NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
50 reportsClear category filter78,000 miles · Jun 29, 2026
Power Train
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5-30 MPH, the transmission failed to shift properly, and the vehicle lost motive power. The engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was repai…
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The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5-30 MPH, the transmission failed to shift properly, and the vehicle lost motive power. The engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V746000 (Power Train); however, the failure persisted. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
NHTSA ODI #11747209
Mileage unknown · Jun 24, 2026
EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control
My check engine light came on, and my car was also feeling "sluggish" and slow to accelerate. I scheduled a service appointment at my local dealer 4 days later. At the appointment, the technician stated everything checked out okay and the check engine light was likely an "anomaly" or "outlier" but otherwise nothing to be concern…
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My check engine light came on, and my car was also feeling "sluggish" and slow to accelerate. I scheduled a service appointment at my local dealer 4 days later. At the appointment, the technician stated everything checked out okay and the check engine light was likely an "anomaly" or "outlier" but otherwise nothing to be concerned about since everything checked out "okay" and no problems were identified during their test drive. However, that very afternoon, I was driving down the interstate, where the posted speed limit is 70mph, when my check engine light came on again and suddenly lost power, drastically reducing my speed and could not accelerate faster than 39mph. Luckily, the interstate was not busy at the time (about 10:30-11:00 a.m. Saturday morning) and there were only less than 4 cars behind me that were able to easily switch lanes and pass me. I moved over to the shoulder to a complete stop and restarted my car. My check engine light remained illuminated and was still slow to accelerate and "sluggish" but was able to (slowly) reach interstate speed (60-70mph) until I reached an acceptable exit and safely made it to my destination. I have since used roadside assistance to tow the vehicle from my home to the the same dealership for inspection and service (again).
NHTSA ODI #11746250
Mileage unknown · Apr 14, 2026
EnginePower Train
First instance at 50-55 mph the transmission violently shook the car when downshifting to accelerate on multiple occasions. Dealership diagnosed the problem as a faulty transmission and replaced it at 44064 miles on March 18, 2025. Second time the car failed to accelerate when merging into traffic while the engine revved very …
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First instance at 50-55 mph the transmission violently shook the car when downshifting to accelerate on multiple occasions. Dealership diagnosed the problem as a faulty transmission and replaced it at 44064 miles on March 18, 2025. Second time the car failed to accelerate when merging into traffic while the engine revved very high. Again it was taken to the dealership and the diagnosis was faulty transmission. A second transmission was in stalled at 51331 miles. Second transmission began downshifting hard upon accelerating at highway speeds. Retuned to dealership and diagnoses was faulty fuel injectors and all four were replaced on April 7 at 52960 miles. On April 10, 2026 the car displayed a check engine light after the car began shuttering at highway speeds and was immediately returned to dealership where it’s pending a diagnoses. Failure to safely accelerate when merging make this vehicle a safety risk.
NHTSA ODI #11731022
Mileage unknown · Mar 12, 2026
Electrical SystemPower Train
-shift lever in transmutation stopped working so car would go into auto shut off and then would not drive once I took my foot off the break. Would not switch gears or drive. Had to shut car off then turn back on to get it to switch gears. -safety was put at risk majorly. Car did that in 5 lanes of traffic with me and kids in ca…
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-shift lever in transmutation stopped working so car would go into auto shut off and then would not drive once I took my foot off the break. Would not switch gears or drive. Had to shut car off then turn back on to get it to switch gears. -safety was put at risk majorly. Car did that in 5 lanes of traffic with me and kids in car and couldn’t drive. We almost got hit. -dealership said no issues found until I took it in a second time for the same issue then they said it was the translation shift leaver. -Briggs Kia inspected it -no warnings at all -This happened MULTIPLE times. Put the most current date
NHTSA ODI #11723881
Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 2026
Power Train
I was about to turn into a 2 lane road and a warning came on my dash, "shifter system malfunction service immediately " my vehicle was in Drive I was unable to move my vehicle, unable to shift into any other gear. It was sudden with no warning or loss of power prior to the warning and loss of movement.
NHTSA ODI #11720840
Mileage unknown · Jan 25, 2026
Power Train
Vehicle has now had several incidences of completing losing all acceleration power while driving at both high and low speeds, resulting in need to turn on hazards and abruptly pull to side of road. Pushing on gas pedal does nothing and vehicle will even roll backwards if I pull over on a hill and take my foot off the brake. I ha…
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Vehicle has now had several incidences of completing losing all acceleration power while driving at both high and low speeds, resulting in need to turn on hazards and abruptly pull to side of road. Pushing on gas pedal does nothing and vehicle will even roll backwards if I pull over on a hill and take my foot off the brake. I have to put vehicle in park and turn off. Sometimes I have to restart the vehicle a few times before it will drive forward after putting it back into drive. The vehicle does not lose electrical power and will sometimes display the master warning light on dashboard and other times have no dashboard indicator of a problem. This is an extremely dangerous situation and my VIN is not listed under safety recall 22V-746 despite exhibiting the same behavior. I have contacted my local Hyundai dealership service in past and they recommended a transmission flush which did nothing to alleviate the issue. It is now happening frequently so we are reaching out to the local Hyundai dealer service center again.
NHTSA ODI #11713279
Mileage unknown · Jan 21, 2026
Power Train
Code P1C2D03 is popping up on my 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe after the dealership "fixed" the recall in 2023. My car is going into limp mode, failing while driving, and unsafe. Dealership and corporate won't help me. The transmission was never replaced with the recall and they are claiming they aren't relatable and can't do anything…
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Code P1C2D03 is popping up on my 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe after the dealership "fixed" the recall in 2023. My car is going into limp mode, failing while driving, and unsafe. Dealership and corporate won't help me. The transmission was never replaced with the recall and they are claiming they aren't relatable and can't do anything unless a recall is reopened.
NHTSA ODI #11712535
99,700 miles · Jan 8, 2026
Power Train
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle experienced hard shifting while attempting to change gears, and the vehicle hesitated, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repair…
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The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle experienced hard shifting while attempting to change gears, and the vehicle hesitated, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired; however, DTC: P1C2D03 was retrieved. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer, where the same diagnostic trouble code was confirmed. The dealer diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 99,700.
NHTSA ODI #11709672
Mileage unknown · Oct 29, 2025
Power Train
My transmission failed, even after the #236 recall in 2022. My car was recalled for Recall #236 in 2022. My car was updated and "fixed" and now in 2025 is showing the p1c2d03 code and requiring a new transmission. The same recall, without the fix.The car is in great health and never had issues until I was going 60 miles per hour…
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My transmission failed, even after the #236 recall in 2022. My car was recalled for Recall #236 in 2022. My car was updated and "fixed" and now in 2025 is showing the p1c2d03 code and requiring a new transmission. The same recall, without the fix.The car is in great health and never had issues until I was going 60 miles per hour on a busy highway and it reduced to 26 miles per hour during busy traffic. Causing me to almost get rear-ended multiple times and people swerving off the highway to miss me. My car was not going, even with the gas pedal down. I had no warnings, it happened out of nowhere.
NHTSA ODI #11696391
Mileage unknown · Oct 17, 2025
Power Train
The transmission in my 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe has failed multiple times. The first failure occurred within the first two years of owning the vehicle. The car began jerking, hesitating, and struggling to accelerate, and the check engine light came on. The dealership confirmed a transmission issue and replaced the transmission unde…
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The transmission in my 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe has failed multiple times. The first failure occurred within the first two years of owning the vehicle. The car began jerking, hesitating, and struggling to accelerate, and the check engine light came on. The dealership confirmed a transmission issue and replaced the transmission under warranty. After that replacement, the same symptoms returned, and the transmission had to be replaced a second time, again under warranty. The most recent transmission replacement was only a few weeks ago, and the same symptoms are already returning — the vehicle hesitates, jerks, and occasionally loses power when trying to accelerate. These problems create serious safety concerns, especially when merging onto highways or crossing intersections. The hesitation and loss of power make it unpredictable and unsafe to drive. I have two young children who ride in car seats, and I no longer feel confident that this vehicle is safe for my family. Hyundai service employees have acknowledged that this is a known, recurring issue with this model’s transmission design. However, no permanent fix or recall has been issued, and I have been told to continue replacing the transmission under warranty until the coverage runs out. This approach does not address the underlying safety defect. The issue has been confirmed by Hyundai dealerships multiple times. The check engine light has come on before each failure. I am reporting this because repeated transmission failures that cause hesitation and power loss are a clear safety risk, and Hyundai has not provided a lasting solution.
NHTSA ODI #11694090
Official recalls
7Nov 21, 2024
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Santa Fe HEV, Elantra, Elantra HEV and 2022 Elantra N and Santa Fe PHEV vehicles. Due to a damaged printed circuit board, the rearview camera image may fail to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 271.
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.
Oct 6, 2022
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Sonata, Veloster N, 2022 Santa Cruz, Elantra N, and Kona N vehicles. The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 236.
Dec 28, 2021
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Santa Fe, 2021 Sonata, and Elantra vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A windshield that detaches from a vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will remove and reinstall the front windshield panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 216.
Jul 9, 2021
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe and Sonata vehicles equipped with 2.5L turbocharged engines. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the high-pressure fuel pump and fuel rail.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 207.
May 3, 2021
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Santa Fe vehicles equipped with 2.5-litre Turbo engines. The fuel pipe connecting the high pressure fuel pump to the fuel rail may not have been tightened properly.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An insufficiently tightened fuel pipe may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers inspected and tightened the fuel pipe connection, free of charge. The affected vehicles have been repaired and therefore no owner notification letters will be sent. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 206.
Mar 17, 2021
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Santa Fe vehicles. The Occupant Detection System (ODS) module may not deactivate the air bag upon detection of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ODS module, free of charge. All affected vehicles have been remedied as of May 12, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 202.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Santa Fe vehicles. The Occupant Detection System (ODS) module may not deactivate the air bag upon detection of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ODS module, free of charge. All affected vehicles have been remedied as of May 12, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 202.
Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Santa Fe vehicles. The Occupant Detection System (ODS) module may not deactivate the air bag upon detection of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ODS module, free of charge. All affected vehicles have been remedied as of May 12, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 202.
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
1DP22003 · 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.