Equipment Problems of Hyundai Santa Fe - part 2

I purchased a brand new vehicle from Hyundai within 9 months the horn stopped working. It was replaced 10/2024 and now less than 1 year the horn has stopped working once again. Hyundai has not issued an extended warranty to the Santa Fe model when this has been a known issue with all there vehicles for this year.

See all problems of the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

While driving my vehicle, the check engine light came on, and the engine entered limp mode, severely reducing power and acceleration. This presented a significant safety risk while traveling on the highway, especially during lane changes and merges. The issue was later diagnosed by a certified Hyundai dealer as diagnostic trouble code (dtc) p1326, which relates to the knock sensor detecting potential engine bearing wear. The dealer confirmed this issue and performed related inspection work under Hyundai’s service campaign t3g. No prior warning signs appeared before the incident. Hyundai has issued a known campaign for this issue, but no recall appeared under my VIN at the time. I incurred rental and rideshare costs due to the vehicle being held at the dealer for several days. This condition severely impacts the drivability and safety of the vehicle.

See all problems of the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

I believe my vehicle is part of the parking prawn recall. It jerked and jolt when in park very aggressively. When we proceeded to try to move the car in reverse it did not budge.

See all problems of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

Forward attention assist keeps going off. For no reason. Eyes are on the road and head is forward.

See all problems of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

All of a sudden my liftgate in the back will not stay up. The pistons for the liftgate are no longer working on either side, so kind of strange as they don't usually go like that thank you [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I have a Hyundai Santa Fe 2020 had it only a year my sunroof is a panoramic and it busted out of nowhere. Nothing hit it just shattered on its own when I was going down the road. I know nothing hit it because nobody was on the road near me and I looked around and saw nothing. I was told to report it here so that’s what I’m doing.

See all problems of the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

Subject: engine failure due to bearing defect – no ksds recall notification vehicle: 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe sport VIN: [xxx] date of purchase: April 2016 complaint summary: I am filing this complaint regarding my 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe sport, which experienced catastrophic engine failure due to the known theta ii gdi engine bearing defect. Hyundai has an active class action settlement covering this defect, which requires owners to install the knock sensor detection system (ksds) update to be eligible for free repairs or the lifetime warranty. Despite owning my vehicle since April 2016 and holding clear title in my name for over 6 years, I never received any notice or communication about this required software update. Hyundai’s records still list the prior owner, hertz, even though I have maintained valid registration and insurance in my name since the purchase. This lack of notice prevented me from having the ksds update installed before the engine failed. I understand this defect does not show as an open safety recall on the NHTSA database because Hyundai classified it as a product improvement campaign under the class action settlement. This does not change the fact that it is a known safety hazard and Hyundai failed to properly notify me, which denied me the chance to protect myself and my vehicle. I believe this is a major safety concern because the engine can stall or catch fire without warning. I am requesting that NHTSA hold Hyundai accountable for failing to properly notify current owners and ensure compliance with the class action settlement. Desired resolution: require Hyundai to honor the warranty and cover my engine replacement in full. Investigate whether Hyundai is failing to properly notify owners about this critical software update. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

In may while driving on the highway my car suddenly wouldnt accelerate and started jerking. It would go past 60-65 and the engine light was on. Took it to get repaired and they stated the whole engine needed to be replaced. Never once had an issue with my car until then. Of course we got the runaround went it came to the warranty. After repairs I notice my car does not run the same and that its slow to accelerate. Fast forward about a month later the starter goes bad in the car and now its completely unoperable.

See all problems of the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

June 2020 I purchased the car brand new 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe se 2. 5l from dealership, after the first year I started having issues with my display monitor just shutting off and my car going idle at red lights or when I’m sitting in traffic. I’ve never been in an accident and I’m not a reckless driver to my standards besides occasional potholes, the car going idle happened 3 times before I reached out to a dealership asking questions only for them to tell me, “it sounds like I’m using the start-stop feature too much and it’s not recommended to be used often”. So I stopped using it completely. Fast forward throughout the years, it still happened about 5-10 times a year for the past few years, I’ve learned to hurry up and put it in park, give it gas, then put it in drive. Fast forward 2025, Feb I was passed due for an oil change about 300-500 miles the the oil light came on and when I check it myself the oil tank was completely empty, I assumed it was normal since I was passed due for an oil change, and a family friend told me that wasn’t normal, I follow the recommended oil change interval on my warranty paperwork 7,500 even set my car to it, after the oil change my car was fine. I took it in at 130,284 miles, fast forward June 2025, I start my car a morning for work & it’s at 135,658 miles, the oil light comes back on and I notice it’s completely empty again. 2nd time it’s happened this year, and two family friends that are licensed mechanics tell me that’s not normal especially if I’ve gotten an oil change this year & it’s seems like the engine is burning oil too quick. I took it in to get another oil change, tell them about the issue of it being empty when I’ve been this year and it doesn’t seem right, the dealership & a local quick oil change place tells me it’s due to me not bringing it in for regular maintenance. There are no lights on on my dashboard, and when I called the dealership to ask about using the lifetime powertrain warranty I have, I have to pay.

On June 6,2025 my car caught fire under the hood on the way home from work. I was then told my car has an abs module recall and thats whats caused the fire, as well as, electrical shortage. Hyundai finally came to get car on June 27. They refuse to fix or communicate with me on my car that I am still having to pay car note on. They refuse to give me an estimate of damages that results in total loss for insurance purposes.

See all problems of the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

From the day we purchased this used vehicle, the check engine light came on. We had to have the catalytic converter replaced next. Now we’re having oil leak issues. Multiple oil leaks have been repaired, and I’ve most recently paid over $700 to have this issue resolved. A week after the Hyundai dealership repaired it, the vehicle is leaking oil again. We have to add oil about every 5-7 days. Today we were told that my [xxx] daughter needs to drive it until the engine goes out, and not to add any oil. This is not only unacceptable, it’s also unsafe! information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Back up camera operates very erratically. Some times it works properly, some of the time it is very slow to engage. Other times it comes on after I have completed my rearward movement, and some times it comes on after shifting into drive. Then there are times t never comes on. I spoke to a dealer tech and was told there are a lot of them like that. If I wanted to spend about $900, they might be able to fix it. This has been going on for a couple of years.

Stopped for gas, vehicle started but would not go into gear, engine lights indicated 'check hybrid system', warning lights shown. 1/2 hr on the phone with dealership to assist. No problem detected when returning to home dealer. Second episode occurred, vehicle at dealer for the past 4 weeks. Episode repeated at dealership yet "no abnormalities are detected with diagnostics ".

A few days ago, while driving on one of chicago’s busiest expressways, my Hyundai 2020 Santa Fe with only 56,000 miles and a complete record of up-to-date maintenance, suddenly started smoking, smoke coming from under the front hood then caught fire without any warning. The fire consumed the entire front end of the vehicle from underneath the car to the top hood of car, to make matters worse, my seatbelt temporarily locked up during those critical moments, compounding the terror of the situation, potential risk to my life and property. I am incredibly grateful that I was able to escape unharmed, but I remain visibly shaken and traumatized by the experience. As you can imagine, this unexpected event has profoundly affected my peace of mind and trust in the safety of Hyundai vehicles. It is extremely concerning that a modern car, properly maintained according to its manufacturer's recommendations, could catch fire during regular operation, no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of any problems prior to the incident. I have always valued Hyundai’s engineering and safety standards, which is why I find this incident especially alarming. I am uncertain to what component failed the fire department stated it could have been either the brakes or electrical. As of writing this no official inspection to determine cause has been conducted however, I have reported the fire and filed an insurance claim and asked if they are able to determine how this happened to provide me with this information.

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.

I am writing to formally report an issue with my vehicle that I believe may warrant a recall investigation. The issue involves the fuel door, which is failing to open after the car has been turned off. This has occurred repeatedly and is preventing me from refueling the vehicle, posing a significant inconvenience and potential safety concern. Despite ensuring that the vehicle is unlocked and powered down as instructed, the fuel door remains stuck and will not release. This malfunction requires manual intervention or technical assistance each time I need to access the fuel tank, which is not only frustrating but could also become hazardous in certain situations. I would appreciate it if this matter could be reviewed for possible recall consideration or guidance on next steps. Please let me know if additional documentation, including my VIN or service history, is needed.

See all problems of the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

During acceleration to pass car sputters and has no power. Merging into traffic is dangerous. The best shift is faulty as well . Mine is in park but it is showing it in drive and won't crank.

See all problems of the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

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.

In may 2025, the vehicle (2017 Hyundai Santa Fe) developed severe sluggishness. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and I was told the engine would need to replaced due to a recall. Four months later (week of sept 14 {exact date not known}), the engine was replaced and the vehicle made available for pickup. I drove it home (8. 1 miles) and all seemed normal. It sat in the driveway for approx. One week. On sept 22, 2025, I drove to the store (8. 4 miles round-trip). On the way to the store, the engine light came on. I immediately called the dealership and reported the problem. The car was taken in that night (a trip of 8. 1 miles) and left at the dealership. On sept 23, 2025, I was informed that the intake manifold needed to be replaced (this had caused the engine light to come on) at my cost of approx $1000. The car remains at the dealership (unused by me). Online research revealed that if debris had been found in the manifold, it was to be replaced along with the engine (Hyundai TSB #22-em-010h date July 2022). The following has been cut-and-pasted from the web: the issue of the intake manifold not being replaced or cleaned after an engine failure is a direct result of the core defect. When the old engine failed, it likely shed metallic debris and shrapnel. That debris could have traveled into other components, including the intake manifold. If the manifold is not cleaned or replaced, the new engine draws that old metallic debris back in, causing it to fail again almost immediately. Nhtsa indirectly mandated that the repair must be complete and effective. When a dealership refuses a critical part of that repair (like cleaning the manifold), they are effectively carrying out an incomplete remedy to a safety recall, which is a violation of the manufacturer's federal obligation under the consent order. It is my contention that residual debris in the intake manifold caused the warning light and will quite possibly damage the new engine.

The horn has failed and been replaced 2 times after purchasing from brand-new. It has failed again but the vehicle is now out of warranty.

On April 28, 2025 my car cut off in the middle of traffic. I turned the car completely off. I was able to turn it back on and move it out of traffic. I called my mechanic and he looked at it, he checked the oil and there was oil I'm it. He drove it around a parking lot and heard a rattling noise, he tried to get it to his shop, the rattling got louder and louder, he was scared the engine would lock up, we parked it and had to have it towed to my residence. In the last 6-8 months I had to put oil in my car every week. I have taken to mi mechanic several times checking for leaks. I have been to the dealer checking to see if they there has been any recalls. Due to this situation I have no transportation. I am already financially struggling and now I have to figure out what to do I have already paid out of pocket for the abs to be replaced as well. My sun roof I cannot open due to the rollers r stop working. This has worst experience I have has with a brand new car, I previously owned a Hyundai and had a wonderful experience.

This was a certified vehicle I purchased. I dont believe it was certified because after returning it after -3- weeks because the windshield wipers werent working properly. After they looked at it the dealership told me that whoever put the windshield in it broke part of the windshield wiper connections and also ruined the calibration on certain safety features, and broke the windshield itself. This was not caught on their certification process and just put out on the lot to sell. They expected me to pay 1/2 of the expense for which I refused.

The car horn failed to work when I went to use it around April 20, 2025. I first noticed it while stopped at a traffic light and the car in front of me failed to advance for several seconds at the green light. Then I noticed a car drifting over the line in oncoming traffic and was unable to use the horn to alert the driver. As I drive with my toddler granddaughter in the car, I needed the vehicle fixed ASAP. My independent car mechanic had to replace 2 horns (hi tone horn and lo tone horn). Today I came to know of a Hyundai forum and did a search on car horns. Apparently, this is a known failure for many years. Some owners have had the horn replaced as many as 3 times. I since have requested reimbursement from Hyundai, but they refused because I didn't take it to a Hyundai dealership. There were no warning lamps or messages.

I’m writing to report a recurring issue with the forward attention warning (faw) system in my 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. The system frequently triggers warnings even when I am fully attentive and driving safely. These alerts are not only distracting, but they also reduce my confidence in the vehicle’s safety systems overall. I have reviewed the settings and attempted to adjust or disable the faw feature, but it either cannot be turned off entirely or continues to act erratically despite adjustments. I’ve also verified that the cabin camera is clean and unobstructed.

The car loses power. The battery and key ignition light keep coming on. A message displays auto engine off. Please shift to n or p and start engine manually. After communicating and showing video proof of the incident, the dealership replaced the alternator and battery. The issues started around 5000 miles. The infotainment system lags and the car lags. Sometimes I am left on the road because the case refuses to cut on or off.

My car won’t shift on the highway and all of a sudden I can’t drive more than 40mph. It also has not wanted to let me press on the gas and make it go as I’m driving bc its jerking 4 or 5 times before it’ll register and go. Also, not too long ago, I was in a parking lot and went to leave and my car never notified me that there was a huge pillar next to me and I crashed into it, it was in my blind spot and couldn’t see it. My car has had many many other issues in which I can’t list, but I truly bought a lemon.

Windshield was broken by a rock on the highway.

When approaching red light at low speed, about 3mph, the engine cut off in traffic, "apply brakes" or similar, started strobbing across the screen and then it said to put in park. The pedals were not working for brakes. Car came to a stop and put it in park and started it again. The sante fe has 3150 miles on it. No other issues.

Back up camara is shorting out due to the location it is getting wet and corroding. Without the camara it can be a safety hazzard. In doing research this seems to be a common problem due to the location of the camara. Poor design and could cause an accident. Failed after only 69k miles.

Driving on [xxx] in victorville; sunroof shattered. Originally thought it was a tire blowout but there were no indications on the dash, no alerts, etc. Pulled over when safe to inspect vehicle and to make sure my kids were safe. Upon pulling over and exiting the vehicle, I started to make my way around the car to check the tires. All 4 tires were completely fine. Made a second round to double check everything, see if something went under the car, there was no sign of any damage. As I was getting into the car I noticed a huge hole in the sunroof, it was completely shattered. Safety of my family was at risk but fortunately it was a chilly morning and the sunroof was closed. Vehicle is available for request if needed but it currently located at the local Hyundai dealership. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I am writing to raise a safety concern regarding this SUV, specifically the lower trim level that lack dedicated ventilation to the third-row seating and small ventilationair ways for second rows. In these vehicles, airflow to rear passengers is minimal to nonexistent, as air vents are only provided in higher trim levels for an additional cost. This design choice creates significant safety risks, especially in regions with extreme temperatures like arizona. Passengers, particularly children, seated in the third row can experience overheating or discomfort during travel, even when the vehicle’s main air conditioning is running. Basic airflow should not be considered an optional or luxury feature, as it is critical to passenger well-being and safety. By tying proper ventilation to a higher-priced trim, the manufacturer effectively places financial barriers on fundamental passenger safety. I request that this matter be reviewed and investigated to determine whether this practice complies with consumer safety expectations and whether ventilation should be standard across all trim levels.

Sun roof exploded. We were driving down the highway and heard a loud crack. The sun roof exploded on us and there was shattered glass from the front to the back of the vehicle. There is no evidence of anything hitting the glass and there was no weather that could have caused the damage. Cloudy skies but 50 degrees fahrenheit. Absolutely no way to explain the incident. Both my husband and I received small cuts trying to remove the glass. Our dog was in the vehicle and luckily was not harmed in the event.

See all problems of the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

While driving west in I-70 near frisco, CO. The sunroof randomly exploded, throwing glass throughout the vehicle. I was driving the car with my wife and dog, all of us got covered in glass and the exploding glass was extremely loud. We were lucky the sound didn’t cause me to drive off the road or that any of falling glass severely cut us.

Vehicle will not change out of ev electric mode and return to gas power causing hybrid battery drains to zero, vehicle loses acceleration, you can push the gas pedal to the floor and you have no acceleration, very unsafe when you are in traffic, no power to maneuver or avoid other vehicles quickly if needed, potential for accidents, hybrid system warning lights and alarms go on, have to try and pull over safely, battery will not recharge or takes a very long time to do so, only recourse is to shut vehicle off and restart which seems to reset vehicle, which in turn does not leave any warning lights other than codes on to show dealer, very dangerous to lose all acceleration capacity while in traffic, this has happened multiple times with the latest being today 3/23/25, vehicle is available for you to inspect, have had other powertrain codes issues as well, dealer has replaced fuel pump and erg valve but it does not resolve this hybrid issue, this battery drain issue has occurred multiple times but no resolution, help!.

Forward attention warning system sounds when driver is facing forward, eyes open, hands not blocking camera. Very distracting for driver and can lead to car decelerating itself.