Hyundai Santa Fe Complaints

8,019 consumer complaints on file.

#11664524June 3, 2025
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
this truck has repeatedly gone in for service over 6 times for multiple issues. The worst issue which they cannot fix is the vehicle going into limp mode while driving . Loosing all acceleration then racing on its own . This is a very dangerous problem when on the highway.hyundai service keeps telling me that the diagnostic is not showing a problem. This can be caused due to many things including transmission electrical or computer problems. I have reported to the office of consumer affairs and they claim hyundai dealership in myrtle beach has not responded to them. meanwhile i am driving in a very scary situation not knowing when this will occur. This happens at random times with no warning. This has happened at least 10 times in the last few months.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11664508June 3, 2025
ENGINE
Engine died suddenly at various speeds and a beeping alarm was activated along with the Malfunction Indicator (Check Engine), Engine Oil Pressure, and Charging System warning lights on the instrument panel. The instrument panel also read, "Engine off! Shift to N, then start engine”. The car must then be coasted off the road to safety. When the car was brought to a stop, the Parking Brake and Brake Fluid warning light was illuminated alongside the other warning lights on the instrument panel. The instrument panel also showed that the car was in Neutral; none of the gear shift buttons were operable. Pressing the start/stop engine button restarted the car, removed all alarms and warning lights, and the car operated normally until the next occurrence. This scenario occurred five times: 4.05.25, 4.15.25 (twice), 4.22.25, and 5.28.25. The odometer readings were 12,250, 12421 and 12,425, 12,454, and 12,976, respectively. I have videos or photos of the instrument panel for all events but the first one, frightened as I was by that initial experience. The car was taken to Hyundai of North Charleston (HONC) for analysis 3 times: 4.16.25, 04.22.25, and 5.29.25. On 4.16.2025 the service advisor told me that they found 2 diagnostic codes, one of which related to the front radar, so it was replaced. I picked the car up on 4.22.25 and drove less than 3 miles when the problem recurred. I immediately returned to HONC. On this visit the front upper camera was replaced. My car was at HONC for 3 weeks waiting on the part and completing the installation. The problem reoccurred on 5.28.25 and the car was taken to HONC on 5.29.25 for inspection. On 5.30.25 the service advisor told me they didn't find any diagnostic codes and could not replicate the problem. The advisor said I could leave the car at HONC or they could "release" to me. I picked the car up on 5.31.25. Afraid to drive the car now, its use has been limited to necessary local trips on roads that have pullover access.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11664258June 2, 2025
ENGINE
2020 Santa Fe. Engine is consuming oil exceding average rate of 1 quart / 1000 miles. No smoke, no external leaks. No warning until car begins to shudder while driving.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11664069May 31, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I am writing to document a troubling interaction at one of the Hyundai service locations regarding a known recall on my 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe (166,000 miles). This vehicle is affected by Recall Campaign Number 103 (valve cover gasket may leak and cause alternator failure and electrical fire risk). The issue is publicly documented by NHTSA and Hyundai, and my vehicle has experienced exactly the problems outlined — two alternator failures and two batteries killed. When my vehicle was brought to Hyundai of Metairie, located at 5969 Veterans Memorial Boulevard, Metairie, Louisiana, the service receptionist stated before even inspecting the car that it “may not be covered” because the alternator is aftermarket. This was said immediately upon drop-off, which I believe is inappropriate and concerning. We dropped it off Friday evening before the Saturday, May 31, 2025 morning scheduled inspection. As you are aware, federal law requires manufacturers to complete recall repairs at no cost, regardless of vehicle ownership history or whether a part has been replaced with an aftermarket component — especially when the replacement occurred due to a known safety defect. The alternator was not modified; it was replaced after multiple failures that align precisely with the recall’s described risk. I respectfully request that: The vehicle be inspected promptly and fairly. The recall be honored and completed at no charge, as required. Hyundai ensure that dealership employees are not preemptively discouraging customers from rightful recall services with misinformation or dismissive attitudes. I have already filed a complaint with Hyundai Corporate office this morning and intend to follow up with a phone call when offices resume usual business hours. Thank you in advance for your time. Sincerely, [XXX] [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
#11664151May 31, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On [XXX] at [XXX], my [XXX] daughter was locked inside my 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe (VIN: [XXX] ) while holding the Smart Key fob in the back seat. She pressed the lock button, and the vehicle completely locked — with her and the key fob still inside. This violates the Smart Key safety feature described in Hyundai’s owner’s manual, which says the car should not lock if the key is inside. That system failed. There were no warning lights or alerts. I had no way to unlock the doors. I experienced a full panic attack. I feared my child could die from heat exposure. I was forced to break the rear window to rescue her. I was terrified the glass might injure her, but I had no choice. Since then, I have been emotionally traumatized and avoid driving out of fear it will happen again. To my knowledge, this has not yet been inspected by a dealer or Hyundai. I am reporting this because the Smart Key locking system failed in a dangerous way that put my child’s life at risk. This system should be investigated for defect. 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
#11663919May 30, 2025
ENGINE
2013 Santa Fe burning oil, current with regular maintenance and oil changes. At times will have to top off weekly. Between full oil changes. Doesn’t seem like I should have to do that. My engine could blow if I don’t keep oil in it. Cost me tons of money Have documented all of my oil changes, from a professional business Thank you.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11663947May 30, 2025
STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
The steering wheeled locked up and the dash showed error messages of check hybrid system and refill inverter coolant and car seemed to go into limp mode as I could barely accelerate forcing me to pull over. The messages and issue would go away upon turning off car and turning it back on, however the issue would eventually happen again. This has happened while driving on the highway and other various road situations without warning and making the vehicle very unsafe. I have taken my vehicle to Hyundai Ourisman in Bowie, Maryland (the dealership where I purchased the vehicle) three times over two years and they have failed to fix the problem. They have even replaced the battery in the car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11663585May 29, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On May 15th, I was involved in a serious accident caused by a malfunction in a rental vehicle provided by Enterprise a 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe. After reversing into a parking spot, I placed the vehicle in “Park” and exited the car to retrieve belongings from the trunk. My young son remained in the back seat. To my shock, the vehicle suddenly began to move on its own despite being in “Park.” I immediately ran to the driver’s side and jumped back into the vehicle in an attempt to stop it. I pressed the brake pedal multiple times, but the car would not respond. I also pressed the “Park” button repeatedly, yet the vehicle continued to move uncontrollably. The steering wheel was unresponsive, and I was unable to redirect the vehicle or bring it to a stop. The car ultimately crashed into two other vehicles. During the collision, one of the vehicles pinned my left leg in its door, causing physical injury. I am now dealing with both physical and emotional trauma as a result. To be clear, this incident occurred on a flat surface. No airbag deployed upon impact, and there were no warning signs or alerts from the vehicle beforehand which is highly concerning, especially for a modern electric/hybrid vehicle. This car presents a major safety hazard and, in my opinion, should be recalled and removed from service immediately before it causes a fatality. I have contacted Enterprise multiple times to report this issue and urge them not to rent this vehicle to anyone else.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11663466May 28, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Frequent intermittent dash warning lights, no speed indicated, no tach indicated, cycles through warnings of safety systems malfunctioning. No lane departure, no adaptive cruise, no cruise, no forward collision warning, no blind spot warning. The disabling of these systems puts all drivers at risk. Dealership replaced front camera and windshield to fix this issue. Not fixed, continues to alarm at random times while driving.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11663124May 27, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
In November 2024, my car engine failed. I came out of a store, turned key, all the dash lights lit up, and loud clanging but unable to drive. Car towed several times and told by 2-3 places the engine was “out” and there was a Hyundai recall aon 2012 Santa Fe. A Hyundai dealer had my vehicle, contacted Hyundai and was told it “wasn’t in recall.” Had to pay repair entirely myself on disability income. The vehicle subsequent to this had electrical problems and the car shut off while driving countless times, even highway doing 65-70. Paid for alternator twice and new battery, two battery jump boxes, and car continues to have severe electrical issues and highly unsafe to drive. I am broke and facing losing the car altogether and suffered lack of housing for 2 months and inability to pay my bills. All invoices are not included with this complaint.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11663224May 27, 2025
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The engine had no oil. No indication was given by the dashboard lights. I heard a ticking noise soon after I started my car. My husband checked the oil; it was bone dry. I still had 200 more miles before my next oil change. Needless to say, the engine would have blown up if I hadn’t payed attention to the noise coming from the vehicle. In fact, this happened about a year ago, I just thought it was a fluke. Since this is the second incident, this is not a fluke and something needs to be done. We can’t afford to have a vehicle blow up on us. There was no sign of leaking on the driveway.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11663198May 27, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
I am writing to formally express my deep concern and dissatisfaction with the ongoing quality and safety issues I have experienced with my 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe, which I purchased new in March 2021. Despite regular maintenance and careful ownership, this vehicle has presented a persistent pattern of failure—most notably involving the electrical systems, onboard cameras, and overall build quality. Specifically, the following issues have occurred: •The rear backup camera has intermittently failed for an extended period, frequently displaying a black screen or static lines, rendering it unusable. •The front camera system has now failed entirely, disabling several advanced safety features. A warning alert is permanently displayed on the dashboard and cannot be dismissed. •I was recently informed that repairing this front camera will cost approximately $2,400, a significant expense for a system that should not fail this early in the vehicle's life cycle. •The overall quality of the interior materials has proven to be poor, with excessive wear and inconsistent performance of various controls and features. •In general, the engine power and performance fall well below expectations, especially given Hyundai's advertised standards. These recurring issues have not only affected our driving experience but have also introduced serious safety concerns, particularly as critical systems such as cameras and driver-assist features are now non-functional. We have never experienced this extent of problems with any vehicle in our ownership history. At this point, we are extremely disappointed and frustrated, and we feel that Hyundai has failed to uphold the level of quality and reliability expected from a modern, family-oriented SUV.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11663064May 27, 2025
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
The contact filed the complaint on behalf of the contact's mother. The contact owned a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while the contact's mother was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was crashed into by an oncoming vehicle. The other vehicle crashed into the front passenger's side close to the front bumper area. The driver's side door independently opened, although it was secured and locked prior to the crash. The contact stated the vehicle spun around and flipped onto the driver's side. In addition, the contact's mother's left leg and left foot were pinned underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The vehicle was condemned as a total loss by the insurance company. The paramedics and Police arrived on the scene. A Police report was filed. The contact's mother was transported to the local medical center. The contact's mother sustained compartment syndrome, the big toe bone was broken in two places, and the left foot was broken. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11663016May 25, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The act is consuming all the engine oil only after 500-700 miles. It has been recored and tested at Town Hyudnia dealership in Danville, NJ after it failed 2 engine oil composition tests but the dealership did not replace the engine nor put in a. request to Corporate Hyundai to replace the engine as it should be covered by the 2.4L engine lawsuit a fe years ago.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11662919May 24, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Horn failure, confirmed by Hyundai dealership. No warning or indication of failure. Went to use horn in a safety situation when I needed it, and it was non-functional. A huge safety risk for myself and other drivers on the road. In doing research, this is a known manufacturer defect, with most owners having to replace low and high horns multiple times due to failure. The horn units apparently due to placement and design fill up with water, which leads to failure, again, without warning.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11662795May 23, 2025
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Driving approximately 70-75mph on highway with cruise control set. Car starts to make rattling sound & engine warning light goes on, car struggles to accelerate and hovers around 60mph. Upon inspection of engine oil in car, fresh oil has been burned up quickly! Added 1 quart. Drove 45mins at 70-75mph. Notice Engine light on again. Check engine oil. Had quickly burned through 1qt! Add new quart of oil. Let car rest overnight. Driving 70mph without use of cruise control. Then use cruise control. After a bit car engine sounds of rattling & struggling to accelerate. RPM gauge seen going up & down. Through rear view mirror I see lots of bluish smoke. Pull over to let engine rest. Check oil = still 3/4. Use engine dectection device. Indicates that cylinders 3 &4 misfiring. Reset car warning indicator with my detection device. Finish drive going 60mph to arrive at destination without car engine warning going back on.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11662811May 23, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Seems to be having ignition switch problems. Bought a new battery a couple times now thinking that was the problem but car won’t start at times. It won’t turn and won’t click and all the electrical (radio lights…) just seems to turn off as I turn the key with no sound following. I have to attempt 3 or 4 times with 3 minute breaks in between and then it will eventually turn and start. This has been happening about 2-3 times a week for about a year.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11662812May 23, 2025
TIRES
Ever since I have purchased these tires I have been experiencing extreme violent vibration between 60 to 75 Mi an hour on the highway at first I wondered if something was wrong with the balance on the tire so I had them checked at the dealership twice and then I went to another dealership because the problem continue and had them checked same results no issues the balance machine only goes to 55 mph then I took it to a private garage paid out of pocket for the diagnostic twice because the problem over time persisted I also had an alignment done out of pocket and the problem again persisted I did a little research yesterday and there's many threads and forms in which people have complained about the exact same problem with the exact same tires I have screenshots I have video of my car doing it this is a manufacturer's defect that I'm trying to get addressed before somebody gets killed I have spoken to Pirelli corporate itself about this they're going to be issuing me a warranty claim let's see how far I get with that but the problem still is out there for others
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11662783May 23, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ENGINE
On [XXX] I was on [XXX] in Houston, TX southbound in the Woodlands area when my vehicle warning light for overheating went on. I pulled over on [XXX] and contacted Vehicle Assistance and the vehicle was towed to my dealer, Northwest Houston Hyundai. There was damage to a tube in front of the radiator and a/c condenser. The damage to the tube was approximately 1/16 of an inch in diameter and supposedly was caused by debris entering through the front grille which is designed like a large egg carton. The dealer spokesperson informed me that they had seen many vehicles like mine (2023 Santa Fe) with the same type of damage. I have been trying to settle this with Hyundai but they feel it is normal road damage and that the wide open grille design that allows it is not their problem. I can't even get them to approve a third party screen to protect the engine radiator from further design. They will not answer the question as to whether or not installing this item will void the warranty or not. It's dangerous to break down on a manor highway in a manor city particularly for us senior citizens. 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
#11662286May 21, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
I am reporting an URGENT REQUEST IMMEDIATE ACTION REGARDING A SERIOUS UNRESOLVED, RECURRING PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLE. IT IS POTENTIALLY THE FAULT OF ALEXANDRIA HYUNDAI'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT (in Alexandria, VA) WHO HAD JUST SERVICED MY VEHICLE FOR WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A ROUTINE SERVICING (on May 7). My car had a catastrophic and complete failure on a high speed highway (the car quickly decelerated) which represented an incredibly danger situation for myself and other drivers on the road. My car was purchased in 2023 and has 15,241 miles. It has been perfectly maintained. On [XXX], I was returning to my home in Virginia from Maryland on an 8 lane highway with a 55mph speed limit when I had a very dangerous complete failure of my car. Simultaneously, the car started bucking back, the speed was decelerating regardless of my pressing the accelerator to keep my speed the same as traffic, and I received a flashing large red message that said "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM - STOP SAFELY." Fortunately I was in the far right lane and was able to veer it over to a narrow shoulder. It was 8pm and getting dark. After a short while, the car lost all power so I was on a narrow shoulder with no lights flashing anymore. I was in this dark car with a lot of traffic speeding my with my 2 dogs. I became incredibly stressed about how we were going to get home. I contacted AAA, a police officer and Uber Pet who worked together in this unsafe situation on the side of the highway to get myself and my dogs home into the Uber vehicle with only the front door opening (no power). It was over 2 hours before I was home safely It was incredibly stressful situation. The car was towed to Alexandria Hyundai and they dismissed the issue and fixed nothing. I contacted Hyundai customer service and asked for escalation and they have done nothing. I am restricted in my driving because of the severe safety risk but had to drive again on [XXX] and it occurred again on a highway INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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