2026 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

4 recalls, 52 complaints - 5/5 safety rating

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

Defect Description

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6, 2023-2026 Genesis G90, 2024-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe, and Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid vehicles. The driver and passenger seat belt anchors may detach.

Consequence

A detached seat belt anchor will not adequately restrain the seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and reinforce or replace the seat belt anchors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning May 29, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460 and Genesis customer service at 844-340-9741. Hyundai's numbers for this rec... Read more

294,448 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

Defect Description

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 IONIQ 5, Santa Cruz, Kona, Palisade, Palisade Hybrid, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, Sonata, Sonata Hybrid, and Tucson vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display... Read more

Consequence

An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy

The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 24, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai's customer service at 855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 293. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs... Read more

41,651 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN

Defect Description

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025 Tucson, 2025-2026 Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, and 2026 Genesis GV70 vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not have been installed properly, which can cause the air bags not to deploy as intended.

Consequence

Side curtain air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will reinstall the side curtain air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning December 29, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 289 and 029G. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in t... Read more

258 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:CRITICAL FASTENERS

Defect Description

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson and Santa Fe vehicles. The connecting rod bolts in the engine may have been improperly tightened, which can cause a loss of drive power and engine damage, possibly resulting in an oil leak.

Consequence

A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. An oil leak in the presence of hot engine components can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the engine, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 281.

29 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America

Complaint Statistics

52 total complaints 1 crashes 6 fires

Top Reported Components

Component	Complaints
ENGINE	8
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	8
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	7
POWER TRAIN	5
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	3
SUSPENSION	3
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL	2
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	2
SERVICE BRAKES	2
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING	2

Incident date: Sep 1, 2026

Size 245 / 45 R 21 It's already my second tire thta gets a bubble on the side wall without any know crash One tire blew mid driving for no apparent reason on less than 10K miles I recommend you recall all those tires they are dangerous

Incident date: Jul 6, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating. The failure occurred mostly while making a left turn and while accelerating from a stop and continued for 10-seconds before self-correcting. There was no... Read more

Incident date: Jul 6, 2026

Incident date: Aug 28, 2026

Oil light comes on and beeps when putting on brakes suddenly.

Incident date: Aug 7, 2026

TAKE A BREAK" - the feature prompts the driver to “Take a Break” with that text and a‘Coffee Cup” logo after a certain period of continuous driving. There are instances when turning it off is necessary and Hyundai has removed that option - high distracting false alarm rate. The alert, visual... Read more

Incident date: Aug 14, 2026

FORMAL SAFETY COMPLAINT – REPEATED SIDEWALL BUBBLES IN PIRELLI SCORPION MS TIRES Vehicle: 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy Tires: Pirelli Scorpion MS Size: 255/45 R20 I am submitting this complaint because I am extremely concerned about a recurring and potentially dangerous tire problem... Read more

Incident date: Aug 14, 2026

This vehicle constantly pops up an alert to "consider taking a break" on the dash. It mutes everything else and causes a distraction. This vehicle was operated at normal highway driving conditions. THERE IS NO WAY TO DIABLE THIS. After looking online there is a reddit post from 2 years ago where thi... Read more

Incident date: Aug 3, 2026

The contact's daughter owns a 2024 The Fud Trailer Food Trailer. The contact stated that the food trailer was manufactured on 09/13/2024. The contact stated that upon inspection, it was discovered that the food trailer had a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 7,000 pounds and was not equipped wit... Read more

Incident date: Aug 3, 2026

Driving at 4:50am, it’s dark and raining. While driving I noticed fog/steam on my hood. Which sometimes happens when it’s raining. Continued driving but noticed it was still foggy/steam from the hood. I decided to go back home and wait until daylight. I don’t like driving in the rain or dark. ... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Aug 3, 2026

Fire

Incident date: Jul 10, 2026

Complete transmission failure under normal driving at about 50,000 miles. Cost about $7500 to completely rebuild the transmission since Ford has none available within the next 6 months, probably because so many of them are failing early.

Incident date: Jul 10, 2026

Crank bolt snapped causing me to loose power steering, a part failed that shouldn't have .I have the bolt looks like in was cracked when they put it together, it was only on by about three threads, my mechanic and the one from nissan said they'd never seen one come apart before,lucky I wasn't ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 10, 2026

Incident date: May 24, 2026

The power-unlatching tailgate drops open unexpectedly. Opened on freeway at 75mph. Known saftey recall however my VIN isn't listed as an affected vehicle

Incident date: May 24, 2026

Rear passenger suspension failed. Was driving car when I bumped a rut in the road causing failure. No prior warnings prior to incident. Took car to mechanic and the suspension was rusted and nearly snapped in half. Car has received regular maintenance and no issues with suspension had been observed ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 16, 2026

Window actuator does not properly open or close passenger window to open door properly, which is a safety risks to a child. Window could shatter because window will not roll down the inch or so to pull the door open. In order to open the door, the window will shake vibrantly and risk of a child of a... Read more

Incident date: Jun 12, 2026

I was on the highway and my truck suddenly decreased speed rapidly. Luckily I was able to pull onto a side road and get to safety but it was extremely dangerous and scary situation. The dealer has confirmed the symptoms fit the issue with the recall. Since Ford does not have a fix for this soluti... Read more

Incident date: Jun 4, 2026

My 2023 Dodge Charger SXT with approximately 26,000 miles has experienced multiple incidents where, while turning into traffic or accelerating from a stop, the vehicle loses the ability to continue driving and displays a message instructing me to shift into Park and then Drive. The electronic shifte... Read more

Incident date: Jun 4, 2026

Incident date: May 29, 2026

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to you once again to emphasize and provide additional details regarding the critical safety issue I previously addressed concerning the Tesla Model X vehicles, which is similarly affecting Tesla Model S models. My personal experience underscores the severity of ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 4, 2026

We have been having persistent safety issues with this vehicle. The issues have ranged from unsecured gas cap to loss of power. We’ve also had severe transmission issues where the car will not shift out of first gear. This happened on the Garden State Parkway and nearly caused an accident as t... Read more

Incident date: Mar 4, 2026

Im constantly having to put coolant in. My car won’t let me update. I have to pay at a dealership which is too expensive . Also, the two plug in to charge your phone doesn’t work.

Incident date: May 15, 2026

Truck started shifting rough and lurching when sitting still or coming to a stop. Limp mode was engaging and limiting power to unsafe conditions at highway speeds.

Incident date: May 11, 2026

Had to replace transmission at 133k miles. It was jolting sometimes providing a hard jolt at times will driving. There are also times of what feels like a cylinder misfire. Oil is constantly leaking and have to replace oil every 1k Miles. Have had multiple shops look at it and not able to find anyth... Read more

Incident date: May 8, 2026

I had my Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk fixed by Jeep per the recall notice. The PTU was replaced although no issues were apparent. The Car was fine before the work was done, but a month later started having driving issues and felt like it was skipping when turning left and wandering on the freeway. So I t... Read more

Incident date: May 3, 2026

Despite proper maintenance, the vehicle is burning oil at an excessive rate. I have already replaced the oil pan, but the issue persists. I now have to add oil frequently between oil changes. This creates a serious safety concern, as low oil levels can cause engine failure while driving, leading to ... Read more

Incident date: May 3, 2026

I am submitting this complaint to document ongoing brake related concerns on my 2020 Hyundai Elantra that may affect vehicle safety. Since April 2024, I have experienced repeated brake rotor warpage that causes vibration during braking, reduced braking consistency, and a noticeable change in stoppin... Read more

Incident date: May 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra LD Crew. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle's bedrail attachment fully detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage... Read more

Incident date: May 2, 2026

My switch on drivers door started on fire right after I purchased vehicle from third party. There was no warning I just smelled smoke while driving and pulled it out

Fire

Incident date: May 2, 2026

The electrical/infotainment display failure causes the factory rearview camera image not to display when the vehicle is shifted into reverse. The center infotainment display on my 2022 Volvo XC90 intermittently goes completely black and remains inoperable for days at a time. When the screen is blac... Read more

Incident date: Apr 27, 2026

I bought a 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD Calligraphy on April 25, 2026 from Pohanka Hyundai. On April 27, the second row captain's seat on the driver's side folded, pressing my child's chest to his knees. He had his seatbelt on and stated that, even though he tried, he was unable to resist the pressure ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 28, 2026

I am submitting this statement to report a recurring safety and reliability issue with the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The vehicle intermittently displays a “Shift to Park” message when the car is turned off, even though the gear selector is already in the Park position. Due to this malfunction, the ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 10, 2026

Transmission issue per car dealer

Incident date: Mar 21, 2026

Vehicle has 78000 miles on it and has started to stutter/struggle to find gears between what I believe to be 3rd and 5th gear. It generally happens between 25-40 mph. This has consistently happened whether the vehicle is cold or warm. This, according to many forums I’ve seen, is a common issue wit... Read more

Incident date: Mar 20, 2026

I am the owner of a 2025 Hyundai Palisade SEL Premium, purchased in April 2025, currently at approximately 19,000 miles. I am writing to formally report two open safety recalls on this vehicle for which no remedy is currently available: 1. THIRD-ROW SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG RECALL: Affecting approximat... Read more

Incident date: Mar 13, 2026

Was driving 35mph speed limit in my town of Nashville NC, lost acceleration with cars clearly behind me, car stalled was enough speed to turn into a parking area and car will not re start due to high voltage battery going out on me while driving.car has 29,504 miles this battery should be replaced u... Read more

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

As I was driving at 55mph on the hwy I started smelling gas. I thought it was the car in front of me so I was just going to pass him, but quickly realized I did not have the power to pass another car. So I pulled over on the highway and got out of my truck and noticed flames dripping from the center... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

Fire

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

Fire

Incident date: Mar 8, 2026

PARKING VEHICLE AT 5MPH BRAKES DID NOT WORK, AND CAR SHOT FORWARD-HIT STEEL POST.

Crash

Incident date: Feb 20, 2026

For 7 days straight, during cold weather, the car dashboard would cycle through at least 7 indicators indicators reporting such as lane departure, tire pressure ABS, cruise control failure, emission system failures, posing a danger when showing up in the middle of trips on the highway. In other inst... Read more

Incident date: Feb 20, 2026

Our fuel pump went out, causing us to be stranded and having to have our Honda Pilot toward 45 minutes away to the Honda dealer to have it replaced. There were no warning lights on until we were going down the highway and all of a sudden the dash warning codes were flashing like crazy. We turned our... Read more

Incident date: Feb 1, 2026

I am submitting this complaint regarding a newly leased 2026 Tesla Model Y Premium RWD, which I took delivery of on February 6, 2026 from Tesla Watertown, MA. I am a returning Tesla customer and entered this lease after test driving the same model on January 24, which did not exhibit any issues. Imm... Read more

Incident date: Feb 2, 2026

The vehicle has a speed limit sign feature where it displays the speed limit of the road you are on in the windshield. However, this is displaying inaccurate speeds limits which is very dangerous. I have contacted Volkswagen about the issue and they advised that there is nothing they can do. If som... Read more

Incident date: Feb 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4XE. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, it was plugged into the charger and red dots illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was advised not to connect the vehicle to the charger. The contact was informed of an open... Read more

Incident date: Jan 27, 2026

I live in Canada.While driving, my 2017 Ford F-150 with the 6R80 automatic transmission suddenly shut off without warning. The vehicle lost power while in motion, creating a dangerous situation. The incident was accompanied by multiple powertrain fault codes (5 P-codes). This appears to be related t... Read more

Incident date: Jan 18, 2026

Excessive oil burn off. Oil is getting into the cylinder, causing scorching. This causing engine failure.

Incident date: Jan 9, 2026

I could hear a loud grinding noise while driving and the rear of the truck felt like it was driving without any type of suspension. Any bump or slight imperfection in the roadway felt like metal banging and a severe thump could be felt inside the vehicle. The front of the vehicle felt fine but the r... Read more

Incident date: Dec 31, 2025

Multi purpose camera stops working while in use causing safety features to stop working. Has almost caused a serious accident.Acura is stating it is not an issue they feel obligated to fix.

Showing 50 of 52 complaints.

NHTSA Safety Ratings, 2026 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

2026 HYUNDAI SANTA FE SUV N/A AWD

Category	Rating
Overall Rating	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Frontal Crash	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Frontal Crash, Driver	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Frontal Crash, Passenger	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Side Crash	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Side Crash, Driver	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Side Crash, Passenger	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Rollover	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Rollover Risk	17.4%

Safety Technology

Feature	Status
Electronic Stability Control	Standard
Forward Collision Warning	No
Lane Departure Warning	No

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings Program. Ratings are based on crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

NHTSA Safety Investigations, HYUNDAI SANTA FE

Investigations opened by NHTSA into potential safety defects. These are separate from recalls and may or may not result in a recall.

DP, Closed , Model Year: 2017

3.3L Engine Loss of Motive Power (LOMP)

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition on February 2, 2024, requesting a defect investigation into an alleged defect of the "engine" on the following vehicle model: 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles equipped with the 3.3L V-Shaped GDI Lambda-II engines. The petition cites allegat... Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2011

Non-crash Vehicle Fires

During this Preliminary Evaluation (PE), the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) assessed the scope, frequency and potential safety-related consequences of non-crash vehicle fires caused by both engine failures and failures of other vehicle systems/components in model year (MY) 2011-2014 Hyundai S... Read more

DP, Closed , Model Year: 2011

Non-crash Vehicle Fires

In a letter dated June 11, 2018, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a safety defect investigation into non-collision related fires on model year (MY) 2011-2014 Kia Optima and Sorento, and Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe vehi... Read more

RQ, Closed , Model Year: 2012

Scope and Timeliness

NHTSA opened Recall Query (RQ) 17-004 to investigate the timeliness and scope of Hyundai?s Theta II GDI engine recalls (Recall Nos. 15V-568 and 17V-226), and Hyundai?s compliance with reporting requirements. On November 23, 2020, the Agency entered into a Consent Order with Hyundai to administrative... ly resolve NHTSA?s assertions of violations of law in connection with RQ17-004. NHTSA?s assertions included that Hyundai may be liable for civil penalties on multiple grounds, including the untimeliness of Recall Nos. 15V-568 and 17V-226, inaccuracies in Hyundai?s recall reports, and that a required report describing potential safety-related issues contained certain inaccuracies or omissions.Under the Consent Order, Hyundai agreed to a total civil penalty of $140,000,000. The total civil penalty included payment of $54,000,000 as a Non-Deferred Amount. Hyundai also agreed to a sum of $46,000,000 as an Abeyance Amount to be deferred and held in abeyance pending its satisfactory completion, as reasonably determined by NHTSA, of the requirements of the Consent Order.Additionally, Hyundai agreed to a $40,000,000 Performance Obligation Amount to be expended by Hyundai to fulfill specified Safety Data Analytics Infrastructure obligations and Test and Inspection Laboratory obligations. The Consent Order also includes other terms designed to enhance Hyundai?s safety practices, and requires Hyundai to retain a Third-Party Auditor who directly reports to NHTSA.Other than RQ17-004, the Consent Order is not intended to affect any other current or future investigation which may involve vehicles equipped with Theta II GDI engines. In particular, Engineering Analysis (EA) 21-003 (which is upgraded from Preliminary Evaluation (PE) 19-003) continues NHTSA?s evaluation of certain performance and design issues relating to the Theta II and other engines.Nothing in the Consent Order discharges Hyundai from any obligation to comply with the Safety Act or regulations thereunder, including the obligation to carry out recalls in accordance with law, and to initiate a recall upon any future determination by Hyundai, or upon any finally adjudicated order from NHTSA, that vehicles equipped with Theta II GDI engines contain a defect related to motor vehicle safety or do not comply with an applicable FMVSS.This RQ is closed. Closure of this RQ has no bearing on the terms of the Consent Order, including Hyundai's ongoing performance obligations, and does not represent a determination by the agency as to Hyundai?s performance under the Consent Order to date.Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2013

Front Axle Shaft Failure

In a letter dated August 9, 2013, Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center, Inc. (Hyundai-Kia) submitted two Defect Information Reports (DIR) to NHTSA identifying a safety defect related to fracture of the right front axle shaft in MY 2013 front wheel drive Hyundai Santa Fe Sport vehicles built from Jul... Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2011

Steering Shaft Universal Joint Failure

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE12-029 based on one complaint alleging that a fastener became loose in the steering shaft of a model year (MY) 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicle and related Early Warning Reporting field report data.In it's response to ODI's information request letter f... Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2010

Transmission Intermediate Driveshaft

On April 25, 2011, Kia Motors Corporation submitted a defect notification letter to NHTSA regarding a transmission intermediate driveshaft condition in approximately 12,690 model year (MY) 2011 Kia Sorento 2-wheel drive vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and 2.4L engines (NHTSA Recall No... Read more

EA, Closed , Model Year: 2001

REAR TRAILING ARM CORROSION FAILURE

IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 14, 2009, HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER, INC (HYUNDAI) NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL OF APPROXIMATELY 85,000 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2001 THROUGH 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO JANUARY 27, 2003, THAT ARE REGISTERED AND OPERATED IN TH... Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2001

REAR SUSPENSION TRAILING ARM FAILURE

IN RESPONSE TO AN INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER SENT BY THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) DURING THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION, HYUNDAI PROVIDED ODI WITH 15 ALLEGATIONS OF CORROSION FAILURE OF THE LEFT- AND/OR RIGHT-REAR SUSPENSION TRAILING ARM.THREE OF THE 15 CONSUMERS ALLEGED A LOSS OF VEHICLE ... Read more

PE, Closed , Model Year: 2001

ENGINE SEIZURE

There is no summary currently available

HYUNDAI SANTA FE - All Years Overview

Complete safety history for the HYUNDAI SANTA FE across all model years (2001, 2026).

96 Total Recalls

10,465 Total Complaints

10 Investigations

576 Reported Crashes

254 Reported Fires

17 Reported Deaths

HYUNDAI SANTA FE - Year by Year

Compare recalls and complaints across model years. Click any year to see full details.

Year	Recalls	Complaints
2026 (current)	4	52
2025	5	194	View
2024	7	214	View
2023	1	323	View
2022	5	310	View
2021	7	242	View
2020	2	295	View
2019	2	282	View
2018	2	143	View
2017	6	1,281	View
2016	3	291	View
2015	2	332	View
2014	3	679	View
2013	3	807	View
2012	1	475	View
2011	3	268	View
2010	3	333	View
2009	3	507	View
2008	6	718	View
2007	9	982	View
2006	1	143	View
2005	3	300	View
2004	3	386	View
2003	4	390	View
2002	4	219	View
2001	4	293	View

Other HYUNDAI Models

Model	Recalls	Complaints
SONATA	184	21,863	View
ELANTRA	133	11,853	View
PALISADE	124	2,704	View
TUCSON	95	8,074	View
SONATA HYBRID	67	1,129	View
IONIQ 5	66	1,865	View
ACCENT	64	2,745	View
SANTA FE HYBRID	57	347	View

Vehicle Safety

Consumer Safety

Infrastructure

Public Health

2026 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

Complaint Statistics

Top Reported Components

NHTSA Safety Ratings, 2026 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

Safety Technology

NHTSA Safety Investigations, HYUNDAI SANTA FE

HYUNDAI SANTA FE - All Years Overview

HYUNDAI SANTA FE - Year by Year

Other HYUNDAI Models