2025 Tucson Hybrid – Metallic rattle / pinking at 3,500–4,000 rpm. Dealer says “normal” – real issue?

Nos09

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Cyprus
What I Drive
Hyundai Tucson HEV 2025 n line
#1
Hi everyone,
I’m the owner of a 2025 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid (1.6T, automatic) with about 5,000 km on the clock. I’m posting because I’m getting a very clear metallic rattling / “pinking” noise from the engine area and I’m not satisfied with the answer I got from my dealer.
Symptoms:
– The noise appears only under load, mainly around 3,500–4,000 rpm (for example when accelerating more strongly, overtaking or going uphill).
– It sounds like a metallic chattering / tin-can rattle, definitely from the engine bay, not from interior trim.
– It only happens when the gas engine is running (not in EV mode).
– No check engine light, the car pulls normally and there are no obvious misfires.
– Up to now I’ve been using 95-octane fuel from reputable stations, and I’ve recently switched to Shell V-Power to rule out marginal fuel quality.
What the dealer did:
– The mechanic heard the noise and initially agreed it sounded unusual.
– He then called the diagnostic technician, who involved the service manager.
– They compared my car with another 2025 Tucson Hybrid at the dealership.
– After that, I was told that “this is how they sound at higher rpm” and that everything is “within spec”.
To be honest, I am not convinced. On a nearly new car with 5,000 km, a metallic rattle / pinking-type noise under load in that specific rpm range does not feel like something that should simply be dismissed as “normal engine character”, especially considering long-term reliability (potential knock, valvetrain wear, etc.).
Video of the noise:
Here is a short video where you can clearly hear it:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ispe-gVclqwOTWTXbAao_dmUSE6zA5Lp/view?usp=drivesdk

In this clip I gently accelerate and the metallic rattle / pinking noise appears around 3,500–4,000 rpm under load. Windows are closed and there is no music or A/C noise, so what you hear is mainly from the engine bay.
I would really like to hear from other 2022–2025 Tucson Hybrid owners who have experienced something similar:
– Do you have the same kind of metallic rattle around 3,000–4,000 rpm under load?
– Did your dealer do anything more than say “it’s normal”?
– Has anyone received a concrete fix (TSB, software update, work on heat shields / underbody covers, engine or component replacement) that actually reduced or eliminated the noise?
At this point I’m trying to understand whether I should accept this as a genuine “normal characteristic” of the 1.6T Hybrid, or if I should start escalating this with Hyundai customer care while the vehicle is still very low mileage.
Any detailed feedback or documented cases would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
 


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