NHTSA Complaint #11663547 — 2022 HYUNDAI TUCSON

On May 20, 2025, at approximately 76,100 miles, I attempted to open the fuel filler door on my 2022 Hyundai Tucson and found that it would not release. The car was unlocked and parked, but the fuel door remained stuck. I eventually managed to open it only after a frenzied random sequence of repeatedly pressing the lock and unlock buttons on the key fob while simultaneously pressing on the fuel door. The mechanism finally released after many attempts, but it was inconsistent and unreliable. A second incident occurred on May 26, 2025 at 76,460 miles when I needed to refuel. While I was not stranded, the experience was frustrating and concerning — especially since the vehicle does not appear to have any kind of manual emergency fuel door release. If this issue occurred while low on fuel or far from help, it could lead to a significant inconvenience or hazard. I brought the vehicle to a Hyundai dealership on May 28, 2025 and demonstrated the problem to a Service Advisor. The Advisor that assisted me was unaware of the problem and could not find a recall or Technical Service Bulletin (TSB). Since it is past the 60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, I was told the issue would not be covered; I would have to pay out of pocket. However, I’ve read about other 2022/2023 Tucson owners experiencing similar failures, suggesting a possible design flaw in the fuel door actuator or latch assembly. I believe this should be reviewed as a potential defect. Consistent failures of a basic refueling mechanism across multiple vehicles should be taken seriously.