2021 Hyundai Tucson Theta II Emissions ECU Update

Why This Matters

Hyundai has identified that certain 2015-2021 Santa Fe, Santa Fe Sport, Sonata, and Tucson vehicles, including the 2021 Hyundai Tucson, equipped with 2.4L GDI Theta II engines, may exhibit elevated engine-out emissions. To address this, Hyundai has released Service Campaign 9C2, detailed in Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 26-01-013H-1. This campaign involves an Engine Control Module (ECM) software update to improve emissions performance.

Important Warnings and Owner Information

Owners and technicians should be aware of several critical instructions related to this service campaign:

• Dealers must perform this service campaign on all affected vehicles prior to customer retail delivery and whenever an affected vehicle is in the shop for any maintenance or repair.
• Access the "Vehicle Information" screen via WebDCS to identify open campaigns for your vehicle.
• The VCI 2 tool (G1XDDMN001) can NO longer be ordered but can still be used for the updates in this TSB.
• The ECU update must initially be performed in Auto Mode. If the update fails in Auto Mode, it should be performed in Manual Mode to recover.
• Before performing the software update, ensure the vehicle's battery charge is above 11.0 Volts and the tablet's battery charge is above 30% to prevent update failure.
• During the update, technicians are instructed to turn OFF all lamps and accessories, and NOT leave the headlamp switch in auto mode.
• Do NOT disconnect any cables connected to the vehicle or scan tool during the update process.
• Do NOT start the engine during the update.
• Do NOT turn OFF the ignition switch during the update.
• For GDS screenshots, the VIN/Date/Time/Mileage photo imprint is NOT required.
• If the STUI camera function is NOT used for photo documentation, the last 6 digits of the VIN and the repair date must be written on a piece of paper and included in the photo.
• If the Vehicle Emission Recall - Proof of Correction Card procedure is NOT applicable to your state, the service procedure is complete after the ECU update and emissions label application.

Diagnosis and Trigger Conditions

Vehicles identified under Service Campaign 9C2 are those with 2.4L GDI Theta II engines that may have elevated engine-out emissions. The primary action to address this is an ECU software update. Technicians will use the GDS (Global Diagnostic System) to identify the appropriate software event number for the specific model and year, such as Event 1383 for certain 2015MY Sonata (LFA) vehicles, Event 1267 for Santa Fe (TMA), Event 1373 for Santa Fe Sport (AN), and Events 1269 or 1331 for Tucson (TL).

Repair Procedure Summary

The repair involves updating the Engine Control Module (ECM) software and applying an emissions label. The general steps for the 2021 Hyundai Tucson emissions ECU update are as follows:

1. Perform ECU Update: The update should be done in Auto Mode using the GDS. If it fails, switch to Manual Mode. Refer to TSB 25-GI-011H for detailed information on the "ECU Update Procedure for Tablet-Based GDS-Smart."
2. Verify ROM ID: Before updating, the technician must verify the vehicle's current ROM ID by scanning the Engine system and comparing it to the ROM ID Information tables provided in the TSB. These tables list various current ROM IDs (e.g., LFAFNC4ER84A, TMAJNC48SE2A, DMAHNC4ERB0A, TSDINC4ERD5A, TPDJNC4ERE6A) and their corresponding latest ROM IDs (e.g., LFAFNC4ERCXA, TMAJNC48SGXA, DMAHNC4ERBXA, TSDINC4ERDXA, TPDJNC4ERGXA) for different ECU part numbers and events.
3. Address Update Failures: If the update fails, the power connector from the indoor fuse box or the negative (-) 12V battery terminal must be disconnected for at least 5 seconds, then reconnected, and the update retried.
4. Ignition Cycle: After the ECU update reaches 100% completion, the ignition must be cycled OFF for 10 to 30 seconds to reset the control unit.
5. Clear Fault Codes: A full All Systems Fault Code search must be performed, and any incidentally stored DTC history from the ECU update must be erased.
6. Final Power Cycle: Disconnect the power connector of the indoor fuse box for at least 5 seconds, then reconnect it.
7. Engine Start: Start the engine to confirm proper operation.
8. Emissions Label Application: A new emissions label (Part Number NP001-SC9C2) must be filled out with the dealer code and date, then applied adjacent to the existing label on the underside of the hood.
9. Vehicle Emission Recall – Proof of Correction Card: For vehicles registered in specific states (CA, CO, CT, DE, ME, MD, MA, NJ, NY, OR, PA, RI, VT, WA), a Proof of Correction Card (Part Number NP050-09006) must be completed and given to the owner. This card serves as evidence of voluntary service campaign completion for vehicle registration renewal.

Required Tools or Parts

To perform the ECU software update and related procedures, the following parts and tools are specified:

• Emissions Label: NP001-SC9C2
• Vehicle Emission Recall - Proof of Correction Card: NP050-09006
• VCI 3 Tool: G0VHNN06 (Website: https://hyundaiessentialtools.com/, Email: [email protected], Phone: 1-855-763-9199)
• VCI 2 Tool: G1XDDMN001 (Can be used for updates but is no longer orderable)

Warranty Information

Warranty claims for this service campaign should be submitted as "Campaign" type. Operation codes vary by model, including 50D115R0 (Sonata LFA), 50D115R1 (Santa Fe Sport AN), 50D115R2 (Santa Fe TMA), and 50D115R3 (Tucson TL) for the software update and emissions label application. The causal parts are 28510-2GAV0, 28510-2G455, 28510-2GBB0, and 28510-2EMN0. The Nature Code is M73 and Cause Code is ZZ3.

If both campaigns 953 and 9C2 are open on a vehicle, a specific procedure for submitting claims is outlined in the TSB, requiring a first claim for Campaign 953 and a second claim for Service Campaign 9C2 using operation code 50D115R8 or 50D115R9 for the applicable model.

NHTSA ID: 11029939