2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

I am submitting this formal safety complaint regarding a structural defect in my 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid that I believe poses a safety concern and warrants federal investigation under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (49 U.S.C. § 30101 et seq.). The vehicle exhibits a persistent and recurring structural creak originating from the pinch weld area adjacent to the hybrid battery storage compartment — specifically at a metal-on-metal contact point above the rear driver-side wheel well. The noise presents most prominently at low speeds over uneven surfaces, driveway transitions, and speed bumps. The root cause, as identified by service documentation and owner community reports, is a manufacturing defect in the pinch weld construction where two metal body components make contact due to insufficient clearance tolerances. This affects the structural integrity of the body-in-white in proximity to the hybrid high-voltage battery system. III. SAFETY SIGNIFICANCE I am reporting this as a safety concern for the following reasons: •The defect involves structural body components adjacent to the high-voltage hybrid battery storage compartment. Any degradation of body structure in this area presents a potential risk of battery exposure, puncture, or damage in collision scenarios; •The metal-on-metal contact at the pinch weld constitutes an ongoing structural stress point that may accelerate fatigue and cracking of load-bearing body components over time; •The defect is present across a statistically significant number of 2023 Santa Fe Hybrid units based on online owner community documentation, suggesting a manufacturing pattern rather than an isolated anomaly; •Multiple authorized Hyundai service centers have been unable to provide a permanent repair, indicating the defect is systemic and not addressable through routine service procedures; •The proximity of the defect to hybrid drivetrain components warrants evaluation for potential regulatory compliance

NHTSA ID

11741754

Incident

Mar 26, 2026

Own a 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid and have experienced the following issues over the past year and a half. Beginning after maybe 40,000 miles we pulled out onto a roadway and the engine immediately lost power and started flashing a glaring red warning that the hybrid system was failing and to pull over. We luckily were able to and turned the car off and waited. I tried to turn it on and it came back to life as if there was never an issue? We drove off. it left no warning code or did not update my Bluelink App. I took it to the dealership and they could not find any issues. Fast forward another 5 or 6 months and it happens again. Take it to the dealer and they keep it a week to go over it but still nothing. Within a week of getting it back it happens again and this time I am videoing it happening to me. Back to the dealer and provide the video because again the car did not log the event nor did it update my app. They hold it again for a week and try different things. They still cannot figure it out and I get it back.... it happens again.... This time the dealership was able to come up with an answer and that the oil level was too high. I got the car back and it seemed to work. Probably now 6 months go by and then this week I drive over to Jacksonville (5 hr drive) and visit. Again the car scares us on the highway and I have to pull over. Havea friend meet us with tools and we jack up the car and let out enough engine oil to insure we can read between the two marks on the dipstick. We drive off but the engine keeps hestitating and we almost make it back before it completly shuts down. We tow it to the Dealer in Jacksonville. They call the next morning like they can't find anything wrong! I explain everything and remind I don't tow cars for fun - something is wrong with the car and it is leaving us vulnerable and worst is it is not leaving any codes. Not sure but I have lost faith in Hyundai

NHTSA ID

11719697

Incident

Feb 20, 2026

One two separate occasions while driving the car has lost the ability to accelerate. There is no acceleration power even when completely flooring the gas pedal. The dash displays a red circle warming that states "Check Hybrid system. Stop Safely". I have had to coast to the side of the road and then the car shuts off. It has taken several minutes before it can start again, and then displays a warning "Park with engine On to charge battery" before being able to shift the car into drive. I immediately took the vehicle to the dealership at which I had purchased the car. They have run a diagnostic on it and did not find any error codes stored in the computer. I picked up the vehicle from them and immediately upon pulling out of their lot it happened again. After losing power, coasting to the side of the road, and waiting for the engine to be able to restart I took it immediately back to the dealership. They have had my car for 5 weeks and cannot diagnose the problem or offer any recommendations for repairs.

NHTSA ID

11706383

Incident

Nov 11, 2025

The vehicle will not accelerate and comes to a complete stop while driving. Within days, it displayed ‘Check Hybrid System. Stop safely’ and lost propulsion while driving.

NHTSA ID

11704961

Incident

Dec 6, 2025

On September 4, 2025 as I pulled on to Interstate I-70 my car suddenly lost power. Gas engine died. Loud attention sound started. Instrument cluster started flashing red with message "EV system failure, stop immediately" EV battery showed full depletion although a moment before it showed about 75% power. There was only enough propulsion to keep moving slowly. Since this was a construction zone the shoulder was blocked off and roadway was reduced to only one lane. I had no where to go. A large truck narrowly avoided rear ending me. I was scared and felt helpless. Eventually I was able to pull off and shut off the car. It was able to be re-started immediately with no warning indicators and EV battery power restored. This loss of power has happened 6 times before during the time I have owned the car. Last time was in March 2025. Each previous time it happened I was traveling at about 35 miles per hour and while annoying I did not fear for my life. On March 6, 2025 I had the dealer, McCarthy Hyundai, check out this problem. There were no detectable problems or problem codes. I was told that it might have been caused by the oil dip stick not being fully seated. It was obvious they had no clue what caused this but that I should come back if it happened again. I have reported this to Hyundai customer service who would not confirm that this was a problem encountered by many others. From looking at reports on the internet, my problem is not unique except for being life thretening. Customer service had me bring it back to dealer. Yesterday, September 24, I picked up the vehicle whohad it for a week to try to fix the problem. Once again there were no error codes. Only problem they found was an ignition coil which needed to be replaced. They could not give a convincing explaination of how a bad ignition coil could cause a complete failure of the gas motor and EV system or why if the coil was sole problem that it would only cause this failure every 3 to 6 months. Please help!

NHTSA ID

11689613

Incident

Sep 4, 2025

I am reporting a serious and recurring safety defect with my 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, purchased new in January 2024. The vehicle has suffered from over 30–40 sudden hybrid system failures, including loss of acceleration, “Stop Vehicle” warnings, and check engine lights. These incidents happen without warning, including while driving at legal speeds (40–70 mph), on residential streets and highways. Most recently, the car failed twice in two days, while my teenage son was driving within all road laws, including once with a friend in the car. The vehicle simply stopped accelerating in the middle of traffic, endangering them and everyone around them. These failures have happened at legal speeds ranging from 40–70 mph, on both residential roads and highways. There is no advance warning, just abrupt loss of power and sudden warning messages. We’ve taken the vehicle to the South Charlotte Hyundai dealership multiple times. Each time, they either reset the check engine light or replaced indicators: but never addressed the root hybrid system failure. We filed a lemon law case, and Hyundai responded with only a $2,000 offer including legal fees, requiring us to keep the dangerous vehicle. We rejected the offer. These failures have occurred with children and passengers in the car. We have documented as many incidents as we could, including photos, service records, and communication with Hyundai. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. I no longer feel safe driving or allowing my family to drive this car. This is a critical hybrid system failure that continues to place lives at risk. I believe this may be part of a wider pattern affecting Hyundai hybrid vehicles, and I am pleading with the NHTSA to open an investigation before someone is seriously injured or worse.

NHTSA ID

11675461

Incident

Jul 16, 2025

We were driving in Montana down [XXX] and heard a very large “pop” sound above us. Our vehicle was traveling alone in the area at the time, no other vehicles were around ours. There was no debris on the road or flying in air at the time, either. At this point the panoramic roof glass was closed but the interior cloth cover was open and there was no evidence of any damage. When we stopped for gas, the front glass panel covering behind the windshield and before the panoramic roof glass, was completely shattered. The weather was the same as it had been, 80F with minimal cloud coverage. There was no sudden change in weather/driving conditions.

NHTSA ID

11671450

Incident

Jul 6, 2025

Between [XXX] am on [XXX]. I powered on my vehicle and the rear trunk door simultaneously opened. As I was driving my son to school that morning, I noticed water dripping onto my foot. I continued to drive but was distracted by beeping and warning messages but because the dashboard display was constantly switching from daytime to night lighting I could not readily see the dashboard. I tried to manually adjust the light by turning the knob off "auto" and also turning lights to "off" but it would immediately switch back. I made it to the first stop light and while stopped I was able to observe water droplets on the front panel of the interior fuse box. I pulled open the panel and water dropped out onto to floor. I replaced the panel. I continued to drive but was panicked and worried that water was in the fuse panel area. I arrived at my son's school and left the car running as he was dropped off. On the drive home, the beeping continued. This time, I saw the warning message about vehicle in my blind spot but I was on the street corner about to make a right turn and there was no vehicle next to me! The lights also kept switching as before. There was rust observed in the fuse panel area. When I got home, I called the dealership to inform them what happened. They refused to give me a loaner. I told them that water intrusion should not have occurred (we had severe weather and heavy rains the day prior) and now my car was having electrical issues and I was concerned for my safety and the safety of driving my 3 young children in car seats should there be an electrical fire. I mentioned the recall on my vehicle for water accumulation in the tow hitch and risk of electrical fire. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11668511

Incident

Jan 31, 2025

This bulletin provides information related to the navigation and head unit software changes introduced in the 2026 1st Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle type, model, and navigation system. Refer to the 2026 1st Navigation Map and Software Update Key Improvements and Additional Improvements tables in this TSB for a list of specific changes. The software can be downloaded via Navigation Updater (NAU) and updated by USB.

Certain Hyundai vehicles with exterior white paint may exhibit peeling or bubbling on metal body panels: hood, fender(s), roof, door(s), quarter panel(s), and tailgate/trunk. The paint warranty coverage for affected vehicles has been extended to 10 years/unlimited miles from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use and is valid for original and subsequent owners. The warranty extension does not apply to any vehicle that has ever been declared a total loss or sold for salvage by a financial institution or insurer or has a branded or similar title under any state’s law.

Some Hyundai vehicles with exterior white paint may exhibit peeling or bubbling on metal body panels: hood, fender(s), roof, door(s), quarter panel(s), and tailgate/trunk. The paint warranty coverage for affected vehicles has been extended to 10 years/unlimited miles from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use and is valid for original and subsequent owners.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN), that have been identified in U.S. vehicles following prior crashes, theft, or non‑certified airbag replacements. These inflators are not approved for use, may rupture during deployment, and have caused serious injuries and fatalities. Please see attached announcement, provided by NHTSA, for more details.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN). These inflators were not supplied, approved, or authorized by the vehicle manufacturers and have primarily been found in vehicles that previously experienced a crash and underwent airbag replacement using non-genuine parts. These dangerous inflators have ruptured during deployment, posing a serious risk of injury or death due to metal fragments entering the vehicle cabin. To date, Hyundai is aware of three people who have died while driving a Hyundai vehicle with one of these substandard replacement airbag inflators that deployed in what likely would have been a survivable crash. NHTSA has issued a public advisory urging vehicle owners and service professionals to have vehicles inspected if there is reason to believe that a non-genuine replacement airbag may have been installed. Vehicles with salvage or rebuilt titles, prior airbag deployments, or unknown repair histories may present a higher risk. NHTSA strongly cautions against self-inspection by vehicle owners and recommends inspection by trained technicians.

Certain 2021 – 2023 model year Santa Fe, 2021 – 2023 model year Santa Fe Hybrid, and 2022 – 2023 model year Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid vehicles may experience an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances causing internal parts to oxidize. At Hyundai, we are committed to providing vehicles of outstanding quality and value. In an effort to meet this commitment, the warranty coverage for the horn assemblies under these conditions has been extended to 10 years/ 120,000 miles from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use (whichever occurs first) and is valid for original and subsequent owners.