Hyundai has issued an urgent recall for nearly 36,500 of its popular Tucson SUVs due to a potentially deadly software fault that could cause the vehicle's crash prevention system to malfunction, leading to unexpected braking and increasing the risk of an accident.
The recall affects NX4-series Tucson models manufactured between 2025 and 2026. The issue stems from a software glitch that disrupts the Forward Collision Avoidance (FCA) system, causing it to apply sudden and unexpected braking even when no collision threat is present.
According to Hyundai's recall notice, “Due to a software issue, the Forward Collision Avoidance (FCA) system may continue to apply sudden/unexpected braking even though it is no longer necessary to avoid a collision or reduce impact.” The notice further warns that “Sudden or unexpected braking may increase the risk of an accident, which can result in injury or death to vehicle occupants or other road users.”
A total of 36,496 vehicles produced in 2025 and 2026 are affected by this recall. This is the latest in a series of safety issues for the Korean car manufacturer. Earlier this year, 3,445 vehicles across six Hyundai models, including the Kona, Tucson, Santa Fe, Palisade, Ioniq 9, and Sonata, were recalled due to a digital instrument cluster fault. That issue was resolved with an over-the-air update.
More seriously, Hyundai faced intense repercussions after a child was killed by automatic folding seats in a Palisade SUV in the United States. According to the carmaker, the seats are designed to stop moving when they detect an obstruction, but can sometimes fail to do so. Hyundai rolled out a digital over-the-air update for the Palisade that included a warning on the main touchscreen, while also issuing a recall notice for around 2,300 affected vehicles.
A statement released by the manufacturer said: “Hyundai urges owners to use caution when operating the second and third-row power seat functions and to ensure that no person or object, including children, is in the seat or seat-folding area before operating the power seat.”
For the current Tucson recall, Hyundai will contact affected owners to book an appointment at an authorized dealer to have the software updated and applied free of charge. Alternatively, owners who are registered with Hyundai's Bluelink service can perform the software update over the air, without needing to visit a dealer.
