2026 Hyundai Santa Fe

37 complaints on file, page 1 of 2.

1. Filed Oct 1, 2026Failure Sep 14, 2026Cary, NCSteering, Suspension, Wheels

   Vehicle: 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, purchased NEW on [XXX] from Sports Durham Hyundai, Durham, NC. At approximately 1,000 miles, two steering-related safety defects have been present since purchase: 1) Abnormal noise coming from under the steering column while driving. 2) Wheel alignment problem: the vehicle pulls to one side while driving and the tires scrape the curb. Concerned about loss of steering control. The selling dealer refused to inspect or service the vehicle. Written notice of these defects was sent to Hyundai Motor America on 10/01/2026. The defects have not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center because the dealer refused inspection. No warning lamps or messages. No crash, fire, injury, or fatality has occurred. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

   NHTSA complaint 11768270
2. Filed Sep 13, 2026Failure Sep 3, 2026Marrietta, SCUnknown or other

   Rear Back Up Camera Had Moisture In The Lenses Making The Rear Back Up Assist Worthless. Nearly Caused Multiple Collisions While In Revers.

   NHTSA complaint 11763931
3. Filed Sep 6, 2026Failure Sep 1, 2026Jackson, NJTires

   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

   NHTSA complaint 11762478
4. Filed Sep 3, 2026Failure Jul 6, 20265,100 milesBlackwell, OKEngine, Power train

   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 warning light illuminated. The contact stated that there was almost a crash during the failure. The failure was not self-corrected after one failure. The vehicle was turned off and restarted, and the failure was then self-corrected. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failures, and there was no DTC found. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 5,100.

   NHTSA complaint 11761943
5. Filed Aug 29, 2026Failure Aug 28, 2026Mount Olive, ALUnknown or other

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

   NHTSA complaint 11760551
6. Filed Aug 19, 2026Failure Aug 7, 2026Leesburg, FLUnknown or other

   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 and auditory are intrusive, unnecessary, demonstrate a high false alarm rate leading to frustration and distraction. While designed as a safety feature, it has the opposite effect. The system inaccurately interprets the driver’s behavior as signs of fatigue with alerts popping up at an alarming rate. Perfectly normal and safe driving behaviors see the alert popping up again and again. Further there are environmental interferences - bright sunlight, reflections off glasses, bumpy roads requiring frequent corrections - system interprets these as driver inattention and cannot tell the difference between drowsy driving and navigating a poorly maintained highway. New Hyundai models do not allow the driver to disable the Take a Break alert. “You’re cruising down the highway, minding your own business, alert and focused, when your Hyundai flashes a coffee cup icon and tells you to take a break. Again - this for the third or fourth time in 20 minutes. You’re not tired, not swerving, and frankly, you’re getting annoyed”. The system is disruptive and unsafe as it disrupts the driver activating when the system detects inattentive driving, suggesting breaks even if the driver does not feel fatigued. The alert can illuminate even during short drives of less than 30 minutes. The alert can occur extremely frequently, especially during long drives, which is extremely annoying. The warning can appear shortly after starting a trip and may repeat every few minutes, which is extremely frustrating. It is far more disruptive than safe and helpful.

   NHTSA complaint 11758055
7. Filed Aug 18, 2026Failure Aug 14, 2026Goodyear, AZSidewall

   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 involving my nearly new 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy. The vehicle is equipped with Pirelli Scorpion MS 255/45 R20 tires. Within only four months of ownership, the first tire developed a significant sidewall bubble on the right rear tire. The vehicle had approximately 816 miles at that time. What is particularly troubling is what the dealer told me when addressing that first tire: the first replacement tire they received also had a sidewall bubble, and the dealer had to obtain another tire. In other words, a replacement tire supplied for my vehicle reportedly arrived with the same type of defect before it could even be installed. At approximately 10 months and 7,425 miles, another tire — the left rear tire — developed a sidewall bubble the same as the prior tire In total, two tires have developed sidewall bubbles during the first ten months of ownership of this car plus the ‘replacement’ tire. There have been no known impacts, pothole strikes, collisions, or other events that would explain these repeated sidewall failures. There have been no blowouts, and fortunately no one has been injured and the vehicle has sustained no damage. However, I consider myself fortunate that these problems have been discovered before a catastrophic failure occurred. The most recent tire was replaced by Oxendale Hyundai in Flagstaff. The dealer submitted the tire to Pirelli for warranty consideration and mentioned the bubbles in the other tires. Pirelli’s response was simply: “REJECTED.” There was no explanation, no apparent investigation, no request for additional information, and no discussion of the fact that multiple tires on the same nearly new vehicle

   NHTSA complaint 11757804
8. Filed Aug 15, 2026Failure Aug 14, 2026wasilla, AKElectrical system

   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 this first came into effect and people have been complaining about it constantly. This is a genuine safety concern as any unexpected change or alert causes the driver to look away from the road to see "whats wrong" and for this incident NOTHING IS WRONG. An hour long commute should not pop up 15 alerts because the road has ruts or its mildly windy or the driver is wearing sunglasses or any number of minor things the vehicle doesnt like.

   NHTSA complaint 11757081
9. Filed Aug 3, 2026Failure Aug 3, 2026Gilbert, AZFuel/propulsion system, Unknown or other, Vehicle speed control

   Over the past month, on two occasions my vehicle has emitted gasoline fumes filling my garage, and today my interior cabin smelled like gasoline. Additionally, after warming up, my vehicle experiences acceleration drop/stuttering when accelerating after idling. This happens every day. I took the car to two dealerships (San Tan Hyundai and Chapman Hyundai Scottsdale) and they weren’t able to diagnose the issue.

   NHTSA complaint 11754586
10. Filed Jul 10, 2026Failure Jul 10, 2026Odessa, TXAutomatic emergency braking, Service brakes, Suspension

    I left work and my car pulled back I looked at my dash I just saw all the lights on indicators telling me I may stop or not I was so scared I live 45 mins from my job and this isn’t the first incident after the second day I bought this brand new car my low oil light came on and the dip stick was dry on a brand new car the following day and from that point on my car is like a magnet and pulls to the right lane to another car this is causing me PTSD I BEGGED my husband to drive me to work in my 48 years I’ve never been afraid of a car when I let the dealership know they don’t care it’s a stupid woman well I’ve owned 2 brand new Palisades and they were amazing vehicles this one is just not working right

    NHTSA complaint 11749658
11. Filed Jun 25, 2026Failure May 24, 2026Largo, FLAdaptive cruise control, Warnings

    -On [XXX] I was drivng on a highway while using cruise control. The car suddenly applied the brakes hard. I tried 4 times to use the accelrator and each time the brakes were applied hard again. -The car behind me laid on its horn and managed to shift to another lane thereby avoiding a rear end collison. -Fortunately I was driving in an outside lane and got the car to the shoulder. -I turned the engine off and then started the car again. -There were no warning lamps or messages that I can recall. It happened quickly. -This incident came very close to causing at least vehicle damage and possibly physical harm to the occupants of my car and the car behind me. -I took my car to the dealership which is Crown Hyndai in St. Petersburg, Florida. They were unable to recreate the problem so the issue is still outstanding. -To prevent future incidents I no longer use cruise control and turn off the FCA system when I start the car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

    NHTSA complaint 11746383
12. Filed Jun 16, 2026Failure Jun 16, 2026Waxahachie, TXWheels

    I had a flat tire. When I recently bought the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, I did not think to ask about a spare tire, they have been standard on every car I bought in the past. However, this car did not have one and I had a flat tire. They provide a sealant which is supposed to get you to a tire repair shop to get the tire fixed. That was worthless. Not having a spare is dangerous if you are caught with a flat tire in a remote area with no cell service. In addition, I had to pay $144 to get towed to a tire repair shop to get a $15 repair completed. Common sense has been replaced with greed.

    NHTSA complaint 11744626
13. Filed Jun 12, 2026Failure Jun 12, 2026Cedar Rapids, IAVisibility/wiper

    Driving down the road and the sunroof just exploded. No rock, no nearby cars that could have kicked something up. Just crumbled in.

    NHTSA complaint 11743648
14. Filed Jun 4, 2026Failure Jun 4, 2026Olive Branch, MSPower train, Steering

    Driving at 70 mph on interstate, driver adjusted hands on steering wheel and accidently pulled both paddles, shifting car into neutral. Fortunately, there was little traffic, and the driver was able to move to the side of the interstate, out the car into park and shift back to drive. This was highly dangerous. Losing control of the vehicle while traveling at 70 miles an hour could have resulted in death. This feature is completely unnecessary in a family SUV and is going to cause an accident.

    NHTSA complaint 11742217
15. Filed May 30, 2026Failure May 29, 2026Fort Myers, FLTires

    New vehicle purchased February 2026 with OEM Pirelli tires. Had puncture in tire, but on repair, tire found to have inside sidewall bubble. No history of any impacts or hard strikes to tires. Discount Tire said probable tire defect, unsafe to drive even a few miles, so placed spare and we took car to dealer. No extended warranty but less than 2400 miles on gently used tire. Hyundai denied coverage under Pirelli warranty for nearly new tire, stating that it was due to some kind of undetermined impact to tire (all other tires thus far okay), and we paid for a new replacement tire. But given the lack of history, I noted that their are numerous online complaints regarding this same tire on larger vehicles, including 10 complaints filed already to NHTSA. I have filed an inquiry with Pirelli, but believe, given the numerous prior complaints and the EXTREME SAFETY RISK OF A BLOW OUT on a tire that appears to be defective. based on other reports and our experience, an investigation into this tire should be undertaken with possible recall and replacement of all of these tires with a safer model, at Pirelli's expense, should a defect indeed be found.

    NHTSA complaint 11741053
16. Filed May 28, 2026Failure Mar 4, 2026New Port Richey, FLOther, Wheelchair lift/ramp

    See attached document for complaint.

    NHTSA complaint 11740595
17. Filed May 21, 2026Failure May 15, 2026Donna, TXUnknown or other

    While driving, the sunroof glass of the vehicle exploded/shattered with no known trigger, force or debris striking the glass. At the time no risk to myself as the sunroof shade was closed. I am in the process of getting this inspected and repaired.

    NHTSA complaint 11739269
18. Filed May 11, 2026Failure May 11, 2026Cedar City, UTUnknown or other

    Hyundai - DAW - Driver Attention Warning / Forward Attention Warning System This issue warrants immediate consideration for a recall. Despite wearing glasses, sunglasses, or no glasses, the problem persists. I occasional do remove my glasses while driving, and the warning continues to sound. This occurs regardless of the time of day, weather conditions, or whether I am sitting upright or reclining. The warning randomly activates and deactivates, sometimes without any intervention. Occasionally, I simply allow the warning to sound without taking any action, and it remains active for a few seconds or until it triggers a warning that the system will be turned off, at which point it deactivates. I have attempted various troubleshooting methods, such as keeping my eyes open, adjusting my seating position, wearing and removing my glasses, and tilting them to minimize glare. None of these methods have proven effective in preventing the warning from activating or in making it deactivate. This is a persistent problem. Hyundai dealerships initially informed me that the warning might be an annoyance and their response was to simply refrain from using it. However, if a basic feature like cruise control in a 2026 model is rendered unusable due to a design flaw (which this certainly is), it constitutes a clear violation of safety standards and should be addressed through a recall. The incessant alerts are highly disruptive and can be quite frustrating. For instance, driving with an arm in the 12 o’clock position triggers a warning, while wearing polarized sunglasses also results in an alert. The presence of a setting to disable the warning is a welcome feature but doesn't exist, and the system’s persistent alerts can be overwhelming. The alerts continue even after taking a break. It is distracting and a safety hazard. Drivers should be able to adjust the sensitivity of the feature turn off this feature. Currently, there is no way to disable or temporarily disable this feature.

    NHTSA complaint 11737176
19. Filed May 8, 2026Failure May 8, 2026Idaho falls, IDUnknown or other

    The back windshield of my 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe just exploded outwards. The vehicle hasn't been moved or driven today. The glass exploded out the back and shot over 18 ft away. There has been no change in temperature it is 70°. It was terrifying and came out of nowhere there were no cracks or chips in the back windshield. I'm so glad we were off to the side when this happened or it would have caused serious injuries.

    NHTSA complaint 11736653
20. Filed May 5, 2026Failure May 3, 2026duluth, GAElectrical system, Seats1 injured

    The right side power captain seat in the second row began to fold down without the button being pressed. It happened with and without the seatbelt plugged in. It came down while my toddler was in her rear facing car seat and began to crush the car seat and push on her feet. The chair would not stop the power seat motors even with both my wife and myself pushing back on the seat trying to free our daughter from the car seat. It continued to push down the moment there was more space to collapse. No errors or messages or engine lights of any sort were displayed anywhere. Even after removing our daughter it happened several times again.

    NHTSA complaint 11735879