Hyundai Santa Fe Complaints

8,019 consumer complaints on file.

#11746250June 24, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
My check engine light came on, and my car was also feeling "sluggish" and slow to accelerate. I scheduled a service appointment at my local dealer 4 days later. At the appointment, the technician stated everything checked out okay and the check engine light was likely an "anomaly" or "outlier" but otherwise nothing to be concerned about since everything checked out "okay" and no problems were identified during their test drive. However, that very afternoon, I was driving down the interstate, where the posted speed limit is 70mph, when my check engine light came on again and suddenly lost power, drastically reducing my speed and could not accelerate faster than 39mph. Luckily, the interstate was not busy at the time (about 10:30-11:00 a.m. Saturday morning) and there were only less than 4 cars behind me that were able to easily switch lanes and pass me. I moved over to the shoulder to a complete stop and restarted my car. My check engine light remained illuminated and was still slow to accelerate and "sluggish" but was able to (slowly) reach interstate speed (60-70mph) until I reached an acceptable exit and safely made it to my destination. I have since used roadside assistance to tow the vehicle from my home to the the same dealership for inspection and service (again).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11746185June 24, 2026
SEATS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The rear occupant seat sensor after an update even if there is nothing on the back or on the seat it continues to activate the horn and advising we received a rear occupant alarm. I even deactivate the option and still goes off constantly. I have to leave the car unlocked to avoid the alarm going off.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11746181June 24, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Recall for Rearvirw camera and been waiting for over 2 months for the part to become available. Everytime I call they say we only get 1 once in a while sorry. This is not safe if anything happens for visibility.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11745902June 23, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES
While driving on the highway, my 2024 Santa Fe Hybrid suddenly and without warning lost propulsion power. The loss of power was immediately accompanied by multiple simultaneous warning lights across the instrument cluster, glitching and abnormal behavior of the cluster display, and then a complete electrical shutdown of the vehicle. After the shutdown, the vehicle would not restart. The failure occurred in connection with a software update on the vehicle. At the time of the incident the vehicle had approximately 12,828 miles on it. Losing motive power while traveling at highway speed created a serious crash risk, as the vehicle was unable to maintain or recover speed in moving traffic. No crash, injury, or fire resulted. The vehicle was towed to an authorized Hyundai dealer for diagnosis. I have photographs of the instrument cluster taken at the time of failure showing numerous warning indicators illuminated at once. The symptoms I experienced — progressive or sudden loss of drive power, 12-volt/charging-related faults, and failure to restart — appear consistent with charging-control and DC-to-DC converter failures that have been the subject of prior recalls and complaints on Hyundai electrified vehicles. I am filing this report to document the incident as a safety concern.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11745765June 22, 2026
ENGINE
On June 16, 2025, I dropped my 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS (VIN: [XXX]) off at Larry H. Miller Southwest in Albuquerque, NM for NHTSA safety recall #20V746000 (Theta II engine connecting rod bearing failure). It has now been over one week with zero communication from the dealership regarding the status of my vehicle. When I attempted to follow up by phone I was unable to reach anyone in the service department. Upon calling Hyundai corporate customer service I was informed that the dealership had a name discrepancy in my paperwork and my owner profile was not linked to my VIN in their system. The recall work has not begun. I was given a corporate case number but was told to call back the following day to check in rather than receiving a callback. The burden of all follow up has been entirely on me. This is my only vehicle. I have been without transportation for over a week affecting my ability to get to work. No loaner or rental vehicle has been offered or provided. My vehicle was brought in specifically for a federal safety recall involving a known engine defect that can cause fire or engine stall. The dealer’s handling of this recall has been completely unacceptable and I am requesting NHTSA intervention to ensure compliance. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11745782June 22, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On May 30, 2026, my 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe was involved in a multi-impact interstate collision in the Sandy Springs/Atlanta area while traveling with my family which includes 1 year old kid. The vehicle was struck from behind, spun out, and impacted the concrete highway barrier multiple times before coming to a stop in the travel lanes. The collision resulted in substantial structural vehicle damage, and occupants sustained head concussions and bruising. The airbag system did not deploy during the sequence of impacts. I am submitting this report to request an evaluation of the crash parameters and deployment logic to determine whether the system operated within its intended safety design specifications under these specific multi-impact conditions. I don't have the footage but i have seen on police laptop of the incident.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#11745451June 21, 2026
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The car went from 70 miles an hour to 25 miles an hour all of a sudden on the highway and then would not allow to accelerate afterwards. Battery stopped charging and we had to stop it multiple times to get it to continue to drive no faults or issue on the dashboard.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11745518June 21, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I have videos of these two incidents and others that I could not upload. While driving on the PA Turnpike at 4:25PM on 5/22/26 75 mph my accelerator pedal stopped responding, my front collision warning light, engine, EPB, and numerous other lights came on across my dashboard despite there being no contact with any object and my speed rapidly dropped. The front camera came on as if there was an object too close. I was in the middle lane. While I was trying to move to the shoulder there were tractor trailers behind me and to my right that began flashing their lights because my speed drastically dropped and was unable to safely stay with the flow of traffic in the heavy rain. While still in Drive car started changing through notices on my digital screen "Check Blind-Spot Safety system" "Check Forward Safety system" with the car crash icon, and "Check Driver Attention Warning (DAW) system." Then I began trying to press the accelerator pedal again and the car would not move at all but the tachometer was going to 2x1000rpm. When I turned the car off and turned it back on again the engine light was still on, but the accelerator pedal was responsive. About an hour later when the tow truck driver from AAA attempted to drive the car on to the flat bed the accelerator pedal was unresponsive again. This was at least the fifth time my vehicle had lost propulsion without warning. Every prior time Bowser Hyundai had different reasons for the failure, made a repair, and said it was safe to drive. Another incident occurred 4/7/2026 using cruise control at 84 mph when the car unexpectedly lost propulsion. The accelerator was again unresponsive, I was on the turnpike with two children in the vehicle. I steered towards the shoulder and the car slowed to a stop. After that incident, Bowser Hyundai replaced the transmission on the car. They notified me on June 18 that they believe they fixed the problem again but I don't feel the vehicle is safe for my family and worry it will be deadly
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11745502June 21, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Child opened the back hatch (as instructed). The child then pressed the button to close the back hatch. Fingers were trapped at the bottom of the hatch, and the hatch “clamped” into position. The interior hatch release was not sufficiently intuitive for the chiller to remove the trim and slide the tab, resulting in the child being trapped for 10-15 minutes before help arrived.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11745481June 21, 2026
SEAT BELTS
The middle row left side seat belt does not buckle. We made sure everything is clear in it, it is not dirty. We have had issues with it clicking to lock since we purchased the car last March 2025. It does not work at all now.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11745352June 20, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
There is a severe and dangerous lag in acceleration when trying to merge into traffic. Praying the accelerator all the way down often result in the car not responding for a second or two before kicking into gear. This is significant when trying to merge onto a highway or onto a cross street with incoming traffic.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11745371June 20, 2026
ENGINE
Unknown
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11745178June 19, 2026
TIRES
Pirelli Scorpion MS 255/45r20 105, was driving at low speed in flat smooth parking lot when the tps monitor went off. I went from 35 psi immediately to 19 and dropped 1 psi poer second as a i parked. by the time i parked i had 12 psi. notices side wall blew out. same issue as my other tire on my last report. AAA driver stated it looked like product malfunction or dry rot. Tire had 13,111 miles on it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11745177June 19, 2026
TIRES:SIDEWALL
pirelli tire has less than 13k miles on it. car was parked outside. came back and the tire was deflated in minutes. found the leak to be on the inside outer wall. just blew out on its own. had the same problem with the passenger front. same tire same issue 3 weeks later. will ber making a separate complaint. they are both a pirelli scorpion ms 255/45r20 105
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744948June 18, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Hyundai - DAW - Driver Attention Warning / Forward Attention Warning System This issue warrants immediate consideration for a recall. Despite wearing glasses, sunglasses, or no glasses, the problem persists. I occasional do remove my glasses while driving, and the warning continues to sound. This occurs regardless of the time of day, weather conditions, or whether I am sitting upright or reclining. The warning randomly activates and deactivates, sometimes without any intervention. Occasionally, I simply allow the warning to sound without taking any action, and it remains active for a few seconds or until it triggers a warning that the system will be turned off, at which point it deactivates. I have attempted various troubleshooting methods, such as keeping my eyes open, adjusting my seating position, wearing and removing my glasses, and tilting them to minimize glare. None of these methods have proven effective in preventing the warning from activating or in making it deactivate. This is a persistent problem. Hyundai dealerships initially informed me that the warning might be an annoyance and their response was to simply refrain from using it. However, if a basic feature like cruise control in a 2024 & 2025 model is rendered unusable due to a design flaw (which this certainly is), it constitutes a clear violation of safety standards and should be addressed through a recall. The incessant alerts are highly disruptive and can be quite frustrating. For instance, driving with an arm in the 12 o’clock position triggers a warning, while wearing polarized sunglasses also results in an alert. The presence of a setting to disable the warning is a welcome feature, but the system’s persistent alerts can be overwhelming. The alerts continue even after taking a break. It is distracting and a safety hazard. Drivers should be able to adjust the sensitivity of the feature to turn off this feature. Currently, there is no way to disable or temporarily disable this feature.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11745009June 18, 2026
SEAT BELTS
The dealer is unable to remedy the defect within a reasonable time. It’s been two months with no fix and my family’s safety is in jeopardy.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744729June 17, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VISIBILITY/WIPER
2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited. The panoramic sunroof glass suddenly shattered/exploded without a collision and without any known impact. Glass shattered completely and created a safety hazard to occupants and traffic. Vehicle was purchased as Hyundai Certified Pre-Owned in 2021. Hyundai corporate case has been opened and advised dealer inspection. Dealer inspection is pending. Photos are available. Request that this be logged as a potential safety issue involving panoramic sunroof glass failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744914June 17, 2026
ENGINE
We are the original owner of a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. The vehicle is experiencing issues from internal engine oil consumption caused by a manufacturing defect in the GDI powertrain. In 2023, while driving under normal operating conditions, the vehicle began severely jerking, shuddering and hesitating during acceleration. This hesitation and sudden drop in power creates a severe and immediate traffic hazard, as the vehicle loses acceleration capabilities unpredictably while driving, merging, entering a highway or crossing intersections. I have since experience low oil volume due to this systemic oil consumption. On April 7, 2023 while I was under the 100,000 mile factory warranty (at 99,644), the issues were reported to the dealership but they found no issues. Since then the engine light come up regularly and we must add or change oil soon. On June 15, 2026 we took it back with the same issue and we have been told after checking it and filling it up we must repeat the process from 2023, drive it for 1000 miles without changing or adding oil, even if it dries up. This will create a safety hazard not only for the public but for my family. Now we are told the engine needs to be replaced but since we're out of warranty, we must pay $21,000. We were under warranty when we reported the issue and they purposedly led us out knowing the issues were happening to other Sonata and Santa Fe models. Now we are left with a dangerous vehicle which we cannot in good faith sell to any other family.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744581June 16, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My passenger's front door side vent window glass shattered unexplainably while I was making a left hand turn at 15 mph. This occurred at 7:25am in the morning after pulling my car out of my garage and driving about 1/3 mile before the unexplained glass explosion/shattering. The sound made was a loud bang/pop. Air temperature was around 68 degrees, no air conditioning was being used at the time. No other cars or pedestrians were around when it occurred. I inspected the glass and it does not appear as if there was any possibility it was caused by a rock or a projectile such as a bullet or bb gun. As mentioned the component that failed was a fixed vent window that does not open. Fortunately no passengers were in the car when the glass shattered. It has not been inspected since insurance will not cover the cost of the glass replacement. (Safelite glass to replace for $346.00 (my insurance deductible exceeds that amount). No warning signs before it occurred. (Possible manufacturing defect -impurities in glass? I don't think it was body flex or vibration which may have caused the explosion as I was driving only 15mph. I don't believe it is attributable to thermal stress either -due to no variation between internal and external air temperature)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744397June 16, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)
The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the Apple CarPlay system unexpectedly interrupted the operation of the vehicle and initiated a live software update. The navigation system, infotainment system, and other vehicle functions became inoperable. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated and continuously cycled on the instrument panel. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 2,774.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Hyundai Santa Fe