Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
440–25K
1225–50K
150–75K
875–100K
0100–150K
0150K+
65 reports with mileage · 132 unknown
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.
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
What owners actually said
197 reports
Mileage unknown · May 21, 2026
Unknown Or Other
Vehicle: 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe, VIN [XXX] , exterior Quartz White Pearl. Component: Exterior factory paint (paint/trim). Complaint: This vehicle exhibits a systemic, progressive factory paint defect — excessive peeling and bubbling of the white finish that spreads from one body panel to the next. This is a known defect across …
Read full complaint
Vehicle: 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe, VIN [XXX] , exterior Quartz White Pearl. Component: Exterior factory paint (paint/trim). Complaint: This vehicle exhibits a systemic, progressive factory paint defect — excessive peeling and bubbling of the white finish that spreads from one body panel to the next. This is a known defect across this vehicle generation; Hyundai acknowledged it by issuing Warranty Extension Z05 (TSB 25-BD-004H), which extends paint coverage to 10 years/unlimited miles for affected white-paint vehicles including the 2019 Santa Fe. Hyundai repaired the hood under this warranty in 2025, during which the vehicle was out of service for 77 consecutive days. Since that repair, the defect has migrated to the adjacent fender and has also appeared on a door, demonstrating that it is spreading across the vehicle. Hyundai has offered to repaint only the single currently-visible panel rather than addressing the systemic defect. I am filing this complaint to document the defect and its progression, and to support the public record regarding factory paint failure on these vehicles. No crash, injury, or fire has resulted. The vehicle is owned by my spouse; I am submitting as authorized representative. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA ODI #11739369
Mileage unknown · May 11, 2026
Unknown Or Other
Hyundai recently had a service campaign that was issued to address an emissions related issue in CA. The service campaign was 9C2 and the TSB was 25-01-087H. After this software update was applied to my vehicle the engine is now sluggish on a cold start and the transmission is shifting differently at low speeds and low gears. …
Read full complaint
Hyundai recently had a service campaign that was issued to address an emissions related issue in CA. The service campaign was 9C2 and the TSB was 25-01-087H. After this software update was applied to my vehicle the engine is now sluggish on a cold start and the transmission is shifting differently at low speeds and low gears. It appears that the performance of my vehicle has been compromised. There is a Hyundai forum where many Santa Fe owners are experiencing the same issues after the software update. I have notified the service advisor at my local Hyundai dealership.
NHTSA ODI #11737086
Mileage unknown · May 6, 2026
EngineSuspension
Engine is burning a tremendous amount of motor oil. Dealer does acknowledge engine is burning oil. No warning lights on. Told burning motor oil is normal for a hyundai engine. Engine can seize during driving with no warning and is a safety issue. Front struts are also failing. No warning and is a safety issue: Currently trying t…
Read full complaint
Engine is burning a tremendous amount of motor oil. Dealer does acknowledge engine is burning oil. No warning lights on. Told burning motor oil is normal for a hyundai engine. Engine can seize during driving with no warning and is a safety issue. Front struts are also failing. No warning and is a safety issue: Currently trying to get dealer to cover defective components under warranty. Nothing has been repaired or resolved as of yet.
NHTSA ODI #11736151
Mileage unknown · Apr 30, 2026
Power Train
Vehicle Information: 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Mileage at failure: approximately 109,000 miles Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor Company The vehicle experienced a complete failure of the automatic transmission system. The failed component is available for inspection upon request. At approximately 98,000 miles, the vehicle’s check engine …
Read full complaint
Vehicle Information: 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Mileage at failure: approximately 109,000 miles Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor Company The vehicle experienced a complete failure of the automatic transmission system. The failed component is available for inspection upon request. At approximately 98,000 miles, the vehicle’s check engine light illuminated. I brought the vehicle to an authorized Hyundai dealership for diagnosis while it was still within the 100,000-mile powertrain warranty period. The dealership inspected the vehicle and advised that no issue was found, and no repairs were performed at that time. Approximately 11,000 miles later, the vehicle experienced severe transmission problems, which progressed to complete transmission failure at approximately 109,000 miles. Safety Risk: The transmission failure resulted in a sudden loss of power and reduced vehicle operability while driving. This condition presents a potential safety risk to the driver and surrounding traffic, particularly during normal roadway and highway use. Prior Inspection / Diagnosis: The issue was not identified or reproduced during the dealership inspection at approximately 98,000 miles when the check engine light was present. Other Inspections: The vehicle was inspected by a Hyundai dealership at approximately 98,000 miles. No inspection by police, insurance representatives, or manufacturer engineering personnel has occurred since the transmission failure. Warning Signs: Check engine light illuminated at approximately 98,000 miles Vehicle was taken to dealership for diagnosis at that time No specific transmission warning messages were displayed Dealership reported no issue found Maintenance History: The vehicle has been regularly maintained with oil changes performed approximately every 5,000 miles. Maintenance records are available for review upon request.
NHTSA ODI #11734899
Mileage unknown · Apr 21, 2026
Engine
Engine continuously burns oil excessively and the dealership is falsifying the oil consumption test. At my local oil change shop, there is no oil left on dipstick at 3,000 mile interval. When I took it to dealer for consumption test, they checked dipstick after 1,000 miles and it was OVER THE FULL LEVEL. How can the oil be over …
Read full complaint
Engine continuously burns oil excessively and the dealership is falsifying the oil consumption test. At my local oil change shop, there is no oil left on dipstick at 3,000 mile interval. When I took it to dealer for consumption test, they checked dipstick after 1,000 miles and it was OVER THE FULL LEVEL. How can the oil be over the full level? This indicates they overfilled it to begin with and invalidated the test. Hyundai corporate is doing everything they can do avoid addressing this issue with the 2.4 engine in these models. Additionally, the transmission already failed less than 70k miles on the car.
NHTSA ODI #11732764
Mileage unknown · Apr 13, 2026
EnginePower Train
we took it in to be looked at after it had a o2 sensor go bad I changed the sensor and checked fluids I noticed the oil was a touch low and it had metal on the dipstick. I took in to dealership for repair / replacement and Hyundai denied the claim. Even after I have video proof from the dealer technician saying there is metal an…
Read full complaint
we took it in to be looked at after it had a o2 sensor go bad I changed the sensor and checked fluids I noticed the oil was a touch low and it had metal on the dipstick. I took in to dealership for repair / replacement and Hyundai denied the claim. Even after I have video proof from the dealer technician saying there is metal and bearing material in the oil. I took it to another dealership and they found metal in the oil control valve and still denied it. We got the car back because we were not provided a loaner or a rental. I called back in with concern that the car had a weird burning smell and the car would die. Then it started sounding weird as well. Then called again Saturday because I checked oil and it had fuel smell in the oil. Now today it left my family stranded on the highway. I have th 100,000 mile ten year warranty and the car is only at 83480 miles now when this all started it was at 82000. I have expressed my concern of safety before it finally left my family vernable to be injured in the lane that it died in This afternoon. Many denied claims and now very dangerous situation that was preventable and could have cause fire or death. I brought to manufactures attention early to prevent a accident happening. I was denied all the way through the process .
NHTSA ODI #11730989
Mileage unknown · Apr 5, 2026
Structure
The door was completely shut - I was driving on the highway - no alarm on the instrument panel, fully stage 2 latched ( even if it is just stage 1 latched - the instrument panel gives an alarm - there was no alarms about door not fully closed) everything was normal. 15 minutes into the drive - I was exiting the highway, making a…
Read full complaint
The door was completely shut - I was driving on the highway - no alarm on the instrument panel, fully stage 2 latched ( even if it is just stage 1 latched - the instrument panel gives an alarm - there was no alarms about door not fully closed) everything was normal. 15 minutes into the drive - I was exiting the highway, making a right hand turn - the door suddenly popped open, alarm went off on the instrument panel - thankfully did not swing open, I was able to hold onto the door. I shut the door again - drove for 200 Miles - no issue again. This was the first ever time I saw this issue at 90K miles
NHTSA ODI #11729290
Mileage unknown · Mar 2, 2026
StructureUnknown Or Other
The trunk hatch is no longer functioning. The car beeps, but does not unlatch. Once the gate is manually open from a latch inside the trunk, it will not close by pushing the gate close button. It just stopped working. I went into the grocery store, and when I returned with groceries, it stopped working. Hyundai says it's out…
Read full complaint
The trunk hatch is no longer functioning. The car beeps, but does not unlatch. Once the gate is manually open from a latch inside the trunk, it will not close by pushing the gate close button. It just stopped working. I went into the grocery store, and when I returned with groceries, it stopped working. Hyundai says it's out of warranty and will cost $1800 to repair.
NHTSA ODI #11721567
Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 2026
Structure
Paint is significantly peeling on the hood of my car.
NHTSA ODI #11720832
87,000 miles · Feb 12, 2026
EnginePower Train
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating with the accelerator pedal depressed and the RPM raised. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally failed to start. No warning light was illuminated. Additionally, while driving at…
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating with the accelerator pedal depressed and the RPM raised. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally failed to start. No warning light was illuminated. Additionally, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost automotive power. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that there were metal shavings in the oil pan. Hyundai Eugene (89320 N Game Farm Rd, Eugene, OR 97408) was contacted; however, the failure was not identified. Upon further investigation, the Hyundai Blue Link App retrieved DTC associated with the Power Train EMS and Power Train TCU. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.
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 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
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.
2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year