2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Problems & Owner Complaints

Engine 631 1 crash 13 fire 2 injury

“I bought this vehicle and there was a complete break down malfunction due to the ABS module system! This lack of due diligence caused both myself and my 7 year old to unwillingly enter a vehicle that put our lives at risk and a near death experience that still traumatizes my daughter until this day who refuses to enter any vehicle! This is an unfortunate mistake on your end and there is no where near enough compensation that will ever withdraw the fear from my innocent child’s eyes anytime I need to drive her to school, or basketball practice, or anywhere to run our daily errands and live a n…”
NHTSA complaint #11520592, 2022 · 2 injury(ies)

“While driving home on the highway from our sons hockey game at about 8:30 pm we were going about 60 mph when the car made a noise and began smoking and as we were trying to pull over on the side of the highway noticed by the reflection of a passing car that the engine on our vehicle was on fire under the vehicle. We had to evacuate the vehicle quickly and get our children out on the side of a busy highway with fire showing under the front end of the car.”
NHTSA complaint #11734049, 2026 · fire

“While driving, the vehicle lost its brakes and rolled to a stop on [XXX] at that point the vehicle compartment began to fill up with black smoke and soot and flames started to come out of vents. My daughter immediately grabbed her dog and exited from the vehicle to a safe spot away from the car. Within 10 seconds the vehicle exploded and erupted into a 20 ft fireball. If my daughter would have hesitated she could have been killed. Hyundai inspected the vehicle and found nothing conclusive except that this problem has been documented in other Incidents. The vehicle was declared to be total…”
NHTSA complaint #11636163, 2024 · fire

Power Train 153 3 fire 1 injury

“I PARKED MY CAR PARALLEL TO THE CURB ON A CITY STREET. I MOVED THE SHIFTER FROM "DRIVE" TO "PARK". I DID NOT TURN OFF THE ENGINE BECAUSE I WAS ONLY GOING TO GET OUT FOR A FEW SECONDS TO OPEN THE DOOR BEHIND ME TO LET SOME SENIOR CITIZENS TO GET IN THE CAR. I RELEASED MY SEAT BELT BUCKLE AND PROCEED TO OPEN THE DRIVER-SIDE CAR DOOR. AS SOON AS MY FEET WERE ON THE GROUND AND MY BODY WAS OUTSIDE OF THE CAR, THE CAR STARTED TO MOVE IN REVERSE DIRECTION. THE CAR WAS MOVING FAIRLY QUICKLY BECAUSE WITHIN A SPLIT SECOND, I WAS KNOCKED TO THE GROUND BY THE CAR DOOR WITH THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL ON TOP OF M…”
NHTSA complaint #11176511, 2019 · 1 injury(ies)

“2017 Santa Fe, car had fire in 09/2024 and was with dealership until 05/2025. BSD, ABS, TRACTION, and Parking Brake lights on the dash when vehicle was picked up. Dealership not complaint to pay as the assume it is an Outside issue”
NHTSA complaint #11670835, 2024 · fire

“I was accelerating on the highway and my RMPS shot the whole way up over 7,000 then bottomed out. I lost speed so I pulled over. Another car pulled over to inform me my car was on fire. I turned the car off and the fire went out. The car was towed to Blaise Alexander (dealership) in Altoona, PA. The mechanic reported that a connector rod went through the oil pan, engine block, and brake starter. He kept repeating to me "I've never seen anything like this before". He reached out to Hyundai to ask if they would cover repairs (starting at $13,790). Hyundai said no. I believe this incident was mor…”
NHTSA complaint #11495138, 2022 · fire

Unknown Or Other 90 2 crash 6 fire 3 injury

“On my 2017 Santa Fe equipped with a power lift gate, when the power struts start to fail, it is without warning and intermittent. The lift gate will fully open, then suddenly drop down about a foot before stopping striking the top of the head. At first the drop down would occur several seconds later when one was already under the lift gate and bump the head when moving back. This started about 2 months ago. Hyundai had to replace both power struts where the total job cost just over $1,700.00. The part were $1,244.08. Although I took a video of this with my cell phone, it is too large to…”
NHTSA complaint #11543545, 2023 · 2 injury(ies)

“MY VEHICLE WAS IN PARK ON A FLAT SURFACE. I REACHED IN AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF THE CAR BEGAN ROLLING BACKWARDS . I WAS DRAGGED BACKWARDS DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. THE CAR STOPPED WHEN IT HIT THE NEIGHBORS CURB.I GOT IN THE CAR WAS OFF AND IN PARK.I THEN DROVE CAR INTO GARAGE AND PLACED IN PARK. I DIDI SUSTAIN A SEVER ANKLE SPRAIN AND WAS TREATED AT A HOSPITAL.THE CAR HAD 1900 MILES ON IT AND WAS A NEW CAR LEASE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE CAR ON MONDAY DECEMBER 5 AND FOUND NOTHING. I CONTACTED THE NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER . THEY SENT A THIRD PARTY TO INSPECT CAR AND ON FEBRUARY 3,2017. I RE…”
NHTSA complaint #10953796, 2016 · 1 injury(ies)

“2017 Santa Fe, car had fire in 09/2024 and was with dealership until 05/2025. BSD, ABS, TRACTION, and Parking Brake lights on the dash when vehicle was picked up. Dealership not complaint to pay as the assume it is an Outside issue”
NHTSA complaint #11670835, 2024 · fire

Electrical System 65 2 crash 10 fire 4 injury

“I went to a drive through car wash. Put my car in neutral and it drives your car through the wash. Once it was done I changed to drive and tapped lightly to get out. I was going to have the car wash attendant wipe down my car. As I approached him my brakes wouldn’t work and the car continued to accelerate despite not pressing down on the gas pedal. None of my electrical lights were working. It took me onto a busy street in Chicago and kept accelerating at full speed. I was trying to brake, put it into neutral or drive, use emergency brake system and nothing was working. I was swerving to avoid…”
NHTSA complaint #11460464, 2022 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“I bought this vehicle and there was a complete break down malfunction due to the ABS module system! This lack of due diligence caused both myself and my 7 year old to unwillingly enter a vehicle that put our lives at risk and a near death experience that still traumatizes my daughter until this day who refuses to enter any vehicle! This is an unfortunate mistake on your end and there is no where near enough compensation that will ever withdraw the fear from my innocent child’s eyes anytime I need to drive her to school, or basketball practice, or anywhere to run our daily errands and live a n…”
NHTSA complaint #11520592, 2022 · 2 injury(ies)

“The contact owned a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe equipped with a Rockland Electric Mobility Scooter Lifter, Part Number: 10101194. The contact stated that after the mobility scooter lifter was installed on the vehicle, the vehicle experienced electrical failures. The A/C became inoperable, and the hatch opened intermittently. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked approximately a month after the lifter installation, the alarm sounded intermittently during the day. The contact observed the vehicle from the residence, but did not notice any abnormality. The contact installed the mobility…”
NHTSA complaint #11729701, 2025 · fire

Service Brakes 59 4 crash 4 fire 5 injury

“I went to a drive through car wash. Put my car in neutral and it drives your car through the wash. Once it was done I changed to drive and tapped lightly to get out. I was going to have the car wash attendant wipe down my car. As I approached him my brakes wouldn’t work and the car continued to accelerate despite not pressing down on the gas pedal. None of my electrical lights were working. It took me onto a busy street in Chicago and kept accelerating at full speed. I was trying to brake, put it into neutral or drive, use emergency brake system and nothing was working. I was swerving to avoid…”
NHTSA complaint #11460464, 2022 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“I bought this vehicle and there was a complete break down malfunction due to the ABS module system! This lack of due diligence caused both myself and my 7 year old to unwillingly enter a vehicle that put our lives at risk and a near death experience that still traumatizes my daughter until this day who refuses to enter any vehicle! This is an unfortunate mistake on your end and there is no where near enough compensation that will ever withdraw the fear from my innocent child’s eyes anytime I need to drive her to school, or basketball practice, or anywhere to run our daily errands and live a n…”
NHTSA complaint #11520592, 2022 · 2 injury(ies)

“My lane departure and collision warning did not work when I crashed into a car head on and totallled my vehicle. I had not yet received my recall maintenance, nor did I know about both recalls. Only the first. Not only that but lane assist did not work and the airbag did not go off. Despite totaling the car, how did they not go off?????”
NHTSA complaint #11508838, 2022 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Fuel/Propulsion System 57 2 crash 1 fire

“Smelled smoke at a stop light. Continued when light turned green. Pulled over about 30 car lengths later because smoke was coming in the vents. Jumped out of car and ran. Within 2 minutes, entire front engine was completely engulfed in flames. No indicator light came on before. Car was driving perfect.”
NHTSA complaint #11419067, 2021 · fire

“TAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO OUR DRIVEWAY ,THE VEHICLE HESITATED THEN SURGED AT A HIGH SPEED AND CRASHED INTO OUR HOME.BRAKES WERE BEING APPLIED BUT COULD NOT STOP THE IMPACT.BELIEVE THE SURGE MAY BE RELATED TO THE TURBO ENGINE ACCELERATING.”
NHTSA complaint #11386838, 2021 · crash

“WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A DEAD STOP OR NEARLY A DEAD STOP THE CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE SMOOTHLY. THERE SEEMS TO BE A PAUSE AND THEN IT ACCELERATES QUICKLY, THIS CAUSED A FAMILY MEMBER TO HIT A CAR IN A PARKING LOT.”
NHTSA complaint #11153036, 2018 · crash

Vehicle Speed Control 52 3 crash 1 fire 2 injury

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AT 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO GAIN SPEED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION STRUCK THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. ALL OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE DRIVER RECEIVED A CITATION FOR FAILING TO YIELD. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A BROKEN LEFT WRIST, CUTS TO THE LEFT HAND, AND BRUISES TO THE UPPER BODY/TORSO. THE CONTACT (PASSENGER) SUSTAINED A BROKEN NECK THAT REQUIRED SURGERY DUE TO INTERNAL BL…”
NHTSA complaint #10991346, 2017 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“Vehicle spontaneously caught on fire in the engine compartment while driving in a parking lot. Within 30 minutes, the vehicle was incinerated down to the frame. Prior to this incident, a warning had flashed on the message center that the adaptive cruise control system was being disabled. It is pending insurance inspection and we are trying to contract Hyundai. The police report is not available yet, but is with the Faribault, MN, Police Department and is #[XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).”
NHTSA complaint #11495357, 2022 · fire

“PULLED INTO PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING LOT VERY SLOWLY. VEHICLE WAS ALMOST PARKED.STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED TO THE LEFT. VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, CONTINUED TO REV AND WOULD NOT STOP RIGHT AWAY WITH MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS OF THE BRAKE. IT RODE UP ONTO A CEMENT HANDICAP RAMP AND ITS RAILING AT THE HEAD OF THE SPACE .NOT INJURED, NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, CAR SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO FRONT AND UNDERCARRIAGE. VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 1200 MILES ON IT. NO ONE I TOLD WAS CONVINCED THAT I DIDN'T STEP ON THE GAS AND ASSUMED THAT MY FOOT MUST HAVE SLIPPED OFF THE BRAKE AND ONTO THE GAS PEDAL. I WAS READY TO B…”
NHTSA complaint #10937587, 2016 · crash

Steering 27

“The steering left side electrical components quit working at the same time without warning. This is all related to the Air Bag clock spring a serious safety defect that disables the airbag and possibly horn. I have taken the vehicle to a Hyundai dealership for diagnostics and this is what was found. "Needs immediate attention [Primary]: SSD : STEERING OR SUSPENSION DIAGNOSIS Air Bag - Clockspring Assembly / Spiral Cable: CLOCK SPRING HAS SHORTED OUT CAUSING ALL THE BUTTONS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL NOT TO WORK This assembly consists of a clock spring, which is a coil that retra…”
NHTSA complaint #11733693, 2026

“The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was jumping from left to right. The contact stated that the ESC and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken back to the same local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the passenger’s side wheel speed sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. Additionally, the steering column housing needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired,…”
NHTSA complaint #11579443, 2023

“Steering wheel sticks and will not turn or adjust until forcefully manipulated , then snaps sharply causing a change in direction of the vehicle. Dangerous to our family while driving.”
NHTSA complaint #11559648, 2023

Engine And Engine Cooling 23

“The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that after an unknown Emission recall was performed on the vehicle, the vehicle started sputtering at start-up and then while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that it was a known failure after the Emission recall repair. The contact was informed that the manufacturer was working on a fix for the issue. Additionally, the contact was advised that the recall repair was optional, but the contact had opted to have the vehicle repaired under the recall. The man…”
NHTSA complaint #11747342, 2026

“The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the vehicle was using an excessive amount of oil. There were no warning lights illuminated. There was no indication of a leak. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact the failure was related to combustion chamber cleaning. The manufacturer was contacted, who informed the diagnostic fees were at her expense and there was no coverage. The failure mileage was approximately 94,700.”
NHTSA complaint #11736987, 2026

“The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle stalled and hesitated to accelerate while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The check engine and check engine oil warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local O'Reilly's, where it was diagnosed with ignition coil #3 misfire. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced due to severe engine oil consumption. The vehicle was then to a local dealer, where it…”
NHTSA complaint #11735133, 2026

Air Bags 20 4 crash 6 injury

“ON DEC 5, 2019 AT 7:50 AM, I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT WAITING TO TURN WEST AT A CITY INTERSECTION. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I ACCELERATED AND DROVE TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, SO I CONTINUED AND WAS ABOUT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN I GOT HIT BY 2018 FORD ESCAPE. THE DRIVER RAN THE RED LIGHT AND HIT MY VEHICLE IN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE QUARTER PANEL, CAUSING VISIBLE DAMAGE TO MY FENDER, WHEEL, PANEL AND BUMPER (MORE DAMAGE WILL BE DETERMINED BY INSURANCE ADJUSTER). THE IMPACT WAS SO HARD THAT IT MOVED MY CAR, PUSHING THE FRONT END OF MY CAR TOWARDS…”
NHTSA complaint #11287668, 2019 · crash · 3 injury(ies)

“On November 28, 2025 at approximately 2:20am, I was involved in a multi-car pile up crash on Interstate 85 south near Durham NC. At least 5 vehicles were involved and significantly damaged. At least two drivers were taken by ambulance to local hospitals. Fortunately I was not one of them. I was driving in the left lane of the 2 lane southbound interstate. It happened right in front of me and I had no chance of completely avoiding it so I veered to my left onto the shoulder to attempt to avoid a direct hit on the large Nissan SUV that was now straddling both lanes. I hit the front of the N…”
NHTSA complaint #11702606, 2025 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT TRAVELING APPROX 20MPH ON A CITY STREET WHEN I HYDROPLANED AND HIT A STATIONARY LIGHT POLE HEAD ON. MY FRONTAL AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED. MY HEAD STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD, CREATED SIGNIFICANT WINSHIELD DAMAGE. THE OVER ALL DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END, WINSHIELD, FRONT END UNDER THE CAR DAMAGE THAT RESULTED IN THE CAR BEING TOTALED OUT. MY CONCERN IS THAT MY FRONTAL DRIVER SIDE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED”
NHTSA complaint #11076045, 2018 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 9

“WHILE TURNING RIGHT OUT OF A PARKING LOT ONTO A TWO LANE ROAD, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED ACCELERATING FOR 3-5 SECONDS AS A TRUCK WAS BEARING DOWN ON US. THE POSITION OF THE GAS PEDAL MADE NO DIFFERENCE. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AT AN IDLE WITH ZERO RESPONSE FROM PEDAL INPUT. WHEN IT DID FINALLY ACCELERATE, IT LURCHED FORWARD AS THE PEDAL WAS PRESSED TO THE FLOOR. WE ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING WHAT COULD BE DESCRIBED AS A SHUDDER WHEN DECELERATING TO A STOP. IT TYPICALLY SEEMS TO OCCUR BETWEEN 20-12 MPH. IT FEELS AS IF THE ENGINE IS STUMBLING OR IT IS HAVING TROUBLE DOWNSHIFTING SMOOTHLY.”
NHTSA complaint #11268117, 2019

“ON MAY 31ST I PURCHASE A NEW SANTA FE SPORT AWD 2017 - 21 DAYS AFTER DRVING THE CARD THE DASHBOARD LIGHT WHERE COMING ON FOR TRACKING CONTROL AND DOWNWARD SHIFTING - WHEN I ORIGINALLY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD MAYBE I WENT THROUGH A LARGE PUDDLE IF THEY COME ON AGAIN CALL THEM BACK - WITHIN THREE HOURS OF HANGING UP THE PHONE THE SAME PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN - I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP - AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR A MONTH STATING A MASTER TECHNICIAN FROM HYUNDAI WAS LOOKING INTO IT, BUT THEY SEE WHERE THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE SHIFT. BUT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO TELL ME THE…”
NHTSA complaint #11021825, 2017

“CAR HAS SERIOUS, DANGEROUS ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. IT'S MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN TURNING LEFT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. CAR APPEARS TO LOSE ALL POWER WHEN ACCELERATING - HANGING FOR SECONDS WHILE NOTHING HAPPENS. ENGINE HITS REDLINE ALL THE TIME AND IT BARELY GAINS SPEED. CALLED DEALER AND WAS FIRST TOLD "DUAL CLUTCH WILL LEARN DRIVING STYLE." AFTER NOTING CAR HAS 2K MILES WAS THEN TOLD "THE DELAY IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THAT CAR." THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS. I'VE ALMOST BEEN T-BONED MULTIPLE TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS. GOOGLING LED ME TO MANY OTHER REPORTS OF THE SAME ISSUE. THIS VEHICLE…”
NHTSA complaint #11015809, 2017

Suspension 9

“My 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe (VIN: [XXX]) was brought to Herb Chambers Hyundai of [XXX], in December 2023 to address the Underbody Corrosion Recall/Campaign (9A0). The dealer performed the preventative service. However, the remedy completely failed because the frame was already severely structurally compromised by rust. In early 2024, I relocated to [XXX] with the vehicle. Now 2026, The front subframe sub-assembly deteriorated to a hazardous point, forcing me to spend a large sum of my own money on front-end repairs caused directly by this corrosion. Currently, the rear subframe and rear suspensio…”
NHTSA complaint #11750549, 2026

“The engine throttles while accelerating and leaks oil and a burning smell comes from under the hood. the smell passes through the air vents and fills the car. I am afraid it might catch fire under the hood. The suspension makes noise and can also feel on the steering wheel. I will appreciate the company if they take safety measures in fixing this issue.”
NHTSA complaint #11511091, 2023

“Sway bar and struts continuously malfunctioning causing brake system to fail quickly.Engine more than 5qts a biweekly causing the maintenance numbers to malfunction.Seat belt light keeps going on and off even when in use.These problems are causing a safety risk due to them failing and can cause harm to driver/drivers on the road.Electrical issue has the brake lights malfunctioning and cause harm to others as well.Vehicle has been inspected by Hyundai dealership .Seat belt light continuously come on and off.”
NHTSA complaint #11476628, 2022

Forward Collision Avoidance 7 1 crash 1 injury

“My lane departure and collision warning did not work when I crashed into a car head on and totallled my vehicle. I had not yet received my recall maintenance, nor did I know about both recalls. Only the first. Not only that but lane assist did not work and the airbag did not go off. Despite totaling the car, how did they not go off?????”
NHTSA complaint #11508838, 2022 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH on the interstate, the contact heard an abnormal tumbling sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact noticed an unknown object had detached from the vehicle. Upon inspection, the contact determined that the detached component was the radar sensor. The Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system and the adaptive cruise control became inoperative. The contact stated that the vehicle had not been involved in a crash prior to the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for…”
NHTSA complaint #11748721, 2026

“reporting a serious safety concern involving my 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport with the Theta II engine. While driving on the highway, my vehicle suddenly lost power without warning. The vehicle became unsafe to drive and I had to pull over and have it towed. There was no warning light before the failure. The vehicle has been regularly maintained. Hyundai later stated there was internal engine damage. My vehicle also shows an open engine-related recall/campaign since November 2025. I have found many similar complaints from other Hyundai owners describing sudden loss of power, excessive oil con…”
NHTSA complaint #11740312, 2026

Seat Belts 7

“1. STEERING= STICKING STEERING AND PROBLEMS KEEPING CAR STRAIGHT. DRIVING 2. NO WARNING CHIME FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. WHEN DRIVING”
NHTSA complaint #11309720, 2020

“MY CAR JUST TURNED OFF. WHILE I WAS DRIVING UNDER 15 MILES, IT TURNED OFF, THIS HAS HAPPENED 3!TIMES SINCE I GOT THE CAR. THE SEATBELT IN THE 2ND ROW BEHIND THE PASSENGER SEAT SOMETIMES DOESN'T WANT TO LOCK. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEMS SO THERE'S NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. I SPOKE TO THEIR CORPORATE OFFICE AND SENT EMAILS AND NO ONE CAN FIX THE ISSUES.”
NHTSA complaint #11210121, 2019

“THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT WARNING CHIME IS INOPERABLE. ONLY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT OPERATES. THIS OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING WITH A PASSENGER ON BOARD WHO HAS NOT BUCKLED UP WITH THE SEAT BELT.”
NHTSA complaint #11046662, 2017

Structure 7 1 injury

“The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while she was parked in her driveway, she was at the back of the vehicle and had lifted the lift gate to place items in the back when the lift gate inadvertently came down on the contact's neck. The contact was trapped by the liftgate and struggled to pull her head out. The contact had hurt her neck in the process of freeing herself and had set up an appointment with a doctor. The contact stated no warning lights or chimes were heard or noticed. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle ha…”
NHTSA complaint #11512865, 2023 · 1 injury(ies)

“The back passenger door will not open from outside or inside (driver side) which is safety issue that needs to be recalled immediately.”
NHTSA complaint #11638130, 2025

“The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the tailgate and the hood unintendedly lowered after being raised and struck the contact. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.”
NHTSA complaint #11699911, 2024

Seats 6

“On my Driver/passenger seat the recline switch with not go back only forward. The dealer explains to me that just diagnosing the issue is 250 then the switch is going to cost me over $800. If replace the Power Seat Switch for $49.99 and the Power Seat Switch Knob only cost $ 15 plus dollars, also to replace the motor $200-300 now my air bag light is on not sure if it's because of the seat functioning or not, my kid's car seats are right behind the seats so its concerning to me. Looking online they are hundreds of people complaining of this, but no action has been taken such as a recall.”
NHTSA complaint #11729938, 2026

“The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle shifted into limp mode, causing the speed to be reduced to 20 mph. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The mechanic was unable to retrieve a fault code. Additionally, while driving at speeds above 60 mph, the 2nd-row captain seats shook and vibrated abnormally. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11418439, 2020

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT MADE AN ABNORMAL SQUEAKING SOUND. THE SEAT LEANED TOWARDS THE CONSOLE AND SQUEAKED NONSTOP WHILE DRIVING. IN ADDITION, THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NAPLETON HYUNDAI (649 DUNN RD, HAZELWOOD, MO 63042, (314) 548-0956) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED; HOWEVER, AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FA…”
NHTSA complaint #11191434, 2019

Exterior Lighting 4

“WHILE DRIVING ON DECEMBER 11, 2017 AFTER DARK, DOWN A MOUNTAIN PASS IN COLORADO, AT 55 MPH, ALL OF THE LIGHTS - INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR - FAILED (TURNED OFF) MOMENTARILY. WHEN MY HUSBAND HIT THE BRAKES, HE COULD SEE THE BRAKE LIGHTS ACTIVATE IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. AFTER PLAYING WITH THE HEADLIGHT CONTROLS FOR A FEW SECONDS, EVERYTHING CAME BACK ON. THIS HAPPENED AS MY HUSBAND WAS SWITCHING FROM THE HIGH BEAMS TO THE LOW BEAMS. EVEN THOUGH THE INTERIOR (DASHBOARD) LIGHTS WERE OFF, THE RADIO CONTINUED TO PLAY.”
NHTSA complaint #11054551, 2017

“TWO ISSUES: SEVERE PROBLEM - WHEN DRIVING AT A RATE OF APPROXIMATELY 35MPH TODAY ON A MAJOR CITY THOROUGHFARE, OUR 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2.0T ULTIMATE SUFFERED A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER (ENGINE AND ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS INCLUDING LIGHTING). AFTER COMING TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE WAS STRANDED IN PLACE UNTIL IT WAS ABLE TO START UP AGAIN MANY MINUTES LATER. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS PHYSICALLY HARMED AS THE INDIVIDUAL DRIVING BEHIND OUR VEHICLE WAS OBSERVANT ENOUGH TO IDENTIFY THE ISSUE (DESPITE A LACK OF BRAKE LIGHTS OR HAZARDS) AND STOP IN TIME. NO VISIBLE ENGINE LIGHT OR FAULT CODE WA…”
NHTSA complaint #10940204, 2017

“ON LOW SPEED TURNS (BELOW 20 MPH) THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION EXHIBIT A LOSS OF POWER. THIS JEOPARDIZES MY FAMILY'S SAFETY WHEN TURNING IN TRAFFIC. I HAVE OPENED A CASE WITH HYUNDAI AMERICA (#9484960) WHO LEFT ME A VOICEMAIL (STILL HAVE IT) STATING THERE IS A SOFTWARE UPDATE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE I DESCRIBED. I HAD UPDATE #16-01-032 APPLIED ON 08/15/2016. HOWEVER, THE ISSUE IS TILL PRESENT. I ALSO JUST DISCOVERED THAT WHEN TOWING A TRAILER THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL DOES NOT WORK. THIS IS ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE. ADDITIONALLY THE LIGHTS OF THE TRAILER CONSTANTLY RUN EVEN WHEN THE POWER IS COMPLET…”
NHTSA complaint #10898148, 2016

Lane Departure 4 1 fire

“2017 Santa Fe, car had fire in 09/2024 and was with dealership until 05/2025. BSD, ABS, TRACTION, and Parking Brake lights on the dash when vehicle was picked up. Dealership not complaint to pay as the assume it is an Outside issue”
NHTSA complaint #11670835, 2024 · fire

“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 t…”
NHTSA complaint #11658169, 2025

“The brakes and rotors need to be replaced every 3-6 months. They have been fixed at least 4 times under warranty. Every time I take the car in I get asked if I drove through the mountains because they are fried. This vehicle has never been in the mountains because I fear what will happen if it really were driven through the mountains. However, no excessive braking occurs to cause them to be ruined every 3-6 months. I am at the point I’m curious if automatic braking is causing it to heat up and burn them. The incident below is the last time I had them replaced. I’m currently looking to sell th…”
NHTSA complaint #11632995, 2024

Visibility 4

“While driving down a California freeway, the sunroof of my wife's 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport exploded without warning. Glass rained down on my niece and nephew in the backseat and caused my wife to swerve a bit in surprise. Luckily there was no one else on the road and no one was hurt by the glass. She was not near anyone or anything, plus nothing fell into the backseat so we know that it wasn't anything that impacted the glass causing it to break. Upon further review, this is a problem with Hyundai vehicles and it looks like they are the subject of multiple class-action lawsuits for it. Th…”
NHTSA complaint #11530812, 2023

“The panoramic sunroof on our 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe unexpectedly and without warning, exploded during a leisurely drive through our town this morning. At a speed not exceeding 40 mph, we were suddenly met with a loud, gunshot like sound that instantly frightened us. We immediately put our hazards on and pulled off to the side of the road to find that the sunroof had completely shattered. Thank goodness we had just closed the sun shade or else our three year old and family pet would have been covered in glass shards, shards that would have most definitely caused serious injuries had that sun sha…”
NHTSA complaint #11509168, 2023

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED VERTICALLY AND HORIZONTALLY IN THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED TWICE DUE TO BEING DAMAGED BY ROCKS. THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED AT HER RESIDENCE BY SAFELITE AUTO GLASS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,271.”
NHTSA complaint #11362774, 2020

Visibility/Wiper 4

“The panoramic sunroof spontaneously shattered while driving under normal conditions. It sounded like a loud gunshot and then shards of the glass fell into the car - luckily the liner caught the majority of the shattered glass. The vehicle is currently at a dealership to fix the damage. I am fortunate that no other cars were around me when the spontaneous shattering happened. The loud noise caused me to slow down considerably, and some glass shards fell backward. If the glass shards had fallen into the vehicle it could have cut me. The dealership has no idea why my sunroof spontaneously com…”
NHTSA complaint #11561644, 2023

“We were driving on a highway at normal highway speeds around 10:15pm. There was some light rain and some lightning in the area. Out of nowhere our panoramic sunroof on our 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe just exploded. There were no cars/trucks in front of us that kicked up any debris that could have caused this. It just shattered and the sound was deafening, it sounded like an explosion and for a quick second I thought we were getting shot at until I observed that no other glass in the car was broken so at that point I knew it was the panoramic sunroof.”
NHTSA complaint #11426116, 2021

“WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE I HEARD A POP AND LOOKED AT MY REARVIEW MIRROR, MY REAR WINDOW HAD EXPLODED OUT. NOTHING WAS NEAR TO HIT IT FROM INSIDE.”
NHTSA complaint #11302639, 2020

Wheels 3

“THE V6 2017 SANTA FE SUV IS ADVERTISED IN MANY CAR MAGAZINES AND BY HYUNDAI TO TOW 5,000. LBS. I TOLD THE SALES MANAGER THE SPECS OF MY CAMPER. HE SAID IT WOULD NOT HAVE A PROBLEM TOWING MY CAMPER THAT WEIGHS 3,200. I SAID IF YOU GET IT PREPARED FOR TOWING, MEANING, HITCH, BRAKE BOX AND WIRE FOR LIGHTS, I WILL BUY IT. THE DEAL WAS MADE. I TOWED A FEW TIMES THEN HAD A BAD SHAKING IN THE REAR. THE SERVICE MANAGER TRIED TO TELL ME I WAS TOWING TOO MUCH WEIGHT. IMPOSSIBLE. IT'S JUST ME AND A SMALL DOG. I ARGUED WITH ALLEN TURNER HYUNDAI IN PENSACOLA, FL AND THE CORPORATE OFFICE. THEY BELIEVED…”
NHTSA complaint #11374023, 2020

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WITHIN A DAY OF THE CONTACT OWNING THE VEHICLE, A PASSERBY ALERTED THE CONTACT TO THE FACT THAT THE REAR WHEELS WERE WOBBLING AND SHAKING ABNORMALLY. THE DEALER (DAVIS HYUNDAI, 1655 N OLDEN AVE, TRENTON, NJ 08638, 609-871-2800) STATED THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE DRIVING CONDITION WOULD RETURN TO NORMAL WITHIN A WEEK. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE DEALER PROVIDED A CORRECT DIAGNOSIS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO BE INFORMED BY OTHER DRIVERS ON T…”
NHTSA complaint #11084975, 2018

“RIM PAINT PEELING AT 9000 MILES HAPPENING ALL OVER COUNTRY RIMS NEED TO BE RECALLED I HAVE 5 SPOKE Y RIMS 19 ' INCH CAR HESITATES FROM DEADSTOP SAFETY ISSUE ALL OVER INTERNET FROM OTHER CAR OWNERS”
NHTSA complaint #11083136, 2018

Back Over Prevention 1

Chest Clip 1

“The contact owns a Safety 1st safety seat, Model type: Grow and Go All-In-One-Convertible, Model number: CC31-GYY, Manufacturer Date: August 01, 2023. The contact stated that the cloth part that covers the headpiece does not fit. In addition, the insulation part inside the cloth will detach. Most recently, the contact stated that the harness that goes across would become difficult to buckle. It would take several attempts to make it secure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure.”
NHTSA complaint #11677896, 2025

Equipment Adaptive/Mobility 1 1 fire

“The contact owned a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe equipped with a Rockland Electric Mobility Scooter Lifter, Part Number: 10101194. The contact stated that after the mobility scooter lifter was installed on the vehicle, the vehicle experienced electrical failures. The A/C became inoperable, and the hatch opened intermittently. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked approximately a month after the lifter installation, the alarm sounded intermittently during the day. The contact observed the vehicle from the residence, but did not notice any abnormality. The contact installed the mobility…”
NHTSA complaint #11729701, 2025 · fire

Firerelated 1 1 fire

“Vehicle spontaneously caught on fire in the engine compartment while driving in a parking lot. Within 30 minutes, the vehicle was incinerated down to the frame. Prior to this incident, a warning had flashed on the message center that the adaptive cruise control system was being disabled. It is pending insurance inspection and we are trying to contract Hyundai. The police report is not available yet, but is with the Faribault, MN, Police Department and is #[XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).”
NHTSA complaint #11495357, 2022 · fire

Fuel System 1

“The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power, then started jerking before independently accelerating. The contact also stated there were times when the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power and stopped. The contact would then restart the vehicle and continue driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was diagnosed with no failure being found. The failure reoccurred often. The vehicle was also taken to another local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle…”
NHTSA complaint #11476901, 2022

Insert 1

“The contact owns a Safety 1st safety seat, Model type: Grow and Go All-In-One-Convertible, Model number: CC31-GYY, Manufacturer Date: August 01, 2023. The contact stated that the cloth part that covers the headpiece does not fit. In addition, the insulation part inside the cloth will detach. Most recently, the contact stated that the harness that goes across would become difficult to buckle. It would take several attempts to make it secure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure.”
NHTSA complaint #11677896, 2025

Traction Control System 1

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. THE CONTACT CONTINUALLY DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE FORWARD. IN ADDITION, THE TRACTION CONTROL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. DEALER MADE SOFTWARE UPDATE ON 4/2/2018 AND CONTACT HAS HAD NO ISSUES SINCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,100. *TT”
NHTSA complaint #11081906, 2018