NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
358 reports89,780 miles · Sep 21, 2016
EngineService BrakesSteering
WHEN DRIVING THE 2009 SANTA FE THE CAR WILL SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. POWER TO BREAKS AND STEERING IS LOST. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL START AGAIN WHEN THE CAR IS PLACED IN NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL NOT START AGAIN FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. IN BOTH INSTANCES THE CAR IS MOVING ON A HILLY ROAD. THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENC…
Read full complaint
WHEN DRIVING THE 2009 SANTA FE THE CAR WILL SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. POWER TO BREAKS AND STEERING IS LOST. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL START AGAIN WHEN THE CAR IS PLACED IN NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL NOT START AGAIN FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. IN BOTH INSTANCES THE CAR IS MOVING ON A HILLY ROAD. THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE IS 09/20/2016
NHTSA ODI #10908449
Mileage unknown · Sep 19, 2016
Electrical System
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON BECAUSE OF THE GAS GAUGE. NOW I HAVE NO CLUE HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE BECAUSE THE READER ON THE DASH KEEPS GOING UP AND DOWN. A MONTH AGO, I HAD THE ALTERNATOR AND GAS LINE REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE LAST RECALL/SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT. THESE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS STEM FROM THAT REPLACEMENT.
NHTSA ODI #10908040
Mileage unknown · Sep 19, 2016
Electrical System
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON BECAUSE OF THE FUEL GAUGE. IT WAS RUNNING ON A CITY STREET. NOW I CAN'T TELL HOW MUCH GAS I DO, OR DON'T, HAVE
NHTSA ODI #10908036
78,000 miles · Sep 5, 2016
Electrical System
I AM HAVING THE ISSUE WITH THE GAS GAUGE, WHERE A SHORT TIME AFTER FILLING UP THE TANK, THE GAUGE DROPS TO EMPTY AND THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THE SAME ISSUE AS A RECENT RECALL, WHERE OIL WAS DRIPPING ON THE ALTERNATOR. JUST A COUPLE DAYS AFTER I RECEIVED THE RECALL FOR THAT ISS…
Read full complaint
I AM HAVING THE ISSUE WITH THE GAS GAUGE, WHERE A SHORT TIME AFTER FILLING UP THE TANK, THE GAUGE DROPS TO EMPTY AND THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THE SAME ISSUE AS A RECENT RECALL, WHERE OIL WAS DRIPPING ON THE ALTERNATOR. JUST A COUPLE DAYS AFTER I RECEIVED THE RECALL FOR THAT ISSUE, I BEGAN HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES. MY RADIO CAME ON AND OFF, MY WINDOWS ROLLED UP AND DOWN VERY SLOWLY. ON MY LAST DRIVE HOME, MY ELECTRONIC BRAKES STOPPED WORKING, THE STEERING WAS HARD AND THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SHIFTING UP AND DOWN BEFORE I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO PULL OVER AND HAVE THE CAR TOWED. UPON MY DRIVE HOME FROM THE DEALER AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR, I NOTICED THAT A HEADLIGHT WAS NEWLY BURNED OUT. IN LESS THAN A WEEK, THE OTHER HEADLIGHT BURNED OUT. ON THE SAME TANK OF GAS I HAD SINCE GETTING THE CAR BACK FROM THE DEALER, THE GAUGE FIRST DROPPED TO EMPTY BEFORE THE TANK WAS EMPTY. I BELIEVE SOMETHING WAS SHORTED OUT IN THE GAS GAUGE SYSTEM, JUST AS THE HEADLIGHTS AND ALL THE OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES THAT RESULTED FROM THE ALTERNATOR NOT WORKING. HYUNDAI SHOULD REPAIR THE GAS GAUGE ISSUE SINCE IT WAS CAUSED BY THE ISSUE OF THEIR LAST RECALL.
NHTSA ODI #10903670
109,200 miles · Sep 4, 2016
Fuel/propulsion System
I WANT TO JOIN THE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE LAUNCHED COMPLAINTS ON THIS AND OTHER WEBSITES ABOUT THE FAULTY FUEL GAUGE SENSORS OF THE 2009 SANTA FE. WHEN I FILL MY GAS TANK, THE FUEL GAUGE ONLY REGISTERS AT HALF A TANK AND THE LOW FUEL LIGHT COMES ON. NOW MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. WHEN I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO AUTO ZOHN TO HAVE T…
Read full complaint
I WANT TO JOIN THE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE LAUNCHED COMPLAINTS ON THIS AND OTHER WEBSITES ABOUT THE FAULTY FUEL GAUGE SENSORS OF THE 2009 SANTA FE. WHEN I FILL MY GAS TANK, THE FUEL GAUGE ONLY REGISTERS AT HALF A TANK AND THE LOW FUEL LIGHT COMES ON. NOW MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. WHEN I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO AUTO ZOHN TO HAVE THE ENGINE LIGHT CHECKED, IT DOES, INDEED, COME UP AS A FAULTY FUEL LEVEL SENSOR. HYUNDAI IS OBVIOUSLY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AS EVIDENCED BY ALL OF THE CONSUMER FEEDBACK, YET IT HAS FAILED TO DO ANYTHING TO ASSIST. UNLIKE THEIR COUNTERPARTS AT TOYOTA, VOLKSWAGEN AND CHRYSLER, IT SHOULDN'T TAKE A TRAGEDY FOR HYUNDAI TO STEP UP AND ADDRESS THIS SAFETY CONCERN.
NHTSA ODI #10903526
Mileage unknown · Sep 3, 2016
Air Bags
THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR (OCS) REMAINS IN THE OFF POSITION WHEN MY SMALL STATURE WIFE (5 FT 98 LBS) RIDES IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN THAT I WOULD LIKE HYUNDAI TO CORRECT. I READ THAT SOME 2009 SANTA FE MODELS HAD A RECALL DUE TO THIS EXACT ISSUE (RECALL CAMPAIGN 105) BUT MINE MODEL DOES NOT SE…
Read full complaint
THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR (OCS) REMAINS IN THE OFF POSITION WHEN MY SMALL STATURE WIFE (5 FT 98 LBS) RIDES IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN THAT I WOULD LIKE HYUNDAI TO CORRECT. I READ THAT SOME 2009 SANTA FE MODELS HAD A RECALL DUE TO THIS EXACT ISSUE (RECALL CAMPAIGN 105) BUT MINE MODEL DOES NOT SEEM TO BE INCLUDED. I AM NOT SURE WHY BUT SINCE MY 2009 SANTA FE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE RECALL ADDRESSED. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2009. OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP TOLD US THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. NOW I SEE ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE THAT HYUNDAI CAN UPDATE THE OCS CLASSIFICATION SOFTWARE. I BELIEVE HYUNDAI SHOULD UPDATE MY VEHICLE'S SOFTWARE AT NO CHARGE.
NHTSA ODI #10903468
93,000 miles · Aug 24, 2016
Unknown Or Other
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND TURNING ONTO A SIDE STREET THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THERE WAS NO INDICATION AS TO WHAT HAPPENED, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND NO ERROR CODES SHOWED UP. THIS IS APPARENTLY A PROBLEM HYUNDAI IS AWARE OF AND THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT PENDING HOWEVER IT ONLY COVERS MODEL YEARS 2010-2012.
NHTSA ODI #10898123
107,130 miles · Aug 8, 2016
Fuel/propulsion System
STARTING ON JULY 15, 2016, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (MIL) CAME ON, AS WELL THE FUEL GAUGE INCORRECTLY INDICATING THE AMOUNT OF FUEL, IN THE FUEL TANK, AT 107130 MILES. I HAD THE MIL DIAGNOSED AS P0464, FUEL SENSOR DEFECT. MANY OTHER HYUNDAI SANTA FE OWNERS, HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM, REQUESTING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO REPAIR THI…
Read full complaint
STARTING ON JULY 15, 2016, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (MIL) CAME ON, AS WELL THE FUEL GAUGE INCORRECTLY INDICATING THE AMOUNT OF FUEL, IN THE FUEL TANK, AT 107130 MILES. I HAD THE MIL DIAGNOSED AS P0464, FUEL SENSOR DEFECT. MANY OTHER HYUNDAI SANTA FE OWNERS, HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM, REQUESTING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO REPAIR THIS SIGNIFICANT SAFETY PROBLEM, TO HYUNDAI CUSTOMER SERVICE, TO NO AVAIL. THEIR RESPONSE HAS BEEN IT IS NOT THEIR CONCERN AND HAVE NOT OFFERED TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. IF I WERE TO BE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, E.G., 55-75 MPH, AND HAVE THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN, DUE TO LACK OF FUEL, THE POWER STEERING WOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPAIRED, WITH LOSS OF CONTROL. THIS COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE, WITH SUBSEQUENT PROBABILITY OF AN "ACCIDENT", RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY, RESULTING IN DEATH, TO ME AND MY FAMILY MEMBERS, AS WELL AS OTHERS, AS WELL AS SERIOUS PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE COST FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL LEVEL SENSORS IS APPROXIMATELY $600.00 TO $800.00. THIS FUELS SENSOR PROBLEM AND MIL, OCCURS WHEN STATIONARY, WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH IS TURNED TO START, AS WELL AS WHEN IN MOTION, AT ANY SPEED. I BELIEVE THAT BEFORE SOME DISASTROUS EVENT OCCURS, HYUNDAI SHOULD ASSIST IN THE REPLACEMENT OF THESE DEFECTIVE FUEL SENSORS.
NHTSA ODI #10893881
129,100 miles · Jul 22, 2016
Engine
THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN ON A SLOW SPEED EXIT AND LEFT ME WITH NO POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES IN A CURVE. THE VEHICLE STARTED UP AFTER I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND I CONTINUED ON WITH NO MORE ISSUE. JULY 21, 2016 AT 4:45PM. THIS HAS BEEN THE ONLY TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED IN THE 2 YEARS I HAVE OWNED IT BUT ITS A CONCERN.
NHTSA ODI #10887681
79,625 miles · Jul 21, 2016
Air Bags
ONE MORNING THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR 18 MONTHS WITH A NEW CAR WARRANTY BECAUSE OF MILEAGE 72,000 WHEN WE BOUGHT IT. TOOK TO DEALER AND IT WAS A BAD CLOCK SPRING WHICH CONTROLS THE AIR BAG. IF IT RETURNS SAYS THE AIR BAG NEEDS TO BE REPLACED $450 AND NOT COVERED UNDER BUMPER BUMPER WARRANTY . CAR WAS IN …
Read full complaint
ONE MORNING THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR 18 MONTHS WITH A NEW CAR WARRANTY BECAUSE OF MILEAGE 72,000 WHEN WE BOUGHT IT. TOOK TO DEALER AND IT WAS A BAD CLOCK SPRING WHICH CONTROLS THE AIR BAG. IF IT RETURNS SAYS THE AIR BAG NEEDS TO BE REPLACED $450 AND NOT COVERED UNDER BUMPER BUMPER WARRANTY . CAR WAS IN THE GARAGE. DID NOT BUMP ANYTHING, NO ACCIDENT.
NHTSA ODI #10887610
Official recalls
2Apr 1, 2013
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.
Jul 25, 2012
Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2007 through 2009 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured from April 19, 2006, through July 7, 2008. The occupant classification system (OCS) may need recalibration to accurately detect small statured adults.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Improper classification or detection may cause the front passenger airbag not to deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the classification software free of charge. The safety recall began on September 7, 2012. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1DP21003 · Throttle Control System Vulnerabilities
Opened Nov 12, 2021 · Closed Jun 20, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:throttle
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a petition letter dated October 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (ETC) system on certain Kia vehicles resulting in the opening of DP21-003. Accordingly, Model Year (MY) 2005-2016 Kia Optima/K5, MY 2006-2015 Kia Sorento, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Elantra, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Santa Fe, MY 2006-2015 Hyundai Sonatas are all part of the subject population. The petition was originally filed as a Vehicle Owner Questionnaire that can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under reference (ODI) number 11439675.On November 12, 2021, ODI opened Defect Petition DP21-003 to evaluate the petitioner?s request. ODI performed trend analyses of the VOQs related to vehicle speed control issues for all the subject vehicles and found that none of the 52 Model/Model Year Hyundai/Kia vehicles demonstrated any actionable trend that warranted an investigation.Petitioners submitted 1119 VOQs and non-VOQ cases in which sudden uncommanded acceleration (SUA) or loss of motive power (LOMP) incidents were alleged.For the 1119 reports, 220 were incidents involving crashes, from which 69 subject Hyundai-Kia vehicles were inspected by Hyundai/Kia dealer technicians, Hyundai/Kia engineers, and/or third-party representatives.ODI found the inspections identified no vehicle defects related to the ETC system.Of the 220 crash-involved reports, 13 Event Data Recorder (EDR) records were downloaded successfully and 11 of those indicated driver error: (i.e.) pedal misapplication.A condition where the accelerator pedal is mistakenly applied instead of the brake pedal when the driver wants to stop the vehicle.In addition, ODI reviewed a scientific journal paper published in Forensic Science International in 2016 by Mr. Park et al ., as well as related test videos. ODI does not believe there is any evidence of uncontrollable SUA occurrences in any of the tests reviewed. NHTSA's Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (OVSC) reviewed the allegations regarding the potential noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 124.Based on the information provided, the Agency concludes there is insufficient information for us to determine if a possible non-compliance exists.Finally, both Hyundai and Kia informed ODI that all their vehicles manufactured after 2012 were equipped with an ETC management system, in which the engine speed will go to idle when the system sees signals from both the brake pedal and accelerator pedal at the same time; this is commonly known as the brake-throttle override system.After thoroughly assessing the material submitted by the petitioner, information already in NHTSA's possession, information submitted by Hyundai and Kia in response to an Information Request letter, and the potential risks to safety implicated by the petitioner's allegation, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. After full consideration of appropriate factors, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA?s reasons for denial of the petition will be published.
Illustration