Hyundai Motor America is recalling 421,078 model year 2025-2026 Santa Cruz, Tucson, Tucson Hybrid, and Tucson Plug-In Hybrid vehicles because the Forward Collision Avoidance system can apply the brakes earlier than the driver expects. According to the Part 573 Safety Recall Report filed with NHTSA, front camera software in the affected vehicles exhibits increased sensitivity to forward object proximity, which can result in sudden braking and elevate the risk of a rear-end crash with closely following traffic. Hyundai estimates the defect rate at approximately one percent of the recalled population. The campaign is logged as NHTSA Recall 26V316 and Hyundai Recall 302.
Highlights
- 421,078 model year 2025-2026 Hyundai vehicles affected across four nameplates
- Defect traced to multifunction front camera software supplied by Mobis
- 376 FCA-related field reports as of the decision date, including four crashes and four alleged injuries
- Remedy is a free front camera software update at Hyundai dealers
Affected Vehicles
The recall spans four model lines built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA), Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) in South Korea, and Kia Motors Mexico (KMX).
| Model | Model Years | Production Dates | Units Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson | 2025-2026 | Apr 8, 2024 – Apr 14, 2026 | 292,805 |
| Tucson Hybrid | 2025-2026 | Aug 26, 2024 – Oct 23, 2025 | 110,844 |
| Santa Cruz | 2025-2026 | Jul 22, 2024 – Apr 1, 2026 | 13,082 |
| Tucson Plug-In Hybrid | 2025-2026 | Aug 7, 2025 – Mar 23, 2026 | 4,347 |
What Causes the Premature Braking
The FCA system relies on a multifunction front-view camera that detects impending frontal crashes using inputs including vehicle speed, driver input, and proximity to surrounding vehicles. In the recalled vehicles, the camera’s software logic is conservatively tuned, leading to FCA engagement earlier than operator expectation in certain driving scenarios. The result is unexpected brake application that can occur without prior warning to the driver, raising the risk of being struck from behind. The supplier of the front-view camera is Mobis (MOBIS), the Tier 1 OEM component manufacturer based in Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea.
Investigation and Decision Chronology
Hyundai’s North America Safety Office opened the underlying investigation in January 2025 after receiving a Vehicle Owner Questionnaire alleging unintended braking. NASO replicated the condition in fleet vehicles on June 19, 2025, with a second replication on June 26, and exchanged data with the supplier and Hyundai Motor Company throughout the summer. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation contacted Hyundai on September 23, 2025, regarding Tucson FCA allegations submitted by owners, and the two parties met on September 29.
Joint vehicle testing took place at Hyundai’s Safety Test & Investigation Laboratory in November 2025, followed by prototype software testing at the California Proving Grounds in February 2026 and tuning validation at test tracks in South Korea between March 31 and April 3. After receiving feedback from ODI on May 1, Hyundai’s North America Safety Decision Authority convened on May 11 and decided to conduct the safety recall.
As of the decision date, Hyundai had received 376 reports related to FCA operation between October 28, 2024, and April 27, 2026. Four of those reports describe crashes in which Hyundai vehicles were rear-ended by closely following vehicles, with four alleged injuries. The company reports no confirmed fires or fatalities attributable to the condition in the U.S.
What the Remedy Involves
Dealers will update the front camera software at no charge to owners, regardless of warranty status. Hyundai will also reimburse owners for out-of-pocket expenses already incurred to obtain a remedy, in accordance with the reimbursement plan submitted to NHTSA on March 2, 2026. According to Hyundai’s filing, the revised software has been tuned to better align FCA activation timing and distance-to-leading-vehicle with operator expectation.
The recall affects five front-view camera part numbers: 99211-N7050, 99211-CW500, 99211-N7000, 99211-N7020, and 99211-N7030.
Owner Notification Timeline
Vehicle Identification Numbers became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 20, 2026. Dealer and owner notification letters are scheduled to be mailed on July 17, 2026, under a phased recall. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460 and reference recall number 302.
The recall lands roughly ten weeks after a class action complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California alleged a phantom braking defect in the 2025 Tucson and Tucson Hybrid FCA system, which The BRAKE Report covered in Hyundai Sued Over 2025 Tucson Phantom Braking Defect. The defect description in the Part 573 filing — earlier-than-expected FCA engagement leading to sudden braking — aligns with the unintended-deceleration behavior described in that litigation.
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