Equipment Problems of Hyundai Santa Fe - part 2

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.

See all problems of the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

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.

Horn stopped working on my 2021 Santa Fe. Reported to dealer and they confirmed that both horns (high and low?) were broken. There was no indication that the horn was malfunctioning. It worked and then it didn't.

The car has shut down unexpectedly for at least six times while driving at roads and highways. When this happens, engine stalls and nothing works and all alarms and check lights turn on and activated. Driver has to pull the car to the roadside which cannot be imagined when in a highway with all cars driving at 65-70mph and the car suddenly slows down to stop. The other problem is that when the car is turned off and on again, all alarm and faults go away, and it can be driven again! it clears all safety and alarm checks and lights and behaves like nothing has happened. Car was bought on june2023. The first incident happened on aug2023 and the next one on sep2023. The next incidents on feb2024, sep2024, nov2024 and the most recent on March 2025. The car has taken to the sport durst Hyundai dealership (durham, nc) after incidents, however dealership did not perform any repairs in first four times claiming they could not duplicate the incident! (service reports attached for 3) after the third incident, we opened a case with Hyundai company trying to invoke the lemon law, but our request did not go through despite all evidence we provided. Shamefully, their final suggestion to us was to sell the car! this was around March/Apr 2024. (final decision letter attached) on fifth time, the driver did not shut down the car and towed it to the dealership while leaving electrical system on. They checked the car and claimed they found the cause and changed a part from car claiming it has been fixed. This was on Nov. 2024. At the time we did not notice but, apparently that was a lie to make us quiet. The last time (sixth time) the same incident happened on March 5,2025. The car was towed to dealership and is left there. We do have all screenshots from engine failures, although the dealership tried to wipe the history at some point.

Backup camera no longer works.

Early March 2025 the vehicle was put car in park, got out of car to close yard gate, turned around to walk back to car but car was rolling forward and hit the flat bed trailer causing approximately $5000 in damage. It was put in park before getting out but jumped gear before getting back in. Another common problem is slamming the emergency brake on when attempting to drive. Was at a red lite left turn stop sign with foot on the brake. When the light turned green took foot off brake & put foot on accelerator to go forward, the car slammed the emergency brake on. This has happened approx 6 times in the 1-1/2 years of ownership.

I am writing to formally express my serious concerns regarding an ongoing safety issue with a certified used vehicle I purchased from mcdonough Hyundai, 1785 avalon pkwy, in December 2024 and the dealership’s repeated failure to resolve the issue, even after a car accident occurred due to this malfunction. Two months after purchase, I discovered that my horn did not work when I attempted to use it. I brought the vehicle back for service and was told the issue had been resolved. However, the horn continued to malfunction. I have returned to the dealership approximately five times with the same complaint. Each time, I was told the horn works, yet it continues to fail intermittently. In June 2025, I was involved in a car accident and was unable to alert the other driver because the horn did not work. Despite the severity of the situation, no one at the dealership has taken appropriate action to identify or correct the issue. During my most recent visit, service manager stephen reid witnessed firsthand that the horn did not work. His technician pressed it once, and because it worked in that moment, the vehicle was returned to me without further inspection. This intermittent failure has still not been addressed. I have time-stamped video evidence showing the horn failing just two days after the last service visit. A non-working horn is a major safety hazard. The repeated dismissal of this issue is unacceptable. I expected better from a pre certified used vehicle. I would be happy to provide any information needed to resolve this issue.

See all problems of the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

A year after I purchased vehicle the paint started peeling off the wheel. When I took it to the dealership they kept telling me they were still addressing problem and would get back to me. Contacted them several times and they still didn’t have the problem solved. Then the dealership changed ownerships. New dealership says not their problem. And it was too late at this point. I also have the paint on my hood of my car peeling. Both of these problems are gonna be very expensive to repair! I see this is a known problem. Hyundai needs to be accountable. I live in auburn al.

Wipers are in the office position, but suddenly go up and down 2 inches, while off, and won't turn on. It snowed the day before, but wasn't while I was driving. Also, my hood is peeling. I have white paint.

There is no option to turn off the "consider taking a break" warning. It goes off several times in long roadtrips. Requesting an update so we can turn that off because its really distracting to have it pop every 10 min!!!!.

I attempted to sound the horn and it failed to sound. I have experienced this problem 2 times previously. The dealer replaced it the 1st time when the vehicle had about 18000 miles. The 2nd time they did not even note it on a service report but when the vehicle was returned to me after an oil change it was working. I contacted the dealer this time because the vehicle is no longer in warranty and requested they repair the horns for free. I was told they would have to get clearance from Hyundai. I noticed that Hyundai issued a TSB 23-be-009h for the Hyundai venue for this same problem. The horns on the Santa Fe are mounted low behind the front bumper which subjects them to water from the road when it rains, as it does often, here in louisiana. I am forced to drive a vehicle without a horn to warn other drivers.

I purchased a brand new 2024 Santa Fe xrt back in March of 2024. And around December my front end started shaking and I had bad vibrations in my front in when I was finally able to get it into the Hyundai dealership in January they told me it was my front 2 rotors where warped my vehicle only has 13k miles and shouldn't have rotor issuses. Even though it was covered under warranty all the dealership did was resurface the rotors and said the vibration is gone. They also said if it does it again just to bring it back but a new vehicle shouldn't have warped rotor issues with less than 15k miles.

The driver assist warning/dinging coffee cup is a distraction while driving. It can ding up to every 4 minutes. This is a feature that should be able to be turned off.

The auto start system (the gas saving feature that shuts the engine off and on when the car idles) causes the car to shut completely off. This has happened on the freeway at a traffic light and while turning into traffic. When the auto start feature is off I don’t have this problem. It’s a major safety issue and I’ve seen numerous complaints about this on facebook.

I bought this vehicle brand new in 2021. It failed its first safety inspection in 2022. I was asked . . Did you know your horn is not working? took it to the dealer and was told this has been a common issue, the relays are freezing and popping in the cold. Have lots in stock because of this issue. The service dept has stated on each replacement parts are in stock because this happens all the time. It has now become an annual replacement for me. I just had my third set of horns in 3 years installed on 1/21/25. So for one this is a vehicle safety requirement to pass inspections in nys. Two: I dont know my horn isnt working until I go to use it because I need to in a dangerous situation and its dead. There is no fix other than replacing the horns which is a huge inconvenience since closest dealer is 30+ miles away and can be weeks before they can get it in. There also has been no recall on this. My repair invoices are available in required.

When you stop the car , you cannot lock- unlock the car with keyfob. Nothing happens when you press these buttons on keyfob. And media screen inside the car is still on. But the car is off for sure. After few minutes only, keyfob works fine and you can lock-unlock, remote start etc. So for 5 minutes, you cannot do anything like locking the car, which is a safety hazard.

Horn has stopped working 3 times in 2 1/2 years. Replaced twice under warranty. Now out of warranty.