Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 31 of 166 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Power Train. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports2 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
166 reports
Mileage unknown · Jul 19, 2022
Engine
When ISG (Idle Stop and Go) is ON, vehicle will completely turn off when pressing brake to stop. Vehicle shut off on me yesterday yielding to turn onto a busy highway. It took 5+ mins for vehicle to crank back up. Very dangerous! No warning lamps, messages, or symptoms other than vehicle completely shutting off. An appointment …
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When ISG (Idle Stop and Go) is ON, vehicle will completely turn off when pressing brake to stop. Vehicle shut off on me yesterday yielding to turn onto a busy highway. It took 5+ mins for vehicle to crank back up. Very dangerous! No warning lamps, messages, or symptoms other than vehicle completely shutting off. An appointment has been made at Hyundai dealership next month which is the first available time. Please look into this issue before someone is seriously hurt or killed!
NHTSA ODI #11474729
Mileage unknown · Jul 11, 2022
Visibility
While driving on the interstate where no other vehicles were within eye view and no overpasses my sunroof glass exploded. It sounded like a gunshot and it wasn’t until I heard the glass rattling above my head that I realized where it was coming from. Luckily I had the cover closed so majority of the glass was caught by that. T…
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While driving on the interstate where no other vehicles were within eye view and no overpasses my sunroof glass exploded. It sounded like a gunshot and it wasn’t until I heard the glass rattling above my head that I realized where it was coming from. Luckily I had the cover closed so majority of the glass was caught by that. The incredibly loud noise startled me tremendously and could caused a collision because of my focus being taken away from the road. The shattered glass was in my lap, on my hand, in my hair ect. causing small cuts with the potential to cause serious harm had the cover not been closed. No, it has been several weeks almost a month and the dealer is requiring confirmation from corporate case management before it can be assessed. Corporate has been “escalating” my case yet a caseworker was not assigned my case this whole time and once a caseworker was finally assigned on 7/8 I had yet to hear from them so I attempted to call on 7/11 and was given a further run around. I am riding around with a plastic bag and tape fastened to my car to hopefully prevent water damage from occurring going on a month now. The bags are so loud when driving that they prevent me from being able to hear what’s going on with my surroundings on the roadway which is unsafe No.
NHTSA ODI #11473421
Mileage unknown · Jun 30, 2022
Unknown Or OtherInjury
The passenger door has a sharp edge at the bottom exactly like the palasade hyundai recall. Both my daughter and my 82 year old mother have gashed their ankle on the door. In the case of my mother she was lucky we did not need stitches! I have a picture of the injury. I made a case submission to Hyundai.
NHTSA ODI #11471807
Mileage unknown · Jun 29, 2022
Electrical SystemPower TrainUnknown Or Other
I keep my vehicle backed into my single car garage. I have had 3 incidents in the last couple of months Beginning of mayish to now, where I start the vehicle, put it in drive and it does not drive. Twice it started to reverse and today it acted as though it were in neutral. I've taken video of the last 2 incidents showing that …
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I keep my vehicle backed into my single car garage. I have had 3 incidents in the last couple of months Beginning of mayish to now, where I start the vehicle, put it in drive and it does not drive. Twice it started to reverse and today it acted as though it were in neutral. I've taken video of the last 2 incidents showing that drive is selected, the dashboard and the Birdseye camera. My dealership is working to resolve but has stated to plan on my vehicle being there for awhile. This seems to be quite dangerous. When I turn the vehicle off and restart it, drive works.
NHTSA ODI #11471647
Mileage unknown · Jun 10, 2022
Engine
Problem first started on 3/31/22, car starting showing engine light as well as forward safety system off. Car would not accelerate and was shaking spuddering when foot was off the brake. Pulled into a safe location and called Towne Hyundai Genesis of Denville (Rt. 10, NJ) to schedule a service appointment and was told that there…
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Problem first started on 3/31/22, car starting showing engine light as well as forward safety system off. Car would not accelerate and was shaking spuddering when foot was off the brake. Pulled into a safe location and called Towne Hyundai Genesis of Denville (Rt. 10, NJ) to schedule a service appointment and was told that there were NO appointments or availability until May. I expressed my concern that I did not feel safe driving the vehicle and the response was that I could drop off the car for 4-6 weeks and they would look at it when they had a chance. I asked if there was a loaner car available and they said no that 100's of other people have problems. I took my car to a local shop to see if they could diagnose the issue and they ran a diagnostic test and the error P2127 (Throttle/ Pedal Position Sensor/ Switch E Circuit Low). The Hyundai BlueLink shows 2 alerts for Chassis on 3/31/22 as well. After this date I felt unsafe driving my car and have drove the vehicle a handful of times in 2 1/2 months unable to get an appointment. The alert would come on as soon as you turned the vehicle on until 6/4/22 when it occured while driving on a highway and the car stopped accelerating. I took the vehicle to Hyundai and they updated the system and stated that it was fixed. Within 15 minutes of driving it the issue came back, and I called them and they once again stated that I could leave it there for 4-6 weeks without a loaner. This car is extremely unsafe as it will just stop accelerating without any warning.
NHTSA ODI #11468572
Mileage unknown · Jun 7, 2022
Power Train
Most of the time, when the vehicle stops the transmission slams and pushes the vehicle forward requiring additional breaking effort. This problem started before 5 thousand miles of use. I reported it at his first oil change and I have continued to report it. The Hyundai dealer's machine shop claims to test and verify it, they…
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Most of the time, when the vehicle stops the transmission slams and pushes the vehicle forward requiring additional breaking effort. This problem started before 5 thousand miles of use. I reported it at his first oil change and I have continued to report it. The Hyundai dealer's machine shop claims to test and verify it, they claim they have no problem or technical bulletin about it. They say this is normal for this model. My concern is that this fault ends up breaking the transmission in the middle of the avenue and having a traffic accident. There is a forum of this same model owners reporting the same problem, https://www.hyundai-forums.com/threads/2021-santa-fe-transmission-shudder.680164/page-2 apparently they don't know this website to report these problems.
NHTSA ODI #11468078
Mileage unknown · Jun 7, 2022
Electrical SystemEngine
The vehicle sporadically turns off its engine by itself, mostly stopped when placing the transmission in park gear. One time the engine went out in the middle of the avenue. After these events when starting the engine it makes a noise for a few seconds. I have taken the vehicle to the dealer and they say that there is no type…
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The vehicle sporadically turns off its engine by itself, mostly stopped when placing the transmission in park gear. One time the engine went out in the middle of the avenue. After these events when starting the engine it makes a noise for a few seconds. I have taken the vehicle to the dealer and they say that there is no type of technical bulletin on this type of problem.
NHTSA ODI #11468074
18,500 miles · May 30, 2022
EnginePower TrainUnknown Or Other
Problem #1 - At least 4 quarts of oil spewed from the oil tank and covered most of the engine for an unknown period time. There were no notifications, alerts, or any other indication concerning the oil tank having 1 or less quart of oil. Ultimately, there are at least three (3) questions that need to be addressed 1.In a 2021 Sa…
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Problem #1 - At least 4 quarts of oil spewed from the oil tank and covered most of the engine for an unknown period time. There were no notifications, alerts, or any other indication concerning the oil tank having 1 or less quart of oil. Ultimately, there are at least three (3) questions that need to be addressed 1.In a 2021 Santa Fe, what would cause both the timing and valve covers to leak out at least four (4) quarts of oil out of the oil tank onto the engine. 2.Why was there no notification, alerts, or indication that the oil tank only had less than one (1) quart of oil. 3.What other damage could there have been to the engine beyond the several parts identified as needing to be replaced, that was not identified. A Chronological Order of Events is available.
NHTSA ODI #11466641
Mileage unknown · May 9, 2022
Engine
My Santa Fe has less than 14k miles. In many instances, the car has stalled when turning on. The engine would tremble and then shut the engine off while the dash lighting/symbols stay on. It will idle for a quick second and then drop to zero. Another instance is when driving into a parking spot and driveway and we applied the …
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My Santa Fe has less than 14k miles. In many instances, the car has stalled when turning on. The engine would tremble and then shut the engine off while the dash lighting/symbols stay on. It will idle for a quick second and then drop to zero. Another instance is when driving into a parking spot and driveway and we applied the brakes. At that moment the engine shut off while the dash lights/radio and everything else stayed on. In all instances, if we apply the brake and then hit the start button, the car will typically turn on and act like nothing ever happened. In 2 instances, the blind side detection would turn off while driving and all the warning lights would come on the dash. After turning it off and letting it sit for a few minutes it would disappear. One time the front detection would go off and there was no car in front of me for about 8ft. The beeping continued after we drove off and it eventually reset itself and never happened again. I’ve notified the Hyundai dealer but they claim if they can’t recreate it then they can’t fix anything. My previous Santa Fe did the same thing and they had it for 2 weeks with no results. Although my blue link app showed the car was never moved from the parking spot which made me wonder if they even tried anything. I have videos of the Santa Fe stalling.
NHTSA ODI #11463972
50 miles · May 5, 2022
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would not immediately accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact indicated that the RPM would increase however, the vehicle would hesitate to accelerate causing a safety hazard while pulling into tra…
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The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would not immediately accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact indicated that the RPM would increase however, the vehicle would hesitate to accelerate causing a safety hazard while pulling into traffic. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 50.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Santa Fe HEV, Elantra, Elantra HEV and 2022 Elantra N and Santa Fe PHEV vehicles. Due to a damaged printed circuit board, the rearview camera image may fail to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 271.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Santa Fe, 2021-2023 Santa Fe HEV, 2022-2023 Santa Fe Plug-in HEV and Santa Cruz vehicles potentially equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Hyundai dealership. Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is completed. Dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed starting May 16, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 244. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-633.
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Sonata, Veloster N, 2022 Santa Cruz, Elantra N, and Kona N vehicles. The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 236.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Santa Fe, 2021 Sonata, and Elantra vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A windshield that detaches from a vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will remove and reinstall the front windshield panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 216.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe and Sonata vehicles equipped with 2.5L turbocharged engines. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the high-pressure fuel pump and fuel rail.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 207.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Santa Fe vehicles equipped with 2.5-litre Turbo engines. The fuel pipe connecting the high pressure fuel pump to the fuel rail may not have been tightened properly.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An insufficiently tightened fuel pipe may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers inspected and tightened the fuel pipe connection, free of charge. The affected vehicles have been repaired and therefore no owner notification letters will be sent. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 206.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Santa Fe vehicles. The Occupant Detection System (ODS) module may not deactivate the air bag upon detection of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ODS module, free of charge. All affected vehicles have been remedied as of May 12, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 202.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Santa Fe vehicles. The Occupant Detection System (ODS) module may not deactivate the air bag upon detection of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ODS module, free of charge. All affected vehicles have been remedied as of May 12, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 202.
Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Santa Fe vehicles. The Occupant Detection System (ODS) module may not deactivate the air bag upon detection of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ODS module, free of charge. All affected vehicles have been remedied as of May 12, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 202.
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
1
DP22003 · Loss Of Motive Power
Opened Sep 12, 2022 · Closed Dec 12, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are susceptible to cracking. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11481745. On September 12, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Defect Petition (DP22-003) to evaluate the Petitioners’ request. The Petitioners have provided additional complaints within four supplemental letters dated January 31, 2023, March 21, 2023, May 23, 2023, and August 4, 2023. ODI’s evaluation included the review and analysis of the complaints and supporting information submitted by the Petitioners, as well as additional complaints submitted directly to NHTSA which referenced either the oil drain plug or a crack in the oil pan. After reviewing the available data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support opening a defect investigation into the oil drain pan assemblies of the subject vehicles. Based on a review of the available information, a loss of motive power resulting from an oil drain plug back out has not occurred between the initial sale of a vehicle and the completion of its first oil change. If during an oil change service, a technician fails to remove the existing drain plug gasket before installing a new gasket, it is likely that a proper seal between the drain plug and the oil pan will not be made. An improper seal between the drain plug and oil pan could lead to the backing out on the drain plug, resulting in the sudden loss of oil while driving. Additionally, the provided examples of oil pan cracks were localized to the immediate vicinity of the oil drain plug and/or appeared to be the result of direct-contact with a tool during servicing. There is no information to support that a vehicle-based defect exists relating to the oil pan assembly, and instead the documented incidents are related to the failure to follow the proper maintenance procedures during oil change service. In October 2023, Hyundai published a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that provided detailed instructions for oil change service on its gasoline powered vehicles, specifically highlighting the need to remove and replace the existing drain plug gasket prior to reinstalling the drain plug. After a thorough review of the material submitted by the petitioner, the information already in NHTSA's possession, and the potential risks to motor vehicle safety implicated by the petitioners' allegations, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. Therefore, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA’s reasons for denial of the petition will be published. The reference numbers for the complaints to NHTSA cited by the petitioner can be found in the petition submission documents in the public file for DP22-003. To review those complaints and the additional complaints ODI added to its evaluation which are cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year