Car Defect Radar
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Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated October 26, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.
Urgent recall on this model.

At least one recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. Confirm by VIN that the repair was completed before driving or buying this car. The fix is free at a dealer.

Recalls

5 total · 5 to confirm

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

Safety recall

Park outsideRecall 23V181000 · Mar 2023

A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy
Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is completed. Dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed starting May 16, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 244. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-633.
Status
Park outside and away from buildings until repaired. Dealer fixes it free.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Safety recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 24V879000 · Nov 2024

A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 271.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Transmission recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 22V746000 · Oct 2022

Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 236.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Engine recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 22V197000 · Mar 2022

An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy
Dealers will replace the turbocharger oil supply pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall 222.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Fuel system recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 21V524000 · Jul 2021

A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy
Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 207.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Owner complaints by system

199 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Worth reading
111

Most reports here involve transmission slipping. Of these, 2 mention a crash.

transmission slipping 35sudden stalling 34
A recent report: On June 20 2026 at 2:07pm Central Time there was a check engine light displayed on the dash of my vehicle 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy, while it was parked in the garage of my home and was just…
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On June 20 2026 at 2:07pm Central Time there was a check engine light displayed on the dash of my vehicle 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy, while it was parked in the garage of my home and was just powered up. I had then performed the vehicle diagnostics test (pictures attached) that showed that there was an issue with the 'Transmission Control System' with detail that a full system check is recommended and to schedule an appointment with a dealer. I had later proceeded to contact local dealer 'Huffines Hyundai McKinney' for service as I was due for an oil change anyway. As I was driving the vehicle from my home which was about 13 miles away from the dealership, I noticed that the vehicle had great trouble shifting from 1st gear to higher gears, that the speed would be 20mph or lower no matter how much the accelerator was pushed and I had to drive very carefully in traffic due to the low speeds. I was told at the dealership by 3pm that day that there were no active recalls on my vehicle, that the transmission related recall that was showing up on google search for that DCT code wasn't specific enough to my vehicle and to book an appointment for vehicle diagnostics and transmission repair/replacement at full cost to myself. The multi-point inspection report after oil change showed nothing about the check engine light issue or that the issue was even diagnosed by the dealership. From that day until today Aug 29 2026, I've noticed that the vehicle still has trouble shifting from the 1st gear, that the vehicle drives normally when increased time is allowed between power up and start of drive (~2min of engine running idle) and that the check engine light reappears after a trip of quick power up and drive. There was atleast one instance where I had to pullover onto the shoulder to avoid high speed traffic while driving in the right lane.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11760554 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Worth reading
31

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 10electrical shorts 4
A recent report: Vehicle on initial start up shows no issue. Driving for a short distance or stationary for a short time. Vehicle instrument panel will show a fault of Forward safety system. Errors on Lane keeping…
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Vehicle on initial start up shows no issue. Driving for a short distance or stationary for a short time. Vehicle instrument panel will show a fault of Forward safety system. Errors on Lane keeping assist, High beam assist, and Driver attention warning. Smart camera module will be hot to the touch causing failure of Front view camera and Front Radar Module.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11762513 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
15

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 3 mention a crash.

software faults 7loss of braking 3unintended acceleration 2
A recent report: The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the automatic emergency braking system engaged while there were no objects or vehicles near the…
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The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the automatic emergency braking system engaged while there were no objects or vehicles near the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that the pre-collision message was displayed while the vehicle was parked or was idling. The vehicle was taken to dealer on several occasions; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that the dealer assessment was most important. The failure mileage was unknown.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11746776 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
4

Most reports here involve premature wear.

premature wear 1loss of steering 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power steering functionality and the vehicle was difficult to steer. The…
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The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power steering functionality and the vehicle was difficult to steer. The brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. In addition, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was almost involved in three crashes due to the failure. The contact had to drive the vehicle onto a curb to avoid a crash on one occasion. The contact stated that during the failure, the rear hatch switch became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The dealer replaced several unknown sensors; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the failure had occurred six times. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to the dealer after the first failure due to the steering failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was at the dealer and scheduled for an inspection by the manufacturer’s engineer. The failure mileage was approximately 17,500.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11589684 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Worth reading
5

Most reports here involve airbags not deploying. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

airbags not deploying 5
A recent report: This email serves as a formal dispute of the warranty denial issued by [Lester Glenn Hyundai Toms River NJ] regarding the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) passenger airbag sensor in my 2022…
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This email serves as a formal dispute of the warranty denial issued by [Lester Glenn Hyundai Toms River NJ] regarding the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) passenger airbag sensor in my 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe.The dealership has refused coverage, attributing the failure to "water damage." I strongly dispute this finding and am formally requesting a Corporate Goodwill Repair Exception or a tier-two engineering review of my vehicle due to the safety-critical nature of this component.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11750523 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Worth reading
19

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 2 mention an injury.

software faults 1
A recent report: Child opened the back hatch (as instructed). The child then pressed the button to close the back hatch. Fingers were trapped at the bottom of the hatch, and the hatch “clamped” into position. The…
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Child opened the back hatch (as instructed). The child then pressed the button to close the back hatch. Fingers were trapped at the bottom of the hatch, and the hatch “clamped” into position. The interior hatch release was not sufficiently intuitive for the chiller to remove the trim and slide the tab, resulting in the child being trapped for 10-15 minutes before help arrived.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11745502 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Worth reading
14

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

software faults 3fire 1
A recent report: On May 31, 2025, I suffered a severe facial injury causing trigeminal neuralgia and concussion when the Smart Power Liftgate on my 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT failed to stop or reverse upon…
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On May 31, 2025, I suffered a severe facial injury causing trigeminal neuralgia and concussion when the Smart Power Liftgate on my 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT failed to stop or reverse upon encountering obstruction. While unloading the trunk, I went to close the liftgate, lost my balance falling forward prior to it beginning to close. It struck my face and upper body with full mechanical force, failing to trigger the automatic safety reverse/anti-pinch strip sensors. The component suffered a total safety failure, bypassing the safety mechanisms intended to prevent bodily entrapment and crushing injuries. I was forced to seek emergency medical treatment. Official Emergency Room medical records from May 2025 explicitly document the facial injuries sustained directly from this automotive component failure. The vehicle remains dangerous as the anti-pinch sensors failed to operate as legally and mechanically mandated. There have been multiple incidents where the liftgate has failed to stop with coming into contact with pressure of even my toddler briefly or our dogs, but I was not aware this vehicle was equipped with this safety feature to begin with.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11764268 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 199 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2021 and 2026, roughly 40 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.

How does it compare with other years? The 2022 has 199 complaints on file, more than the 2021 (166) and fewer than the 2023 (207). Of the 17 model years of the Hyundai Santa Fe we cover, the 2017 has the most (966). Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.