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If the engine overheats

If your temperature gauge indicates overheating, you experience a loss of power, or hear a loud pinging or knocking, or the engine may be overheating.

If this happens, you should :

  1. Pull off the road and stop as soon as it is safe to do so.

  2. Shift the gear to P (Park, for automatic transmission/dual clutch transmission vehicle) or neutral (for manual transmission vehicle) and set the parking brake.

    If the air conditioning is on, turn it off.

  3. If engine coolant is running out under the vehicle or steam is coming out from underneath the hood, stop the engine. Do not open the hood until the coolant has stopped running or the steaming has stopped.

  4. If there is no visible loss of engine coolant and no steam, leave the engine running and check to be sure the engine cooling fan is operating.

    1) If the fan is not running, turn the engine off.

  5. Check to see if the water pump drive belt is missing.

    1) If it is not missing, check to see that it is tight.

    2) If the drive belt seems to be satisfactory, check for coolant leaking from the radiator, hoses or under the vehicle. (If the air conditioning had been in use, it is normal for cold water to be draining from it when you stop).

    2025 Hyundai Tucson engine warning label image. It displays a warning triangle, a 'Do Not Touch' symbol, and a graphic of a hand caught in a fan. This warns to keep hands away from moving parts like the cooling fan and drive belt to prevent injury.

    WL_MotorRoomHotCaution

    While the engine is running, keep hands, clothing and tools away from the moving parts such as the cooling fan and drive belt to prevent serious injury.

  6. If the water pump drive belt is broken or engine coolant is leaking out, stop the engine immediately and it is recommended to contact the nearest authorized HYUNDAI dealer for assistance.

  7. If you cannot find the cause of the overheating, wait until the engine temperature has returned to normal. If coolant has been lost, carefully add coolant to the reservoir to bring the fluid level in the reservoir up to the halfway mark.

  8. Proceed with caution, keeping alert for further signs of overheating.

    If overheating happens again, it is recommended to contact the nearest authorized HYUNDAI dealer for assistance.

2025 Hyundai Tucson Radiator Hot Warning icon. The symbol depicts a radiator with rising heat arrows and a crossed-out hand over the cap. It warns never to remove the engine coolant cap while the engine and radiator are hot.

WL_RadiatorHotWarning

Never remove the engine coolant cap or the drain plug while the engine and radiator are hot.

Hot coolant and steam may blow out under pressure, causing serious injury.

Turn the engine off and wait until the engine cools down. Use extreme care when removing the coolant cap. Wrap a thick towel around it, and turn it counterclockwise slowly to the first stop. Step back while the pressure is released from the cooling system. When you are sure all the pressure has been released, press down on the cap, using a thick towel, and continue turning counterclockwise to remove it.

  • Serious loss of coolant indicates a leak in the cooling system and we recommend the system be checked by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer.

  • When the engine overheats from low engine coolant, suddenly adding engine coolant may cause cracks in the engine. To prevent damage, add engine coolant slowly in small quantities. It may require several refilling cycles to properly fill the engine cooling system. If necessary, we recommend that you consult to an authorized HYUNDAI dealer to perform this task.