Hyundai Santa Fe Complaints

8,019 consumer complaints on file.

#11703389December 6, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
I had been driving about 1.5 hours when I exited the Interstate and the car engine shut off at a traffic light. When I shifted the car into park and tried to restart the car, smoke filled the cabin. Unbeknownst to me, an oil leak occurred while driving. No warning lights or other indicators that anything was awry. I had the vehicle towed to the nearest Hyundai dealer. Though the suv is under warranty, they say the oil leak was caused by improper oil plug installation at the last oil change. The oil leak caused the motor to seize and the resulting damage is in excess of $10,000. Hyundai says the warranty won't cover this as it is a service issue. Jiffy Lube says their technician did nothing incorrect and they won't take responsibility for the repairs.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11703429December 6, 2025
SUSPENSION, WHEELS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Intermittent and variable vibration/shaking at all speeds ranging from mild to severe. Worse when cold. TSB 25-SS-002H-1. Despite multiple balancing attempts (hunter road force balancer) and complete set of tire swap there was no resolution. TSB indicates this is a known abnormality/issue and present across all models. Vehicle inspected by 2 different hyundai dealerships and independent dealership without resolution. Began at 7500 miles and has persisted.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11703237December 5, 2025
ENGINE
Excessive oil consumption. Mechanic who changed oil said oil level was too low and he could find no leaks. He said this is a known Hyundai problem. The dealer acknowledged this. There was no warning light saying the oil was low. It was discovered during a routine oil change.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702987December 4, 2025
ENGINE
My 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe suffered a crankshaft/bearing failure identical to NHTSA Recall 17V578000. Hyundai states my VIN was not included in the recall, but the vehicle has the same 3.3L engine, the same failure, and the same symptoms described in the recall bulletin. The engine has never been replaced. The defect appears broader than the recall VIN range. They are refusing to replace the defective engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702997December 4, 2025
ENGINE
I had my oil changed at a reputable service center November 19, 2025 and the mechanic said my oil drip pan and plug needed to be replaced in the next few months because they were showing wear and could fail. He asked if I knew about a pending lawsuit against Hyundai concerning these items causing major issues. I said I was unaware, so I researched it. It seems to be legit. During my research there were multiple reports that many had oil leaking problems and some owners reported that the vehicle completely stopped running. That is especially dangerous driving on an Interstate. I was quoted about $350.00 to replace the pan and plug but I was told to contact the local dealership to see if they would replace it. They wanted $215.00 for a diagnostic plus parts and labor. That is quite a chunk of money for a drip pan and plug.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702663December 3, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
The adaptive cruise control does not allow the use of sunglasses to be worn while the cruise control is engaged. The cruise control will immediately shut off when sunglasses, and some prescription glasses are worn. This is a safety issue as you are not allowed to wear sunglasses on a sunny day or when the sun is low in the sky and it is below the car's sun visor. The same camera that is looking at the drivers eyes also controls other safety features and disables them when the driver is wearing their sunglasses, and some prescription glasses as well
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702639December 3, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
The vehicle has activated it emergency breaking feature several times now on the last couple of months witouth any reason to do so. Presenting a major risk for the occupants and to other vehicles on the roads.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702606December 2, 2025
AIR BAGS
On November 28, 2025 at approximately 2:20am, I was involved in a multi-car pile up crash on Interstate 85 south near Durham NC. At least 5 vehicles were involved and significantly damaged. At least two drivers were taken by ambulance to local hospitals. Fortunately I was not one of them. I was driving in the left lane of the 2 lane southbound interstate. It happened right in front of me and I had no chance of completely avoiding it so I veered to my left onto the shoulder to attempt to avoid a direct hit on the large Nissan SUV that was now straddling both lanes. I hit the front of the Nissan and the guardrail almost simultaneously at somewhere around 50 to 60mph which caused considerable damage to the front right quadrant and the entire drivers side of my vehicle, but my airbags never deployed and I sustained moderate to significant injury to my arms, shoulders, chest and neck, most likely due to how I was gripping the steering wheel in anticipation of the impact and from the seat belt. I did not require medical treatment at the scene but have since received treatment at home. I believe the airbags should have deployed given my speed at impact and where my vehicle came in contact with both the Nissan SUV as well as the guardrail. I believe this was a clear failure of the airbag system in my vehicle, which has since been deemed to be totaled by my insurance company.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11702185December 1, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE, WHEELS
Ever since I bought by car in 2022 brand new the car has been shaking when I press on the brakes going around 70 mph. I took the car multiple times to the dealership and all they do is resurface the rotos. One time they refused to even look at the car so I called corporate and they got the dealership to do the same thing as before. But still the car shakes. I called corporate and they said to take to dealership to once again get the rotos resurfaced (how many times are they planning to resurface the damn rotors?) I took to dealership because the car was saying it was overheating. They ended up changing the thermostat or something related to it. And I asked them to once again look at the rotors because of the issue. The guy came back and said “we didn’t look at your rotors but you need brakes and that’s $500”. They refused to guarantee me if doing the break job will fix my issue. And I’m fed up. I looked online and as it turns out, the Santa Fe’s have a lot of possible manufacture defects. Such as: -Breaking System (Shudder / Vibration Common Issue) -Cooling System (Common Failures) - Suspension & Steering Components -AWD / Drivetrain (If AWD) -Electronics & Software - TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) Audit - Turbo oil-supply pipe crack / oil leak risk -Fuel-system pipe / fuel-rail hose leak (on certain turbo models -Transmission oil-pump / transmission-system recall (power-train issues) -Rear-view / backup-camera defect (visibility / electronics issue) (this actually did happen to me and they fixed it, but they denied it was a recall when I asked if this was common. So they lied) -Trailer-hitch wiring harness fire-risk recall And possibly more issues I’ve yet to come across other owners having. These are pretty serious issues. Some causing even the car to catch fire. This is extremely worrisome and I need peace of mind. Please help me out Thank you for your time
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702109November 30, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I purchased my 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid brand new and in three years, both horns (high and low) have stopped working every year. I have had the horns replaced in March 2023, January 2024 and as I type this complaint, both horns are out again. It is a serious safety issue driving a vehicle without a horn. There is no warning that the horn is going to stop working; and I have discovered the malfunction while driving when I needed to alert another driver before we potentially collided. It has also been extremely inconvenient for me to take off work to take the car in for more service. What's more frustrating is I was told by a service manager that they (Hyundai USA) are aware of the defect with these particular horns but has chosen to continue to replace the defective horns with more defective horns. Now I drive an unsafe vehicle until I can take off work again to have my horns replaced with parts that will last for one year, if I'm lucky. I am asking for some assistance with this matter since it is clear that Hyundai USA has not made it a priority to solve this ongoing safety problem for all its customers who are having the same issue. Thank you.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702105November 30, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was trying to merge with 70 mph traffic and could not accelerate last 35 mph. Apparently a speed limiting feature came on that has never came on before decided to engage. My daughter and I were terrified and pulled over and googled what the heck had happened. We went into the settings and this feature was not selected at all so I have no idea why it decided to engage itself.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702075November 30, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid with 1724 miles was unresponsive in the garage. Not able to get in the car because the 12v battery was completely drained. Hyundai dispatched a tow truck to take it to the local Hyundai dealership. A service provider did call me to let me know the car was there. He also told me that apparently this problem I had was a known issue with the 2025 Santa Fe Hybrids. I had no advance warning of any imminent problems with the battery.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701846November 28, 2025
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
The contact owns a 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while attempting to clean the front windshield, the contact noticed that the windshield washer fluid only sprayed approximately 2-3 inches from the lower section of the front windshield, which prevented the contact from cleaning the windshield adequately and created a visibility hazard for the driver. The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that it was a known issue but no adjustments to the washer fluid sprayer could be made and there was no defect in the system. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 12,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701775November 27, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
Was driving and car turn off on me and wouldn't start I got it towed to Hyundai and they said my engine went out it had oil and everything we don't know why can stopped working has been sitting in my drive way for 3 years because we don't have 13000 that Hyundai told us
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701830November 27, 2025
SEAT BELTS
In TWO separate occasions, the middle row seatbelts have unbuckled on THEIR OWN. We have also had issues with the buckles NOT buckling OR unbuckling when prompted. (Like it’s stuck in the buckle to unbuckle or won’t click in) Other issue is the car will randomly tell me my child is unbuckled but they are NOT. Today, the sensor went on and off multiple times telling me buckled, unbuckled, over and over meanwhile my child was buckled. Why is it telling me she’s not buckled if she is….??? And why has the belts unbuckled on their own? (The first time it was my toddler in his car seat who CANNOT reach the buckle)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701815November 27, 2025
STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
Consistently after 10-20 minutes of driving with steering assist or immediately upon driving on cold days (under 50F), the steering wheel generates loud squeaking noises with the steering wheel stiffening and becoming harder to turn, creating a potential safety issue. The change is gradual but required a full stop of the car, shutdown, and restart to remedy. This issue has persisted for months and other Hyundai owners have shared the issue on various forums with Hyundai’s solution to replace the full steering column in some instances. Many owners seem to not be able to get help as dealers are not able to easily replicate this issue without lengthy drives.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701758November 26, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
While driving on the highway at normal speed, the vehicle suddenly lost power with no prior warning lamps or messages, placing me and other road users at immediate risk. The engine rapidly began knocking, lost acceleration, then stalled completely. I had to coast to the shoulder, which was extremely dangerous in high-speed traffic. The failure appears consistent with bearing wear and debris circulation described in Hyundai Recall 168 and TSB 17-01-071, which warn that certain Hyundai 3.3L engines can suffer internal metallic debris contamination during manufacturing. This can restrict oil flow, damage the bearings, and lead to sudden engine seizure without warning — exactly what happened in this incident. After the failure, the engine was inspected by a Hyundai dealership, but no oil sample, no debris test, and no photo documentation were provided, even though the recall procedure requires these steps when symptoms match knock/no-start failure patterns. The cause was not reproduced or confirmed by any independent mechanical test; the vehicle simply failed suddenly and has remained inoperable since. The incident created a major safety risk because the sudden loss of power happened at highway speed with no safe way to maintain vehicle control or speed. Based on known recall documentation, the symptoms match the described safety-related engine defect. The vehicle remains available for inspection. There were no injuries or police reports, but the situation definitely could have resulted in a crash. In my assessment, this is a critical safety defect related to internal engine debris and bearing failure, consistent with the known Hyundai recall pattern for this engine family
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701696November 26, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING
Battery/Electrical: 3 separate occasions the battery drained completely overnight, requiring mechanical key to open and jumpstart services from AAA (covered under Hyundai services). Risk of leaving me stranded on isolated areas. Problem confirmed via 3 requests for AAA to jumpstart my vehicle. Hyundai service dept inspected vehicle, confirmed low battery levels, unable to reproduce issues overnight, reported no electrical or mechanical issues that would cause battery drain. No warning messages, lamps, or symptoms prior to each failure. Steering wheel column has friction squeak when using driver assist and adjusting direction. No issues at this time.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701574November 25, 2025
TRAILER HITCHES, ENGINE
The contact owned a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH onto the ramp, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle stalled and shut off, and the contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The contact was calling for Roadside Assistance and noticed white smoke coming from under the hood. The stated that the smoke then turned dark brown and then black, and then flames appeared under the hood. The contact grabbed several things of value and exited the vehicle and started running. The vehicle was engulfed in flames, and the EDR was destroyed. The contact sustained minor scratches after falling while running away from the vehicle. No medical attention was sought. The Police and Fire Department were called to the scene. The contact stated that a Police report was not filed due to the incident not being related to a crash. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The local dealer where the vehicle was purchased was contacted; however, no assistance was provided. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle had been purchased two months prior to catching on fire. The vehicle was inspected by the Insurance provider and declared a total loss. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V181000 (TRAILER HITCHES); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 94,400.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11701386November 25, 2025
ENGINE, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES
Overly excessive oil consumption 2 Quarts every 3 or 4 days.no leaks. Engine gets so hot I don't have to turn on heater In winter. On going issue since 100,000 miles. EBS light stays on electronic parking brake switch does not work. Parking brake will randomly engage after vehicle is turned off. Dealership cannot duplicate issue. If cruse control is turned on the vehicles warning lights all of them will suddenly illuminate and the vehicle shuts off. alternator and battery replaced. Have not used cruse control since. Airbags never inflated in a front end crash at 45mph Most recently I started experiencing I intermittent trouble staring the car. Then one day it didn't start at all and smoke was coming from under the hood. Towed to mechanic , starter burnt up 155,000. $ 900 to replace then a couple days later I lost power on the freeway and the car started jerking and vibrating. Stopped Vehicle cut off and would not start. After 1hr I started and limped home. Vibration under 2000 RPMs and when stopped. Knocking noise under hood. Brand new spark plugs. Mechanic stated Cylinder 3;missfire was identified as a hole in a valve due to weak material now I have to replace engine. Oil consumption and excessive friction and heat is to blame. My car has been cared for like a baby it's all I have. I should not have to be responsible for this very cheaply made engine that was doomed to fail.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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