Hyundai Santa Fe Complaints

8,019 consumer complaints on file.

#11748829July 7, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Fuel door mechanism stops working leaving you unable to add fuel. Is a constant complaint in 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles. My vehicle's door mechanism as stopped working 53,000 miles as well.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11748720July 7, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The windshield wipers intermittently stop working. This has been occurring for 2 years and the 5dealership cannot find an issue because they always work when the car is in for service. They also now want to charge a diagnostic fee each time it's in since the car is no longer under warranty
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11748308July 4, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While driving on the highway the vehicle lost power and then lowered the transmission gear and would not accelerate over 17mph regardless of pressure on accelerator. I switched from auto hybrid mode over to sport mode so the gasoline engine could be used yet the transmission would not increase power to the tires. I stopped several times and restarted with no corrections. Vehicle battery drained quickly and vehicle alarm told me to pull over to charge battery. Sat for a few minutes to charge battery, put in drive and vehicle went forward to 17-20 mph and would not go any faster. Pedal was to the floor. The vehicle then gave several alarm lights and system failures. I limped the car home and called roadside assistance. Tried to put car in reverse for an easy tow and the car wouldn't move in reverse.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11748248July 3, 2026
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Airbag light on. La Quinta Hyundai verified light on scanned codes found active b134800 Driver airbag resistance circuit short to ground 1st stage. Testing found clock spring issue internal fault. Since this clock spring is related to driver airbag, & horn, it would seem that this would be a safety hazard that would be under warranty. The extended warranty (Z01) that I received from Hyundai doesn’t cover my problem.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11748226July 3, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
My dealership has reground the rotors on my car twice. Now with less than 40,000 mileson the car the brakes need ground again. The issue with the brakes is it causes the front end of the car to shake when the brakes are applied. This could lead to loss of control on down hill stops in slippery conditions.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11747342June 30, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that after an unknown Emission recall was performed on the vehicle, the vehicle started sputtering at start-up and then while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that it was a known failure after the Emission recall repair. The contact was informed that the manufacturer was working on a fix for the issue. Additionally, the contact was advised that the recall repair was optional, but the contact had opted to have the vehicle repaired under the recall. The manufacturer was contacted several times, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11747482June 30, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
We are driving on the highway and the engine just stop working but all lights are still working. I am trying to put gas but it seemed that the engine completely shuts off dangerously without warning. This put my family at risk because there were a lot of big trucks beside us. Theta II 2.0L Turbo engine just stalled I believe this has been around . Can you please help us.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11747271June 29, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The rear power liftgate on my 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid (VIN [XXX]) repeatedly opened and closed on its own, without any command from the key fob, interior button, or any occupant. This occurred over a period of several months. It happened while the vehicle was parked and, more dangerously, while the vehicle was in motion at normal driving speeds. An un-commanded liftgate opening while driving creates a serious safety hazard: loss of rear visibility, the risk of unsecured cargo being ejected onto the roadway, and the gate striking a person or object when it deploys unexpectedly. The overnight, un-commanded cycling while parked is extensively documented on my home security cameras, which recorded the gate opening and closing repeatedly throughout the night. The dealer (Williams Hyundai, Lansing, MI) diagnosed the cause as a faulty resistance fault in the rear hatch wiring harness assembly, which sent false signal inputs to the vehicle and triggered the motorized latch and actuators. The repair was completed under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. A secondary effect of the continuous overnight cycling was repeated deep-discharge of the 12V battery, leaving the vehicle dead on multiple mornings. I am reporting this because the un-commanded operation of a motorized liftgate — particularly while the vehicle is moving — is a safety defect that may not be isolated to my vehicle. I have retained service records, the dealer's diagnostic notes, and the home security footage, and can provide them on request. 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
#11747288June 29, 2026
ENGINE
While driving, my vehicle displayed “Shifter System Malfunction! Service Immediately.” Immediately after, I was unable to shift the vehicle from Drive into Park, Reverse, or Neutral. The only way to park the vehicle was to turn the engine off while it was still in Drive, restart it, and then shift into Park. This is an extreme safety hazard. A driver who cannot change gears can lose control of the situation during an emergency, be unable to safely park, reverse, or place the vehicle in neutral if needed. Having to shut the engine off while the transmission is still in Drive is unsafe and not how the vehicle is intended to operate. This issue first occurred around 45,000 miles while the vehicle was under warranty, but it temporarily resolved on its own. It has now returned in June 2026 at approximately 65,500 miles, after the warranty expired, and is happening repeatedly. After researching online, I found many Hyundai owners reporting the same “Shifter System Malfunction” with identical symptoms, indicating this may be a widespread defect. I request that NHTSA investigate this issue, as it poses a serious risk to driver and public safety.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11747209June 29, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5-30 MPH, the transmission failed to shift properly, and the vehicle lost motive power. The engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V746000 (Power Train); however, the failure persisted. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11747163June 29, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On [XXX] after spending the day at Henson Creek Golf Course in Fort Washington, MD, I returned to my vehicle and discovered that it had completely lost all electrical power and would not start. The vehicle exhibited no warning signs prior to the failure. Believing the issue to be related to the battery, I contacted AAA for roadside assistance. AAA attempted to jump-start the vehicle, but the jump-start was unsuccessful. The vehicle was subsequently towed on May 18, 2026, to Pohanka Hyundai in Capitol Heights, MD for diagnosis and repair. After approximately nine days, the dealership advised that the battery terminals had been secured and that no additional problem could be identified. On [XXX], the exact same issue occurred again; however, this incident was significantly more dangerous because it occurred while the vehicle was being driven. While traveling during morning rush hour through a busy intersection in Northeast Washington, DC, the vehicle suddenly and completely lost power without warning while in traffic. The vehicle stalled in the middle of the intersection, creating an extremely hazardous situation. Fortunately, motorists traveling behind me were able to stop in time, and no collision occurred. However, this incident could easily have resulted in a serious crash involving injuries or fatalities. The vehicle was towed to Ourisman Hyundai in Bowie, MD, where it is currently undergoing additional diagnosis. I am extremely concerned that this vehicle has experienced two complete electrical failures within approximately one month, including one incident that occurred while driving in heavy traffic. Because the dealership was unable to identify the root cause after the first incident, I am concerned that a serious defect may exist involving the vehicle's electrical system, battery system, wiring, power distribution system, or another component affecting vehicle operation and safety. 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
#11747031June 28, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Latch system for fuel tank door failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11746876June 27, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
First Failure occurred 7 months after purchase at 5,270 miles on August 1, 2024. The vehicle suddenly went into "Limp Mode" abruptly decelerating to 25 mph with a non-responsive gas pedal. A code reader displayed PO653 Sensor Reference: "Voltage B Circuit High". Dealer found corroded wire to battery and cleaned it. Second Failure: Horn loss to 1 tone. Fixed at 30K mile dealer service on June 12, 2026 and found to have faulty packing resulting in corrosion. At the same standard service the Brake System was flushed. 3rd Failure was 5 days and 437 miles (30,712 miles) after the 30K dealer service. On June 17, 2026 during my early morning commute while merging onto the interstate, alarms began to blare and the gas pedal suddenly became unresponsive. The initial alarms read Blind Spot Failure. Car would not accelerate from 40 mph that it was going coming down the bridge ramp so I took the very close off ramp down from the aqua duct and the console display alert showed "Engine Management System: details: Braking and Body Control System with a recommendation to get "a full system check...TODAY". I brought it to the dealer that afternoon and as of yesterday, 6/26/26 they can find nothing wrong, declaring it an intermittent issue and asked me to come get the car, refusing to continue looking or providing alternate options other than referring me to Hyundai Consumer Affairs.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11746619June 26, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Hi, I have a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe sport and I recently went to the dealership to get my brakes done and that day they did the recall 9C2 which is a software update on the engine/transmission and the next morning when I drove my car the rpm’s were going up and my mph wouldn’t go past 15 mph for about a block down the road and the car jerked two times and then drove like normal. I call the dealership let them know about the issue and it’s never been an issue in the past and they set up a appointment I come in and they tell me if it’s not related to the brakes then I’ll have to pay $250.00 for a diagnosis test. Unbelievable I don’t believe this is a coincidence I have taken well care of my car and the past owner as well and the car doesn’t even have 100k miles. I have researched other people in the same situation as me and even read that Hyundai is recommended us to warm up our cars before driving now. It is so frustrating my car was perfectly fine until that recall and they won’t do anything about it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11746776June 26, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the automatic emergency braking system engaged while there were no objects or vehicles near the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that the pre-collision message was displayed while the vehicle was parked or was idling. The vehicle was taken to dealer on several occasions; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that the dealer assessment was most important. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11746705June 26, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked and shuddered and lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was initially informed that the failure was not related to the transmission; however, the dealer later diagnosed the vehicle with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced, and the contact was advised to pick up the vehicle; however, the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact's Attorney notified the manufacturer, who proposed an unsatisfactory settlement. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11746649June 26, 2026
SEAT BELTS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V218000 (Seat Belts) and 25V659000 (Electrical System); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted; however, the recall repairs were denied due to a lack of maintenance records with an authorized Hyundai Dealer. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11746699June 26, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle stalled while driving — unsafe loss of power. While driving at normal speed, the vehicle suddenly shut off without warning and the electrical system malfunctioned. I had to pull over and restart car. This created a dangerous situation and could have caused a collision. Prior to this incidenct, the vehicle had intermittent electrical issues during startup (flickering electronics). This is the first time the car has experienced during driving, and is now at the Hyundai dealership. The car has been reported as unsafe to drive. This appears similar to other Hyundai stalling/power loss issues and may indicate a developing safety defect. Requesting investigation.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11746406June 25, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On June 24, 2026, my spouse was operating our 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe when the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic, and total electrical failure while actively on the roadway. The vehicle was stopped at a traffic light when all propulsion power was instantly lost, the engine shut down, and all electronic systems—including the center infotainment screens and instrument cluster—went completely dark. Safety Hazard & Entrapment Incident: Simultaneous with the total electrical failure, the vehicle's electronic door lock system malfunctioned. The rear passenger doors and rear liftgate locked completely and could not be disengaged or opened from the inside by the passengers. Due to this total power loss and lock failure, my young daughters were trapped in the rear seats. My spouse was forced to climb over the center console from the front seat into the rear cabin to manually extract our children through the front doors. The family had to abandon the disabled vehicle in live traffic and walk down the roadway to reach a safe location. This constitutes a severe safety hazard involving both sudden loss of motive power on a public road and occupant entrapment due to safety lock/latch failure during an electrical short. The vehicle has been towed to Pohanka Hyundai of Capitol Heights for inspection.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11746383June 25, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
-On [XXX] I was drivng on a highway while using cruise control. The car suddenly applied the brakes hard. I tried 4 times to use the accelrator and each time the brakes were applied hard again. -The car behind me laid on its horn and managed to shift to another lane thereby avoiding a rear end collison. -Fortunately I was driving in an outside lane and got the car to the shoulder. -I turned the engine off and then started the car again. -There were no warning lamps or messages that I can recall. It happened quickly. -This incident came very close to causing at least vehicle damage and possibly physical harm to the occupants of my car and the car behind me. -I took my car to the dealership which is Crown Hyndai in St. Petersburg, Florida. They were unable to recreate the problem so the issue is still outstanding. -To prevent future incidents I no longer use cruise control and turn off the FCA system when I start the car. 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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