2020 Hyundai Santa Fe

The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. After scanning the vehicle, the contact received a code for torque converter damage. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the TCM update was needed. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The oil light was illuminated and then turned off. The contact became aware that the engine oil was 4 1/2 quarts low, and it was determined there was an oil consumption issue with the engine. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

On [XXX}, my 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL 2.0T (VIN: [XXX] ) experienced sudden complete engine failure accompanied by a strong burning smell. The vehicle would not start or turn over, stranding me and creating a safety hazard. The burning smell indicated potential fire risk. This appears to be related to the known Theta II engine defect that has caused multiple recalls and engine fires in Hyundai vehicles. Despite dealer confirmation that the engine was clean and well-maintained with no customer fault, Hyundai has denied warranty coverage. The sudden failure pattern with burning odor represents a serious safety defect that could endanger drivers and passengers. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I am writing to formally express my serious concerns regarding an ongoing safety issue with a certified used vehicle I purchased from McDonough Hyundai, [XXX] , in December 2024 and the dealership’s repeated failure to resolve the issue, even after a car accident occurred due to this malfunction. Two months after purchase, I discovered that my horn did not work when I attempted to use it. I brought the vehicle back for service and was told the issue had been resolved. However, the horn continued to malfunction. I have returned to the dealership approximately five times with the same complaint. Each time, I was told the horn works, yet it continues to fail intermittently. In June 2025, I was involved in a car accident and was unable to alert the other driver because the horn did not work. Despite the severity of the situation, no one at the dealership has taken appropriate action to identify or correct the issue. During my most recent visit, Service Manager [XXX] witnessed firsthand that the horn did not work. His technician pressed it once, and because it worked in that moment, the vehicle was returned to me without further inspection. This intermittent failure has still not been addressed. I have time-stamped video evidence showing the horn failing just two days after the last service visit. A non-working horn is a major safety hazard. The repeated dismissal of this issue is unacceptable. I expected better from a pre certified used vehicle. I would be happy to provide any information needed to resolve this issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Maintenance has been maintained on this SUV. SUV has about 20,000 miles. While at a complete stop at stop light, the SUV jerked a few times and when attempting to drive the accelerator pedal the SUV would not respond. I then put in park then back in drive slow acceleration, was able to pull over. After turning SUV off and waiting a few minutes , turned SUV back on engine light is on. Home is 10min. away, engine light is on and acceleration sucks. By time I park the engine light is off. Wait 2 hrs. drive around the block no light acceleration is off. Dealership is not helpful no engine lights can 0914not tell what is wrong with SUV. Its has been a week no engine light but acceleration still fill off.

The vehicle has been taken in for routine oil changes and other routine maintenance since purchasing in January 2024. On 9/4/2025, just before arriving home from work, the oil light came on. I checked the dipstick and it was dry. There was no oil in the engine. The last oil change was ~3600 miles ago (regular intervals of 5,000 with synthetic oil). I added two quarts of oil before driving anywhere. On 9/5/2025, I took the vehicle into a shop to have the oil topped off and asked if there were any obvious signs of a leak. The mechanic noted there were no signs of a leak, but added that Hyundai had a lawsuit about the Theta II engine consuming an excessive amount of oil and to look into it. Upon looking into the lawsuit, it came to my attention that my vehicle has this engine and this is a likely culprit to the problem. This report was advised to work toward a resolution to the issue.

There is a problem with the car's headlights. They are having to be replaced every couple months. I have taken it to the dealership and they told me it would be several hundreds of dollars to diagnose, but cannot tell me anything upon inspection other than needs replacement. We are having to purchase new bulbs every 2-3 months. One side goes out, then the other. We are being careful when replacing them, not to handle them with our fingers and using the bulb lubricant as advised per the parts store. I have receipts for multiple headlamp purchases.

I AM HAVING TO GET AN OIL CHANGE EVERY MONTH FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS. MY ENGINE LIGHTS COMES ON EVERY NOW AND THEN, AND MY OIL LIGHTS COMES ON EVERY MONTH. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE 2020 HYUNDAI SANTA FE'S AND THE COMPLAINTS ARE BEING IGNORED. I HAVE NEVER MISSED MAINTENACE ON MY CAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2020 BRAND NEW. EVEN THE PLACES I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO GET MY OIL CHANGES SAID THEY HAVE HEARD OF THE SAME ISSUES WITH OTHERS THAT HAVE THE SAME YEAR AND MAKE OF CAR. I SPENDS AT LEAST 45-55 DOLLARS A MONTH JUST FOR OIL CHANGES AND SOMETIMES 16.00 IN BETWEEN THE CHANGES BECAUSE THE LIGHT WILL COME ON BEFORE IT'S TIME FOR THE MONTHLY CHANGE. PLEASE HELP!!!

*Problem Parts:I only could check 1 box- should be Brakes and Steering too *ADAS: Lane Keeping Assistance too Over the course of two days, my 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe experienced a serious electrical and safety system failure. It started with the blind spot monitoring lights flickering in the side mirrors and warnings for Forward Collision Avoidance (disabled), ABS, Electronic Stability Control, Downhill Brake Control, Parking Brake & Brake Fluid (blinking red). The rearview camera failed and the screen remained on the radio display when in reverse. The Lane Keeping Assist Indicator shifted from white/green to orange. The next morning, I had trouble opening the vehicle with the key fob. Auto Hold, Master Warning, Forward Collision, ESC, and Downhill Brake Control lights were now steadily on. The MPH numbers on the dash were blurred, and a message appeared saying “Put in P” even though the vehicle was already parked. The accessories light came on, but the engine would not start. Interior lights continued to work. I had to manually open the car and start it by pressing the fob to the button. While trying to exit a parking garage (where a tow truck couldn’t reach me), more warnings appeared: AWD, Low Tire Pressure, Malfunction Indicator (not engine), and Power Steering. I felt tightness in the wheel and had to pull over. The temp and gas gauges dropped to zero along with the RPMs. I have a newer car battery and recently replaced fob batteries, so this was not a simple battery failure. I’ve reported the issue to Hyundai Consumer Affairs. No recall appears under my VIN, despite similar failures being widely reported in this model. I’m a single parent who typically drives with two young children, including one with serious medical needs. I rely heavily on this vehicle for medical travel. The vehicle has since been towed to a Hyundai dealership for diagnostics. This is a serious safety concern and could have led to a loss of control or failure in an emergency situation

First noticed during the last 3 months that the car seemed under powered during acceleration. Then had 2 incidents where the engine shut off when stopped at intersection to turn. Then on [XXX] I noticed while driving, the oil warning light flashed but did not remain on. Then again it flashed 1 time and did not remain lit. Upon checking the oil I found it to be 3 1/2 quarts low. Oil had been changed at the dealership at 90000 miles and the mileage that day was 93340 miles. No leaks under the car where I park at home or work. Have had all our regular oil changes at the dealership every 5000 miles. No prior oil consumption noted. We have contacted the dealership. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)