Hyundai Santa Fe Complaints (2025)

242 consumer complaints on file.

#11724611March 16, 2026
SEATS
The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that on several occasions, while the vehicle was parked and either running or turned off, the second-row seats closed on the safety seats when the button in the rear of the vehicle was depressed. The contact stated that once the button was pressed, the seat could not be stopped from closing until the button was pressed a second time. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 15,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11723381March 10, 2026
TIRES:SIDEWALL
With only 3320 miles on vehicle have a Bubble on sidewall didn't hit anything. P 255/ 45 R 20 105V Pirelli States could happen if it was a pothole.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11722167March 5, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
When I start the car or first start rolling the whole dashboard goes black! I can still hear sound but nothing on the screen. This is a safety issue. It flickers while driving then goes black.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11721857March 3, 2026
TIRES
Have had two sidewall bubbles appear, one was right front tire with approximately 7000 miles, second was left front tire with 11,500 miles. Both were OEM equipment on 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe hybrid limited fwd. Tire size 255/45/R20. No blowouts. Replaced tires at great expense and inconvenience immediately upon finding bubble on sidewall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11721831March 3, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
I was sent a letter in the mail asking to bring in my vehicle for a safety recall involving the rearview camera. I scheduled an appointment with Key Hyundai of Milford, CT. After waiting for an hour, I was told that the dealership did not have the part needed to perform the repair and that they would call me when the part came in. It has been three weeks and I have not received a call or been contacted in any way. I got the sense that because this was not a paid service it was a very low priority for the service department. Because of that, I feel reluctant to trust the dealership with the repair.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11721750March 3, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Forward Facing Driver Assist cabin camera will shut off the cruise while you are driving if it cannot detect your eyes. This is NOT a safety feature but rather an extremely dangerous safety hazard!!! While you are traveling at 70+ mph and put on sunglasses and all of a sudden the car starts alarming and decelerates without warning causing the driver to become EXTREMELY distracted trying to figure out what is going on is a recipe for a major incident. There is no way to shut the camera off so you are then forced to either drive with no cruise at all so you can wear sunglasses and for long trips creates added and unnecessary driver fatigue OR you forego wearing sunglasses and squinting causing unnecessary eye strain/fatigue so you can use the cruise. Please explain to me how this is a safety feature? Also the warning that 'you might need to take a break' is also NOT a safety feature and also creates driver distraction rather than safety and should just totally be removed from the vehicle software completely. We have literally driven the car over the center line on the rumble strips without a signal and then back into our lane again the warning does NOT go off, we've jerked the wheel to avoid an object in the road warning does NOT go off, BUT if you happen to drive to close to the center line but don't go over it then the warning DOES go off.....if we just left the house turned out of the driveway, the damn thing goes off. There is no making sense of when or why it goes off, it's completely random. And again, no option to turn it off. Had the dealership given COMPLETE details of these 2 specific "SAFETY" features - I use that term EXTEREMLY loosely - sharing they could NOT be turned off I never, EVER would have bought this vehicle. I am not alone in my complaints, I have seen hundreds of similar complaints on forums for Hyundai vehicles that have this feature. PLEASE PLEASE issue a directive to Hyundai that they need to push a fix allowing shut off of these 2 features
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720923February 27, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Vehicle went in to limp mode in the middle of driving. Would not accelerate past 30mph. Was able to turn around and pull in to a neighborhood when the vehicle stopped responding altogether and had an additional warning about letting the engine recharge the hybrid system. Restarting the car got it home. This would have been extremely dangerous had it happened on the highway, at highway speeds. Dealership replaced the high pressure fuel pump. Got it back yesterday, we will see if that fixes it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720812February 26, 2026
WHEELS
I purchased a brand new 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy from the dealer and I saw a the tire pressure drop from a normal 36 psi to 32 psi and the vehicle would vibrate. I filled it up right away thinking due to weather. Then, it dropped again after a couple of days to 32 psi and vehicle would vibrate again. I took the vehicle to Costco to get it inspected thinking it's some sort of a slow leak and vibration could be due to 32psi pressure. When Costco tried to repair the tire, the sidewall failed on the tire. Costco said I needed a new tire. When removing another tire, the same thing happened, the second tire sidewall broke as well. I ended up getting all new set of tires, which ended up costing me $1350. They informed me that these are Pirelli's tires and is known to have vibration at high speeds and could develop buldge and shows signs of early deterioration and abnormal wear problems. I found the same thing after doing some research. I provided the Costco report to Hyundai National Consumers affairs along with the pics of the tire. They told me go to the dealer first and upon arriving at Hyundai dealer, they weren't really interested in knowing what happened since I didn't purchase a tire warranty plan. I spoke to Hyundai consumer affairs and they said there's nothing they can do either since I didn't have tire protection purchased from them. This is a brand new vehicle with factory installed tires and for them to just not take responsibility for selecting a poor supplier that is known to have these issues shows they don't care about the customers at all. I have been a long time loyal customer of Hyundai for at least 10 years. This was my 3rd Hyundai vehicle and if they don't resolve this then this will be my last Hyundai vehicle
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720517February 25, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
Vehicle experienced sudden loss of power while driving. Transmission warning and ABS warning lights appeared at the same time. The vehicle would not shift properly and began skipping and dropping gears. Smoke was visibly coming from the center underside of the vehicle near the transmission area. There was a strong burning oil or rubber smell inside and outside the vehicle. This created a serious safety risk due to loss of acceleration and potential fire hazard from smoke and burning odor. The issue has been intermittent since early ownership, including jerky shifting and hard engagement. The dealer documented dual clutch transmission communication faults and ABS faults but returned the vehicle the same day stating it was a loose ground. The problem has continued after repair. Vehicle is available for inspection. The defect involves the powertrain and related electrical systems.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720379February 25, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
All normal sounds completely stop working, no audio or volume at all: no turn signal, no collision warning, no GPS audio, no radio; no hands-free phone volume. Hyundai Service department advised they have never heard of this type of incident. All warning systems are completely silent.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720116February 24, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I purchased this vehicle on September 8, 2025, from Antwerpen Hyundai of Clarksville. Since purchase, the vehicle has had persistent problems that substantially impair its use and market value. Issue 1: HVAC / Ventilation Defect: Outside air enters through the center dash vents even when the fan is turned off. The recirculation feature disengages automatically after a few minutes, allowing outside air into the cabin. This issue has been ongoing and unresolved despite service visits. Issue 2: Intermittent Screeching/Scratching Noise from Dash/Steering Column Area On October 4, 2025, we began hearing an intermittent screeching or scratching sound from the front dashboard/steering column area. The vehicle has been serviced 3 times at 2 dealerships: November 10–14, 2025 – Antwerpen Hyundai Clarksville: Technician documented that the sound was replicated on two separate occasions and attempted two repair solutions. We were told the issue was resolved. The sound returned the same day during the drive home. December 9-16, 2025 – Hyundai of Dundalk: Service record indicated “fittings greased.” No detailed explanation provided. Personnel who handled the vehicle were no longer employed at pickup. The noise continued. January 20 – February 5, 2026 –Antwerpen Hyundai Clarksville: Service manager drove vehicle approximately 55 miles each way (100+ miles total) attempting to replicate the sound but reported being unable to do so. When picking up the vehicle, the noise was present again. Audio recordings of the sound were provided to the dealership multiple times. The service manager later indicated he might use electronic diagnostic equipment but did not follow up further. Current Condition: The screeching/scratching noise continues intermittently. While not constant, it is recurring and has persisted since October 2025. The issue has been replicated and documented by dealership technicians previously but remains unresolved after three repair attempts. The HVAC issue contiues.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719728February 22, 2026
AIR BAGS
NHTSA Complaint Summary Vehicle: 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Issue: Airbag non‑deployment in a 40‑mph side‑impact collision On January 20, 2026, my 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe was struck by another motorist directly along the driver side awaiting to make a left turn. The other motorist crossed the centerline at an estimated impact speed of approximately 40 mph, according to the police report. The collision caused significant damage along the front and entire driver side of the vehicle. Despite the severity and direct nature of the impact, neither the side curtain airbags nor the front airbags deployed. The impact was so much that the other motorist ended up behind my husband in the left turning lane once he stopped. My husband, who was driving, suffered a head abrasion and a concussion from the force of the impact. Since the crash, he has continued to experience persistent headaches and intermittent dizziness when standing, which began immediately after the collision and have not resolved. The lack of airbag deployment in a high‑energy side‑impact crash raises concerns about a potential malfunction in the airbag sensors or side‑impact detection system. This incident presents a significant safety risk, and I am reporting it so NHTSA can evaluate because as I've researched there have been other incidences of similar non‑deployment issues are with 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles. I can provide photos, the police report, medical documentation, and repair estimates upon request.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11718964February 18, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
Side view camera that displays blind spot area in dash screen cluster, screen intermittently shows just a green screen and not the blind spot.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718046February 14, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was driving on a 5 Lane Highway when suddenly what sounded like a gunshot or grenade going off in my right ear turned out to be my sunroof shattering. I thought someone shot at me since there were traffic on my right, but when I looked to my right I saw no evidence until I looked up, then immediately felt glass particles falling in all around.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717326February 11, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Three separate original equipment Pirelli Scorpion MS tires experienced sidewall structural failures on my 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy within the first 8,000 miles. One tire suffered a sudden blowout at approximately 3,000 miles. Two additional tires developed visible sidewall bubbles at approximately 6,000–8,000 miles. These failures occurred without impact damage or misuse and represent a serious safety risk. The dealership acknowledged observing one sidewall bubble during service but failed to inform me. Due to repeated structural failures, I was forced to replace all four original equipment tires at my own expense to ensure vehicle safety. I am concerned this may represent a pattern defect involving the factory-installed Pirelli Scorpion MS tires on 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy models. Happy to provide my receipts and documentation, and my out of pocket expense was $1,396.17. The first failure was in August, 2025 (car purchased in July) on country road setting, the second and third were both in early January under primarily highway conditions.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717013February 10, 2026
POWER TRAIN
After making right turn after being stopped at traffic light, when I attempted to accelerate the vehicle would not shift from low gear to higher gear(s). This caused very high engine RPMs for the time it took to pull the vehicle off to the side of the road and stop and turn of the vehicle . I looked at dash board for any indicator lights but didn’t see any. Restarted the vehicle accelerated back on to the road and the vehicle did change gears ok. Again looking for any dashboard indicator to be on but didn’t see any. The date of this incident was [XXX]. Made appointment on 2/10/26 for service to diagnose why this incident happened on 2/17/26 and to provide any necessary repairs at Columbia Hyundai, Cincinnati, Ohio. 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
#11716935February 10, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
In this car when you are driving and it is raining hard and you are on a big highway at night with cars coming towards you, the windshield does not clear and it streaks really bad so you cannot see. I have sent pictures to the dealership as well as Hyundai of what it looks like just when you clean off the windshield of snow that it streaks really bad then too and the streaks stay on there, so if you clean your window the day before and get up the next day the halo streaks are still on there. I can somewhat handle that part but when you are driving in rain and you cannot see it is very dangerous . This is a brand new car and this is the 4th time I have had it in the shop for this and they keep saying they cannot duplicate it, but they have not had it when it is raining at night. I do not even want to drive this car at night if I think it may rain because it is so bad. The manufacturer has not inspected it, only the dealership. I am driving a 2026 loaner right now because it is still in the shop but they want me to come pick it up this week saying they cannot duplicate it. If you look the 2026 has had a new windshield design and I know that it is probably because they know the 2025 design is dangerous. I cannot upload on here . Is there anyway I can get an email address to send the documents too? I can scan the receipts from the times it has been there but the conversations are all via email that I have. If I Could get an email I could send them over.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716187February 6, 2026
POWER TRAIN, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid has had multiple occasions, most recently on February 3, 2026 with 12,330 miles on the car, where the gas-powered engine fails to provide any power to the drivetrain. The car experiences vast power loss and enters "limp mode" where only the small hybrid battery is powering the vehicle. Max speed ranges from 10 - 25mph and there is little, if any, acceleration, even when the gas pedal is pegged to the floor. It is necessary to pull over, engage the flashing safety lights and try to find a safe place to park. After turning the vehicle off and on several times, eventually, the gas engines re-engages. The first incident of this type for this vehicle was on August 7, 2025 with approximately 4,400 miles on the vehicle. It was taken to the dealer, Key Hyundai of Salem, who could not find any DTCs and could not replicate the problem. They said "bring it back if it happens again." They next time was on February 3, 2026 where it happened several times on a trip to and from a local restaurant. This time, at DTC code of P088000 POWERTRAIN / POWERLOSS was recorded and reported. However, by the time the car was seen by Key Hyundai of Salem on February 5, 2026, the code has cleared itself. Hyundai's corporate policy is that historical codes can not be used for Warranty claims. So, the dealer tried one potential fix, cleaning the TCM connectors under the driver's seat, and returned the vehicle stating that Hyundai corporate would not authorize warranty work unless/until the car was presented to the dealership with a current / live DTC or visible broken parts. It seems unsafe to put a vehicle back on the road that could lose power and drivability at any time for no apparent reason. I am aware that there have been several other reports of similar POWER LOSS / LIMP MODE situations by owners of 2024-25 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrids. At the moment, I am told that there is no current Technical Service Bulletin on this from Hyundai.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716212February 6, 2026
TIRES
I am reporting premature tire wear on OEM Goodyear Assurance 235/60R18 tires installed on my AWD 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL (VIN: [XXX] ). Component/System: OEM tires; documented and can be inspected at the dealership, which serves as a neutral, third-party verifier, or via submitted records. Safety risk: AWD vehicles require uniform tires; uneven tread risks drivetrain damage and unsafe handling, endangering myself and others. Confirmation: PA state inspection (11/17/2025) at 6,172 miles: Rear 3/32”, Front 5/32”. Dealer Delaney Hyundai (RO# 494892) documented the issue. Current mileage 7,074; tread wear ~1/32” per 881 miles, estimated current depth Rear 2/32”, Front 4/32”. Inspection: Documented by dealer and PA inspection; no manufacturer inspection yet. Warning symptoms: None beyond premature tread wear. Phone attempts to manufacturer: [XXX] (10:54, 7 min, snarky, refused escalation), 11:02 – 15-min hold no answer (son’s phone 8 min hold); [XXX] (11:17, 35 min), insisted on retail Goodyear center, finally agreed to supervisor callback (24–48 business hours). Requested resolution: Corporate review and replacement of all four OEM tires, including mounting, balancing, and disposal, coordinated with dealership documentation and PA inspection. No retail Goodyear referral should be required; inspection is only for verification as part of corporate review. 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
#11715725February 4, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
My name is [XXX] I live at [XXX] my phone number is [XXX] my social security is [XXX] . I own a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe that is subject to Safety Recall 25V-808 involving the rearview camera system. On [XXX] at 12:30pm while operating my vehicle, the rearview camera malfunctioned (the image was [blank / inoperative]). Due to the loss of rear visibility, I was involved in a minor accident while backing up. At the time of the incident, I had not yet received the recall repair. The malfunction experienced is consistent with the defect described in the recall notice regarding the rearview camera harness. This incident caused [minor vehicle damage / property damage. I am reporting this to document a safety-related incident connected to an acknowledged manufacturing defect.I am requesting that this incident be reviewed as a recall-related accident and that Hyundai advise on reimbursement or compensation options. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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