Hyundai Australia is recalling 36,496 Tucson SUVs built in 2025 and 2026 because the Forward Collision Avoidance system can keep applying the brakes after the danger has passed. In plain terms, the car decides you are about to crash, brakes hard, and then refuses to let go even when there is nothing in front of you.

The recall covers the 2025 and 2026 Tucson, which means anyone who bought one in the last 18 months. It is part of a bigger global action covering 421,078 Tucson and Santa Cruz units in the United States. Australia got the lower number because the Santa Cruz is not sold here.

What actually goes wrong

The Forward Collision Avoidance Assist system uses a front camera and radar to spot threats and brake automatically if you have not. According to the recall notice, a software bug keeps the brake command active after the threat is gone. The car can come to an unexpected halt at any speed, in any lane.

If you have ever had a phantom braking moment in traffic, you know how dangerous that is. Hyundai's own paperwork to the Department of Infrastructure says the fault may increase the risk of an accident which can result in injury or death.

How to check yours

Affected VINs are being looked up by Hyundai Australia. Owners will get a letter, and dealers will fix the software for free. The fix is a software update that should take less than an hour. There is no parts replacement.

The frustration here is obvious. The Tucson runs on Hyundai's bluelink connected services and ought to be able to take an over-the-air update. It cannot. You have to book a dealer slot.

Cartell Assessment

This is the modern car problem in one recall. Software bug, fixable in minutes, but the company that sold you a connected SUV cannot push a connected fix. So 36,496 people now have to find a service slot for something a phone update would handle in 90 seconds. Hyundai is not alone in this. Kia, Toyota and Mazda all rely on dealer visits for safety software. The brands that have made over-the-air a real feature, Tesla and Polestar at the premium end, BYD and Zeekr at the volume end, will quietly use stories like this in their next pitch.

AU Outlook

Letters should arrive over the next month. If you own a 2025 or 2026 Tucson, do not wait. Book your dealer the moment you get the notice. If you are shopping for a mid-size SUV right now, ask the salesperson directly whether the brand can update safety-critical software remotely. The answer will tell you a lot about the car you are about to spend $45,000 on.