Hyundai Santa Fe Complaints

8,019 consumer complaints on file.

#11740006May 26, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH, while parking and while idling on different occasions, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle hesitated to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740021May 26, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that he received an unknown service campaign from the manufacturer indicating that a software update for emissions was needed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where an ECU update was completed and an NP001-SC9C2 was installed for the engine and transmission. The contact stated that when his wife drove the vehicle home from the dealer, she noticed that something was wrong with the vehicle but did not specify the failures. The contact stated that the next day, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated and shifted improperly, and while depressing the brake, the vehicle accelerated forward. The contact stated that the failure persisted and became more prevalent in the morning after sitting overnight. The vehicle was then taken to the same dealer where a shift engine value reset, transmission value reset, shift adaptations were made (Part number 95447-6G200). The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred the next morning and has persisted every morning thereafter. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 25,051.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740131May 26, 2026
TIRES
The contact stated that while driving, a slow leak on the inside side wall right rear passenger side. The vehicle was taken when taken to the dealer to replace. Left front driver side, had a bubble in the side wall. The tire was replaced. In another occurrence, was noticed on the The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with front right and back right bubbles on the outside wall of the tire. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 7,000. The
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740209May 26, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
"My 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid has experienced repeated parasitic battery drain. Dealer diagnostic reports dated 5/12/26 and 5/14/26 document 'Excessive dark current draw condition identified' with dark current spikes well above the normal threshold of 50mA. Vehicle was at Kelly Hyundai of Stroudsburg PA for approximately two weeks. Dealer replaced fingerprint sensor module as best guess repair but could not confirm it was the definitive cause. Battery replacement was denied as battery did not meet Hyundai's replacement threshold despite documented drain. Service technician verbally acknowledged this is a known issue across 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles. DTCs C173300 Undervoltage Detected were found on both front door handle sensor modules. Concerned about long term battery health and potential for repeated drain leaving vehicle inoperable."
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740141May 26, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I own a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe that was purchased on 08/15/2025. The first malfunction occurred on 08/25/2025, only days after purchase, and the vehicle has experienced repeated safety-related issues since then. The vehicle has repeatedly displayed false Forward Collision Warning alerts, Blind Spot Warning failures, Park/Neutral errors, and intermittent disabling of safety features. The most serious incident occurred when the vehicle unexpectedly entered “Limit 20 MPH” mode while I was pulling into active traffic with my toddler in the vehicle, limiting acceleration and creating a safety risk. I have also experienced false collision alerts while parked and after the vehicle was shut off. The vehicle has been taken to the dealership multiple times for diagnosis and repair attempts. Some issues were duplicated by dealership personnel, while other visits were documented as “could not duplicate.” A front ultrasonic sensor was replaced, but the vehicle continued experiencing safety-related concerns afterward. During the repair process, I was informed and observed that dealership personnel appeared limited in what repair actions could be taken after consulting Hyundai through their diagnostic system. I was also informed that Hyundai influenced what could be included on service reports and that dealership personnel were instructed to “print the book” rather than fully document observed concerns. I believe this may have affected repair efforts and documentation of ongoing issues. The vehicle has been out of service for extended periods and the issues continue despite repeated repair attempts. Due to the ongoing malfunctions and inconsistent operation of the safety systems, I no longer feel safe driving the vehicle because I am concerned it may not function properly during a real emergency situation. Attached are photos of various dashboard errors and warning messages that occurred during these incidents to document the alerts and malfunctions experienced.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740013May 26, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Shifter malfunction has appeared since I bought the vehicle new. Once I took it in, they said it was the software. The vehicle now skipped and hesitate in the lower gears. When in high gears ride fine. But once it stops and start driving again, lower gears won’t drive properly. Drives with hesitation and skips.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739954May 25, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
Just read possible recalls on Hyundai Santa Fe's 2025 and 2026's. Just spent $1727.68 at the Hyundai dealership in Gilbert, AZ to replace the front camera do to the faults showing up on the dash. By reading that article it made aware of what may have occurred had we not taken it in for service. This vehicle is a 2020 Sante Fe. You may want to check into it. Oh, I want a refund.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739964May 25, 2026
ENGINE
Purchased a used Santa Fe in January 2026 with 129k mile and at 131k my vehicle's CEL came on and did not function properly while operating. While driving the vehicle failed to accelerate above 25 mph when I pushed the gas. I pulled over to get out of the way of traffic and avoid any accidents. I shut the car off and sat for several minutes before restarting my vehicle. It successfully restarted and I drove home and parked it. I ran CEL diagnostic and received the code P0021. I had the vehicle towed to the local Hyundai dealer and they also pulled the same code and indicated I have an oil consumption issue explained as follows "Timing over advanced. Timing components driven by oil pressure. Inspected cylinders and borescope and found cylinder wall scoring and faulty piston rings. Radiator has crack causing coolant leak. Engine will have to be replaced to remedy oil consumption. Radiator will need to be replaced to remedy leak." resulting in over $12k of repair work. The vehicle's temperature gauge did not indicate any abnormalities nor did the oil light come on to indicate any oil consumption issues. The vehicle was driven from the dealer to my home within city limits/speed and has not replicated the acceleration issue but the CEL remains on as the repair is too costly and is more than what was paid for the vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739969May 25, 2026
POWER TRAIN, SEAT BELTS
We have had several transmission issues with this vehicle for over a year. On March 5th we dropped the car off for an oil leak, a malfunctioning middle row seat belt, and an on going transmission clunk and roll. The dealer repaired the oil leak, replaced the seat belt, (damaged the interior of the vehicle while doing so, then denied it) and said they were unable to replicate the transmission problem. The car went back to the dealer again on March 26 for the transmission clunk and roll. They kept it for 8 weeks, and said they couldn’t replicate the issue. I have confirmation that they didn’t even start the vehicle for 4 weeks. We picked up the Vehicle on May 22, and the issue persists. Yesterday, when pulling out of a gas station, the vehicle accelerated on its own until I intervened stepping on the brake pedal. When I typed in the issue to Google, I was made aware that the vehicle now has a front seat belt safety recall from April 6, which the dealer didn’t even advise us on or offer to repair. I am finding out about this on an interstate family drive and we are of course terrified of driving our vehicle now, based on the unintended accessories and now faulty front seat seat belts. I have asked Hyundai serval times for a buy back which they have refused. Corporate has asked us to bring the car back to the dealer this week, and we are about to sign papers with a lemon law lawyer tomorrow. I wanted to at least file this complaint so that it is in writing should something happen to us in our travels this week. This has all been so unacceptable with Hyundai. We bought this car new and it is paid off.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739834May 24, 2026
ENGINE
The engine in my 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport equipped with the 2.4L Theta II GDI engine is experiencing severe excessive oil consumption. The vehicle consumes approximately 2–2.5 quarts of oil every 1,000 miles despite multiple repair attempts and dealership-performed combustion cleaning procedures. Hyundai Motor America and the dealership documented the condition under PA #[XXX] and recommended engine replacement. Hyundai Motor America advised me in writing that the vehicle should not be operated in its current condition because of the excessive oil consumption and pending engine replacement. Excessive oil consumption creates a risk of sudden engine failure, engine seizure, stalling while driving, and potential engine fire if oil levels drop unexpectedly. Because the engine rapidly loses oil between normal service intervals, the vehicle may become unsafe to operate without warning, placing myself, passengers, and other motorists at risk. The defect was confirmed multiple times by Capital Hyundai in San Jose, CA through two official Hyundai oil consumption tests. The dealership documented oil consumption of approximately 2–2.5 quarts per 1,000 miles and submitted the results to Hyundai Motor America under PA #[XXX].The dealership also performed multiple repair attempts, including spark plug replacement, fuel induction cleaning, combustion chamber cleaning, and repeated oil changes, but the excessive oil consumption continued. Prior symptoms included: Check engine light illumination, Cylinder #4 misfire condition, Engine noise, Excessive oil loss between oil changes, and Oil level dropping significantly within short mileage intervals. The check engine light and misfire condition first became severe enough to require dealership diagnosis on or around [XXX], when the vehicle was towed to the dealership. The excessive oil consumption issue was formally documented beginning [XXX] during Hyundai’s oil consumption testing process. 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
#11739797May 24, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Two unsafe scenarios in past two months: 1) Driving 80 mph, engine misfire, vehicle will not accelerate past 1 rpm, had to drive home from out of town with very slow acceleration, dangerous to not be able to accelerate efficiently on highways 2) Driving 55 mph, all driver safety systems malfunction, accelaration completely disabled, had to coast to safe stopping point. Restarted vehicle and could drive home with check engine light on, incredibly dangerous for car to lose all ability to accelerate in the middle of a highway.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739792May 24, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The vehicle has experienced repeated transmission-related failures beginning at approximately 5,000 miles. The dashboard warning “Transmission System Error – Check Transmission Oil Immediately” first appeared while driving and was accompanied by sudden loss of power. When this occurs, the vehicle loses acceleration and drivability while in motion, creating a safety risk in traffic. The only way to temporarily clear the warning is to pull over, shut the vehicle off, and restart it. Photographs of the warning message were documented at approximately 6,738 miles on [XXX] and again at approximately 12,664 miles on [XXX]. The vehicle was returned to the selling dealer in Massachusetts multiple times for the same issue. During the first visit, the dealer drove the vehicle approximately 19 miles but stated they could not duplicate the problem. During the second visit on or about 3/25/2025, the dealer kept the vehicle for approximately six days while providing a loaner vehicle, but again stated they could not duplicate the condition. The vehicle was later inspected by another Hyundai dealer in New Hampshire on 8/19/2025 for the same dashboard warning and loss of power condition while driving. That dealer found the transmission fluid level below specification but stated they could not duplicate the warning message during inspection. Following that visit, the transmission warning did not reappear until [XXX], when the same “Transmission System Error – Check Transmission Oil Immediately” warning returned again while driving. On [XXX], the situation escalated into a possible rollaway event. While at an auto detailing facility, the vehicle was reportedly placed in Park with the engine running after being repositioned. The operator stated the vehicle indicated it was in Park. Moments later, after the operator exited the vehicle, the vehicle moved from its parked position and rolled into a building. The event was documented in writing by the detailing facility. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION A
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739708May 23, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I took my vehicle in to the dealership on April 24, 2026 for a software update after receiving notice in the mail. The update changed my auto stop/start so that it is on whenever the vehicle is started. When removing my foot from the brake the car surges forward without me touching the gas peddle. I took my Hyandai back in to the dealership on May 4, 2026, and was told that the auto stop/start was supposed to now be staying on as that was in the software update. They said they could not duplicate the surging of the vehicle. It has surged strong enough to move forward, while stopped at an intersection, that it put me out two to three feet. I felt it necessary to put it in reverse and back up it was out so far. This will absolutely put others at risk as I drive and work in a downtown area with lots of crosswalks with lots of people crossing, and should vehicles be stopped in front of me, it could hit them. I can turn it off, but in the beginning it seemed to be turning itself back on. Additionally, I am not used to always turning it off because I never had to before and I don't always remember. This week, something new: When pulling off after starting the car, even if I remember to turn off the start/stop, the car is jerking forward when I depress the gas. It's like it is getting surges of gas, or like the peddle is being pushed to the floor, let off, pushed to the floor, let off, etc. I am so incredibly scared now to just drive the vehicle I've loved for over five years now. My vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance or any others. I did not know this was an option. I would love to get more information about how to go about this. There are no warnings of any kind when this occurs, which is every single time I get in it. Please, someone, tell me what I can do further. Continue taking it back to the dealership? Ride with them next time? I just am at a loss and incredibly scared. I am a woman in my 60s.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739568May 22, 2026
ENGINE
Driving to work at 0730 on 20 may, i put my foot down to accelerate from 40mph and nothing happened, i tried again thinking foot placement and the engine died. All ligjts went out, engine turned off and i free coasted for 100 -150yards. Once stopped i mangaed to get the hazard lights on, and get out the vehicle. I was 30yards from traffic lights on a 3 lane road. Once pushed from the road, the car showed lights and internal radio etc, but no noise on the push start. There was no noise from the engine prior to this, there was no dash lights showing issues and no warning. I was then towed 4hrs later to a garage where the diaognostics show engine failure and new engine required. A service 4000k miles ago and the car had used 5.5quarts of oil. All eveidence ive mainated the vehicle is online. 1st garage advices not driveable due to 10ks of miles of damage.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739483May 22, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On March 17, 2026, the sunroof of our Hyundai Sante Fe 2021 exploded. The driver and two passengers were not hurt because the sunroof was closed and the liner in place when the explosion took place. The incident occurred on an open country highway on a sunny afternoon with no other vehicles or flying objects sighted.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739369May 21, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle: 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe, VIN [XXX] , exterior Quartz White Pearl. Component: Exterior factory paint (paint/trim). Complaint: This vehicle exhibits a systemic, progressive factory paint defect — excessive peeling and bubbling of the white finish that spreads from one body panel to the next. This is a known defect across this vehicle generation; Hyundai acknowledged it by issuing Warranty Extension Z05 (TSB 25-BD-004H), which extends paint coverage to 10 years/unlimited miles for affected white-paint vehicles including the 2019 Santa Fe. Hyundai repaired the hood under this warranty in 2025, during which the vehicle was out of service for 77 consecutive days. Since that repair, the defect has migrated to the adjacent fender and has also appeared on a door, demonstrating that it is spreading across the vehicle. Hyundai has offered to repaint only the single currently-visible panel rather than addressing the systemic defect. I am filing this complaint to document the defect and its progression, and to support the public record regarding factory paint failure on these vehicles. No crash, injury, or fire has resulted. The vehicle is owned by my spouse; I am submitting as authorized representative. 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
#11739408May 21, 2026
AIR BAGS
Air bags didn’t deploy on a front crash. Safety of my entire family in car was put at risk without airbags deploying. The problem has not been confirmed. The vehicle has not been inspected, a first responder on scene of crash said we should check into why our air bags didn’t deploy. No warnings signs
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11739269May 21, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While driving, the sunroof glass of the vehicle exploded/shattered with no known trigger, force or debris striking the glass. At the time no risk to myself as the sunroof shade was closed. I am in the process of getting this inspected and repaired.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739169May 20, 2026
ENGINE
*The mechanic diagnosed internal engine failure (May 14, 2026). The vehicle is at the second mechanic's shop. *The car stalled twice. The first time, over 20 miles, the air conditioning stopped, followed by the radio, and then acceleration. I pulled over and the acceleration returned but only for a minute. The second time, a clacking noise got louder and faster, and three miles later the engine stopped. I coasted and pulled over but had to shift to neutral and use the parking brake to stop. *The first time was a two-lane road (55 MPH). As I lost acceleration, cars slowed behind me. It took so long to turn off on a side road, the car behind me almost hit me as they speeded up to pass. The second time was a busy two-lane road (45 MPH), but the engine stopped so quickly, the person behind me almost rear ended me. Without the steering, the car crossed the middle lane, and I had to haul the steering wheel so I could pull off to a side street. *The first repair shop said the oil was low and suggested the place that changed the oil did not know what it was doing and perhaps didn't put the cap on right. The oil was dripping over the engine and to the bottom of the housing. After driving it, the mechanic said the Hyundai service center should do a diagnostic, but it was safe to drive. The second repair shop did an oil change to see what was happening with the oil flow. He found metal filings as well as other problems and said it this was an internal engine failure. *The Hyundai service center said the vehicle needed to be towed, at my own expense, to the its center for a $185.00 out-of-pocket diagnostic. *In October 2025, the Hyundai dealership serviced the car for a cylinder head oil leak recall/problem. *There were no warning lights either time--no engine or oil lights came on. There were no symptoms or indications of a problem before the first incident (May 7, 2026).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738814May 19, 2026
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, POWER TRAIN
After the installation of the Service Campaign 9C2 engine update, the car now seems to surge or rev up briefly at lower speeds like it can't find the right gear or is trying to briefly accelerate. It doesn't seem to be as noticeable at highway speeds, but in residential or low speeds, it's very noticeable and a little unsettling as the car feels like it wants to briefly lunge forward. No lights are on the dash and there is no indication of any malfunction, but it did not behave this way prior to the 9C2 engine program update. I waited for a couple weeks before contacting Hyundai Corporate about this issue because I was hoping maybe the transmission or engine was relearning after a battery disconnection, but it has not gone away.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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