Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 151 safety complaints
about the 2024 Hyundai Santa FE with the US government. Of those, 11 describe a crash, 1 mentions a fire, 9 people were injured and no death is recorded. 7 recall campaigns are open against it.
The most complained-about system is the power train,
named in 43 complaints, 28% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 15,000 miles,
the median across the 11
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers April 2024 to September 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
151 complaints on file
151
Complaints
11
Describe a crash
1
Mention fire
9
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free.
Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can
answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a
model year.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
POWER TRAIN 43 · 28%
43 28%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 30 · 20%
30 20%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 29 · 19%
29 19%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 15 · 10%
15 10%
ENGINE 13 · 9%
13 9%
SERVICE BRAKES 11 · 7%
11 7%
SEAT BELTS 10 · 7%
10 7%
SEATS 9 · 6%
9 6%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 8 · 5%
8 5%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 7 · 5%
7 5%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 6 · 4%
6 4%
TIRES 6 · 4%
6 4%
01938
Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it.
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 151.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2026 at 75.
80 60 40 20
242024252025262026
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2024 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what
happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2024 Hyundai SANTA FE, and it is a separate
question from what owners report going wrong later.
Test
SUV AWD
SUV FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover
17.4%
18.5%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard
A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed.
A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.
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.
The risk
A detached seat belt anchor will not adequately restrain the seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The 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 recall are 298 and 032G. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov April 8, 2026.
Hyundai Motor America · up to 294,448 vehicles across all model years covered
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Hybrid vehicles. The rearview camera may not have been installed properly, which can damage the wiring harness and cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The risk
A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the camera wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning January 15, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 288. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 22, 2025.
Hyundai Motor America · up to 143,472 vehicles across all model years covered
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Santa Fe vehicles. The B+ positive terminal cover on the starter motor assembly may be improperly installed, which can cause an electrical short during a crash.
The risk
An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and reinstall the starter motor terminal cover, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning October 22, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 285. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 4, 2025.
Hyundai Motor America · up to 135,386 vehicles across all model years covered
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Hybrid vehicles. The overhead console rear sunshade switch knob may not be fully recessed, which can result in unintentional closing of the sunshade. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition and Roof Panel Systems."
The risk
A sunshade that closes unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the switch knobs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 2, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 270.
Hyundai Motor America · up to 34,964 vehicles across all model years covered
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024 Santa Fe and Santa Fe HEV vehicles. The main floor wiring harness may chafe against the passenger-side second-row bench seat assembly and become damaged, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally or prevent the air bags from deploying in a crash.
The risk
An air bag that deploys unintentionally can increase the risk of an injury. An air bag that does not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the wiring harness as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 22, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 265.
Hyundai Motor America · up to 49,719 vehicles across all model years covered
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024 Santa Fe vehicles. A software error in the transmission control unit may result in a vehicle roll away when the vehicle is in PARK.
The risk
A vehicle roll away increases the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy
Owners are advised to use the emergency parking brake after parking their vehicles. Hyundai will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update for the transmission control unit. In addition, dealers will inspect and replace the dual clutch transmission, as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning August 26, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 263.
Hyundai Motor America · up to 12,349 vehicles across all model years covered
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024 Santa Fe vehicles. The rearview camera image may be obstructed by a trailer parking assist message. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The risk
An obstructed rearview camera image reduces rearward visibility and increases the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy
Hyundai will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning May 31, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 258.
Hyundai Motor America · up to 18,206 vehicles across all model years covered · fixed by software update
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
3 injured · crash · towed
On May 30, 2026, my 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe was involved in a multi-impact interstate collision in the Sandy Springs/Atlanta area while traveling with my family which includes 1 year old kid. The vehicle was struck from behind, spun out, and impacted the concrete highway barrier multiple times before coming to a stop in the travel lanes. The collision resulted in substantial structural vehicle damage, and occupants sustained head concussions and bruising. The airbag system did not deploy during the sequence of impacts. I am submitting this report to request an evaluation of the crash parameters and deployment logic to determine whether the system operated within its intended safety design …
NHTSA complaint 11745782, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
1 injured · crash
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while pulling into an automatic car wash and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal travelled down to the floorboard, and the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle then drove into the car wash while the car wash conveyor system was not engaged. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving 2-3 MPH in a parking lot, and the vehicle rear-ended another occupied vehicle. There was no damage or injury sustained. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 5 MPH and pulling out of a parking lot, the brake pedal was depressed, but travelled down to the floorboard, and the vehicle failed to respond. The …
NHTSA complaint 11684980, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
1 injured · crash · 32,000 miles
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while the vehicle was turned on and shifted into park, the vehicle unexpectedly rolled away with no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle then collided with a tree. The contact also stated that the air bags did not deploy during the crash. No injuries were sustained, and no medical attention was provided. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where full body repairs were completed. The vehicle was later taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure recurred, and during the second incident the contact’s spouse attempted to stop …
NHTSA complaint 11736056, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
1 injured · crash
Our vehicle has twice gone from parking to drive and moved on its own! Both times almost running over my wife
NHTSA complaint 11761572. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
The vehicle has been having ongoing issues with loosing power and lagging when accelerating. It is most predominate on hot days, although still happens at other times. The dealer can not reproduce the issue nor see there is a problem in the computer scan. They say the "lagging" they see is within normal limits. This has been in numerous times to be looked at, nothing is ever found. Finally a transmission error, "Transmission Error, check transmission oil immediately", came on and my car shut down. The car was towed to dealer. Dealer stated there is no problem with the car. The error did not show up on the scan, very preromantic, it should have showed up. Luckily I took a picture of the …
NHTSA complaint 11767827, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
It seems like the computer or electrical system is failing in the main ECU and the entertainment console. The car's entertainment console will blink when driving over a bump or while braking. It will disconnect from apple carplay and won't reconnect. More importantly, it will turn the car completely off while braking sometimes. This happens while moving. There was an incident where the car didn't wake up and unlock with the key fob first thing in the morning. I had to unlock it with the physical key. Once I opened the door th car woke up and the alarm went off.
NHTSA complaint 11766699. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
I am reporting an intermittent transmission/shifting issue that has not been resolved despite multiple visits to the dealership. On several occasions, when shifting my vehicle from Park into Drive or Reverse, the vehicle will not engage the selected gear and remains in Park. When this happens, the vehicle is not drivable until I place it back in Park, shut the engine off, and restart it. After restarting, the transmission will usually engage normally. I have reported this issue to the dealership multiple times. The dealership has connected diagnostic equipment to the vehicle; however, no diagnostic trouble codes have been stored, and they have been unable to identify the cause. Despite the …
NHTSA complaint 11766368, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SEAT BELTS
I got recall notice, called and scheduled appointment for July 10. I brought my car in and told them I was having issues with the seatbelt sticking sometimes. When I went to pick it up, they said the part had been ordered and would be in a few days. I never heard from them and contacted them to check on 7/21, 7/27, 8/5, 8/20, 8/28, and today. They have never reached out to me once. Today my seatbelt got stuck and I couldn’t get out of my car. I have been patient and I need the seatbelt fixed before something happens and I can’t get out or my children can’t get out.
NHTSA complaint 11766535. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
I am filing an urgent complaint against Hyundai motor America for a direct violation of the national traffic and motor vehicle safety act. The manufacturer is actively refusing to honor and execute the mandated remedy for federal safety recall 263 (NHTSA campaign 24V-529). My 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT suffered an immediate transmission failure, throwing DTC P086800, which is the precise fail-safe error logic covered under this safety recall. When escalated to Hyundai Motor America Corporate Consumer Affairs (Case #XXX), a corporate case manager issued a formal written denial. The manufacturer explicitly stated that the safety recall remedy would not be covered because the vehicle is "past …
NHTSA complaint 11765103, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Electric oil pump failure in transmission
NHTSA complaint 11763396. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's
lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, newest campaign on this vehicle filed April 6, 2026.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by
us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that
sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst