Hyundai Santa Fe Complaints

8,019 consumer complaints on file.

#11463520May 5, 2022
ENGINE
I bought my Santa Fe from a used auto dealer in September 2021 with 102,000 mi. November 2021 I had to have rear brakes done including rotors and calipers that were stuck. In January 2022 it stalled and wouldn’t start. Towed to my mechanic since closest Hyundai shop is an hour away. My mechanic replaced starter first then realized the engine had seized. Also replaced air filter. When I entered my VIN on the Hyundai site it didn’t show the engine recall. So, I read through the court case and found out my engine was supposed to be included. When I called Hyundai they agreed that it is part of the recall. Good thing I read the court case info. Next I have my 2013 Santa Fe Sport AWD towed to the Hyundai shop. When they were checking to make sure it was a seized engine, they burnt out the brand new starter. No loaner cars available and they said I would need to pay for a rental and get reimbursed after which I couldn’t afford. When my car was ready, I got a ride to the the one hour away Hyundai shop. Also they charged me for an air filter, saying there wasn’t one in my “bad” engine. As soon as I got on the highway in my Santa Fe there were multiple issues. It wouldn’t shift right and steering was messed up so I had to take it back to Hyundai shop and have my ride turn around to come get me. The next time I picked it up there weren’t the prior issues. However, Hyundai refused to reimburse me for the starter my mechanic replaced. I had no prior starter issues and it was obviously caused from trying to start a seized engine. After a month I finally signed off on being reimbursed for the tow charges which they called a “courtesy”. By February my sunroof was having issues closing and eventually got stuck open. After applying white lithium grease and having it tarped for 3 days I finally got it closed. However I don’t dare open it again. In the same month rear wiper stopped working and I developed an exhaust leak at the converter in front of the front muffler and burning odor
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11463547May 5, 2022
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The alarm keeps going off randomly and it shows that the door is opened when it’s actually closed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11463549May 5, 2022
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The vehicle started to stall and smoke started to come from the engine compartment. People started yelling the vehicle was fire. Vehicle stopped in the road and burst into flames. Fire department and police were called to scene. Vehicle was a total loss.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11463511May 5, 2022
POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would not immediately accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact indicated that the RPM would increase however, the vehicle would hesitate to accelerate causing a safety hazard while pulling into traffic. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 50.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11463209May 3, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES
The recall, listed by Hyundai as RECALL 218, repair or replacement of the ABS system, which was dated 2/2/22. I was not notified of the recall until approximately 4/5/22 by your agency (nearly 2 months after the initial recall by Hyundai). As of 5/3/22, 3 months after the initial generation of the recall and1 month after your agency notified me (recall 22V056) of the recall Hyundai still has not scheduled a date to repair or replace the ABS module.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11463094May 2, 2022
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
While driving on the MA Route 90 on April 29, 2022, the vehicle stopped accelerating and became unsafe drive. I brought the car to Midas and was told that the car needed a new engine. I contacted a Hyundai dealer and was told that they could not look at the car as they had over a hundred Hyundai engines to replace. Prior to this incident, there were no warning lights or messages. I have learned that there seems to be significant problems with many Hyundai models. I believe this was extremely dangerous as the car would not accelerate whileI was in the fastlane of the highway.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11462911May 1, 2022
STRUCTURE:INTERIOR PANELS:SUN VISOR
The driver's side sun visor randomly falls out of the connection in the ceiling and then dangles from the electrical cord that operates the light in the visor above the mirror. When this happens it completely obstructs the driver's view of the roadway as the visor is now swaying back and forth in front of the driver's face & the driver must take one hand off the steering wheel to move the visor out of the way to see the roadway. It takes two hands to actually shove the electrical wire and visor arm back up into the ceiling. This issue not only happens when the visor is in the down (in use) position & when it is down and swung to the side to block the side window but it also happens when the visor in not in use and is just clipped up. The ceiling connection piece falls down on the left side then too...thankfully because the visor is not in use, the right hand clip secures that side in place so only half of the driver's view is obstructed. This happens without any warning - you're driving along and suddenly the visor has fallen in front of your face. It is manufacturer defect in the small plastic piece that goes from the arm of the visor up into the ceiling. There is a very small plastic tip that is broken - that tip is the only thing that keeps the visor post secured in the ceiling. When you unscrew the visor attachment that goes into the ceiling the broken piece is right there. The electrical wires go thru it so it's still in there. I have replaced my visor once already and the same piece broke off of the new visor after a couple years. My vehicle has not been inspected by anyone but there are many reports on the Hyundai forum about this visor issue. Hyundai is aware of this cheap plastic defect as they issued recalls on the sun visors on other models but not on the Sante Fe. They have also changed to a newer visor connection piece on their newer model cars. A recall should be issued for the Sante Fe so that the visors can be replaced w/ an updated version.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11462810April 29, 2022
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Summer of 2020,my engine needed to be replaced for an unknown reason, that work was done at the Herb Chambers Hyundai service department. On 4/22/2022 my car hesitated to start, it did start, I traveled about 12 miles and my engine light came on. I traveled about 3 more miles and then my car stalled in the middle of the highway, I headed to the breakdown lane very quickly. As soon as I put the car in park, the car started to smoke, I ran down the highway on foot, called 911, I turned around and my car was engulfed in flames. This whole incident went awry very quickly, about 5 minutes. I am writing in as I was offered $16000.00 as a settlement for my vehicle and all losses from Hyundai. My insurance company is offering about $1500.00 more than Hyundai. Hyundai is not even performing an inspection which was not what they communicated initially. I was told an inspection needed to be done prior to any settlement decision. Their is a known recall, I understand, recall #205, which I had not yet been notified of. I want to reiterate that no inspection on Hyundai's part was done to confirm damage/recall issue. At this point I do not have a vehicle and not in a position to buy a new car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11462672April 28, 2022
ENGINE
Rod Bearing Failure at 112,000 miles, per dealer mechanic. No warning lights and oil has been changed every 7,500 (full synthetic). Have records to support engine maintenance history.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11462421April 27, 2022
ENGINE
My car broke down on the freeway. The engine literally fell apart. Chunks of engine on the ground. I was driving at a normal rate of speed with the flow of traffic in the number 2 lane. I heard a ticking sound, turned off the radio to hear more clearly that it was not the radio. I got over as quickly as I could, then as I got into the slow lane I heard and felt a loud bang and the car died. When I got out to see what the problem was I found chunks of metal on the road. I initially thought I might have hit something, but once the tow truck driver showed up he could tell that the metal was parts of the engine. My car has been in the shop since February 12, the date of the death of my engine. I have since had to opportunity to read of about 50, and heard of hundreds of similar experiences. Hyundai is saying that since my car is out of warranty that they are not responsible, even after bringing to their attention all of the same issues with their terrible engine record. I was put in danger on a freeway as their engine literally fell apart on a busy California highway. The Hyundai Corporation has, as a “good will” act offered to cover 70% of the $18,000 repair bill! Leaving me to pay almost $6,000! I could have been seriously injured or even killed in a highway pile up if I had not acted as quickly as I did. After reading so many similar accounts, I feel strongly that Hyundai should cover 100% of the repairs and penalties of loss of vehicle and time this has cost me, and more importantly have to fix all of these vehicles that are still on the road in jeopardy of being involved in accidents due to engine failure while operating on highways. Please take action now. Thank you!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11462445April 27, 2022
ENGINE
While driving on the interstate the engine completely seized. I managed to quickly get to the side of the road by coasting. I was traveling in the left passing lane at a speed of 65-70 mph and had to cut into the right lane in order to safely make it to the side of the road. Luckily I did not have any of my three children in the car with me. Prior to this, there were no waring lights, i.e. check engine, low oil etc. and no signs of any oil leaks, no smell of burning oil and no blue smoke from the exhaust. The independent service center confirmed that the engine did not have any oil in it causing the seizure and ultimately blowing the engine. I take the vehicle in for regular maintenance for oil changes, tire rotations etc. as well as having it inspected per state emissions requirements.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11462262April 26, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V056000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The dealer was notified of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer had been notified of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11462017April 25, 2022
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact attempted to start the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to start. The contact attempted to have AAA jumpstart vehicle however, the engine failed to start. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the engine had seized and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not covered under a recall. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11461960April 24, 2022
ENGINE
Starting in September we have been documenting my engine burning, not leaking, oil at an alarming rate. I am currently losing 2-3 quarts of oil every 2 weeks. I have submitted a claim through Hyundai Corporate through the CDI engine recall program and they are denying my claim because "I'm out of warranty." The recall is supposed to extend the warranty for these issues but they are refusing to honor the terms of the recall. My car smells like burning oil and I've been told not to park inside my garage or near my home as the car is a fire hazard. I have attempted resolution by contacting the entire chain of command at Hyundai including Omar Rivera (Director of Quality and Service Engineering), Barry Ratzlaff (VP, Customer Satisfaction), and Jose Munoz (CEO and President).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11461766April 22, 2022
ENGINE
On 4/17/22, The car quit running on an interstate Highway off ramp merging lane, with three passengers. Driver was able to coast to the berm. This could have been a lot worse under different circumstances. UNKNOWN No recollection of check engine light prior to failure but did come on at failure. On Fri, Apr 22, 2022 at 7:43 AM, Service Consultant from Hyundai Dealership wrote : "It is a connecting rod bearing failure in the engine". Hyundai's response to recall or warranty inquiry: "They are saying that it is out of the warranty by the mileage. They had warranty extensions on the 2.0 turbo and the 2.4 engines. The 3.3L V6 did not fall under those".
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11461461April 20, 2022
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
There is no incident that happened, but I am very upset with Hyundai. I found out about a recall on the news back in February and all that was said was to not park your car in a garage because it might catch on fire. It took Hyundai until late March to tell me there was a recall on my car. My local dealership told me about the recall and to schedule a service appointment. I thought, great, there is a solution. Come to find out, there is not yet. I think it is disgraceful to have a car that could catch fire and all I am being told is that I shouldn't park it in the garage. However, the recall says that it could catch on fire while I am driving too, so should I not drive it? How long is this going to go on? I am extremely upset with Hyundai Corporation. This is a big safety risk. I am a single mom and this is my only form of transportation.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11461333April 19, 2022
ENGINE
Our 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe although not included in the NHTSA Campaign 17V226000, shows identical signs of engine failure. The vehicle showed no signs of excessive oil consumption nor engine damage previous to failure. After a 265 mile trip the vehicle began making an odd rattling noise and grinding. I thought possibly a transmission problem or power steering. The following day we departed for the 265 mile trip home. After 10 minutes driving the knocking noise was loud and worrisome. I stopped at an auto parts store to look the vehicle over. We had no warning lights or dash indication of a problem. I looked the engine over and the underside of the vehicle. No leaks and no obvious signs of a problem. I checked the oil and the indicator was dry. I opened the oil service cap. A burnt smell and steam or smoke rose out of the opening. I bought 4 quarts of synthetic oil and serviced the vehicle. The loud noise remained and it appeared not to help the vehicle. We had no option 245 miles from home, so I continued on the interstate and 20 miles later the engine quit while driving at 70mph. I exited the lane as safely as possible. The engine would not turn over, stranding us on the side of the interstate in a rural area. We had the vehicle towed to Jenkins Hyundai, Jacksonville FL. After diagnostics they advised us the engine seized. Due to the nature of supply parts available, the engine replacement was estimated at $14000. This basically totals the vehicle. The sales department offered us $100 to take it off our hands. Unbelievable. This engine failure is typical of the faulty manufacturing Hyundai previously settled for after so many incidents. Again, we had no indications of a pending failure other than noise and within 40 miles of the noise starting the engine seized.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11461067April 17, 2022
ENGINE
We took this vehicle over for a relative who originally owned it. We had no idea about all the engine problems We had some trouble with accelerating and a knocking sound on our engine. We called in to get it checked out. We were told there was a recall to install a chip to monitor these exact symptoms. We went in and got the chip. The engine finally quit and we were stuck in the middle if the road while driving a child to school. First the dealer said there was nothing wrong with the car accept, “this can happen if the oil is changed anywhere but the dealer.” So, that’s obviously dishonest and made everything after, suspect.It’s the type of filter you use that matters and it’s not going to cause the problems we described. Then we told them all the problems we had that were identical to the recalls. Soon after saying that they said “we have more to talk about” and told us this was “piston scoring” not covered by the extended warranty. Now they said even though they put the recall chip in for these EXACT problems. This was not related to those problems. This was “scoring on the pistons.” So, now I see piston problems are being addressed in many Hyundai Models but not ours. This is ridiculous to have a vehicle that you can’t count on and then a dealer that is dishonest even for only $50 oil change. The EXACT SAME ISSUES HAPPENED TO US AS LISTED IN THE RECALL. If it didn’t pass a bearing test we would have gotten a new engine. But Hyundai did the test after lying to us about the car’s oil change and being fine. So how can we trust anything they say?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11460831April 15, 2022
ENGINE, STEERING
While traveling at approximately 60mph I decelerated to make a left turn through a busy intersection (evening rush hour traffic). While decelerating, I felt the car give a "shudder" at which point I looked to the dash to see the check engine light blinking, then the battery light illuminated. At this point, while passing through the intersection turning left, the engine shut off, as well as the power steering. The car coasted through the intersection and came to a stop barely out of the crossing lane. It would not restart and I was forced to push the car with my family inside to a safer position. Prior to this event there had been no drivability issues, no other times that warning lights had come on. The only issue of note that I have had for this vehicle is a seemingly excessive amount of engine oil being consumed. The car is at a dealership now and I am told that the engine needs to be replaced, with no explanation for the failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11460975April 15, 2022
ENGINE
Hello, well, I want to inform you that the check engine code P1326 is arrowing and it lost power, it does not go from 1800 to 2000 revolutions and the engine is sounding down. And I called the Hyundai and they washed their hands saying that it's already over 100,000 miles, it's out of warranty when I know that's a problem with those factory wear engines.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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