The Hyundai Tucson trailer wiring recall matters most to owners who tow. Hyundai's recall 25V893 covers 2022 through 2024 Tucsons built with the towing package, and the risk is water getting into the trailer wiring harness and shorting it out. Most owners want two answers quickly: is my Tucson part of this, and can I keep driving it? If your vehicle has the tow hitch wiring, it is in scope. Hyundai's interim advice is that you may keep driving, but you should park away from buildings and other vehicles until the repair is done.
Which Tucsons are in the trailer wiring recall?
NHTSA's campaign covers 2022, 2023, and 2024 Tucsons built with the optional towing package, which includes the trailer hitch and its wiring. Hyundai Motor America filed the recall on December 18, 2025, and the count is 51,587 vehicles. You can check any VIN on the recall lookup at NHTSA.gov, which has been searchable since late December 2025. The window sticker or the build sheet shows whether the towing package was ordered.
A Tucson without a factory hitch is not the main population, but the recall is not limited to factory parts. Hyundai also sold 1,338 do-it-yourself trailer harness kits through U.S. dealers, and owners who installed those kits also need the vehicle checked. Consider a 2023 Tucson bought used in Texas. The seller mentions a tow package, but the sticker does not list one. The buyer should run the VIN before signing, because the recall notice goes to the registered owner, not to the car, and the new owner has to arrange the repair.
How does water end up in the trailer harness?
The trailer harness is the bundle of wiring that carries power and signals from the vehicle to a trailer's lights and brakes. Hyundai's filing says the harness connects at a point where water can enter. Once water reaches the harness control module, it can cause a short circuit. A short can knock out trailer lights or stop lamps, so a following driver may not see the brake signal in time. It can also start a fire in the wiring, which is why the remedy is a replacement harness rather than a simple check.
The water sources are ordinary: rain, road spray on a highway, a car wash, or snowmelt that runs down toward the hitch area. A Tucson that tows only a few times a year still sits outside for most of the week, so the exposure continues even when the trailer is not attached. NHTSA attributes the problem to insufficient sealing of the control module, which points to the part design and not to how an owner drives or washes the car.
Can I keep driving a Tucson with this recall?
Yes. Hyundai does not bar driving. The interim instruction is to park away from structures until the recall work is carried out, and that is the line owners will see in the notice. A daily commute in a dry, clean car is a lower-risk use than leaving the same car parked beside a house for a week of heavy rain.
My recommendation is narrower than the notice: skip towing until the harness has been replaced. Towing runs the trailer lights and brake signal through the same harness, and a fault there is most dangerous at highway speed with a loaded trailer behind you. Before any trip, check that the trailer lights and brake lights work. Have a helper watch the lamps while you press the brake, then test the turn signals. A failed lamp is easier to catch in the driveway than on the interstate.
Where should you park a recalled Tucson between tows?
Picture a Tucson owner in Columbus, Ohio, who tows a small utility trailer on weekends for landscaping jobs. The car sits in a driveway about eight feet from the garage, and the trailer is parked in the same spot after each job. Under Hyundai's guidance, that setup is the one to change first. A detached garage, a fence, and the house wall all count as structures, so the car should sit in an open spot several car lengths away from them.
Distance from other vehicles matters too. If the harness shorts and a fire starts, a neighbor's car parked close by becomes part of the risk. Keep a clear space on each side of the Tucson when you can, and avoid parking it nose to tail with another car in a tight lot. Unplugging the trailer connector when the trailer is parked is a sensible habit until the repair is done, because it removes a live connection from the harness while the car sits. Park the trailer separately so a single fault does not take the car with it.
How do I get the free harness replacement?
- Enter your 17-character VIN on NHTSA.gov's recall lookup and note whether recall 25V893 shows as open.
- Call a Hyundai dealer's service department and quote recall 25V893, not just the word trailer.
- Tell the service advisor whether a trailer harness kit was ever installed, by a dealer or by an earlier owner.
- Book the trailer wiring harness replacement, which Hyundai provides at no charge under the campaign.
- Ask for an invoice that lists the recall number, and keep it with the title and registration.
Owner letters were scheduled to go out in mid-February 2026, so a Tucson whose letter never arrived may have gone months without the repair. If the letter is missing, the NHTSA lookup is the reliable check, not the mailbox. Once the dealer confirms the harness replacement, a service log entry in CarDiary keeps the repair date and invoice beside your other vehicle records, although the official recall status still comes from NHTSA and Hyundai.
What mistakes do owners make with this recall?
- Assuming a Tucson without a visible hitch is clear. Check the VIN, because dealer-sold harness kits fall within the campaign.
- Waiting for the letter. Owners who moved or changed their address may never receive it, so check the VIN yourself.
- Buying a used Tucson and assuming the new owner has nothing to do. Recall notices go to the registered owner, so the buyer must check the VIN and book the repair.
- Parking beside the house because it is convenient. The guidance says away from structures, and a garage counts as one.
- Towing in heavy rain before the fix. That adds water exposure and trailer load to the same harness.
Frequently asked questions about the Tucson trailer wiring recall
Is my 2023 Hyundai Tucson part of recall 25V893?
It is if the vehicle has the optional towing package and falls in the 2022 to 2024 model years covered by the campaign. Enter the VIN on NHTSA.gov to confirm the status, because that lookup is the official check.
Can I still drive my Tucson before the harness is replaced?
Hyundai says owners may keep driving, but should park away from structures until the repair is done. Avoid towing until the replacement is complete.
Does the trailer harness repair cost anything?
No. The recall remedy is a replacement trailer wiring harness at no charge to the owner.
What if I installed a different aftermarket trailer harness?
The campaign names the dealer-sold kits, so a part bought elsewhere may not be covered. Ask a Hyundai dealer to inspect the wiring and confirm what applies to your vehicle.
