Service Brakes Problems of Hyundai Santa Fe - part 1

I do not know what caused this. Here is what happened. While parking the car suddenly accelerated, over the curb, on the sidewalk narrowly missing the building because I turned hard right to avoid the building and I was able to brake to a stop glancing off a concrete pillar. We could have been hurt crashing into the wall/windows, anyone on the walk would have been hurt & anyone in the store could have been hurt. The car was towed to hatchette Hyundai-east waiting to be looked at. There is no police report because it was private property and no damages except to my car. No warning lamps or messages. I remember 2 previous incidents that happened recently. While driving in normal city traffic, my passenger asked if I had speeded up? it was morning traffic, so I didn’t really think about it. Later that day while returning home there was a weird thing that happened. Again, in traffic, the car engine did something weird, but I thought it was the car reacting to the car beside me being too close. It was like it downshifted, slowed down and then resumed normally. The only other time I had any problem was on may 9th near lawrence, KS. The car began vibrating and felt like it was going on rumble strips when I accelerated and did not get up to speed. If I let off the gas it quit. I had the car taken to mccarthy Hyundai-lawrence, KS. They diagnosed an issue from the computer codes and completed repairs having the car from Monday until Wednesday.

See all problems of the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

While traveling on [xxx] from [xxx] to [xxx] xxx, I initiated the adaptive cruise control. While engaged, with no other vehicles or other impediments on the roadway in front of me, the emergency braking system engaged and attempted to stop the vehicle. The first time this happened, I pressed the accelerator which disengaged the braking action. Later I reengaged the cruise control and after a few minutes, with no traffic near the vehicle, the same action happened again. I disengaged the adaptive cruise control and drove the vehicle manually with no further problems. I have scheduled an examination of the vehicle with a Hyundai dealer but have read of 25-30 similar issues with no resolution by Hyundai. This is a safety issue that will eventually cause an accident and needs to be resolved. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

Despite having the dct software recall repaired, today the parking brake disengaged after the car was idling for a few minutes at my son’s school. It lurched forward, startling me, and then I was alerted that the emergency parking brake deployed. The rollaway could have injured a child in the parking lot. No alerts or lights have been on prior. Additionally, after the rollaway incident, I was stopped at a red light, and my brakes depressed halfway. The last few weeks the acceleration from stop is difficult, and the brakes shudder and partially depress, especially when driving over a bump - feeling every minor flaw in the road rattling beneath my foot on the pedal. To also be mentioned - I have retained an attorney to pursue a magnusson moss cash & keep settlement on the car. From June - August 2026 the car was out of service, 4 repair orders, 2 dealerships, and a fse I demanded finally found & diagnosed faulty o-rings causing the freon to leak and the ac to fail. The car also smelled strongly of fuel one full day, and the dash & steering wheel felt hot to the touch - but no defect was found or diagnosed.

See all problems of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

Brake lights stay, on esc off light illuminated, cruise control won't engage, unable to shift out of park. Fuse had to be pulled because the battery was going dead due to lights not turning off. Its doing the same thing that is outlined in this recall (NHTSA campaign 13v113000).

See all problems of the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

I left work and my car pulled back I looked at my dash I just saw all the lights on indicators telling me I may stop or not I was so scared I live 45 mins from my job and this isn’t the first incident after the second day I bought this brand new car my low oil light came on and the dip stick was dry on a brand new car the following day and from that point on my car is like a magnet and pulls to the right lane to another car this is causing me ptsd I begged my husband to drive me to work in my 48 years I’ve never been afraid of a car when I let the dealership know they don’t care it’s a stupid woman well I’ve owned 2 brand new palisades and they were amazing vehicles this one is just not working right.

For a few months- the abs light, downhill assist light, and slippery road light have all been on. Read it could be due to a bad sensor. Then on Saturday July 4th, I turned the car on and the ebrake light was on but my ebrake was not initiated. Car was making a low humming noise on front passenger side of vehicle as well. I read the ebrake light could come on due to low brake fluid, so I wanted to drive it around the block to further try and diagnose the issue. My car then made a pop noise and started smoking from where the abs pump is located and my tail lights all started flickering like christmas lights. I instantly turned the car off and disconnected the battery to prevent an electrical fire. Upon researching- there is a recall for 2015 Santa Fe’s for this exact issue except mine isn’t on the list. I need to talk to someone who has seniority upon this situation because I have called Hyundai customer service and my local dealership and nothing is being done or nobody cares to resolve this situation. My car is currently at a trusted local garage awaiting repair- I can not tow it back and forth between the garage and a dealership. I rely on my car for my children and work. . I can’t play around waiting for them to inspect it weeks from now. This is a serious issue as my children were also in the car. Everything is very similar to the recall on other 2015 Santa Fe’s. .

See all problems of the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

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.

Fhw garage used car dealer [xxx], sold this Hyundai Santa Fe 2015 knowing the vehicle is defective. It stalls and stops in the middle of the road in high traffic. This Hyundai Santa Fe 2015 lock up the steering wheel, lock up the breaks, lock up the gas. It stalls and stops without warning then after it freeze and stop it flashes all of the warning lights on the dash board. Fhw garage is falsely advertising this vehicle in excellent condition. Its advertised on craigs list, and [xxx]. I was almost in a serious accident. [xxx] keeps getting his people in the workshop to machanically rig the vehicle to run and drive until someone gets killed when this vehicle is in a terrible accident. The gas cap dont screw on properly. Fhw garage [xxx] sold me this vehicle with full knowlege of the mechanical defects, and refuses to give my money back. I paid $5,400 cash plus traded my car. The Hyundai Santa Fe was $6,900. Deceptive practices fraud, and title jumping. Fhw still have the two cars after I purchased them. I would like to see fhw dealer license suspended or revoked. Give my money back and return my car. I will be filing a complaint affidavit with the flhsmv. [xxx] lied on the bill of sales how much I paid and he put $900 in his pocket. I will also file a complaint to fhw [xxx]. For defrauding me, misrepresentation saying the vehicle is in excellent condition when its mechanically defective, and dangerous should not be on the road to kill someone. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I am reporting a severe safety failure on my 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe sport that perfectly matches the safety defect described in recall 21v-303 / campaign 205. This happened even though I had the dealer perform the official recall fuse fix back in 2024. The problem started after I left the car parked for about 3 to 4 hours. When I came back, I heard a motor (not the motor) loudly running under the hood even though the ignition was completely off. It stayed on even after starting and turning the car off. The battery in the vehicle had drained so bad it was deemed bad when hooked up to a tester at the auto parts store. After getting a new battery and trying to drive the car, the electrical system went haywire. The dashboard lit up with every brake warning light on, the speedometer stopped working, miles to empty being erratic, and the exterior rear brake lights kept flickering erratically after the car was turned off. The steering was acting abnormal and unnatural, not crisp and easy to turn as usual. There were absolutely no warning lights or symptoms before I parked the vehicle. I had it towed to my local Hyundai dealership, and their diagnostic scan confirmed major brake and chassis issues, specifically code c2402 for an abs pump motor circuit malfunction and codes c1200, c1203, and c1206 for a loss of wheel speed data. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives, but it is currently sitting at the dealership waiting for a resolution from a Hyundai customer care case manager. The 2024 recall remedy only involved dropping the fuse amperage to mitigate fire intensity; it did not replace the module housing or prevent the internal brake fluid leak from eventually destroying the system. The defect has seemingly now fully manifested, knocking out primary braking indicators and power steering assist, presenting an ongoing safety and fire hazard while driving and parked.

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While driving on the highway, my 2024 Santa Fe hybrid suddenly and without warning lost propulsion power. The loss of power was immediately accompanied by multiple simultaneous warning lights across the instrument cluster, glitching and abnormal behavior of the cluster display, and then a complete electrical shutdown of the vehicle. After the shutdown, the vehicle would not restart. The failure occurred in connection with a software update on the vehicle. At the time of the incident the vehicle had approximately 12,828 miles on it. Losing motive power while traveling at highway speed created a serious crash risk, as the vehicle was unable to maintain or recover speed in moving traffic. No crash, injury, or fire resulted. The vehicle was towed to an authorized Hyundai dealer for diagnosis. I have photographs of the instrument cluster taken at the time of failure showing numerous warning indicators illuminated at once. The symptoms I experienced — progressive or sudden loss of drive power, 12-volt/charging-related faults, and failure to restart — appear consistent with charging-control and DC-to-DC converter failures that have been the subject of prior recalls and complaints on Hyundai electrified vehicles. I am filing this report to document the incident as a safety concern.

On June 20, 2026, while the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe sport was being driven on richardson highway near mile 155 in alaska, smoke and flames developed from the engine compartment without any collision. The driver stopped and both occupants exited before the vehicle became fully engulfed. The fire created an immediate risk of serious injury or death and blocked the northbound lane. There were no known prior drivability problems, warning lamps, or other symptoms before the incident. The exact failed component is unknown. Potential areas requiring investigation include the engine, electrical system, abs/hecu brake module, multi-fuse, fuel system, and other engine-compartment components. Alaska department of public safety responded. Its report states that there was no obvious cause, but that the fire appeared to have originated in the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed and preserved for the manufacturer. Hyundai inspected the vehicle and confirmed that the inspection was completed on July 11, 2026. Hyundai later stated orally that it did not find an engine defect, but it has not provided the complete inspection report, testing methods, photographs, technical findings, or a written origin-and-cause determination. Hyundai has not explained whether the abs/hecu, electrical system, multi-fuse, fuel system, or other potential fire sources were separately examined. The vehicle sustained catastrophic damage and was a total loss. Both occupants escaped, but experienced severe ongoing psychological distress after the fire. I request that NHTSA evaluate whether the fire involved an engine, electrical, abs/hecu, fuel-system, recall-remedy, or other safety defect. The vehicle was available for Hyundai's inspection. Its current availability for further inspection is unknown. The vehicle remains preserved and is currently available for further inspection upon request.

: "vehicle is currently grounded at rowe Hyundai westbrook in westbrook, maine. Dealer confirms hecu has an active electrical short matching recall 205 (campaign 21v303000) but refuses to replace the safety defect because it lacks an external fluid leak. The vehicle is unsafe to drive due to fire risk and brake hazard, and the manufacturer's agent is refusing the federal remedy. ".

My 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe (VIN: [xxx] ) was manufactured on March 14, 2024, in [xxx] . The vehicle is currently experiencing dual-clutch transmission (8dct) juddering, shuddering, and extreme hesitation when trying to accelerate from a complete stop at traffic lights and intersections. This creates a severe lag in acceleration, leaving the vehicle dangerously exposed to oncoming traffic. This component failure directly mirrors the mechanical hazards outlined in NHTSA safety recall 263. Because my manufacturing date falls just outside the official recall window, this vehicle has not received a formal recall remedy, yet it actively exhibits the identical, dangerous powertrain defects, suggesting the recall's production scope may be too narrow. Furthermore, in November 2024, the vehicle suffered a catastrophic safety failure where it completely lost all propulsion power for approximately 30 seconds while moving through the middle of a live intersection. Most recently, on xxx, right after being released from an extended 38-day service stay at an authorized dealership, the electronic infotainment displayed an active warning screen stating the car should be shifted to park while the vehicle shifter was physically and securely locked in park. Time-stamped video evidence of this active transmission/braking sensor failure has been captured and preserved. The vehicle remains an active, uncorrected threat to my physical safety on the road. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Break pedal switch getting hot and disables the gear shifter.

See all problems of the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 mph, while parking and while idling on different occasions, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle hesitated to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

2015 Hyundai Santa Fe limited, 3. 3l lambda ii gdi v6, ~102,000 miles. In December 2022, an authorized Hyundai dealer replaced three specific parts under a Hyundai recall/campaign (records requested). On Sunday [date] at approximately [time] pm, I was driving on [freeway], [state], at 55–70 mph at night. With no prior warning — no warning lights, no chimes, no loss of power buildup, no knocking, no engine protection mode — the engine suddenly and completely died. The failure was instantaneous. There was no limp-home mode and no opportunity to reach the shoulder under engine power. The vehicle lost forward momentum and rolled backward in a live highway travel lane, where it remained stranded until a tow truck recovered it. No injuries. The 12v battery and electrical system remained fully active throughout. The instrument cluster was operational and capable of displaying warnings before the failure. None were displayed. Dashboard warning lights illuminated only seconds after the engine had already died — a post-failure consequence of engine shutdown, not a pre-failure warning. An independent mechanic diagnosed a seized engine due to loss of oil flow. No oil pressure or low-oil light had ever illuminated. The vehicle was then transported to the Hyundai dealer that performed the 2022 service; they promised a diagnostic call and have not provided one or any written diagnostic. This failure mode matches Hyundai TSB 24-em-003h (15yr/150k extended warranty for 3. 3l lambda ii engines in 2013–2019 Santa Fe), NHTSA recall 21v-727 (acknowledging stall risk at highway speed), and the active class action burns v. Hyundai motor company (c. D. Cal. 2025). Hyundai's ksds is documented to trigger a blinking mil, audible chime, and reduced-power engine protection mode upon bearing wear. None of these protective behaviors occurred.

When the car is off and in park and you go to turn on the car on by pressing the brake and power button button, the electrical system doesn't register and wont turn the ignition on and the brake gets stuck and you cant start the car. The same thing happens when the cars auto ignition is turned off at a red light then you press the gas to go but it doesnt show the gear is in drive and the ignition turns off and wont turn back on. The major safety concern is when this happens at a red light or in traffic and my car stalls and I am at risk of getting rear ended. I have taken the car to the dealership twice now for the same issue. The first time they claimed it was fixed but it wasnt and now it is at the dealership again for the same issue and I have not received any remedy yet. There is no warning to this issue it happens out of know where and is extremely dangerous. The issue has been going on for several months.

On April 13, 2026, I arrived home and parked the vehicle, engaging the traditional shifter into the "park" position and turning off the engine. After exiting and standing on the ground to retrieve a purse from the cabin, the vehicle spontaneously and rapidly began reversing. ?as the vehicle gained momentum, I was struck by the driver-side door, which knocked me down and resulted in the vehicle running over me. The vehicle only stopped its rearward movement once it collided with a neighbor's parked car. Only after the vehicle began moving did the horn begin blaring, indicating a delayed rollaway alert. ?this incident resulted in a fractured ankle that required surgical intervention. Despite the traditional shifter being placed in "park" and the engine being off, the vehicle failed to remain stationary, representing a catastrophic failure of the parking pawl or transmission engagement.

See all problems of the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

I was at a standstill waiting for oncoming traffic to pass with my foot on the brake and all of a sudden the car accelerated and the forward collision warning fail to come on and I hit a trailer because of it.

My abs lights the triangle with the ! in the middle goes in and off the down hill control light and the sweet control light all go on when the abs light goes on my oil was completely dry had to add two quarts while the engine was ticking when started and when accelerating it was making a clicking noise I still had 3000 miles before needed an oil change but like I said it was bone dry and then the drivers seat was going back and not wanting to come back up I’ve only had the car 42 days and it’s having all kinds of problems.

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Collision warning sensor alarm randomly comes on my dash and my car slams on the breaks. Very dangerous, I’m scared to drive down the highway going 60mph. 80,109 miles 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe. I have not brought it in to a Hyundai dealership because they want a diagnosis fee and everything else. Hyundai should fix it. This alarm has happened several times than it will go away and come on like 3 times in a row, usually daily when I use the car.

I was told by a mechanic that something electrical is wrong with the vehicle it causes the engine to misfire. Different issue than before.

Engine light for car read codes po 304 303 420 prior to sale of car per code read out taken when engine light went off shortly after my purchase. Not addressed prior to sale. Codes read and called to dealership. Car taken for service. Reported fuel smell, exceleration issues, short stallings. Same codes. Stated car was " fine. " drivable. Asked for brakes/ rotors to be checked. No documented brake service given. Stated they were "fine. " taken to local brake place next day that confirmed brake rotors needed repair. Car returned after began sputtering. Reported as fuel injector failure. A known issue with this makr and model that shown codes point to that were given to, and read at service center by mechanic at dealership twice. They did not mention replacing catalytic converter, that is damaged from injectors and an emissions issue at time of call regarding repair report. No brake report or inspection requested multiple times to be checked. Did not follow correct protocol to ensure engine was clear of fuel sprayed by injectors into pistons, intake valves, ect. They placed my self at risk for engine fire, sudden car failure. Consistently mislead and failed to do proper reseach and care regarding car issues and hazards it presented. Being a known issue with this make and model it was a failure to inspect for issue. An emissions failure and violation to allow a damaged catalytic converter to be on road. This issue with the car is in class actionable suit. It is not on the recall list. As it damages the whole car systemi including emissions, it should be forced to be on the recall list so dealerships cannot allow potential harm to their customers as well as violating emission laws.

See all problems of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

After having the abs recall fixed a while back all of the lights came back on about a week ago. There has been a loss of oil meaning I have been adding oil in between oil changes at least once a week, there has been smoke coming from under the hood and if you run the heat or air you have to have circulate cabin air button pushed or it pulls the smell inside the car and it is overwhelming. The smoking has been going on for about at least a month now.

See all problems of the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

The contact owned a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact’s son stated that while driving at 45 mph, the brake pedal depressed with no warning light illuminated. The contact’s son stated that the abs braking system failed, and the brake pedal did not function when attempting to stop the vehicle. As a result of the failure, the contact’s son collided with the highway pavement. No injuries were sustained, and no medical attention was required. The contact’s son also stated that the air bags did not deploy during the crash. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and was deemed a total loss by aaa due to severe front-end damage. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

Vehicle will not brake assist in the front even though all of the settings are selected it to work and assist in the event of needing to brake suddenly.

After performing regular oil changes, and even a new fuel pump sensor, I experienced an issue. Last oil change was within the past two weeks. Driving home from the mountains, I heard a knocking sound from the engine bay. I narrowed it down to all gears above 2500rpm, increasing knocking with rpm speed. I took it easy on the engine, mostly coasting down the mountain. Suddenly during acceleration on an uphill, a pop sounded, and copious white smoke started coming from the engine bay. I pulled over despite having no power brakes but I was fortunate to be near an off ramp in a rural area. Trying to troubleshoot roadside, I noticed fluid on the tie rod, but I wasnt able to determine what kind of fluid it was. When I try to start the car, there is one single click, the engine wont even attempt to turn over. Oil, battery and check engine lights are all on. After towing, I found that the fluid leaking from the vehicle is oil. The vehicle is currently at a transmission shop, but from my research, this isnt a transmission issue but a blown rod bearing the Hyundai engines are know for. I will be contacting a dealership to see if they will at least confirm my diagnosis.

Bottom brake lights will not work but top high brake light works. I was stopped by police three times. They state all three brake lights must operate.

The contact owned a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe sport. The contact stated that while driving 5 mph, while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. No warning lights illuminated. The contact pulls over to the right side of the road, exits the vehicle, and notices flames coming from the engine, and smoke starts coming inside the vehicle. The contact mentioned that a bystander gave him a fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire, the flames stopped, then a couple of seconds later, the failure persisted. No injuries were sustained. No medical attention was required. A police report was filed. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was towed to j&j towing. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was relating to the failure of the NHTSA campaign number: 22v810000(service brakes, hydraulic). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 170,000.

My vehicle activates the emergency braking system while driving. It has happened several times now, almost causing a collision. I took it to the dealership, they held it for a week and gave it back to me telling me they could not find anything wrong with it. They did not fix anything at all. It has since done it once more.

The front rotors need machining every 10,000 to 15,000 miles. The rotors experience exceeding distortion due heating by the brake pads. When brakes are applied, there are large vibrations in the front suspension which inhibits braking. This is especially true when braking on wet pavement where stopping distances become unsafe.

Vehicle experienced sudden loss of power while driving. Transmission warning and abs warning lights appeared at the same time. The vehicle would not shift properly and began skipping and dropping gears. Smoke was visibly coming from the center underside of the vehicle near the transmission area. There was a strong burning oil or rubber smell inside and outside the vehicle. This created a serious safety risk due to loss of acceleration and potential fire hazard from smoke and burning odor. The issue has been intermittent since early ownership, including jerky shifting and hard engagement. The dealer documented dual clutch transmission communication faults and abs faults but returned the vehicle the same day stating it was a loose ground. The problem has continued after repair. Vehicle is available for inspection. The defect involves the powertrain and related electrical systems.

See all problems of the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

While driving, the engine catastrophically failed without warning, causing an immediate loss of power-assisted braking and steering. The failure occurred while traveling downhill. I was unable to slow or control the vehicle properly and was forced to proceed through a school bus’s flashing lights to avoid a potentially catastrophic collision, resulting in a traffic citation. My son was in the vehicle at the time. A sudden loss of engine power, braking assist, and steering assist while driving presents a serious safety defect. Vehicle was towed to fred beans Hyundai in doylestown where it has been confirmed engine failure. This failure happened immediately and without warning.

Was coming off an exit on the interstate and started slowing down. My brakes act like they didn’t want to work. Grinding and the pedal was twitching under my foot. The car stopped thankfully, but then all linda of lights came on the my dash and will not go off. And 3 warning come up!.

See all problems of the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe sport. The contact stated that while driving at 25 mph and approaching a stop, the vehicle stalled. The battery, check engine, and oil warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 22v810000 (service brakes, hydraulic). The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where an unknown diagnosis was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The warranty claim was denied. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.