Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Complaints

1,199 consumer complaints on file.

#11764880September 17, 2026
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Campaign /Service Update 9C2 / TSB-25-01-087H broke my Hyundai. The car hesitates idling and on acceleration. Hyundai have no solution to this failed software update or acknowledging other issues it may be causing.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11765036September 17, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment with an abnormal burning odor entering the vehicle through the A/C vents. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and turned off. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer and was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact stated that her father performed most of the maintenance on the vehicle and became aware that the Theta 2 engine had several failures. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 157,596.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11765129September 17, 2026
ENGINE
My 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe was brought to a local Hyundai dealership for routine maintenance on July 1, 2026. The 9C2 software update was installed, without my knowledge or consent, during this service. Immediately after getting my car back, I noticed a problem starting the car (though no warning lights or alerts populated). The car seems to stall and then jerk during the first few minutes of driving, particularly after a cold start (car has been sitting for a few hours before starting). This has been a KNOWN issue by Hyundai for several months, yet this update continues to be installed. There is currently no fix, and Hyundai simply suggests letting the car "warm up" for 3-5 minutes before ever driving it. I have reported this to Hyundai corporate and have no other resolutions or timeline on a fix. Many other individuals are affected. This is particularly dangerous due to drivers not always having the ability to wait 3-5 minutes to let their car warm up, and the car is quite difficult to control with all the initial jerking and stalling. I live in a residential neighborhood and continue to be nervous about lack of control over the car when leaving my home. I firmly believe Hyundai should be held responsible for fixing this issue urgently.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764451September 15, 2026
ENGINE
My 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport (2.4L Theta II GDI, VIN [XXX], approx. 110,000 miles) has suffered a chain of engine and emissions-system failures that create a loss-of-power safety hazard. At about 80,000 miles, Hyundai replaced the original engine under warranty for excessive oil consumption, a defect Hyundai has acknowledged across the Theta II engine family. After only about 20,000 miles on that replacement engine, the catalytic converter failed and set a P0420 code. The vehicle now bogs down, hesitates, and loses power under acceleration. This is dangerous when merging or accelerating into traffic, where a sudden loss of power raises the risk of a collision. A restricted or failing catalytic converter causes exhaust backpressure and abrupt power loss, and the underlying oil consumption also risks low-oil engine damage and stalling. A catalytic converter should last far longer. This premature failure is consistent with the well-documented Theta II pattern in which engine oil consumption contaminates and destroys the converter substrate. It indicates the replacement engine Hyundai installed is itself consuming oil and damaging downstream exhaust and emissions components. I reported this to the dealer and to Hyundai. Hyundai declined to cover the catalytic converter, treating it as unrelated, even though its own warranty engine replacement is the direct cause. I am filing so this safety-related failure is documented. No crash, fire, or injury has occurred. 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
#11764127September 14, 2026
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that the front driver’s side door failed to unlatch as intended using either the interior or exterior door handles or the locking mechanism. In addition, the contact exited the vehicle using the front passenger’s side door to exit the vehicle. An appointment was scheduled with the local dealer. Upon further investigation, the contact associated the failure with TSB: 14-01-004-1. The contact stated that it might be a potential safety risk for passengers in an emergency. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure by telephone. The failure mileage was approximately 142,622.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764162September 14, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE
I took my SUV to get the 9C2 recall on 8/7/2026 performed and took it home. The next morning when I cranked it and left my driveway it acted as if the vehicle didn't recognize that I was pressing my accelerator. It sputtered and hesitated acceleration for about five minutes. It also acted as if it was not going to change from first to second gear. After about five min. of playing with the gas pedal it straightened out. Twice I was almost hit by other cars expecting me to pull away from a stop sign. I took it back the next day telling the service agent what was happening and he kept it overnight. I received a text saying the technician was unable to find a cold start problem and it was ready to pick up. I was so mad I could barely hold my temper. I took it home and for the next week every single day it acted like this when cold started in the morning. I took it back to Premiere Hyundai of Harvey and was treated rudely this time. They acted as if they never had a single other complaint and told me I might have to leave it for several days so they could cold start test it for several days. This was on a Wednesday morning 8/19. I was never updated or called and when I texted my service rep on Monday 8/24 I was told the tech was not able to duplicate the complaint and to come pick it up. I will not ever buy another Hyundai because of the way I was treated and lied to. PLEASE create a recall for this badly handled recall 9C2. My Sante Fe Sport ran beautifully before this recall messed up my SUV. Now I have found if I let it idle for five minutes in the morning and accelerate slowly until it changes gears, most mornings it will run well, but if I crank it and pull into the street on a cold start it does the sputtering HELP US HYUNDAI OWNERS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11763597September 11, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
My 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport exhibits a documented mechanical failure under active code P0420 (Catalytic Converter Efficiency Below Threshold). This failure is the direct proximate consequence of a severe, long term manufacturing defect in the Theta II engine block, which has caused excessive oil consumption. Following the official 1,000 - mile diagnostic driving protocol completed on XXX, Keffer Hyundai (a Hyundai dealer located in [XXX]) service department officially confirmed the active code P0420 catalytic converter failure. They issued a formal written recommendation to replace the entire engine assembly but generated an out-of-pocket consumer estimate of $10,035. This case falls under the the terms of the Theta II Class Action Settlement which requires Hyundai to cover the defective engine block under the Lifetime Warranty Extension, along with any subsequent component damage (the Catalytic Converter) destroyed as a direct result of the engine's oil burning defect under the Lifetime Warranty Extension. 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
#11762873September 8, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that there was coolant in the engine and that the knock sensor detection system needed to be replaced. The dealer made the contact aware of Manufacturer Campaign Number: 953 and stated that the vehicle was not previously serviced under the campaign, so the vehicle could not be repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11761994September 3, 2026
SUSPENSION, WHEELS, AIR BAGS
Was traveling along a city street with parked cars on the passenger side of my vehicle. Axle or wheel broke and veered into parked vehicle severing the engine wiring harness not allowing the airbag to deploy.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11761273September 1, 2026
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Brought my 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport into the dealer on July 25, 2026 for the ECU and Theta II software update (Hyundai Service Campaign 9C2). Before the recall service my car drove perfectly with no issues. After the recall service my car is extremely jerky when shifting at low speeds and has long delays when trying to accelerate. This problem is particularly apparent on cold start, and less so once the vehicle has been driving. The issue is not as noticeable if the vehicle has been driven, is turned off, and then turned on again before fully cooled down. The jerky shifting has been getting worse over the past month. Vehicle was taken back to the dealer that conducted the software update on August 26, 2026 and they charged me for throttle body cleaning and EFI service which they performed for carbon build up as they cited this as the cause for the issues. The issue was not resolved from this service despite the dealers claims and the vehicle still has the same jerky shifting and delayed acceleration on cold start. There are no warning messages. Issue is becoming more widely documented among users after this particular service campaign so it is not an individual isolated problem.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11759687August 26, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
Bought this as a used vehicle with around 77k miles. The SUV was running fine for a little while until I drove onto the highway. It eventually began to bog down and there was hesitation and jumping instead of acceleration. This continued my entire trip home with the check engine light on. The car was only driven for about 300-400 miles in the time I had it. When I brought it to have an oil change, they found metal shavings in the oil. From what I’ve been reading, this has been a common problem for this vehicle. It has been sitting in a Hyundai service center for at least a month now with no real responses from Hyundai themselves. They told me they would not fix the problem due to lack of maintenance from prior owners and that they were marking my title (doesn’t make sense since I bought this with a clean title). According to what Hyundai told me, this issue was brought up by a previous owner in January 2026 with no repairs. How can you change the status of my title while refusing to repair a problem caused by a manufacturers defect?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11758550August 21, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
See Attached Letter For Complaint
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11757483August 17, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
In October/November of 2023, while Hyundai was actively initiating Safety Recall 251 (NHTSA Campaign 23V-651), my vehicle's ABS Control Unit suffered an internal fluid leak that resulted in an electrical short-circuit. The failure caused major electronic communication errors, illuminated dashboard warning lights, and placed the vehicle into Limp Mode, rendering it unsafe to drive. Because the failure occurred prior to receiving a formal owner notification in the mail and the vehicle was un-drivable, I paid $1,300.54 out-of-pocket on November 17th 2023 to replace the failed ABS module. Hyundai Corporate has twice denied reimbursement, arguing that Recall 251 only covers a multi-fuse replacement and claiming internal fluid leaks are not covered. This contradicts NHTSA 23V-651 documentation, which explicitly identifies internal ABS module fluid leaks and electrical shorts as the core safety defect. Installing a fuse current-limiter cannot repair an already-ruined ABS circuit board or resolve a safety-mandated Limp Mode. I am reporting this to document on the official public record that Hyundai is actively denying reimbursement for the exact root-cause failure identified in NHTSA Campaign 23V-651. PLEASE NOTE: This report is submitted solely to document Hyundai Motor America's non-compliance and improper reimbursement denial for official record-keeping under Campaign 23V-651. I do not require follow-up contact from NHTSA regarding this submission.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11757038August 14, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa FE. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle at 60 mph the vehicle began to shake violently, and the engine experienced a complete loss of automotive power, the service vehicle soon, ABS and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact veered off an exit into the parking lot of an AutoZone where a diagnostic scanner displayed the code "P0302". The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the exhaust valve on cylinder two had dissolved and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to a local Hyundai dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the exhaust valve in cylinder two was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,687.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11757062August 14, 2026
ENGINE
I was driving down a highway and was slowing down as motorcycle in front of me was turning. I than proceeded to drive, I heard a loud noise which everyone in the vehicle thought it was the motorcycle (it wasn't) we pulled over into the nearest gas station and saw that my oil light was barely blinking (it was barely noticeable) was fading in and out) we got out checked the dipstick and it was low. Was not due for an oil change for another 1500miles. We put oil in and waited checked the dip stick it was then reading between the two lines of L and F. We waited another 5-10 minutes before leaving. We pulled out and the vehicle acted as if it had no power. I pushed on the gas to get up to speed and the car died out; I got pulled over to the side of the road. The car gave me no indication of anything. No oil light. I drove the days before with no issues I was 38miles from home.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11756640August 13, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The vehicle suffered a severe engine overheating failure that created an immediate fire risk and electrical safety signaling failure. A brand-new replacement engine was installed by an authorized dealership in April 2026 under a goodwill warranty and had only been driven ~ 3,100 miles since installation. While operating the vehicle, the air conditioning suddenly stopped functioning. Upon restarting, the check engine light illuminated; however, there was never any dashboard temperature warning indicator, notification, or chime to alert the driver to an active overheating situation. Shortly after, the engine completely disabled itself and died while in transit in a parking lot. AAA was contacted to tow the vehicle. Smoke was visible coming out of the engine's oil dipstick and oil intake spout before being towed. After being towed home, an overwhelming chemical burning odor was noted and continued to get worse. A physical check revealed that the oil level on the dipstick was critically overfilled a full inch above the maximum fill line. The local fire department responded to the scene to mitigate the thermal risk, ordered the battery disconnected due to safety hazards, and deemed the vehicle entirely unsafe to operate or connect to power. This represents a catastrophic failure of critical safety equipment and onboard driver warning networks on a newly installed engine assembly, presenting an active safety and fire hazard to passengers. An official corporate safety case has been opened with Hyundai Motor America under Case Number: 43112676.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755929August 10, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
In June 2026 I took my vehicle to Hyundai for a recall to the ECM module. After that my vehicle would lose power and hesitate to shift gears, and overall does not feel safe. Took vehicle back to dealer and they have told me that I have to wait for them to issue a recall fix for this now .
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11756036August 10, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that after a routine oil change, while driving back to the residence, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there were metal shavings inside the engine. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not eligible for a recall repair because the engine software update was not performed. The failure mileage was approximately 136,434.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755852August 10, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH and attempting to overtake another vehicle, the vehicle lost automotive power and decelerated with the check engine, battery, and oil warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was parked on the shoulder of the highway, and smoke was coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The contact stated that after parking on the shoulder, the brakes erroneously activated, and the vehicle failed to move forward. The contact stated that moments later there were flames and smoke was coming from under the hood. The contact exited the vehicle. The Fire Department was called to the scene, and the flames were extinguished by the firemen. The vehicle was destroyed in the fire. The vehicle was later towed to the residence. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 105,225.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754336August 2, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
On February 24, 2026, I had the 9C2 software update. My vehicle was being checked for oil consumption. Since then I have had issues with it hard shifting when first starting to drive and sometimes after I've been driving a while. This has continued miles down the road, sometimes over thirty minutes after driving. It also just feels continuously like it is not driving smooth. This only started after the update. I contacted HMA. The first person on my case (Gurvinder) told me I needed to return my car, not to drive it. I had bronchitis, so I did not immediately do that. The next person "Rainey" told me it is a KNOWN issue and they are telling people to warm their cars up for around 3 minutes, and it will be fine. I'd done that, and even driven longer than that. I told him that. I took my mother-in-law home from church miles from there after collecting her at the church door, etc... Getting to the hill at to her home, I didn't think it was going to get up it. Often I don't think I'm going to get out of my driveway, a dangerous driveway in a curve. He wanted Krause Hyundai to contact HMA Engineer. When I was at Krause, they didn't know how to get ahold of HMA Engineer. Dalton also said they can't back the update out. I'm on my third HMA Case Manager. She keeps changing what I've told her is wrong in the emails, I don't think she knows anything about cars. She won't listen when I say I spoke to Dalton at Krause; she keeps speaking to John. [XXX] said they can do diagnostic, but it will cost me. I refuse to pay as [XXX] and Gurvinder had months before wanted me to take it back to get fixed, and Rainey wanted Krause to contact the engineer. It is a known issue with a letter written by Hyundai. Getting a diagnostic code reading performed is not going to help. I'm afraid my vehicle will lose power on the road and I will be struck. I tried uploading both pdf and jpg, but it wouldn't let me. 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

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