2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

What owners reported to NHTSA, ranked by how often and how seriously.

This is complaint data, not a random sample.

It only includes owners who chose to file a federal complaint, so it over-represents dramatic and safety-related problems and under-represents minor issues an owner just had fixed without reporting. Read this as what NHTSA complainants report most, not as this vehicle's true failure rate. Full methodology.

Component ranking

  1. #1

    engine internal

    15 stranded, 58 unsafe, 1 broken, 1 annoyance

    75
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=22, median 95,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, CALL LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT OPERATE IN A NORMAL FASHION. RPM GAUGE WAS HIGHLY ERRATIC AND PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR DID NOT RESULT IN INCREASED SPEED. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT IN, THEY SAID N…"~7,000 mi, complaint #1242025
    • "WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY, I NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL AND OTHER FLUIDS. THE OIL WAS VERY LOW. I PUT IN A FEW QUARTS OF OIL IMMEDIATELY AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO GET AN OIL CHANGE PROFESSIONALLY SHORTLY AFTER.…"~58,091 mi, complaint #1477910
    • "CAR WAS STATIONARY AND WOULD NOT START, TOWED TO DEALER AND DEALER EXPLAINED ENGINE WAS BLOWN. I SEARCHED GOOGLE FOR RECALLS AND MANY HYUNDAI SANTA FE'S BETWEEN 2013-2019 HAD RECALLS, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE SPORTS MODEL AND OURS IS NOT A SPORTS MODEL, WE BELIEVE T…"~102,000 mi, complaint #1743941
    • "2015 HYUNDAI SANT FE LIMITED 3.3L AWD, PURCHASED NEW FROM DEALERSHIP, 129,280 MILES. ROUTINE OIL SERVICE WITH MOBIL 1 SYNTHETIC AND WIX FILTERS SINCE PURCHASED. TRAVELING 75MPH ON I-10 (FLORIDA) WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON. NOT TOWING, TRAVELING STRAIGHT. AS THE VE…"~129,280 mi, complaint #1721849
    • "MY HYUNDAI IS 3 YEARS OLD WITH 70,000 MILES ON IT , I'VE MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURERERS SUGGESTIONS . THE CAR HAD NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON OR WARNINGS THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND THE NEXT DAY I START MY CAR AND IT'S MAKING A VERY LOUD TIC…"~700,665 mi, complaint #1441430
  2. #2

    engine stall or no start

    20 stranded, 34 unsafe

    54
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=24, median 58,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "RANDOMLY, FROM A STOP, WHEN ACCELERATING THE ENGINE TEMPORARY STALLS OR HESITATES FOR 1-2 SECONDS. THIS VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY. IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW AND THE DEALER REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM. IT HAS PROBABLY HAPPENED 50 TIMES…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1508061
    • "ENGINE SEIZED ON THE VEHICLE AFTER 32000 MILES. SERVICE DEPARTMENT CLAIMS THIS IS DUE TO POOR MAINTENANCE DESPITE ADEQUATE OIL CHANGES OCCUR DURING WITH THE MOST RECENT 1 DAY PRIOR TO VEHICLE BREAK DOWN. WE HAD DROVE THE VEHICLE LESS THAN 20 MILES FOLLOWING…"~32,000 mi, complaint #1398798
    • "THE CAR STALLS AND COMPLETELY LOSES POWER. WE JUST HIT THE 62K MILE MARK. WHEN IT LOSES POWER EVEN THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK. WHEN YOU STOP AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN THE CAR JERKS. THE EXHAUST IS SMOKING BADLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AND W…"~58,500 mi, complaint #1376239
    • "ENGINE SEIZED ON 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. NO WARNING AT ALL. TOWED TO LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP. DID NOT TAKE TO HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC FOUND NO OIL IN THE DIP STICK. SYNTHETIC OIL CHANGE DONE A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO. VEHICLE JUST WENT OVER 100K IN MILEA…"~100,300 mi, complaint #1693565
    • "On August 2, 2023 I was driving my truck and it completely shut off on me on the highway. I push the start button to turn the engine and it just keep turning like it wanted to start, but it didn't. Called the tow truck to take it to the shop, to then get a cal…"~211,457 mi, complaint #1916164
  3. #3

    engine oil consumption

    2 stranded, 13 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    17
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE WAS BURNING OIL AND NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. THE OIL WAS CHANGED IN HOPES IT WOULD REP…"~55,000 mi, complaint #1694995
    • "WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY 65MPH AFTER 15 MIN THERE IS A BURNING RUBBER SMELL, THE OIL IS LOW EVEN THOUGH I CHANGED IT 3 WEEKS AGO, IT IS CONSUMING TWICE AS MUCH GAS AS BEFORE. I CALLED A CERTIFIED HYUNDAI DEALER AND THEY HAVE NO AVAILABILITY, I HAVE A SAFTE…"~99,000 mi, complaint #1733875
    • "OIL CONSUMPTION WITHIN 200 MILES BLIND SPOT DETECTION DOESN'T WORK"~110,000 mi, complaint #1710149
  4. #4

    abs module

    10 unsafe

    10
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "I FOUND ABS ALARM MESSAGE ON DASHBOARD. WHEN I VISITED LOCAL DEALER SHOP, IT IS PROBLEM ON ABS MODULE. BUT I HEARD 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HAS RECALL FOR ABS MODULE. BUT DEALER SHOP TOLD ME MU CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL.I JUST WONDER WHY MY CAR IS NOT AVAILAB…"~56,000 mi, complaint #1696709
    • "MY 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HAS BEEN RECALLED DUE TO THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM (ABS) MODULES THAT COULD LEAK BRAKE FLUID INTERNALLY AND CAUSE AN ELECTRICA SHORT OVER TIME. THE PISTON SEALS IN THE ABS MODULES'S HYDRAULIC VALVE COULD LEAK BRAKE FLUID INTO THE ELECTRONI…"~73,000 mi, complaint #1719520
    • "The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS, hill assist, and traction control warning lights illuminated and the "BSD Cancelled" message was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repai…"~145,000 mi, complaint #1917191
  5. #5

    airbag system

    9 unsafe

    9
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH FAILED TO STOP. AS A RESULT, THE OTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S FRONT AND REAR DOORS…"~12,000 mi, complaint #1257540
    • "WHILE EXITING THE HIGHWAY AT A RATE OF 20MPH ON A DECLINE, WE BEGAN TO SLIDE IN THE SNOW, AS WE SLID I BEGAN PUMPING THE BRAKES TO SLOW US DOWN BUT THE HILL MADE US GAIN SPEED EVEN THOUGH THE WHEELS WERE NOT SPINNING. AFTER SLIDING DOWN HILL FOR CLOSE TO 100 Y…"~35,960 mi, complaint #1626417
    • "AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ON DASH STAYS LIT. CAR SCANNED AT DEALER. SHOWS AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE DEFECTIVE. TOLD AIR BAGS NON FUNCTIONING. CAR IS AT DEALER NOW. OTHER WARNING LIGHTS ACTIVATED AT SAME TIME (TRACTION CONTROL AND DOWN HILL BRAKE). CAR WAS BEING DRIVE…"~75,355 mi, complaint #1518957
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT 5 MPH, WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE IMPACTED THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRAC…"~85,400 mi, complaint #1742266
    • "BOUGHT BRAD NEW 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE IN 2015. DEALER SOLD ME ON SAFETY. I THINK IT WAS 8 TO 10 AIRBAGS. GOT IN ACCIDENT AND NOT ONE DEPLOYED. HIT SOLID POLE GOING ABOUT 35 TO 40. CAR TOTALLED NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. MADE COMPLAINT TO HYUNDAI AND NO RESPONSE…"~125,000 mi, complaint #1561027
  6. #6

    brake hydraulics

    7 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "IN LATE SEPTEMBER WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION ("CAMPAIGNE194") FROM THE MANUFACTURER STATING THAT A BREAK FLUID LEAK IN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM COULD CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WITH POTENTIAL FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. MY WIFE IMMEDIATELY WENT TO…"~60,000 mi, complaint #1707991
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND STARTED TO SHIFT WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT FLASHING. THE CONTACT CALLED NALLEY HYUNDAI (7909 MALL PKWY, STONECREST, GA 30038) AND INFORMED T…"~92,225 mi, complaint #1699767
    • "I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE MAP SENSOR AND THE BATTERY LAST YEAR. CAR WAS SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING WITH NO WARNING. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD STAY ON. RECENTLY IN LAST COUPLE MONTHS NOTICED ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES. WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO BRAKES WHILE ON…"~95,000 mi, complaint #1709569
    • "The contact owned a 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving 25 mph, when he lost control of the vehicle and multiple warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated while attempting to park on the side of the road, he saw smoke entering the…"~117,000 mi, complaint #1764509
  7. #7

    sunroof

    7 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A AUTOMATIC VEHICLE WASH AND DURING THE DRYING CYCLE, THE SUN ROOF SHATTERED. AS A RESULT, GLASS AND WATER ENTERED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFA…"~5,500 mi, complaint #1232097
    • "PANORAMIC SUNROOF SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING. IT INITIALLY LEFT A LARGE HOLE ABOUT 2 FT BY 3 FT WHICH INCREASED OVER THE NEXT 2 HOURS AS I LIMPED HOME. THOUSANDS OF PIECES OF GLASS ENDED UP INSIDE THE OVERHEAD SUN SHADE AND INSIDE THE CAR. I WAS DRIVING ON A HIG…"~11,480 mi, complaint #1381068
    • "WHILE DRIVING MY HYUNDAI SANTA FE DOWN A HIGHWAY AT NORMAL SPEED, THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF ON THE VEHICLE SHATTERED. THERE WERE NO CARS AHEAD OF ME TO CAUSE A ROCK TO FLY INTO THE ROOF AND CRACK IT. THERE WAS AN EXTREMELY LOUD POP SOUND WHEN THIS ISSUE OCCURRED.…"~18,780 mi, complaint #1389329
    • "A PORTION OF THE SUNROOF INEXPLICABLY SHATTERED. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND PARKED AT THE TIME, THOUGH THERE WAS NOTHING ABOVE, AROUND OR EVEN NEAR THE VEHICLE TO CAUSE THE DAMAGE."~38,000 mi, complaint #1417846
    • "PANORAMIC SUNROOF EXPLODED OVER MY HEAD WHILE I WAS DRIVING, JUST STARTING TO MERGE ON THE FREEWAY."~94,000 mi, complaint #1723917
  8. #8

    other

    5 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "I RECEIVED A RECALL FROM YOU REGARDING THE SECONDARY LATCH ON THE HOOD RELEASE. I CALLED THE DEALER TO ARRANGE CORRECTION. DEALER REP SAID THAT PARTS ON BACK ORDER AND I COULD BE PUT ON WAITING LIST. I CALLED HYUNDAI FINANCE AS THE VEHICLE IS LEASED AND SA…"~21,400 mi, complaint #1398325
    • "AS PART OF NHTSA RECALL #20V-520, HYUNDAI RECALL #194, I WAS INFORMED THE PART THAT HAS STARTED FIRES, WOULD MAY MERELY BE INSPECTED AND NOT REPLACED. THIS PART SHOULD BE REPLACED SINCE IT IS KNOWN TO START FIRES."~55,000 mi, complaint #1717675
  9. #9

    timing belt or chain

    6 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I was getting on the expressway and everything just seemed like it was on safety mode. My car gurgled, it wouldn't switch gears, the engine light kept flashing. I thought it was a transmission issue until I got it to a Firestone. They said the cylinder is miss…"complaint #1752039
    • "2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited Ultimate 3.3L Vin F 114,441 miles No prior mechanical issues, pulled out on busy highway and pushed the gas pedal to merge into traffic. Upon pushing the gas pedal the car revved high rpms but would only go 5 mph. I was afraid I…"complaint #1770922
    • "Sudden loss of power and ability to accelerate on the freeway, which was caused by a failure of the Engine Timing System. This is concerning since we had engine failure on our previous Hyundai ( a Sonata). This model of the Santa Fe isn't listed under that…"complaint #1852640
    • "The engine has basically come apart. There is a timing chain issue, the engine is not recalled and it is getting where the car cannot drive. There is a constant smell of burning electrical wires. There’s also issues with the heating and air that is related t…"complaint #2035826
    • "Time Belt problem. Check engine, yellow. "complaint #2090784
  10. #10

    door latch and hinge

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT OPEN EITHER FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THIS HAPPENED OUT OF THE BLUE. CAR IS A 2015...AND NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. IN RESEARCHING MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HYUNDAI MODELS AND YEARS. WE HAVE TALKED WITH THE…"~91,845 mi, complaint #1742374
  11. #11

    acceleration loss or hesitation

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "FOR A WEEK (JULY 4-11, 2015) I RENTED A SANTA FE SPORT SUV FROM NATIONAL AT HOBBY AIRPORT IN HOUSTON, TX. ONLY AFTER DRIVING IT DURING THE WEEK DID I DISCOVER THE WORST PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR ' IT HAD A PREDOMINANT TENDENCY TO HESITATE WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A…"~11,000 mi, complaint #1255821
    • "The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate and jerk upon the depression of the accelerator pedal. Recently, the contact stated that the vehicle would shut off without warning. T…"~100,000 mi, complaint #1772929
  12. #12

    adas blind spot

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "SIMILAR TO INCIDENT 10885095; BLIND SPOT DETECTION SYSTEM FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH. UPON INSPECTION BY DEALER, IT WAS FOUND THE SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE "RE-CALIBRATED", BUT NO BSD SENSOR ISSUES WERE FOUND. *TR"~21,500 mi, complaint #1342751
    • "THE BLIND SPOT DETECTOR STARTING RANDOMLY GOING OFF VERY SPORADICALLY SINCE WE HAD THE CAR. THEN ONE DAY IT STARTED GOING OFF ALMOST EVERY MINUTE FOR ABOUT 7-8 MINUTES THEN AN ERROR MESSAGE APPEARED AND IT STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION ON…"~73,000 mi, complaint #1730897
  13. #13

    glass and windshield

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION. THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE SUN ROOF SHATTERED AND PIECES OF THE SUN ROOF GLASS BEGAN TO FALL. THERE WERE MINOR INJURIES TO THE DRIVER'S AND PA…"~15,000 mi, complaint #1335534
    • "The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the panoramic moonroof suddenly shattered, raining shards of glass down on the vehicle’s occupants. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was tak…"~128,000 mi, complaint #1972784
  14. #14

    infotainment head unit

    2 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THE SCREEN ON THE GPS UNIT CRACKED AS I WAS CLEANING IT. I HAD THE CAR FOR 10 MONTHS WITH 7000 MILES ON THE CAR. HYUNDAI HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE THE UNIT. I AM UNABLE TO DOWNLOAD UPDATES, THE CONTINUITY IS BROKEN. THE CAR WAS PARKED AND IN MY DRIVEWAY AS I…"~7,000 mi, complaint #1336202
  15. #15

    seatbelt and pretensioner

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "GETTING READY TO LEAVE A RESTAURANT AFTER BUSINESS DINNER, REACHED FOR SEAT BELT AND IT WAS NOT ATTACHED TO THE CAR. THE BOLT WAS COMPLETED DISLODGED, AND THE SEAT BELT WAS JUST HANGING THERE. THIS IS A BIG CONCERN BECAUSE I COULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE VEHI…"~4,587 mi, complaint #1166983
    • "PASSENGER SEAT BELT WARNING DOES NOT FUNCTION. WITH ADULT IN THE SEAT, NO WARNING LIGHT OR ALARM TO INDICATE THE BELT IS NOT IN USE ANYTIME WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION."~36,100 mi, complaint #1498205
    • "SEAT BELT WARNING INOPERABLE FOR PASSENGER SEAT. IT DOESN'T PROVIDE A WARNING LIGHT OR AUDIBLE ALARM WITH A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT AND THE VEHICLE UNDERWAY IN DRIVE POSITION."~36,100 mi, complaint #1498210
  16. #16

    transmission automatic

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "WHEN I AM ON A SUBSTANTIAL INCLINE, I PLACE THE AUTO INTO REVERSE, THERE IS A HARD SHIFTING NOISE AND VIBRATION. MY GIRLFRIENDS INCLINE ON HER DRIVEWAY IS PROBABLY AROUND 6% GRADE. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. I HAVE CONTACT HYUNDAI @[REDACTED EMAIL] ON 7/25/…"~25,000 mi, complaint #1302529
    • "HIT ACCELERATOR AND WON'T SHIFT INTO GEAR, LOUD REVS AND THEN HEAR A BANG AND THE CAR JUMPS AS IT FINALLY SHIFTS INTO GEAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED RANDOMLY THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF MY CAR AT RANDOM, I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT, THEN LAST WEEK, I START TO LOSE POWER, AN…"~67,430 mi, complaint #1485735
  17. #17

    alignment and pull

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "VEHICLE REQUIRES CONSTANT MINOR STEERING CORRECTIONS TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT LINE. VEHICLE WANDERS ON THE HIGHWAY AND SEEMS TO OVER ADJUST SO THAT A SLIGHT STEERING ADJUSTMENT TO THE RIGHT REQUIRES A SLIGHT CORRECTION TO THE LEFT AND ON AND ON. IMPOSSIBLE TO H…"~500 mi, complaint #1188798
  18. #18

    catalytic converter

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds the vehicle stalled and the two catalytic converters became inoperable. Additionally, the blue link screen failed to load and link the features. There were no war…"~115,000 mi, complaint #1753248
  19. #19

    differential

    1 stranded, 1 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "On 5/28/21, while driving vehicle noticed a knocking/banging when in reverse then also began when driving. Took to local Midas dealer and was told rear differential gear was broken and needed repaired. Upon further research, Midas discovered that an upgraded…"complaint #1762667
    • "This vehicle is an All Wheel Drive. While approaching an intersection right before coming to a stop the vehicle's rear differential locked up. Attempted several times but the vehicle would not move forward. The vehicle would drive forward but would move in re…"complaint #1847519
  20. #20

    fuel injector

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "engine replacement can be avoided you should use fuel injector cleaner every 3000 miles, sediment clogs injectors, and pistons which fuel leaks into oil pan, causing oil/fuel mixture to burn, creating overheating, which leads to oil burning, and eventually eng…"complaint #1978377
    • "Misfire code P0302 Injector failed open, flooded cylinder with fuel. Gas in the oil Possible cylinder failure Lack of compression "complaint #2012689
  21. #21

    key fob and immobilizer

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THE ELECTRONIC KEY SYSTEM OF THIS CAR HAS A BIG FLAW. THE DOORS DO NOT LOCK EVEN AFTER MULTIPLE ACTIVATION THROUGH THE LOCK BUTTON OF THE ELECTRONIC KEY WHEN THE ENGINE IS LEFT RUNNING . THE BEHAVIOR IS UNLIKE OTHER CARS SUCH AS NISSAN ALTIMA, WHICH LOC…"~11,000 mi, complaint #1261498
  22. #22

    lighting exterior

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "SOMEBODY HAS FINALLY DIED OVER THIS DEFECT, NOW WILL SOMETHING BE DONE ABOUT IT? I HAVE OWNED 2 HYUNDAI SANTAFE'S A 2013 AND NOW A 2015. THE HEADLAMP SYSTEM ON BOTH CARS, USING HALOGEN LAMPS, IS INFERIOR, UNACCEPTABLE, FOR VOLVO, DEADLY. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1462272
  23. #23

    power windows and locks

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LOCK THE VEHICLE'S DOORS, THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR LOCK FAILED TO LOCK. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE…"~23,950 mi, complaint #1400625
    • "FOLLOWING WARRANTY WORK ON DEFECTIVE DOOR LOCKS, THE REAR TAILGATE OPENS ELECTRONICALLY BUT OFTENTIMES WILL CLOSE IMMEDIATELY ON YOU. IT IS INCONSISTENT, SOMETIMES IT OCCURS TWICE IN A ROW AND SOMETIMES IT IS EVERY THIRD OPENING. IT HAS COME DOWN ON MY HEAD…"~59,850 mi, complaint #1635937
  24. #24

    steering electric assist

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 (NA) HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000. "~3,000 mi, complaint #1220794
    • "USED VEHICLE (80,000 MILES). POWER STEERING CUT OUT WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ALONG CURVE AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WITH OUR INFANT SON IN THE BACK. MANAGED TO SAFELY STOP, TOOK TO DEALERSHIP FOR EVALUATION. DEALERSHIP INDICATED IT HAD FIXED PROBLEM WITH ELECTRO…"~80,000 mi, complaint #1574761
  25. #25

    unintended acceleration

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "CAR STARTED SURGING FORWARD WITHOUT TOUCHING GAS PEDAL, IT LUNGES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AS WELL. I"~100,000 mi, complaint #1557079
    • "I WAS ON GROUND FLOOR OF A PARKING GARAGE AND ALREADY IN THE PARKING SPOT---I HAD MY BRAKE ON AND WAS ACTUALLY READY TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO "PARK". THERE WAS A SUDDEN REVING OF THE ENGINE AND THE CAR BEGAN TO MOVE FORWARD AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED THROUGH A…"~468,000 mi, complaint #1400631
  26. #26

    wiring harness

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "I have a 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe sport and been having electrical issues at the fuse box"~219,541 mi, complaint #1933907
  27. #27

    battery and charging

    1 stranded

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "IN JANUARY MY ALTERNATOR FAILED. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE BAD PART. TWO DAYS LATER THAT PART FAILED AND TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SWAPPED THE PART AGAIN FREE OF CHARGE. ON FRIDAY SEPT 6TH MY ALTERNATOR FAILED AGAIN AND…"~79,500 mi, complaint #1601647
  28. #28

    brake booster

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH IS MALFUNCTIONING AND CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHT TO STAY ON CONTINIOUSLY. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON SO THERES NO INDICATION THAT I'M GETTING READY TO STOP BECAUSE THE LIGHT IS ALREADY ON, INCREASEING THE RISK OF A C…"complaint #2050023
  29. #29

    brake pads and rotors

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FEE I BOUGHT NEW, TURBO SPORT. AT 26,750 MILES THE DISC PADS ON ALL 4 WHEELS FELL OFF THE STEEL BACKING PLATES. THE PADS IN THE FRONT WERE PAPER THIN AND THE BACK WERE SOMEWHAT BETTER. THE "SQUEALERS" THAT WARN YOU OF PAD THICKNESS NEVER MAD…"~26,750 mi, complaint #1660760
  30. #30

    control module

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "CAR WAS BOTH TO DEALERSHIP ON 3/7/2020 -3/12/2020 THE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT THEY REPLACED THE BCM RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP ON 3/19/2020 HEADLIGHT NOT TURNING ON HEATED SEAT WENT OUT AND REAR WINDSHIELDWIPER NOT WORKING GOT BABK 3/20/20 BOUGHT BACK AGING ON 4/22/202…"~66,181 mi, complaint #1681028
  31. #31

    engine head gasket

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Driving on a busy, 4-lane street, approaching intersection with larger road (ref: speed limits 40 & 50, respectively). Vehicle suddenly, without warning (normal temp gauge, oil pressure, etc.; check engine light off) lost all ability to accelerate. Narrowly av…"complaint #1860364
  32. #32

    engine turbo supercharger

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THE ENGINE IS THE 2.0 TURBO AND SINCE ABOUT 10,000 MILES IT RUNS SLIGHTLY ROUGH AT IDLE IN GEAR, IT EITHER DOES NOT KICK DOWN SMOOTHLY TO ACCELERATE, OR IT SUDDENLY TAKES OFF UNEXPECTEDLY RAPID. THE ACCELERATION IS SPORADIC, UNEVEN AT ONE END, OR JERKING INTO…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1544461
  33. #33

    fuel tank and lines

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Engine replaced during recall 10 months prior. New fuel line on new engine begins leaking fuel onto exhaust vehicle smoking no warning lights or indicators "complaint #1842150
  34. #34

    instrument cluster

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO OPERATE AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SENSOR INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (INTERSTATE HYNUDAI, LOCATED AT [REDACTED ADDRESS] WEST MONRO…"~44,654 mi, complaint #1397340
  35. #35

    power steering hydraulic

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "My power steering failed without notice while driving. This has happened several times. The first time I just happened to need to pull off the highway because my 4 year old had to go to the bathroom and couldn't hold it. It went out as soon as I exited the hig…"complaint #1958199
  36. #36

    suspension struts shocks

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "This vehicle has only 25,000 original miles on it, and I am the original owner and bought it new. In separate incidents, several months apart, first the right-front coil spring broke, with a piece falling out and nearly puncturing the right-front tire. Sever…"complaint #1804163
  37. #37

    tire failure

    1 stranded

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE EQUIPPED WITH CONTINENTAL CROSSCONTACT LX TIRES, SIZE: 235/65R17. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE SUDDENLY BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO COAST OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND NOTIC…"~2,200 mi, complaint #1194537
  38. #38

    torque converter

    1 stranded

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "VEHICLE WAS IN FOR REPAIR IN DECEMBER 2018 TO HAVE A MOMENTARY LOSS OF POWER WHEN ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED FOLLOWED BY A LOAD BANG AND THEN THE CAR ACCELERATED. THE DEALER FOUND NO CODES AND LOOKED NO FURTHER. IT HAPPEN A FEW TIMES AFTER BUT NO VISITS TO DE…"~180,000 mi, complaint #1718948
  39. #39

    trunk or liftgate

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIFTGATE FAILED AND ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE ON ITS OWN INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN THE SMART LIFTGATE FEATURE WAS ACTIVATED AND DEACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1366182
  40. #40

    wheel or rim

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "On July 14, 2021, while the vehicle was MOVING, the cable in the spare tire hoist snapped resulting in the spare tire dropping to the ground and getting wedged between the ground and the trailer hitch. Fortunately, this occurred on a side street and the net e…"complaint #1778685

NHTSA investigations

Search NHTSA's own recall and complaint database for HYUNDAI SANTA FE directly.