Hyundai Motor Co. is recalling nearly 96,300 Tucson SUVs in the United States after federal safety regulators flagged a software bug that can make the digital instrument panel reboot and go dark without warning. When that screen goes blank, the speedometer and warning lights disappear too, wiping out information drivers actually need to keep things safe. The recall covers recent 2025-2026 Tucson models, including hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants, and Hyundai says it will roll out a free fix.
Reuters reported that the move follows a filing with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, where regulators detailed how the instrument-panel display can fail and create a potential safety risk if drivers suddenly lose their speed readout or key warning indicators.
According to federal documents filed with NHTSA, the root of the problem is a software logic error that can cause the instrument cluster to reboot and briefly show a blank screen. The fix is straightforward: an over-the-air update or a dealer-installed software update, both at no charge to owners. The official recall filing (NHTSA campaign 26V047) identifies the affected model years and trims and bluntly notes that a dark instrument panel "increases the risk of a crash."
What owners should do
If you own a 2025-2026 Tucson or a related Hyundai model, the first stop is the federal recall lookup tool, where you can punch in your vehicle identification number and see if your SUV is included. From there, contact a Hyundai dealer to set up the software update. As the NHTSA filing explains, owner notification letters are expected to go out, and Hyundai's customer-service number for the campaign is listed in that document. Dealers will perform the software update for free, and Hyundai has told regulators it will reimburse reasonable out-of-pocket costs under the reimbursement plan it filed with NHTSA.
Why regulators acted
Digital instrument clusters have become a hot topic for safety officials this year, largely because when they glitch, they tend to go all the way out. A rebooting or dark dash at highway speeds does not exactly inspire confidence, especially if it hides speed and warning lights at the worst possible time. Other automakers have hit similar trouble, including a sizable Mercedes-Benz campaign this spring that involved more than 144,000 vehicles and focused on the same kind of blank-screen drama. Cars.com covered that Mercedes recall and the agency's concerns about what happens when drivers suddenly lose their displays.
Hyundai, for its part, has had a busy 2026 on the safety front, rolling out several large recalls tied to both software and hardware issues. For a sense of how packed the recall calendar has been, look back at the company's May move to fix roughly 421,000 SUVs over an unintended-braking software glitch (Hyundai SUVs slam on brakes).
Drivers who see their dash flicker, reboot, or go blank should not just shrug and hope it sorts itself out. Check your vehicle's recall status through the NHTSA lookup and book the free update with a Hyundai dealer. According to NHTSA, Hyundai will provide the instrument-panel software fix either over the air or at dealerships at no cost. If you have already paid for a repair related to this issue, hang on to your receipts and talk to the dealer about Hyundai's reimbursement plan disclosed to regulators.
