to a cited NHTSA source.
No visible warning before failure. After recall notification, owners advised to park outdoors. Possible check engine / system warning lights if CAN communication is disrupted. Thermal events (smoking, burning smell) may occur in engine bay.
Fire risk from a manufacturing defect affecting a safety-critical drivetrain component. If dealer fails to remediate promptly after notification, or repeat thermal events occur, this is a strong lemon-law predicate.
Replace ISG electric oil pump controller (Recall 246 / 23V526).
Vehicle stalls or fails to restart automatically after the Idle Stop & Go system shuts the engine off at a stop (e.g., red light). Owner must manually restart the vehicle. Condition may repeat.
A vehicle that stalls in traffic constitutes a substantial safety impairment. Multiple dealer visits for the same stall condition, or failure to apply the TSB fix, strengthens a lemon-law claim.
ECM/TCM software update per TSB 23-FL-007H (no-charge dealer repair).
Check engine light with misfire codes (P0300, P0301–P0304). Engine running rough, losing power, or stalling. May recur after single-injector replacement. Some owners required multiple dealer visits.
Highest-complaint-volume issue for 2022 Tucson (~80+ NHTSA complaints). Repeat misfire events across multiple dealer visits are textbook lemon-law territory. Dealers confirming it as a 'known defect' is favorable for the consumer.
Replace all 4 GDI injectors per TSB 23-FL-002H-1 / superseding TSB 25-FL-001H (kit 35399-2S133QQH). Warranty-eligible repair.
Vibration or shudder felt in steering wheel or brake pedal when stopping, especially after highway driving or heavy braking. Condition returns after rotor resurfacing.
Repeated brake judder that returns after each dealer resurfacing visit — especially if the dealer fails to apply the TSB or replace rotors under warranty — supports a multi-visit lemon-law claim.
Inspect, resurface (if within spec), or replace front rotors; perform brake burnishing per TSB 23-BR-004H. Replacement covered under warranty if resurfacing fails.
Intermittent or inoperative trailer lighting (turn signal, stop, parking lamps). In rare cases, electrical short causing overheating, melting plastic, or smoke from rear wiring area.
Recall issued late (December 2025) for a 2022-2024 production defect. Owners who experienced trailer light failures and fire risk — and had vehicles in for repair — may have lemon-law standing if the root defect required multiple repair attempts.
Dealers replace the trailer wiring harness module with improved sealed version (Recall 25V893).
Sudden loss of power steering assist (steering becomes very heavy). Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) may illuminate. Condition may occur without warning during driving.
Loss of power steering is a direct safety impairment. Small recall population (795 units) but safety impact is significant. Failure to perform the recall repair promptly is actionable.
Replace MDPS Electric Power Pack (Recall 24V412 / Hyundai Recall 261). No charge.
Engine oil drops below the minimum mark faster than expected (more than ~1 quart per 1,000 miles). Possible blue exhaust smoke at startup or under hard acceleration. Low oil warning light may illuminate.
Engine oil consumption that requires dealer visits for testing, cleaning, and potential engine replacement across multiple repair attempts is a strong lemon-law pattern, particularly when Hyundai resists engine replacement authorization. Document all oil additions between oil changes.
Dealer performs 1,000-mile sealed oil consumption test per TSB 23-EM-008H. If confirmed excessive: combustion chamber cleaning (TSB 23-EM-007H); if unresolved, HMA authorization sought for engine assembly replacement under warranty.
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Optional Mobis tow hitch wiring harness module lacks adequate sealing, allowing water ingress into the control module. Moisture accumulation may cause trailer lamps or vehicle stop lamps to become inoperative and may cause an electrical short leading to overheating, melting, or fire.
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The MDPS Electric Power Pack printed circuit board may have been contaminated with flux during supplier manufacturing, increasing risk of an electrical short. A short could cause MDPS malfunction and complete loss of power steering assist during vehicle operation.
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The transmission electric oil pump for the Idle Stop & Go (ISG) system may have been assembled with printed circuit boards (PCB) containing damaged capacitors. Heat damage to the pump controller PCB, connector, and wiring harness increases the risk of a vehicle fire and CAN communication disruption affecting multiple onboard systems.
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Roof moldings may detach during vehicle operation due to insufficient retention between the roof flange and mounting clips. Reported in 336 confirmed incidents as of the filing date.
Every item below comes from this vehicle's documented defects. The more you recognize, the more a free case review is worth your time.
California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles when a defect covered by the manufacturer's warranty cannot be fixed after a reasonable number of attempts. For the 2022-2024 Tucson, that warranty covers 5 years/60,000 miles bumper-to-bumper and 10 years/100,000 miles on the powertrain — meaning the GDI engine, the ISG system, and related components are all within scope. California presumes a vehicle qualifies for a buyback if two or more repair attempts for a safety-related defect (such as fire risk or stall in traffic) have been made without a fix, or if four or more attempts for any substantial defect have failed to resolve it, or if the vehicle has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days. If your vehicle qualifies, Hyundai must repurchase it (full price paid plus fees, minus a mileage offset) or provide a comparable replacement. The manufacturer covers your attorney fees if you prevail — so many California lemon law cases involve no out-of-pocket cost to the owner. The above is general information only and is not legal advice. The right first step is gathering your repair orders and speaking with a California lemon law attorney about your specific facts.
“Could not duplicate” doesn't mean the defect isn't real. Here's exactly what to do to protect a potential California lemon-law claim.
Document the moment it happens. Photos, video, and screenshots of any warning lights — with the date and the mileage.
Get a repair order every visit — even “found nothing.” That paperwork is the foundation of a claim.
Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Note any recall that has no available remedy yet.
Track your out-of-service days. California law counts the cumulative days your vehicle spends in the shop.
Keep loaner & rental records. Alternate-transport paperwork during long repairs matters.
Save everything in one place. Symptoms, dates, repair orders, and every repeat visit — the intermittent ones especially.
Intermittent misfire codes, ISG restart failures, and electrical issues can clear on their own before you reach the dealership — and dealers sometimes write 'no trouble found' without looking for the underlying cause. Here is how to protect your repair record: 1. Before your visit, note the exact fault codes if your dash showed a warning (P0300-P0304 for misfires), the conditions when the problem happened, and the mileage. Take a short video of the rough idle or misfire if you can. 2. Ask the dealer to pull stored Diagnostic Trouble Codes from the ECM memory — not just active codes — and to provide you a printed copy. Stored codes show the history even after they clear. 3. For injector issues: ask specifically whether TSB 23-FL-002H-1 (or the superseding TSB 25-FL-001H) has been applied, and whether all four injectors were replaced as a set. If only one or two were replaced, ask why the set was not done per the superseding TSB. 4. For ISG stall: ask whether ECM software has been updated per TSB 23-FL-007H; for 2022 models also ask about the TCM update included in that TSB. 5. For fire-risk recalls (23V526, 25V893): confirm in writing whether the recall repair has been completed on your specific VIN. If the dealer is waiting for parts and cannot complete the repair, document that date. Days waiting for a recall remedy count toward the 30-day out-of-service presumption under California lemon law. 6. Keep every repair order, including any that say 'unable to duplicate.' Under California law, each dealer visit is an attempt, regardless of the outcome written on the repair order.
Two separate fire-risk recalls, a fuel injector defect that Hyundai's own dealers confirmed as a known issue, and an Idle Stop & Go system that strands drivers at intersections — this is not the reliability profile buyers expected from a redesigned compact SUV. The GDI injector pattern in particular stands out: when dealers start confirming 'known defect' and change part numbers, it means the factory knows the original design was wrong and owners are living with the consequences. If your 2022-2024 Tucson has been back for misfires, stalls, or fire warnings, gather your repair orders and have them reviewed by a California lemon law attorney. The statute of limitations does run.
— The Margarian Law team
Has your 2022-2024 Hyundai Tucson been in for a check engine light, engine misfire, ISG stall, or fire-related recall? If the dealer has visited your injectors more than once, or if your car has been in for any of the recalls described here, your repair history may already support a buyback under California's lemon law. The consultation is free and there is no fee unless you win. Find out where you stand.
Yes. The 2.5L GDI engine in the 2022-2023 Tucson (NX4) has a documented fuel injector defect addressed by Hyundai Technical Service Bulletins 23-FL-002H-1 and its successor TSB 25-FL-001H. The internal filter inside the GDI fuel injectors can break apart, causing fuel to leak past the injector tip and setting misfire codes P0300, P0301, P0302, P0303, or P0304. Owners report the check engine light activating, rough idle, loss of power, and engine stumbling or stalling. Importantly, replacing only one or two injectors often does not fix the problem permanently — the superseding TSB 25-FL-001H directs dealers to replace all four injectors as a set. If your dealer replaced only one injector and the misfire returned, ask about the complete four-injector replacement procedure. Multiple visits for the same misfire codes are the pattern most relevant to a California lemon law claim.
Possibly. NHTSA recall 23V526000 (Hyundai Safety Recall 246) covers approximately 4,238 model year 2023 Tucson vehicles produced between October 29, 2022, and April 21, 2023. The defect is a damaged capacitor on the printed circuit board inside the Idle Stop & Go (ISG) system's transmission electric oil pump controller. The damaged capacitor can cause heat damage to the pump controller, its connector, and wiring harness — increasing the risk of a vehicle fire. Hyundai confirmed four thermal incidents in the US and Canada before issuing the recall. Hyundai's owner letter recommended parking vehicles outside and away from structures until the recall repair is completed. To check whether your specific VIN is included, enter it at nhtsa.gov or contact your Hyundai dealer. The remedy — replacing the ISG electric oil pump controller — is free of charge.
The Idle Stop & Go (ISG) system in 2022-2024 Tucson models has a documented restart failure addressed by Hyundai TSB 23-FL-007H. The ISG system automatically shuts the engine off when the vehicle stops at a light to save fuel. In some vehicles, when it tries to restart, there is insufficient intake manifold pressure recovery, and the engine does not come back on automatically — requiring the driver to manually restart. This is a software defect in the Engine Control Module (ECM), and in 2022 models also in the Transmission Control Module (TCM). The remedy is an ECM software update (and a TCM update for 2022MY), available at no charge at your Hyundai dealer. If you have brought your Tucson in for this stall condition more than once — or if the dealer performed the software update but the stall recurred — those multiple visits may count toward a California lemon law claim, since a stall in traffic is a safety-related defect.
Oil consumption above approximately one quart per 1,000 miles is considered excessive by Hyundai's own service standard and is addressed by TSB 23-EM-008H for the 2.5L G4KN GDI engine used in 2022-2024 Tucson. The defect is associated with the piston ring design on early G4KN production units, which allows more oil than normal to pass into the combustion chamber. Hyundai quietly revised the piston ring design on later production units but has not issued a formal recall for this issue. If your dealer is seeing excessive consumption, the TSB calls for a sealed 1,000-mile oil consumption test first. If consumption is confirmed excessive, the next step is combustion chamber cleaning; if that does not fix it, the TSB directs the dealer to seek Hyundai Motor America authorization for an engine replacement under warranty. Document every oil top-off between oil changes, and keep all repair orders. If Hyundai delays or refuses engine replacement despite confirmed excessive consumption, multiple repair attempts without resolution may support a lemon-law claim within the 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Front brake rotor pulsation and judder — the shudder or vibration felt in the steering wheel or brake pedal when slowing down — is a documented condition on 2022-2023 Tucson (NX4A) models produced through mid-May 2023. Hyundai issued TSB 23-BR-004H to address it. The cause is front rotor lateral run-out or thickness variation developing in service. The remedy is a brake inspection, followed by rotor resurfacing if within specification, or rotor replacement if not. A brake burnishing procedure is also part of the fix. Replacement is covered under warranty if resurfacing does not resolve the issue. Be aware that many owners report the pulsation returns after resurfacing alone — if the dealer resurfaces the rotors and the problem comes back within a few thousand miles, ask for rotor replacement under warranty, and keep the repair order. Repeated brake visits for the same pulsation are the kind of pattern that can support a lemon-law multi-visit claim.
It may, depending on your repair history. California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act presumes a vehicle qualifies if the manufacturer has made two or more repair attempts for a safety-related defect — such as a fire risk or a stall in traffic — without fixing it, or four or more attempts for any other substantial defect, or if the vehicle has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days during the warranty period. Days spent waiting at the dealer for recall parts count toward that 30-day threshold. For the NX4 Tucson, the fuel injector misfire, ISG fire recall, ISG stall, and brake judder are all issues with documented multi-visit patterns. If your vehicle has been in for any of these more than once — or if you have been waiting for recall parts — your repair and recall history is worth a legal review. Hyundai pays your attorney fees if you prevail under the Song-Beverly Act, so many California lemon law cases cost the owner nothing out of pocket. Gather your repair orders (including any 'unable to duplicate' visits) and speak with a California lemon law attorney.
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