Owners have reported 12 crashes, 3 fires and 17 injuries to NHTSA for the 2023 Hyundai Santa-FE. These are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defect rates.
Owner complaints50
POWER TRAIN
Owners of the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe frequently report issues with the vehicle's powertrain, particularly involving acceleration and gear shifting. Common symptoms include the vehicle failing to accelerate from a stop or while moving, unexpected downshifting, and the transmission getting stuck in a specific gear. These issues often occur without warning lights or error codes, making them difficult to diagnose at dealerships. Complaints also highlight instances of the vehicle unexpectedly stalling or shutting down, with some reports of the vehicle rolling when parked, resulting in crashes and injuries. These problems are reported at various mileage points, including as early as 3,000 miles, and pose potential safety risks due to sudden loss of power and control.
Severity signals: 3 crash, 0 fire, 3 injury reports
Owner complaints49
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Owners report frequent failures of the horn system in the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, with some experiencing multiple replacements within a short period, often under 25,000 miles. Complaints commonly describe the horn ceasing to function without warning, posing a significant safety risk due to the inability to alert other drivers. Additionally, some owners mention issues with the sunroof unexpectedly shattering and problems with the vehicle's scissor jack collapsing during use, which could lead to injury. At least two incidents involve crashes, including one where the car moved despite being in "Park," resulting in injury. These reports suggest potential safety hazards for prospective buyers to consider.
Severity signals: 2 crash, 1 fire, 5 injury reports
Owner complaints34
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Owners report frequent issues with the horn system in the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, with multiple complaints about horns failing or becoming inoperative, often after replacement. This issue typically arises around 20,000 to 72,000 miles, with some owners noting repeated failures and the need for replacements under warranty. Additionally, several owners describe unexpected activation of the Automatic Emergency Braking system, causing sudden deceleration without driver input, which poses a significant safety risk at highway speeds. A singular report details a fire incident involving a parked vehicle, though the cause is not definitively linked to a specific electrical component. These patterns suggest potential safety implications, particularly regarding the inability to warn other drivers and unexpected braking events.
Severity signals: 0 crash, 1 fire, 0 injury reports
Owner complaints19
ENGINE
Owners of the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe frequently report issues with the engine unexpectedly losing power, often reducing speed to as low as 10 mph without responding to accelerator inputs. These incidents are sometimes accompanied by various warning lights and messages on the dashboard, but not always before the power loss occurs. Complaints often describe this happening at different mileages, with some occurring shortly after purchase and others at higher mileages around 12,000 miles. Safety implications are significant, as several reports mention the potential for crashes due to sudden deceleration in traffic, and there are concerns about fuel leaks posing fire risks. Additionally, some owners note issues with oil consumption and engine stalling, which may contribute to the overall reliability concerns for potential buyers.
Owner complaints17
SERVICE BRAKES
Owners of the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe frequently report issues with the service brakes, particularly related to the warping of front brake rotors, which leads to vibrations during braking, especially at highway speeds. These symptoms often appear between 5,000 and 32,000 miles. Additionally, multiple complaints describe the vehicle's automatic emergency braking system engaging unexpectedly without apparent cause, sometimes at high speeds, which has resulted in one reported crash with injuries. These issues pose potential safety risks, including sudden stops and impaired braking efficiency, which prospective buyers should consider.
Severity signals: 1 crash, 0 fire, 4 injury reports
Owner complaints13
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
Owners report that the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe's Forward Collision Avoidance system frequently engages unexpectedly, causing abrupt braking without apparent obstacles. Symptoms include sudden loss of power, emergency braking activation, and vehicle veering, often at highway speeds. These issues occur intermittently, sometimes as early as 1,000 miles, and owners note that diagnostic checks at dealerships often fail to identify a problem. Safety implications are significant, with multiple reports of near-collisions due to unexpected braking and steering issues, raising concerns about potential rear-end collisions and loss of vehicle control. Potential buyers should be aware of these reported issues and the associated risks when considering this vehicle.
Owner complaints11
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Owners of the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe frequently report issues with vehicle speed control, particularly involving the cruise control system. Common symptoms include unexpected braking when using cruise control, especially when changing lanes to pass large vehicles, and the cruise control accelerating beyond the set speed. Additionally, some owners describe a complete loss of power or acceleration, often without warning, which has occurred at various mileage points, including as low as 6,800 miles. These issues have safety implications, as they can result in sudden deceleration or loss of control, posing risks in high-speed or heavy traffic situations. Buyers should be aware of these recurring problems, as they can affect vehicle operation and safety.
Owner complaints9
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Owners of the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe frequently report issues with the vehicle's windshield and sunroof. Multiple complaints describe windshields cracking easily, sometimes without noticeable impact, and at low mileages, with one owner noting cracks after just 150 miles. Additionally, several owners report the panoramic sunroof glass shattering unexpectedly while driving, even without external impact, which could pose a safety risk by potentially allowing glass to enter the passenger area. These issues appear to occur both shortly after purchase and at higher mileages, such as 35,000 miles. Buyers should be aware of these visibility-related complaints and their potential implications for safety and repair costs.
Owner complaints4
STEERING
Owners of the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe report several issues related to the steering system. Multiple complaints describe sudden loss of power steering, often accompanied by malfunctions in the blind spot safety, driver attention warning, and lane following systems. This issue typically occurs at varying speeds, from less than 2 mph to 75 mph, and seems to present before the vehicle reaches 8,000 miles. One owner notes severe corrosion in the ECU connections as a possible cause. Additionally, there are reports of the vehicle alerting "shift to neutral" and stalling unexpectedly, as well as instances of emergency braking activation causing the vehicle to swerve. These issues pose potential safety risks, including loss of vehicle control, which could be critical for prospective buyers to consider.
Owner complaints2
AIR BAGS
Owners report issues with the air bags in the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, particularly during accidents. In one instance, the air bags did not deploy after the vehicle collided with a guard rail, despite an initial impact. Another owner experienced the air bag deploying during a front side swipe accident, but it caught fire shortly afterward, necessitating a quick exit from the vehicle. Both incidents involved crashes and resulted in injuries, highlighting potential safety concerns with air bag performance. These complaints do not specify mileage, but they emphasize the critical nature of air bag function during collisions.
Severity signals: 2 crash, 1 fire, 2 injury reports
