Hyundai Santa Fe Complaints

8,019 consumer complaints on file.

#11701030November 23, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Unknown Sometimes when i stop the vehicle the engine shuts off and wont come back on until i put the car in park and turn the ignition off. Not safe at all when your in heavy traffic
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701026November 22, 2025
VISIBILITY/WIPER, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Something is wrong with the front windshield. Since I bought this SUV the last year, I've noticed that the wipers are very noisy and the windshield gets dirty very frequently. The last week, the windshield cracked for no apparent reason. I called the dealer and their response was that it's not covered by the warranty and I have to claim it from my car insurance. They also have no explanation for the wiper problem and the stains that appear on the windshield.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700864November 21, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
White pearl paint is chipping off from the vehicle by itself without any outside force. This is outbreaks over all Hyundai white pearl paint vics and they are not account for their defect. This problem eventually cause erosion on the body of the vehicle and treat safety of the drivers and people around it. This seems common issue with my research, please look close into this problem and protect driver and customer who have no power to defend their right.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700886November 21, 2025
ENGINE
My 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe caught fire on October 29, 2025. Prior to this, the dealership completed one recall but left another open. Hyundai denied my claim and refused to provide the inspection report. I am filing this complaint because I believe the incomplete recall may be related and I want NHTSA to review the issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700865November 21, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
At stop sign and car with auto start stop on and at the time of releasing the brake, car was not able to start engine. Car had to be shifted to parking position to start engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700253November 19, 2025
ENGINE
It sounds like the rod inside are hitting need a new engine. Auto shop said need a new engine. Engine has 125000 that all no oil leak no other problems.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700417November 19, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at 5 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. In addition, the contact stated that the Auto START/STOP feature was activated, and the vehicle stopped. The contact stated that the failure occurred while parking the vehicle in the driveway. The Auto START/STOP feature was activated before the vehicle crashed into the garage door. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice. The contact stated that the second failure occurred while driving approximately 35 MPH, and the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard and the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 9,500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700281November 19, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Horn has failed 4 times
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700098November 18, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On August 8, I was traveling to work on the interstate. The car started losing speed even though my foot was on the accelerator. I was unable to get the car above 30 mph despite having my foot on the accelerator. I exited the interstate to try and find a safe place to pull over. I parked the car, turned it off, restarted it and attempted to drive it. The problem continued. There were no icons or alerts showing up on the dashboard of the car to alert me that there was an issue. The vehicle has been at the dealership for repair for over 100 days. They will not communicate with me about the issue or provide updates.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700175November 18, 2025
ENGINE
The engine seized back in August 2025. The engine stopped working while I was driving on a Main Street and almost caused an accident. Unfortunately I put other drivers at risk when this happened. The engine issue was confirmed and inspected by the victorville Hyundai dealership in California. There was not any warning lamps prior to this.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700221November 18, 2025
ENGINE
My 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe experienced a sudden and complete engine failure without any warning signs. There were no warning lights, no check engine light, and no unusual noise before the failure. The engine stalled while trying to start, ran very rough for a second, and then completely shut off. After that, the engine would not start again at all. A certified independent mechanic inspected the vehicle and confirmed the engine suffered a mechanical failure consistent with rod bearing wear or crankshaft damage, which is the same issue described in Hyundai’s known engine safety recalls. I later took the vehicle to a Hyundai dealership. They also confirmed that the engine had failed, but said it could not be repaired under Hyundai’s programs because my vehicle was not listed in the specific recall. I was never notified of any safety campaigns or recalls. I am not the first owner, so the required recall inspections and updates were never completed on this vehicle before I bought it. The sudden engine shutdown created a serious safety risk, especially because there was no warning before it failed. This failure matches the symptoms described in Hyundai’s Theta II engine defect investigations. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this vehicle should be included in the affected group, and whether this engine failure is part of the broader safety defect already identified in many Hyundai engines from the same model years.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700193November 18, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Horn has needed to be replaced twice. Stops working for no apparent reason.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700081November 18, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The turn signal is hidden by steering wheel. I always keep lights on auto.when using to turn left My fingers turns the switch from auto lights to off position and always think it's on auto. Two times while driving at night use left turn signal and turns my lights off. Very scary because immediately tried to find side of road Rarely drive at night now
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699797November 17, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Sunroof exploded It sounded like a bomb went off and had my inside cover been opened I don’t know if I would’ve veered off the road been injured or injured someone else in the process. As it is I don’t know where the big huge piece of glass went. I do have pictures I reported it to my insurance company and also to corporate Hyundai. I was shaken up until the next day.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699836November 17, 2025
AIR BAGS
For at least 14 months, the air bag light on the dash is on more often than not. The code that comes up on the OBD shows it's from the passenger side seat sensor. Occasionally, the seat belt indicator will flash when there is no occupant, as well. The car has never been in an accident, and the air bags have never been set off.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699911November 17, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS, STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the tailgate and the hood unintendedly lowered after being raised and struck the contact. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699482November 14, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
In September 2024, my 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe experienced an unexpected engine lock-up while driving, creating an immediate safety hazard. Vehicle lost power, began smoking, and posed a potential fire risk. Fire department responded to prevent the engine from catching fire and had to spray the engine compartment with high-pressure water. Following this incident, vehicle remained in Hyundai’s possession for ~9 months for engine-related repairs. When we picked up the vehicle after the prolonged repair period, front-facing camera had completely stopped functioning. This camera has always worked prior to the engine lock-up and was functioning the day of the incident. This was reported to the dealership, Hyundai Motor America. A case manager (Nemesh) took the case. Very supportive, helpful and provided a thorough process for investigating the situation. However, all the sudden case was assigned a new case manager (Bryan) and the process immediately changed and the claim was denied. Given the timing and circumstances, the camera failure appears to be the result of electrical or component damage caused during the engine failure/fire-prevention event. The dealership also confirmed that no independent inspector ever assessed the vehicle for secondary damage despite my repeated requests. Hyundai later denied responsibility without conducting any physical inspection of the damage. This sequence of events — sudden engine failure, required fire-response intervention, prolonged repair, and subsequent electrical component failure — raises significant concerns about safety and the potential for related electrical or wiring issues caused by the engine incident. I am reporting this because the underlying engine failure and fire-risk conditions represent a serious safety defect, and related component failures may indicate broader issues with damage resulting from these events. Also Hyundai not letting the independent inspector assess gives me great concern something was missed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699433November 14, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Vehicle experienced a spontaneous interior fire while parked and turned off. No collision, no injuries. Fire originated under the driver-side lower dash/kick panel near the fuse/BCM wiring, then spread into the driver door harness/trim. Exterior body and engine bay show no impact or external origin. Details: Heavy charring/melt concentrated at lower dash/junction area with upward/sideways spread along wiring paths; interior plastics, dash switches, and door wiring damaged. Vehicle was unoccupied. Aftermarket: No hardwired accessories in the origin zone. A dashcam was powered via center console USB/12V with a small battery pack (not connected to the under-dash fuse block). Status: Towed to [Dealer, City/State]; Hyundai Corporate Case #XXX opened. Insurance comprehensive fire claim opened; origin-and-cause inspection pending. Request: NHTSA investigation into potential electrical/wiring defect in driver lower dash/door-harness area on this model/year; safety risk of parked, unattended fires. Photos/videos available. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699416November 14, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Component/System: Automatic Emergency Braking / Forward Collision-Avoidance (AEB/FCA) system and/or Electronic Parking Brake (EPB). The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. What happened: While driving my 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe (VIN: XXX) at highway speeds, the vehicle suddenly and aggressively applied the emergency braking system on two separate occasions within the same day (approximately 45–60 minutes apart). In both instances, the red emergency braking warning lights illuminated on the dashboard, and a warning sound activated. There were no vehicles, obstacles, or hazards in front of me either time. The braking was forceful and abrupt, causing rapid deceleration at highway speed. Both events occurred under normal, clear driving conditions. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) Safety risk: My safety and the safety of other drivers were put at significant risk. Sudden unintended braking at highway speeds can easily lead to a rear-end collision since the deceleration was not caused by driver input and gave no warning. Reproduction / dealer confirmation: The dealer has not been able to reproduce the issue, and no diagnostic trouble codes have been found so far. The vehicle is currently at the dealership for inspection. Inspection: The vehicle has been inspected by the Hyundai dealership, but the cause has not been identified. No manufacturer field engineer, police, or insurance inspection has taken place yet. Warning lamps / prior symptoms: During the failures, the red emergency braking indicator and audible warning activated immediately when the brakes engaged. There were no warning lights or symptoms prior to either event. Assessment: Cause UNKNOWN. The problem appears to be an intermittent malfunction of the Automatic Emergency Braking system, forward collision sensors, or related braking components. No diagnostic codes were stored. This is a serious safety issue that occurred twice within one hour and could easily result in a collision.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699220November 13, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:THROTTLEBODY/MANIFOLD
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle started shaking and lost power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was restarted immediately. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had an air leak with the fuel. The contact added that the leak was stopped after an undisclosed repair, but the failure reoccurred a day later. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was then taken to the same dealer and was diagnosed and determined that the throttle body needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred two days later. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,700.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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