Hyundai Santa Fe Complaints

8,019 consumer complaints on file.

#11730287April 9, 2026
ENGINE
My vehicle loses power on the highway intermittently. I had my car set on cruise control at 55 and with no other vehicle in front of me the speed decreased to 45. It frequently sputters going up hills. My car has had 4 oil leaks.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729938April 8, 2026
SEATS
On my Driver/passenger seat the recline switch with not go back only forward. The dealer explains to me that just diagnosing the issue is 250 then the switch is going to cost me over $800. If replace the Power Seat Switch for $49.99 and the Power Seat Switch Knob only cost $ 15 plus dollars, also to replace the motor $200-300 now my air bag light is on not sure if it's because of the seat functioning or not, my kid's car seats are right behind the seats so its concerning to me. Looking online they are hundreds of people complaining of this, but no action has been taken such as a recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730044April 8, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Original letter to Hyundai below. The car is currently at a dealer again for repair of the same issue. Fuel pump replaced in Nov 2025 but issue has returned in March 2026. Videos of the issue recently occurring are available. Good morning, We had our 2024 Santa Fe Hybrid lose power while merging onto the freeway in November 2025. I was pressing the accelerator and it did not do anything, just kept rapidly decelerating. Pulled the car to the shoulder and turned it off completely and back on, and the car started up with the engine running which was unusual- typically the car starts up in silent electric mode. It would not accelerate past a few miles per hour. This has now happened on multiple occasions, disappearing for a few days only to return. It has gotten very dangerous to lose speed and acceleration into a busy freeway and almost caused an accident yesterday. We were thankfully close to a dealer (Glassman Hyundai in Southfield, MI) and were able to limp it a mile down the shoulder at low speed to drop it off. However, they are telling us they have no loaners available to provide us which seems unacceptable with a car under warranty with 18k miles on it. Is there anything you’re able to do to assist? Are there any known fixes for the issue that can be reported to the dealer? Thanks, [XXX] 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
#11729920April 8, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the vehicle's liftgate would independently open while idle without warning. The contact stated that while washing her vehicle on an inclined driveway, the liftgate opened without warning. In an effort to avoid being hit by the liftgate, the contact fell to her left side on a concrete driveway. The contact suffered pain and bruises to the left side of her body, with major pain in her left foot. The contact was home alone and managed to drag her body onto a chair before calling her husband for assistance. The contact's husband drove the contact to an urgent care facility, where an X-ray was performed; the X-ray showed no fractures. The facility stated that their equipment was not sufficient to treat her injuries, and they placed a boot on her left leg and referred her to an orthopedic doctor. The contact went to the orthopedic doctor, who performed another X-ray, which showed no fractures. The contact was given another boot; however, the pain remained days after the visit. The contact then went to her pre-scheduled primary care doctor's appointment, where her doctor saw her condition and referred her to another orthopedic doctor. While at her second orthopedic appointment, another X-ray was performed, which also did not show a fracture; however, the orthopedic doctor suggested an MRI scan. The MRI scan showed that the contact had suffered a left heel fracture. The contact also went to another facility for a CAT-scan, which showed that her heel was misaligned and that surgery would be needed to correct the left heel fracture. The contact had surgery for the heel fracture and had the foot wrapped and splinted; the contact was given several medications post surgery. The contact had been scheduled for a follow-up appointment to monitor the heel's progress. In addition, the contact sustained injuries to her left wrist, left buttocks, and left lower calf. Since the injury, the contact has had to use a knee scooter, a walker, and a wheelchair for assistance
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11729701April 7, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY:WHEELCHAIR LIFT/RAMP:CRITICAL FASTENERS
The contact owned a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe equipped with a Rockland Electric Mobility Scooter Lifter, Part Number: 10101194. The contact stated that after the mobility scooter lifter was installed on the vehicle, the vehicle experienced electrical failures. The A/C became inoperable, and the hatch opened intermittently. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked approximately a month after the lifter installation, the alarm sounded intermittently during the day. The contact observed the vehicle from the residence, but did not notice any abnormality. The contact installed the mobility scooter on the vehicle in the evening. The contact stated that the vehicle alarm sounded at night, and the contact noticed that the vehicle had caught on fire and there were flames coming from underneath the hood by the engine and firewall location. The vehicle was significantly burned from the front end to the trunk. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. A fire department report and a police report were filed. There was no property damage. There was no physical injury sustained. The contact sustained mental trauma, causing headaches and the right side of the lip to quiver. The contact had called Gregory Fox, an investigative reporter and anchor at WESH 2 News(NBC), who notified the manufacturer of the failure. The manufacturer followed up with the contact and informed the contact that a third-party investigation would be conducted to determine the cause of the fire incident. The vehicle was towed to a salvage yard, where a third-party investigation was conducted, and the manufacturer informed the contact that the fire was caused by the Rockland Electric Mobility Scooter Lifter. The vehicle was totaled. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729427April 6, 2026
POWER TRAIN
On April 2, 2026, the engine in my 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe failed catastrophically while my wife was driving. The vehicle lost power suddenly and completely. There was no warning and no prior symptoms. She was able to pull over safely in a residential area. The vehicle was towed to an authorized Hyundai dealer, where the service representative suspects connecting rod bearing failure—the same failure mode described in NHTSA recalls 17V226 and 17V578 affecting other 2017 Santa Fe vehicles with the Theta II 2.4L engine. The engine is available for inspection upon request. My VIN does not appear in the recall population, yet the failure is identical to the documented defect. This suggests the recall scope was insufficient. One week prior, we drove this vehicle on a 500+ mile family road trip with our child. The failure that occurred could have happened at highway speed. We are lucky to be alive. No warning indicators appeared before the failure. The vehicle has been regularly maintained. The problem has been preliminarily confirmed by the dealer as suspected bearing failure, pending teardown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729492April 6, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
Vehicle exhibits delayed deceleration after releasing accelerator. Engine RPM remains elevated for several seconds, causing the vehicle to continue applying power unexpectedly. Issue began after recent repair and was not present before. Condition is intermittent but reproducible and affects drivability.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729290April 5, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
The door was completely shut - I was driving on the highway - no alarm on the instrument panel, fully stage 2 latched ( even if it is just stage 1 latched - the instrument panel gives an alarm - there was no alarms about door not fully closed) everything was normal. 15 minutes into the drive - I was exiting the highway, making a right hand turn - the door suddenly popped open, alarm went off on the instrument panel - thankfully did not swing open, I was able to hold onto the door. I shut the door again - drove for 200 Miles - no issue again. This was the first ever time I saw this issue at 90K miles
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728981April 3, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60-75 MPH, the Automatic Emergency Braking system engaged erroneously, almost causing a crash. The contacted stated that the failure mostly occurred while driving at highway speeds with no other vehicle nearby. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729052April 3, 2026
SEATS
The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the button was pressed to fold the second row passenger seat while the [XXX] daughter was still seated. During the incident, the electronic folding seat began to fold down onto the daughter, causing extreme distress to the child and crushing her into the seat. The button was pressed, which stopped the seat from continuing to fold down, and the child was freed from the seat. No medical treatment was required. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who examined the seat and determined no failure had occurred. The contact was informed that although the incident was extremely dangerous, the electronic folding seat had operated as intended. The contact was informed that the seat belt needed to be buckled to avoid the problem in the future. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance had yet been offered. The contact indicated that a similar incident resulting in a fatality had occurred in the Hyundai Palisade vehicle. The failure mileage was 20,000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11728662April 1, 2026
ENGINE
Engine fire
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728351March 31, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I am writing because my local Hyundai dealer is failing to make the repair in a timely manner consistent with what my recall notice stated, and is requiring that I make TWO trips to Hyundai in order to get this NECESSARY recall work completed. Meanwhile, if the camera fails, it could put me and others at risk. My service representative, [XXX] , and his service manager showed ZERO concern about my time or possible dangers if the rear camera fails, stating that it's Hyundai corporate that made the policy that customers must have their car inspected and photos taken of the rear camera harness assembly during this first visit, BEFORE ordering the parts under my vehicle's specific VIN number. Once they do this and submit it to Hyundai corporate, they say, the parts will be ordered and I will be contacted AGAIN to make yet ANOTHER appointment to have the parts installed. My letter from Hyundai says NOTHING about having to make two visits. It says to schedule an appointment, and the recall work will be done. I actually tried to call the 855 Hyundai number to schedule the work, and that operator said nothing about two visits; she was unable to book the appointment she'd given me, so directed me to the local Hyundai dealer, who also said NOTHING about two appointments being needed to have this recall work done. I am concerned, because i am scheduled to drive out of town in a high pedestrian and vehicle traffic area in two weeks and was doing my due diligence to get the recall work done before the trip. I feel that the two appointments are unnecessary when EVERY 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe with this feature is equipped with the same rear camera and rear camera harness assembly, such that there's no reason to have to FURTHER register it with my VIN, that this could all be done in one appointment. Requiring customers to come for 2 appointments--especially without telling them anywhere in the letter or during 2 phone calls--simply increases risk of injuries if the camera fails. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728156March 31, 2026
SEATS
My daughter was sitting down on the middle row and the button to fold the chair down was accidentally pressed. When she screamed bc she was getting smushed I jumped out of the vehicle and pushed the button to stop the chair from folding. Thankfully she was able to lay down sideways or I am sure the outcome would of been worse. She is so traumatized and does not want to even sit in the vehicle any more. She is only 8!!! This is traumatizing as a parent as well. This needs to be fixed !!!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728099March 30, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Traveling in a 55 zone on Rt 27 and my vehicle lost power and said pull over and charge vehicle with engine on. I did this once and the battery went up to half way charge then I could start to drive again. Less than a half a mile up the road climbing a good size hill by the town’s salt shed—the same issue occurred. I had to pull over again and allow battery to recharge. This is not a complete hybrid, it has a gas engine not sure why the hybrid and gas are not syncing up. Many users on the internet have reported the same issue that I have experienced. Someone needs to investigate this before major injury occurs.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728083March 30, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
During on driving, engine stopped 3 or 4times since Jan/2025 Last time engine stopped yesterday around 6:30pm on 3/30/2026 at [XXX] between [XXX] and [XXX] in Los Angeles 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
#11728065March 30, 2026
POWER TRAIN, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
On March 4, 2026, at approximately 7:30 AM EST, while driving my 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited on [XXX] , the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of propulsion while traveling at approximately 70 mph (posted speed limit). The vehicle would not accelerate or maintain speed and would not move forward when placed in drive, indicating a failure within the powertrain/transmission system. The vehicle is currently located at a Hyundai dealership and is available for inspection upon request. This incident created a significant safety risk, as I was traveling at highway speed in active traffic when the vehicle unexpectedly lost the ability to move under its own power. This placed me at risk of being rear-ended and made it difficult to safely maneuver out of traffic. The vehicle was inspected by a Hyundai dealership. Diagnostic trouble code P284001 (Shift Fork “D” Position) was identified, and I was informed the failure is transmission-related. The condition was reproduced by placing the vehicle in drive, at which point the vehicle would not move. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership. The manufacturer has been notified but has not physically inspected the vehicle. No police or insurance inspection was involved. There were no warning lights, messages, or prior symptoms before the failure. The issue occurred suddenly without any indication of a problem. 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
#11728017March 30, 2026
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the glass panoramic sunroof suddenly exploded, causing glass shards to fall into the cabin of the vehicle. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact stated that there was no impact on the panoramic sunroof glass to cause the failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. Additionally, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle only operated in LIMP Mode. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the fuel injector was inoperable and needed to be replaced. The fuel injectors were replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 55,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11727870March 30, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
Driving on sunny day, the fixed roof glass located between the windshield and sunroof exploded across the entire width of the glass insert with a very distracting noise.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11727762March 29, 2026
ENGINE
ENGINE. IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. NO IT WASNT REPRODUCED OR CONFIRMED BY A DEALER, BUT HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A COUPLE AND ALSO ME SEEING THAT THE ENGINE WASNT ABLE TO MANUALLY BE CRANKED AT ALL. NO INSPECTION WAS DONE BY MANUFACTURR, POLICE, OR INSURANCE, BECAUSE IT DIDNT CAUSE A ACCIDENT. JUST ENGINE LIGHT WHICH HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLED THEY COULDNT FIX IT, BUT THAT WAS JUST STAYING ON ALL THE TIME FOR QUITE SOME TIME. NO FINALLY I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THIS CAN BE INVESTIGATED ON TO BE A RECALL SINCE THE ORIGINAL MILES ARE ONLY ABOUT 68000 AND SHOULDNT HAVE THESE PROBLEM AT THIS LOW MILEAGE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11727792March 29, 2026
ENGINE
The vehicle is burning oil even when oil changes are done routinely. Then all of a sudden I have total loss of power will not go over 35 miles an hour. And climbing hill would not go over 20. It just happened no warning lights on dash So now I have a car that is still owning 8 grand on. So now a lawn ornament. I have seen on different formats. That there is hundreds having the same issue. Hyundai is not fixing the issue for any of us
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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