2025 Hyundai Santa FE

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/30/2025· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  I am submitting this complaint to formally report ongoing and unresolved vehicle safety defects involving a leased 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. These defects include persistent toxic or chemical odors inside the passenger cabin, electrical and body control system malfunctions, and unintended vehicle operations that present serious risks to occupant health, vehicle security, and public safety. Despite multiple service visits and repeated requests, Hyundai dealerships have refused or failed to conduct comprehensive diagnostic testing, leaving the vehicle in an unsafe and unreliable condition.

• 12/28/2025· FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  I am reporting a safety hazard with the Driver Monitoring/Driver Assistance system in my 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL (VIN: [XXX] ). The system frequently misinterprets my normal driving behavior as inattentiveness and triggers constant, loud beeping while I am driving. In many cases, it also disables assistance functions mid‑drive, which is dangerous and unexpected. The false alerts appear to be caused by the system misreading my eyes due to their natural shape and size. This issue does not occur with my wife, who has larger eyes, which indicates the system is biased toward certain physiologies and does not reliably detect all drivers. I have tested this repeatedly: if I strain my eyes unnaturally wide, the alerts stop, but this is extremely uncomfortable and only sustainable for a few seconds. The system is effectively pressuring the driver to adopt unsafe, unnatural behavior to avoid constant alarms. Environmental conditions such as sun glare, rain, and darkness make the false alerts even more frequent. The sudden loud beeping is startling and forces me to divert attention from the road. The unexpected loss of assistance features during driving further increases the risk of an accident. This system is not functioning as an assistive feature. Instead, it creates distraction, encourages unsafe compensatory behavior, and fails to accommodate normal variations in driver physiology. I request that NHTSA investigate whether Hyundai’s driver monitoring system meets safety and reliability standards and require corrective action if necessary. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 12/27/2025· POWER TRAIN

  After a maintenance service was performed at 16500 miles, we began to notice a high pitched whistling sound when pressing gas pedal doing highway driving above 75mph. The car was brought back to the dealer who couldn’t duplicate the complaint. We drove cross country, sound consistent until it began to make the sound at lower and lower speeds. We arrived at our destination and I took the car to the dealer we bought the car from. Their tech claimed it was normal coil whine. Since it was progressing I had the manager test drive the vehicle who agreed it was not normal. After a week we switched service advisors who immediately determined it was a failing transmission that needed replacement Now waiting for parts to arrive. I am requesting a buyback per California lemon law

• 12/24/2024· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Hyundai Distracted Driver feature is FAULTY and VERY hazardous! If someone puts on sunglasses to drive SAFELY, the vehicle says you ARE distracted; and cuts the cruise control and starts braking on its own. VERY BAD!!! The vehicle is almost undrivable. Many others are having their dealerships buy their Hyundai Santa Fes back because they are nearly undrivable and are a general US roadway hazard, due to the way the faulty "Distracted Driver" feature kills cruise control AND actually distracts drivers constantly ... causing very unsafe driving conditions. Might have to get our dealership to buy back our brand new 2025 Santa Fe Limited (as MANY others have already done). The Distracted Driver feature actually distracts drivers constantly AND causes unsafe and hazardous driving conditions. Please ... please ... please strongly compel Hyundai to fix this A.S.A.P., by Hyundai issuing a patch to their system update that allows drivers to turn off/disable the hazardous "Distracted Driver" feature. Hyundai Community Posts: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 12/22/2025· TIRES

  As I was driving I heard a pop the front driver side tire popped from side wall And the back driver side tire has a big bubble in it and I did not hit any pot holes 2 tires on the same side failed on me and my car only has around 1500 miles one pop and one has a big bubble on a new car

• 12/18/2025· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  There have been several times that I have been driving and either turning onto a 4-lane road (2 lanes going each way) or driving on the parkway, where my car has slammed on the brakes by itself. Not only was I not prepared for this to happen, but neither were the cars behind me. I tend to drive with at least 1.5 car-length space between myself and the car in front of me. Last week, I was making a right hand turn (going north) into the right lane from a residential street. The only other car near me was the one driving in the left lane (also going north). My car drove about 100 ft and maybe realized that there was a car next to me and just slammed on the brakes. I was suddenly thrown forward. My seat belt locked and I was thrown back into my seat. I had a bruise from my seat belt and came too close to slamming my head on my steering wheel. Thankfully, the car behind wasn't tailgating. About a month ago, I was driving on the parkway going east. I was originally in the right lane. I put on my blinker and when it was clear, I changed lanes to the middle lane. After I was clear and my blinker was off, my car started screaming to tell me that there was a car in my driver's blind spot (this happens EVERY time I switch lanes). I drove for maybe 1.5 - 2 miles and then suddenly, my car slammed on the brakes. Someone must be watching over me because the Escalade behind me (definitely tailgating) was somehow able to swerve into the left lane and then swerve around me to cut me off in revenge. They were screaming and honking at me, while I was screaming and yelling at my car. They could have easily have plowed into me (we were driving at least 60mph) and could have caused a horrible accident that could have killed myself or others around me. I have notified Hyundai of this issue and have read many similar complaints online. Hyundai claims they cannot "replicate the situation" and therefore, Hyundai Corp is unable to fix the problem.

• 12/18/2025· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  I have had my 2025 Santa Fe since May 28, 2025. Shortly after, I was driving to the supermarket and once I found a spot, I put the car into Park. Unfortunately, I did not start recording the episodes and taking pictures until July 29, 2025. I had had my car into Hyundai of 110 two weeks prior. One of the in-take people saw the episode happen once I put the car into P. I asked him if this was normal and he told me no. He then got several of the managers and they immediately came over because this was occurring: My dashboard was literally screaming at me, the MPH and RPM were flashing and the battery warning light along with the warning light that shows the car with the hood open were flashing. The following message was displayed: Auto Stop is OFF. Shift to P or N and start engine manually. I asked this person several times if it was ok to shut off. Every time, he said yes. I asked if he wanted to take a pic or record it and he told me not to worry. He'd remember. So I shut the car off. Well, he never once spoke up while they were trying to find out what the silly female was speaking about. Since then, this has happened MULTIPLE times. I recently dropped my car off at Hyundai of 110 and they concluded that because they were unable to "replicate the problem", there was nothing wrong. I had sent them every single video or picture. Despite concluding that there was nothing wrong with my car, they will not put that in writing. Nor will they put in writing that they will accept fault for when my car stops working in the middle of nowhere and God forbid, something happens with myself and/or my passengers. My car is currently sitting at Hyundai of 110. They refuse to allow a manufacturer's technician to look at my car. All of my videos exceed 10 MB

• 12/16/2025· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Windshield has crack starting in lower left corner cracking upward to the right. 2nd cracked sine May 2025. Reported 1 crack previously

• 12/15/2025· TIRES

  Pirelli Scorpion MS 255/45 R20 105V M+S A large bulge was found on the inside sidewall of the tire immediately adjacent to the tread. We had it inspected due to a slight shimmy in the nearly new (<3000 miles) vehicle, which had been present since delivery when traveling at highway speeds. We were told that the car was unsafe to drive but neither the dealership where we bought the vehicle and the dealership where we were having it serviced were willing to provide any relief (loaner, warrantee or discounted tire(s), etc.) Pirelli indicated that they may cover it under warrantee but that the tire would need to be shipped to them for inspection to determine if the condition was due to a defect. We drove it slowly home and after a few days of not driving it while trying to get some assistance, we purchased 4 new tires. We were able to find approximately a dozen other similar reports for 2025 Santa Fes with the same tires that had experienced the same issue; one such report indicated that 3 out of the 4 original tires all developed a bulge on the sidewall. When I first attempted to purchase new tires at Costco, the manager "refused" to sell me tires because he insisted that it was a defect and that the dealership should replace it but they did sell them to me after the dealership again refused to do so. We did not retain the tire and the only people to inspect it were the technician at the dealership where we had it serviced and the manager of the Costco tire center. There were no warning lights, but there was a slight shimmy at highway speed (~70 mph) from the time we took delivery until we replaced the tires. The defect was on the inside sidewall and was not readily visible when the tire was installed.

• 12/09/2025· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  On more than 10 occasions the SUV gets stuck in neutral upon starting the car. You can only switch between Park and neutral and are unable to drive the car. It will not go into drive or reverse. Sometimes this problem lasts for 10 minutes. The car will not shut off during that time even when you press the stop button the screen just resets. The only solution is to wait or to press the hard reset button on the computer screen. It is a dangerous situation because if you need to go somewhere, you physically cannot drive the car. I took it to the car dealership when the car was almost brand new and they had it for eight days and they did a software update but I don’t think they found the problem. this problem is now having more and more frequently.

• 12/06/2025· SUSPENSION,WHEELS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Intermittent and variable vibration/shaking at all speeds ranging from mild to severe. Worse when cold. TSB 25-SS-002H-1. Despite multiple balancing attempts (hunter road force balancer) and complete set of tire swap there was no resolution. TSB indicates this is a known abnormality/issue and present across all models. Vehicle inspected by 2 different hyundai dealerships and independent dealership without resolution. Began at 7500 miles and has persisted.

• 12/03/2025· FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  The adaptive cruise control does not allow the use of sunglasses to be worn while the cruise control is engaged. The cruise control will immediately shut off when sunglasses, and some prescription glasses are worn. This is a safety issue as you are not allowed to wear sunglasses on a sunny day or when the sun is low in the sky and it is below the car's sun visor. The same camera that is looking at the drivers eyes also controls other safety features and disables them when the driver is wearing their sunglasses, and some prescription glasses as well

• 11/30/2025· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  My 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid with 1724 miles was unresponsive in the garage. Not able to get in the car because the 12v battery was completely drained. Hyundai dispatched a tow truck to take it to the local Hyundai dealership. A service provider did call me to let me know the car was there. He also told me that apparently this problem I had was a known issue with the 2025 Santa Fe Hybrids. I had no advance warning of any imminent problems with the battery.

• 11/30/2025· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  I was trying to merge with 70 mph traffic and could not accelerate last 35 mph. Apparently a speed limiting feature came on that has never came on before decided to engage. My daughter and I were terrified and pulled over and googled what the heck had happened. We went into the settings and this feature was not selected at all so I have no idea why it decided to engage itself.

• 11/27/2025· STEERING,LANE DEPARTURE

  Consistently after 10-20 minutes of driving with steering assist or immediately upon driving on cold days (under 50F), the steering wheel generates loud squeaking noises with the steering wheel stiffening and becoming harder to turn, creating a potential safety issue. The change is gradual but required a full stop of the car, shutdown, and restart to remedy. This issue has persisted for months and other Hyundai owners have shared the issue on various forums with Hyundai’s solution to replace the full steering column in some instances. Many owners seem to not be able to get help as dealers are not able to easily replicate this issue without lengthy drives.

• 11/26/2025· STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  Battery/Electrical: 3 separate occasions the battery drained completely overnight, requiring mechanical key to open and jumpstart services from AAA (covered under Hyundai services). Risk of leaving me stranded on isolated areas. Problem confirmed via 3 requests for AAA to jumpstart my vehicle. Hyundai service dept inspected vehicle, confirmed low battery levels, unable to reproduce issues overnight, reported no electrical or mechanical issues that would cause battery drain. No warning messages, lamps, or symptoms prior to each failure. Steering wheel column has friction squeak when using driver assist and adjusting direction. No issues at this time.

• 11/13/2025· FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  1. [XXX] – I went to get into the Satna FE, the lights blinked and mirrors moved into the unlock position, but doors would not open. I had to use my husbands car since he was out of town to get to work. I came home at lunch after calling my husband and my salesperson , Paula and used the valet key and was able to unlock and get into the vehicle. I then started the Santa FE and this is when the safety warning message appeared. I felt unsafe and Paula had the Hyundai of Statesboro tow the vehicle from my home, retained it for approximately three days, and reported the issue resolved after clearing diagnostic messages and conducting a 50-mile road test. Vaden of Statesboro contacted me on October 17th stating it was ready for pickup and all the codes were cleared. I picked it up on October 18th. 2. [XXX] – The same issued with the doors not opening and had to use the valet key again, the safety warning reappeared around midday while driving, accompanied by a hard shift / drivetrain shock. The vehicle was returned to Hyundai of Statesboro at approximately 5 p.m. The dealer acknowledged the repeated issue and provided a rental vehicle for me ([XXX]), while repairs continue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 11/09/2025· FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  We purchased a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Caligraphy Vin [XXX] in July 2025. During a road trip the following week when we got on the interstate and my wife turned on Cruise Control she began getting notifications on the front panel telling her to keep her eyes on the road and drive safely. These notifications were showing up during the entire trip (300 miles) every 2-5 minutes. We contacted the dealer and have had it in the shop five times now for them to trouble shoot and try to determine the issue. We also opened a case with Hyundai Corporate which they closed indicating they could not find a problem. I have spent multiple hours riding with my wife, reviewing the owners manual, and researching online in a attempt to resolve this issue. During driving test we have experienced a situation where the Message “Take Control of the car the system is shutting down. Shortly afterwards the Cruise Control shuts down and the driver briefly looses control of steering and acceleration. This is a very dangerous situation at 70 MPH. During my trouble shooting I feel I have narrowed down to issue to the Driver Assist System and the Forward Attention Warning system on our Hyundai. Online research (Reddit) indicates numerous other users are experiencing the same issue across multiple Hyundai models. It’s my opinion that this is a Safety issue since the driver can momentarily loose vehicle control. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 11/06/2025· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EQUIPMENT

  The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa FE. The contact stated that while parked and seated in the vehicle, the instrument panel was blinking on and off several times before going dark. The contact stated that the infotainment system also displayed a blank screen. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for a recall repair, and the contact was informed that there was no failure with the instrument panel. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 6,000.

• 10/29/2025· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  I’ve had several instances where putting the vehicle into park the system doesn’t register the shifter button being pressed and continues to be in the current gear. IThis seems to be a safety issue since it has happened multiple times ever since I bought the vehicle. I made sure to fully press the Park button but it continues to stay in the drive or reverse gear The first time it happened I did not notice the vehicle did not register the gear change and the car started to roll forward towards a building.

• 10/27/2025· VISIBILITY/WIPER

  The window washer fluid is does not cover the the upper areas of the window, making it difficult to see particularly in snowy or icy weather.

• 10/22/2025· POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE

  Bought this brand new Santa Fe in July 2025 and on day 5 after purchasing this vehicle, car stopped accelerating while driving on highway, which is a serious safety concern. Took the vehicle back to the dealership and turned out the issue is with failed catalytic converter and they had to replace it. Since then, the acceleration has not been that great and had continuous issues with random engine noises etc

• 10/20/2025· SEAT BELTSCrash

  The contact owned a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact’s spouse stated that while at a stop, the vehicle was rear-ended by another vehicle. The spouse reported that during the collision, the driver’s seat belt became inoperable and detached from the driver’s seat. No injuries were sustained, and no medical attention was required. The spouse also stated that the air bags did not deploy during the incident. A police report was filed, and a report number was provided to the contact. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was declared totaled. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 8,500. The VIN was not available.

• 10/14/2025· FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  I just purchased a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe and the Smart Cruise Control won't work with sunglasses on. There is an Infared sensor on the steering column that has to see your eyes. Sunglasses are needed for this vehicle. If you don't wear them, the sunlight blinds you. The system will beep, display a message stating full face can't be seen, and it shuts the cruise control off and the vehicle decelerates, which is unsafe.

• 10/14/2025· AIR BAGSCrash

  The contact owned a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a deer jumped out in front of the contact's vehicle. The contact's vehicle crashed into the deer, where it came to a stop by the side of the roadway. The contact stated that none of the air bags deployed. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The vehicle was condemned as a total loss. The contact did not sustain any injuries. A Police report was filed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 10,024.

• 10/10/2025· POWER TRAIN

  Went By Lee Hyundai of Fayetteville my 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe [XXX] my vehicle gave a warning check transmission oil immediately vehicle was sluggish. I was told to bring it back Monday October 6th they kept it for a week pick it up today October 10th, 2025 they worked on it I had to bring it right back. Went to Sam's club up the street got ready to leave message pops up check your transmission oil immediately call dealer had me to bring it back light stayed on driving there RPM wouldn't get over 2.5 I thought I was going to get run into stopping and going back made there dealership working on it again just purchased it [XXX] little over 3,6004miles I was scared to death INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 10/09/2025· UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  Wearing any kind of polarized sunglasses prevents you from seeing the Heads-Up display and will abruptly disable the adaptive cruise control. The Santa Fe forum has hundreds of complaints about this, yet Hyundai has not done anything to correct the problem. I have asked three different dealers about this problem, and they just repeat the company line (you need to find sunglasses that don't cause a problem). This situation is dangerous and unacceptable.

• 10/09/2025· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  The alert, "Consider taking a break", produces visual and audible alarms. The audible alarm emits from the dash and has a similar sound to the seat belt not buckled alarm. There is no obvious event that causes the alert. Sometimes occurring minutes after starting the engine, other times randomly during several hours of driving. During normal driving conditions (low traffic, no weather problems) this alert is just annoying. However, during stressful driving with heavy traffic and or weather events, this distraction draws attention away from the task at hand, driving safely. There should be an option to turn this alert off or set the parameters for when it is triggered.

• 10/08/2025· ENGINE

  Yesterday while I was driving I almost was hit by another car in an intersection. My car did not respond fast enough, the engine did not have any stregth. I found today after I took it for service that it needs a replacement of the oil pump. My car is new it only has 4 months of usage and this type of repairs is done in vehicles with a high mileage. This is very uncommon.

• 10/03/2025· SEAT BELTS,STRUCTURECrash

  The contact owned a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the driver's front door was making an abnormal creaking sound. The contact stated that while driving, but at a standstill, a 2008 Toyota Camry rear-ended the vehicle. There was significant damage on the driver's side of the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The alert was making the normal dinging sound for the approaching vehicle. The driver sustained a concussion. The passenger sustained injuries to her hip, back, pelvis, and orthopedic system, and medical attention was provided. The contact's daughter was occupying the passenger-side seat, and the seat belt dislodged near her waist from the outside near the door (the seat belt retractor connected to the vehicle's structure). A police report was filed. There was no fire or airbag deployment. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired, as they were having mechanical issues at the time. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The Hyundai inspector was able to inspect the vehicle, but the findings were unknown. The vehicle was taken to a collision center, and the vehicle was deemed a total loss. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.

• 09/15/2025· POWER TRAIN

  We have experienced sluggish/poor acceleration response, scary hesitation at take off regardless of how hard you depress the gas pedal and when driving and are at a speed approx.45-55 mph and press the gas pedal as much 75% and there is no acceleration. I have had the vehicle at an authorized Hyundai Dealer repair shop 3 times and have filed a formal complaint with Hyundai. Hyundai states that this problem ridden transmission is operating as designed but not admitting that the design is badly flawed, to the point where Hyundai have discontinued this transmission in the 2026 version of this vehicle. This is not a complaint based on personal preference or likes, yet it is totally based on the fact that this is drivetrain is very unreliable and unsafe.

• 09/10/2025· STEERING,SUSPENSION

  The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while stopped and making a left turn from a cross street, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and traffic allowed the contact to make the turn; however, the steering wheel jerked to the right, and the vehicle jumped over a median strip. The contact stated that there were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the right front passenger’s side tire rolled over the median strip, and then the rear passenger’s side tire next. The contact depressed the brake pedal, and the vehicle stopped in a parking spot on the side of the street. The contact shifted the vehicle to park(P) and turned off the vehicle. The contact observed that the right front passenger’s side tire was flat. The contact called Roadside Assistance, and the technician informed the contact that there was a cut on the inside side wall of the front passenger’s tire. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the passenger’s side front suspension arms and other parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the vehicle was difficult to steer while the steering wheel was vibrating. The contact took the vehicle back to the same dealer, who removed the aftermarket parts and replaced the parts with OEM steering and suspension parts; however, there was still a vibration in the steering wheel. The contact stated that several times, while turning to the left, the vehicle would turn to the right instead. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.

• 09/01/2026· VISIBILITY/WIPER

  I am reporting a potential safety defect involving repeated windshield chipping and cracking on my 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The vehicle was purchased new. The first incident occurred on April 15, 2025, approximately three months after I purchased the vehicle. While driving approximately 60 mph on a highway in clear, dry conditions with no gravel or unusual road conditions, a small rock struck the upper-right portion of the windshield. The windshield cracked from the impact. The windshield was subsequently replaced on June 6, 2025. In June 2026, while again driving approximately 60 mph on a highway under clear and dry conditions, a small rock struck the center of the windshield and caused a chip. In July 2026, approximately one month later, another small pebble struck the upper-middle portion of the windshield and caused another chip. There were no crashes, sudden braking, turning maneuvers, or unusual driving conditions involved in these incidents. I am concerned because the windshield has repeatedly chipped or cracked from relatively small rocks or pebbles. I have owned and driven other vehicles for many years and have never experienced this level of repeated windshield damage from minor road debris. The windshield was supplied by Hyundai. I believe the repeated failures warrant investigation into the quality, durability, material, manufacturing, or specifications of the windshield glass used in this vehicle. The windshield is an important safety component, and a chip can potentially develop into a larger crack and impair the windshield's integrity while the vehicle is being driven. I have photographs of the most recent chip and an invoice documenting the windshield replacement performed on June 6, 2025. I am requesting that NHTSA review this complaint and determine whether similar complaints exist and whether a safety-related defect or trend may be present in the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe.

• 08/28/2026· POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE

  While operating the vehicle, the vehicle suddenly began severely hesitating and stalling. During the incident, engine RPM surged to approximately 6,000 RPM and accelerator pedal response became abnormal. The vehicle was not responding normally to accelerator input, which significantly affected the ability to operate the vehicle safely. The vehicle subsequently recorded diagnostic trouble code P0304 – Cylinder 4 Misfire Detected. The abnormal operation of the vehicle during the incident was also captured on video. The vehicle was taken to an authorized Hyundai dealership for diagnosis. The dealership has advised that because the condition is not currently occurring and they have been unable to duplicate the problem, they may be unable to diagnose or repair the vehicle. The safety concern is not simply an illuminated check-engine light or a stored P0304 code. The concern is the combination of severe hesitation/stalling, abnormal accelerator response, and the engine surging to approximately 6,000 RPM while the vehicle was being driven. The cause of the condition has not been identified and, at the time of this complaint, the vehicle has not been repaired for the underlying problem. I am concerned that this condition could recur without warning while accelerating, entering or crossing traffic, or traveling at highway speeds. A recurrence could result in an inability to accelerate normally, unexpected vehicle behavior, loss of normal vehicle operation, or a collision. Hyundai has been notified of the issue and I have requested further technical investigation of the engine misfire as well as the transmission/TCU and electronic throttle/accelerator systems due to the high-RPM event and abnormal accelerator response. I am submitting this complaint because this appears to be a potentially serious safety-related defect and I want NHTSA to have a record of the incident and determine whether similar stalling, high-RPM, acceleration, transmission, or engine-misfire.

• 08/18/2026· STEERING

  Multiple occasions of the ADAS lane centering system operating unsafely. The worst one was on a gentle left-hand curve on a concrete surfaced bridge at night. The system allowed the vehicle to slowly drift to the outside of the lane. When it was fairly close to the white line, it jerked the wheel back to the left and then released the steering to my control while pointed hard into the oncoming lane. It will do similarly during the day when approaching a center turn lane on the highway. Sometimes it will decide that it should be in the turn lane, will make a rapid input, and then return control to me, now pointed at the oncoming lane. When the vehicle returns control to me, it indicates it by making the steering wheel and lines in the HUD grey, no chime, no warning icon, just green to grey and release the wheel in whatever direction it's pointing. It also sometimes slows drastically for vehicles that have exited the highway when on cruise control or applies hard braking for vehicles in the other lane while in a curve on a hill. There are no lights or malfunction warnings and the vehicle self-diagnostic says everything is operating correctly.

• 08/18/2026· POWER TRAIN

  Auto had a very strong gas smell after arriving at work. Check the engine and underneath the car for leaks but no fluids on the ground or my garage. Smell persisted while out of town and made appointment for inspection. The dealer service man said it was suffering numerous leaks and we’re awaiting parts. Latest info was still leaks present and would advise after making certain no leaks persist.

• 08/17/2026· FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

  Gas needle not going down took and dropped off at Lee Hyundai of Fayetteville North Carolina 28309 8/15/2026 picked it up 08/17/2026 They claim they drove it six miles but they didn’t told it was supposed to be that way sold we filled up when we left the dealer ship drove 78 miles needle still not moving

• 08/12/2025· FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  The attention detection system is the worst designed feature of any vehicle I have ever experienced. It constantly dings while looking directly at vehicles ahead. It is distracting and turns off by looking DOWN directly at the steering wheel. It is a safety hazard and Hyundai needs to push out a fix ASAP or allow the feature to be disabled entirely. You cannot use cruise control without it activated and the feature is a safety hazard that makes the car LESS safe.

• 08/11/2025· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  The climate control screen is difficult to see, especially in sunlight. This makes it unsafe to change things like fan speed while driving. Interestingly all other screens are very bright but this one screen is not bright and dealer says no adjustment available.

• 08/06/2026· POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

  Hyundai Sante Fe Hybrid 2025 has a bad factory seal on the high voltage harness - hybrid battery connector that causes water to intrude the connector under normal conditions which can short the battery and pose a major safety issue. Hyundai is refusing warranty coverage of my shorted hybrid battery on my brand new 2025 Hyundai Sante Fe Hybrid stating “Flood” with no evidence of flood damage. My car experienced multiple P engine hybrid system faults on XXX and would not drive. I had it towed the Van Hyundai Carrollton on that date. They did not look at the car for over a week and it sat on their lot the entire time. On XXX they finally inspected it and claimed the car had been “flooded” and shorted the hybrid battery. The only evidence they provided was moisture in the high voltage harness. There were no water/silt lines, any other damage to any other components, and no evidence of any water anywhere else on the vehicle. The video they showed of the undercarriage only showed normal splash marks from driving. The car was never flooded/submerged. Any water/moisture found in the harness would have been due to a faulty/defective factory seal that should be impervious to water under normal operating conditions. No water/flooding/submersion damage would have been obvious of this. The dealership refused to provide any evidence and had no follow-up. One key aspect they refused to acknowledge was there was a massive rainstorm in [XXX] onXXX which was also the only rainstorm in the area in the previous 1-2 months. This happened while the car was on the dealer’s lot. The car had no issues with any water prior to being at Van Hyundai. A case was opened with Hyundai Corporate and the Dealship also lied stating the car wasn’t in their system until XXX, which is false as I have phone records, tow records, and appointments showing the 7/10 date, so corporate overlooked that. I disagreed with the dealerships diagnosis as it was a scapegoat finding putting all blame o INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 08/05/2026· POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

  What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The vehicle suffers from an intermittent, total engine stalling and propulsion failure. Without warning, the engine completely shuts down while driving and automatically drops the vehicle into "Accessory (ACC) Mode". The vehicle is fully intact, operational when it restarts, and is available for immediate inspection upon request How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? This issue has occurred five total times in live traffic, severely risking the safety of the vehicle's occupants and surrounding drivers. The most recent and dangerous incident occurred on the freeway in heavy, stop-and-go traffic. A sudden, complete loss of power on a high-speed freeway leaves the vehicle entirely vulnerable to rear-end collisions, as it leaves no room or momentum to safely coast to the shoulder. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No. The vehicle has been brought to an authorized Hyundai dealership five separate times specifically to diagnose this exact stalling issue. Because the failure is intermittent, dealership service technicians have been unable to replicate the problem during their test drives or resolve the root cause. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has been inspected five separate times by authorized Hyundai dealership technicians during the service appointments mentioned above. No police, insurance, or independent manufacturer representatives have inspected the vehicle yet, as the stalling has not yet resulted in a physical crash. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear?There are absolutely no dashboard warning lights, check engine indicators, error messages, or mechanical symptoms prior to the failures. The engine shuts down instant

• 08/01/2026· SEAT BELTS

  After waiting a month (called in june car went in 7/28/26)for an appointment with my dealer for 2 recalls and a broken rear seatbelt the dealership has deemed my vehicle unsafe to drive and has impounded my vehicle for almost a week. They have to replace not only 1 rear seatbelts but ALL rear seatbelts. The original recall is for the front seatbelt.

• 07/31/2025· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  I am writing to raise a safety concern regarding this suv, specifically the lower trim level that lack dedicated ventilation to the third-row seating and small ventilationair ways for second rows. In these vehicles, airflow to rear passengers is minimal to nonexistent, as air vents are only provided in higher trim levels for an additional cost. This design choice creates significant safety risks, especially in regions with extreme temperatures like Arizona. Passengers, particularly children, seated in the third row can experience overheating or discomfort during travel, even when the vehicle’s main air conditioning is running. Basic airflow should not be considered an optional or luxury feature, as it is critical to passenger well-being and safety. By tying proper ventilation to a higher-priced trim, the manufacturer effectively places financial barriers on fundamental passenger safety. I request that this matter be reviewed and investigated to determine whether this practice complies with consumer safety expectations and whether ventilation should be standard across all trim levels.

• 07/30/2026· TIRES

  235/60R18 103H While driving the 1year old car, the tire pressure reading in the vehicle began to go down, upon exiting the vehicle it was determined that two holes blew through in the side wall of the tire. Thankfully, this was not as dangerous of a situation as it could’ve been as the car had just come off the highway and was traveling at a lower speed a residential neighborhood. The tire is not available, it was disposed at the place it was replaced at. There were no major tire stores open as it was a Sunday so it replacement tire had to be purchased from a local tire vendor.

• 07/29/2025· VISIBILITY/WIPER

  The windshield wiper fluid is designed to only hit the bottom of the windshield. This does not allow for the windshield to be properly cleaned while the vehicle is in motion. Creates a safety hazard if you cannot wash debris or an excess of bugs from the field of view of the driver. There are multiple complaints regarding the spray location onto the windshield.

• 07/18/2025· POWER TRAIN

  Re: 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe VIN: [XXX]   I am facing several issues that require immediate attention. Below are the unresolved concerns: Transmission Problems 1. When driving downhill with the cruise control on, the transmission produces significant vibrations and makes a lot of noise. This is unacceptable and needs to be checked and fixed, as I am very concerned about my safety.   2. When accelerating from speeds above 45 miles per hour, the RPMs exceed 5,000, but the car does not increase in speed. The transmission fails to shift properly. This has happened three times, and it is very dangerous.   3. During hot weather, the car has stalled multiple times when I accelerate. This has put me in dangerous situations when the car stalls in traffic.   Gas Mileage 4. I have observed a significant reduction in fuel efficiency during high-temperature conditions. Specifically, the gas mileage decreases by approximately 20% to 30% when driving home in the afternoon heat compared to my morning commute, even though I follow the same route.     Message sent to Hyundai.com on 7/14/2025 with supporting documents.   On July 12, 2025, I arrived at my scheduled service appointment at Earnhardt Hyundai regarding my 2025 Santa Fe. To ensure a thorough evaluation, I provided the service technician with a detailed list outlining the specific issues I have been experiencing with the vehicle (attached for your review). It is deeply concerning that Earnhardt Hyundai did not document or formally acknowledge all the complaints I submitted to the service department. (attached invoice) This lack of attention is particularly troubling in relation to the persistent issues with the dual-clutch transmission (DCT) 
 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 07/17/2026· FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE

  I am submitting a second and more urgent safety complaint regarding the Driver Monitoring and Driver Assistance systems in my vehicle. I previously reported this same core defect: the system falsely fails to recognize my face, sounds repeated warnings, and disables driving assistance while the vehicle is moving. Despite that prior complaint, the defect remains, and the seriousness of the danger has clearly not been recognized or addressed. This defect has now placed my life in immediate danger. While I was driving, the system falsely determined that it could not properly see my face. It sounded repeated warnings and then abruptly disabled driving assistance. That sudden withdrawal of assistance created a near-crash situation. I was attentive and was not experiencing a medical emergency. The danger was created by the system’s false detection and defective response. A safety system should reduce danger. This system detected a supposed problem and made the situation more dangerous by removing the assistance that was helping keep the vehicle under control. Had this occurred beside a concrete barrier, near stopped traffic, in a construction zone, on a curve, or next to a large truck, the result could have been a fatal collision. I could have been killed because of this system defect. When a driver cannot be verified, the vehicle should maintain lane control, reduce speed, activate hazard warnings, and perform a controlled safe stop. It should never abruptly withdraw assistance and create a more dangerous condition. I request that NHTSA investigate why a previously reported life-threatening defect remains unresolved and require Hyundai to correct this system logic before someone is seriously injured or killed.

• 07/16/2026· TIRES

  First tire blowout- 6/3/26- on Ohio turnpike tire just blew. No nails / no pothole/ no reason back passengers side Second tire blowout - 7/4/26 on laurel street Pittston ( paved road, hit small bump in road. Nothing unusual) tire just blew out. Front drivers side). No nails no reason) Third tire issue -7 /16/26 large bubble noticed on back drivers side . Going to try to drive it to get ANOTHER new tire. After investing this on the internet, this is a know problem with the pitelli scorpion tire on the calligraphy model. We were never notified . Recommendation in line is to Replace all 4 tires! We just patio 1300.00 for the other 2 new ones which are apparently not safe. We no have to get a tire We were lucky that the 2 blowouts did not cause us to get in an accident or cause injury to someone. It’s only a matter of time and hundai will have a major suit in their hands I am going to file a complaint with Hyundai and the attorney general and anyone else I can think of. People need to be warned and they need to pay for new tires tie me plus the ones I already replaced Ethan now need to get rid of. If you Google you will see this had been a known problem previously reported to Hyundai

• 07/10/2026· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

  While driving on the on ramp to [XXX] the car completely stopped and all systems shut off. There were two dash lights that flashed quickly with one being the check engine light but I did not see the other long enough to identify it. The dealership could not reproduce the issue but has the car now and is doing a more thorough evaluation. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The engine stopped. Yes it is available How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Extremely dangerous as it came to a stop in the middle of the road. It was late at night so at that moment no one was behind me. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? no Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? no Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? no, the warning lights flashed on as the car died but disappeared once off. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 07/09/2025· VISIBILITY

  The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the windshield wiper fluid was low. The contact added additional fluid to the reservoir. After the additional fluid was added, the contact became aware that there was windshield wiper fluid on the garage floor. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the soy-based feeding tubes to the windshield wipers had been chewed on by rodents. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed there was no warranty coverage on the vehicle, and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 700. The VIN was not available.