Engine. Review the 70 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

16 crash reports12 fire reports10 injury reports

Lane Departure complaints

4 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · Oct 12, 2024

Forward Collision AvoidanceLane DepartureSteering

Read full complaint

The Forward Collision Assist would intermittently disable during driving. The Lane Keeping Assist light illuminated and would not allow me to disable it causing the vehicle to drive straight only and to make left or right turns extremely hard to turn the vehicle. This incident occurred on [XXX] and was dropped off at Johnson Hyundai in Wake Forest on that date. After a week of no contact of a diagnosis, I had to visit the dealer and was told the steering column was the issue and needed to be replaced. I contacted Hyundai America to report this issue and currently waiting on a response from their warranty to see if they will cover all or a percentage of the replacement of the steering column since my mileage is over their 100k (113k to be exact) coverage. While I appreciate their efforts, I also feel this could have resulted in a very serious incident had my daughter been driving on the highway when this occurred. Thankfully, she was picking me from home and it happened as we drove off from our house in our neighborhood. A steering column should outlast any other part(s) of a vehicle. If not, this is a huge safety concern. My [XXX] was also in the car at the time and I cannot even imagine how I would recover if something worse were to happen while he's on board. Hopefully this reporting will keep something bad from happening to others who own this type of vehicle but failed to report it. Thank you for your time. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11619452

Mileage unknown · Apr 23, 2024

Lane DepartureSteering

Read full complaint

I had a serious issue with the Santa Fe lane keeper system. I was driving on I15 in a winding portion through the Virgin River Gorge in relatively high traffic on a corner. I have used this feature many times in the past and expected a gentle nudge on the steering wheel. But unexpectedly the steering wheel turned hard left, almost causing a total loss of control. I am safe driver always checking for other drivers doing what they shouldn't, but I never expected my car to be the one making dangerous movements. If I hadn't had a firm grip on the wheel, I would have been out of control on a narrow bridge in heavy traffic. Am I the only one with this problem?

NHTSA ODI #11584801

Mileage unknown · Aug 1, 2023

Electrical SystemForward Collision AvoidanceLane Departure

the systems forward collision and lane departure warning are randomly turned off. Dealership is not aware of how to fix

NHTSA ODI #11535942

Mileage unknown · Jun 26, 2023

Electrical SystemForward Collision AvoidanceLane Departure

Read full complaint

Adaptive Cruise Control Automatic Emergency Braking Blind Spot Warning Forward Collision Warning Lane Departure Warning Lane Keeping Assistance Parking Collision Warning Rear Cross Traffic Warning Every one of these lights are going off in the car. I’ve taken it twice to the Hyundai dealership. Both times they have not been able to figure out what is wrong with it even with the OPD it’s not showing any issues or fault codes a technician has even had the car for one week went through every single sensor, cable, battery, alternator fuses and didn’t come up with any results. He returned the car back to me completely baffled and unable to fix the issue. Please email at[ XXX] For photos and video which I cannot add here on this website through mobile. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI #11529005

Official recalls

23V181000 · Trailer Hitches

Mar 17, 2023

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.

18V715000 · Air Bags:side/window

Oct 11, 2018

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles. The Side Curtain Air Bag (SCAB) mounting bolts may interfere with and damage the air bags during deployment.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash, if the air bags become damaged during deployment they may not inflate properly, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the SCAB installation bolts, free of charge. The recall began December 3, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 177.

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

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.