2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Owner Complaints

I keep getting the alert “Check Forward Attention Warning system”. It’s nonstop even when I’m not driving the vehicle. I have taken it in to the dealership 4 times. This started only after the most recent software update that Hyundai released. The dealership did everything they could, and contacted Hyundai who told them to replace the camera on the steering wheel (which they did). They thought that would fix the problem, and it did not. I believe this is something with the new software update since other users on forums are complaining about this exact alert. It’s sporadic, it happens very frequently though, but it is unpredictable. All of this points to a software update and Hyundai has not fixed this bug in over a year. It’s beyond frustrating that there is no fix and they are just making their customers deal with this issue with no apparent fix.

NHTSA ID

11754264

Incident

Jul 14, 2026

The vehicle will not accelerate past 30 mph on the highway. The fuel system will not engage, and the vehicle continues to run on hybrid mode which causes the battery to drain and acceleration to throttle. This occurs on all drive modes and fuel conditions.

NHTSA ID

11750021

Incident

Jul 10, 2026

While driving on the highway the vehicle lost power and then lowered the transmission gear and would not accelerate over 17mph regardless of pressure on accelerator. I switched from auto hybrid mode over to sport mode so the gasoline engine could be used yet the transmission would not increase power to the tires. I stopped several times and restarted with no corrections. Vehicle battery drained quickly and vehicle alarm told me to pull over to charge battery. Sat for a few minutes to charge battery, put in drive and vehicle went forward to 17-20 mph and would not go any faster. Pedal was to the floor. The vehicle then gave several alarm lights and system failures. I limped the car home and called roadside assistance. Tried to put car in reverse for an easy tow and the car wouldn't move in reverse.

NHTSA ID

11748308

Incident

Jul 4, 2026

The rear power liftgate on my 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid (VIN [XXX]) repeatedly opened and closed on its own, without any command from the key fob, interior button, or any occupant. This occurred over a period of several months. It happened while the vehicle was parked and, more dangerously, while the vehicle was in motion at normal driving speeds. An un-commanded liftgate opening while driving creates a serious safety hazard: loss of rear visibility, the risk of unsecured cargo being ejected onto the roadway, and the gate striking a person or object when it deploys unexpectedly. The overnight, un-commanded cycling while parked is extensively documented on my home security cameras, which recorded the gate opening and closing repeatedly throughout the night. The dealer (Williams Hyundai, Lansing, MI) diagnosed the cause as a faulty resistance fault in the rear hatch wiring harness assembly, which sent false signal inputs to the vehicle and triggered the motorized latch and actuators. The repair was completed under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. A secondary effect of the continuous overnight cycling was repeated deep-discharge of the 12V battery, leaving the vehicle dead on multiple mornings. I am reporting this because the un-commanded operation of a motorized liftgate — particularly while the vehicle is moving — is a safety defect that may not be isolated to my vehicle. I have retained service records, the dealer's diagnostic notes, and the home security footage, and can provide them on request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11747271

Incident

Feb 6, 2026

While driving on the highway, my 2024 Santa Fe Hybrid suddenly and without warning lost propulsion power. The loss of power was immediately accompanied by multiple simultaneous warning lights across the instrument cluster, glitching and abnormal behavior of the cluster display, and then a complete electrical shutdown of the vehicle. After the shutdown, the vehicle would not restart. The failure occurred in connection with a software update on the vehicle. At the time of the incident the vehicle had approximately 12,828 miles on it. Losing motive power while traveling at highway speed created a serious crash risk, as the vehicle was unable to maintain or recover speed in moving traffic. No crash, injury, or fire resulted. The vehicle was towed to an authorized Hyundai dealer for diagnosis. I have photographs of the instrument cluster taken at the time of failure showing numerous warning indicators illuminated at once. The symptoms I experienced — progressive or sudden loss of drive power, 12-volt/charging-related faults, and failure to restart — appear consistent with charging-control and DC-to-DC converter failures that have been the subject of prior recalls and complaints on Hyundai electrified vehicles. I am filing this report to document the incident as a safety concern.

NHTSA ID

11745902

Incident

Jun 20, 2026

The contact owned a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid.  The contact stated that while stopped in highway traffic, the vehicle was rear-ended as part of a multi-vehicle collision.  The contact's vehicle was identified as the fourth vehicle in the crash sequence.  The entire rear bumper area sustained significant damage. The first vehicle that originated the crash was distracted by his phone, which caused him to crash into the rear of the second vehicle, causing the second vehicle to crash into the rear of the third, resulting in the contact being rear-ended. No property damage.  The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was rendered inoperable, towed to a repair facility, and subsequently declared a total loss by the insurance adjuster.  The driver sustained multiple injuries, including a ruptured right breast implant, two lower back herniations, and a neck herniation.  A minor child occupant seated on the front passenger's side also sustained a neck herniation.  The driver and minor child occupant received medical treatment following the incident. The contact also had her service dog in the rear, and due to the severity of the impact, there was difficulty removing the service dog safely from the vehicle. The contact expressed concern that the seatbelt system did not provide adequate restraint during the collision and related the issue to NHTSA Campaign number 26V218000  (Seat Belts).  The dealer and manufacturer had not been notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000

NHTSA ID

11731124

Incident

Oct 22, 2025

Mileage

30,000 mi

Our 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited Hybrid, which was purchased brand new in Massachusetts in 2024 has been rattling at the passenger side B-pillar since [XXX] and has been in the dealership now 5 times for repairs and 16 service days. They have found that the vehicle is missing spot welds from point of assembly. Hyundai, as repair attempt #5, provided the dealership with documented instructions to hammer and chisel the frame 6.5 inches apart and insert foam NHVpads to see if the rattling would stop, it did not. Hyundai Techline instructed the dealership to repeat this step again. The dealership refused citing major safety concerns with the frame of the vehicle. All documentation including Hyundai Techline guidance is available and submitted with this complaint. Thank you. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11730909

Incident

Mar 31, 2026

Original letter to Hyundai below. The car is currently at a dealer again for repair of the same issue. Fuel pump replaced in Nov 2025 but issue has returned in March 2026. Videos of the issue recently occurring are available. Good morning, We had our 2024 Santa Fe Hybrid lose power while merging onto the freeway in November 2025. I was pressing the accelerator and it did not do anything, just kept rapidly decelerating. Pulled the car to the shoulder and turned it off completely and back on, and the car started up with the engine running which was unusual- typically the car starts up in silent electric mode. It would not accelerate past a few miles per hour. This has now happened on multiple occasions, disappearing for a few days only to return. It has gotten very dangerous to lose speed and acceleration into a busy freeway and almost caused an accident yesterday. We were thankfully close to a dealer (Glassman Hyundai in Southfield, MI) and were able to limp it a mile down the shoulder at low speed to drop it off. However, they are telling us they have no loaners available to provide us which seems unacceptable with a car under warranty with 18k miles on it. Is there anything you’re able to do to assist? Are there any known fixes for the issue that can be reported to the dealer? Thanks, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11730044

Incident

Nov 15, 2025

Incident Description: I am reporting a recurring and dangerous safety defect involving the ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) on my 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid. On multiple occasions, the vehicle has exhibited uncommanded steering input. Even when the Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) system is manually disabled by the driver, the vehicle software overrides this command and re-activates the system without driver input, causing unpredictable steering behavior. System Failures & Error Codes: The vehicle intermittently displays a "Check Forward Attention Warning System" failure. Dealership diagnostics have confirmed the following historical fault codes related to module communication: •C164286, C168886, C16B902, C28B981 Related Safety Recalls: This vehicle is currently subject to Recall 265 (NHTSA 24V561000) for main floor wiring harness chafing and Recall 288 (NHTSA 25V808000) for rearview camera wiring tension. I believe the uncommanded steering and camera failures are direct results of the electrical interference or harness damage described in these active safety recalls. Safety Risk: The uncommanded steering override creates an immediate risk of a crash, especially in high-speed highway conditions where the vehicle may unexpectedly pull against the driver's intent.

NHTSA ID

11718119

Incident

Feb 13, 2026

The vehicle has gone into limp mode multiple times with no check engine indication displayed, causing significant safety issues in that the sudden loss of power occurred while traveling on the interstate highway. Each time, by loosing power and trying to get to the side of the road to safety was terrifying and very unsafe to us and the cars/trucks around us. The issue began on 11/5/24 and continues up through 11/12/26. Videos of vehicle performance are available upon request since they are unable to be uploaded via this form. The vehicle has been towed to three different Hyundai service departments. No diagnostic codes show up, nor have they been able to duplicate the issue. We have provided videos of the display screen and the performance of the vehicle while in limp mode. We have been told by Hyundai Service that unless a code shows up in the diagnostics, there is nothing they can do for us. At this point, since most of our driving is on the interstate, we are afraid to drive the vehicle for fear of a serious accident occurring when it loses power.

NHTSA ID

11711853

Incident

Nov 15, 2024

When accelerating from a stop, the transmission fails to engage causing the engine to rev but not allow for movement until the gas pedal is disengaged then engaged again. This happens sporadically and I have not been able to find a pattern or reason for this issue. I have reported this to Hyundai and taken the vehicle in but the dealership was unable to reproduce the issue after driving the vehicle for 20 miles. This is a safety issue as the vehicle does not always accelerate as expected from a stop and could potentially cause an accident.

NHTSA ID

11696822

Incident

Oct 31, 2025

We had notice that my wife's 2024 Santa Fe Hybrid Calligraphy AWD, is shuddering and vibrating at low speeds 20 to 40 mph always. Probably now is a little more accentuated. There is nothing on the steering wheel, but in the whole vehicle. Because this is not new, and I am not always driving this vehicle, I need your assistance as soon as possible.

NHTSA ID

11688658

Incident

Jul 31, 2024

Vehicle Information: 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybird SEL VIN: [XXX] Purchased date: [XXX] (Less than one year) Mileage at incident: 12,753 Incident date: [XXX] Dealer: Kengarff Downtown Hyundai Summary of Problem: I am filing this complaint because of a serious safety concern caused by clear dealership negligence and potential engine failure. During a routine service, the dealership failed to add engine oil, but recorded in the service invoice that it was added. I unknowingly drove the vehicle 3–5 miles without oil, and multiple DTC error codes (P052400, P001100, P001400) appeared. The oil warning light, which should have alerted me, did not activate. Although a later borescope inspection stated there was “no immediate damage,” since then, the vehicle has shown: Significant loss of power and acceleration Abnormally high RPMs, even when the car is stopped Louder engine noises RPM is increasing suddenly while driving downhill without acceleration This vehicle is less than one year old and costs over $40,000. I should not be forced to drive a new car that may have hidden or delayed engine damage. Safety Concern: I have a [XXX], and I cannot risk sudden engine failure, stalling, or fire while driving. This is not only a reliability issue, but a serious safety hazard for my family and others on the road. Attempts to Resolve: Reported to Hyundai corporate, case opened. The dealership admitted the mistake but denied responsibility after the inspection. Hyundai corporate stated “no action until further inspection,” despite clear evidence of negligence. I continue to experience performance and safety issues. Requested Action: I urge NHTSA to investigate this incident and hold Hyundai accountable for both the dealership’s negligence and the potential safety defects (oil light failure, possible hidden engine damage). Consumers should not be left to drive unsafe vehicles, especially when children’s safety is at stake. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11686430

Incident

Aug 16, 2025

I purchased the Vehicle from Ourisman Hyundai of Bowie, Inc. (Bowie, Maryland) on [XXX] (the “Date of Purchase”). Within a few months of the Date of Purchase, I began having issues with the digital dashboard and heads up display. Both the digital dashboard and heads up display would go completely dark, leaving me an inability to view essential operational and safety information, including but not limited to, the speedometer, rear view camera, blind spot cameras, driving mode, driving gear, navigation, warning messages, lane following assist, tire pressure monitoring system, driver attention warnings, etc. (the “Hazardous Condition”). After multiple calls and emails with the service manager at Len Stoler Hyundai (Owings Mills, Maryland), I took my car to their dealership on November 5, 2024, December 30, 2024, and May 28, 2025, to have Hazardous Condition corrected. Although Len Stoler Hyundai was able to slightly improve the Hazardous Condition such that it was more intermittent – going dark for minutes or hours at a time instead of days at a time - the problem was never satisfactorily resolved. Recently, the Hazardous Condition became less intermittent, and all screens went permanently dark. Since Len Stoler Hyundai closed their doors, I reached out to Heritage Hyundai Owings Mills to address the Hazardous Condition. After a detailed call with a service advisor, I dropped off the Vehicle to them on August 15, 2025, and as of the date of this letter, thirteen (13) days have passed without them resolving the Hazardous Condition, or even returning my repeated telephone calls. To date, Heritage Hyundai Owings Mills remains in possession of the Vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11683707

Incident

Aug 1, 2025

Everytime with Acc active it activates the Driver attention camera system which never works in sunlight camera reads wrong and disable Acc while driving on freeway all the time due to sun reflection cant even wear polairized glasses Acc never works.

NHTSA ID

11682031

Incident

Aug 20, 2025

Driver Assistant cruise and steering components relating to the warning system. The system notification is turned off in the settings; however, the issue overrides the setting. Cruise control and steering assist shuts off after brief but consistant warning to keep my eyes on the road. My eyes are on the road. I can do nothing to stop it from warning. It may happen up to 20 times in a distance of 9-20 miles. This has occured since purchase and occurs everytime the car is driven. While passing on interstate highways the system may shut off. Acceleration stops, steering assist shuts off. Four dealerships have seen the vehicle and a claim was issued by Hyundai America. A Service manager finally, after many request, rode with me after a year of many service appointment resulting in a change of passenger facing camera. No change occurred in the system, it continues to behavior the same a prior to the camera change.

NHTSA ID

11681828

Incident

Aug 19, 2025

when accelerating at high speeds, over 70 mph, the car will sometimes appear to slip into neutral, and we are not able to accelerate at all. And then will need to coast to a stop, pull over, shut the car and restart. this has happened five times in the past year and always after one hour or more of driving at high speeds

NHTSA ID

11677170

Incident

Jul 18, 2025

System keeps saying that I am not watching the road, which I am. No eye glasses or sunglasses on. This causes the cruise control to suddenly disengage creating a safety hazard. SUV is up to date on software/firmware.

NHTSA ID

11673031

Incident

Jul 12, 2025

Windshield washer nozzles spray so low on the windshield that the center and top won’t clean which makes driving unsafe.

NHTSA ID

11673029

Incident

Jul 12, 2025

Have a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy Hybrid with a Drivers Attention Warning problem. The warning turns on frequently when using cruise control. When the warning beeps a few times in quick succession it actually shuts down the system, reduces speed to a crawl, and turns off the engine. This only happens while using cruise control, no issue with DAW when cruise control is off. So can't use cruise control on the highway/interstate. Dealer is no help. This is obviously a safety issue when the engine turns off while driving on an interstate. Thanks

NHTSA ID

11669192

Incident

Jun 25, 2025

On a bright sunny day, the Hyundai Forward Attention Warning (FAW) SHUT OFF my adaptive cruise control while doing 70 mph, indicating that I was not focused on the road. I was looking straight ahead at the road the whole time. I later determined that the system was reacting to glare on my glasses (not sunglasses, no tint whatsoever, just glass). This led to a very dangerous condition because I was fighting with the car to determine what had happened (at 70 miles per hour), not focused on the road as I just had been prior. The system is checked as OFF in setup (as described in the manual) but clearly that was not the case. The driver CAN NOT shut the system like the manual says. I actually love the car, EXCEPT for that "feature". This subsystem should never have been permitted into a production vehicle and, had I known, I would never have purchased. It's that big of a problem. The system appears to be very dependent upon ambient light because I never have this issue when it's cloudy, raining, or at dawn or dusk. I have complained at 2 Hyundai dealerships here in the Chicago area, to a total of 4 Hyundai personnel, even sent a video my daughter recorded of me driving and exhibiting the issue. In 3 of the 4 cases, they replied the "system was performing as designed". That appears to be their mantra. The one service person replied that they had never heard that before. I guess they don't ever check Reddit or write down my many complaints. I think it's clear Hyundai, as a service organization does not intend to do anything about this and, perhaps worse, the company at large has no intention of doing anything as this same subsystem is part of an extensive line of their 2025 models as well.

NHTSA ID

11659658

Incident

May 7, 2025

The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while stopped and making a left turn with the A/C unit activated, the rear windshield exploded inadvertently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 23,572.

NHTSA ID

11655514

Incident

Apr 18, 2025

Mileage

23,572 mi

Traveling back from Aurora Co to Iowa the Heating stopped working in three hours of our trip. A code came up and the Heating shut down. Which allowed the windshield to be frozen over while I was driving. Rain freezing to the windshield. Had to stop frequently because of code P007100. Hyundai relies on an ambient temperature sensor for heating within the vehicle. It froze over while Hyundai relies on an ambient temperature sensor for heating within the vehicle. It froze over while I was driving was driving. Other cars were driving just fine because they didn’t have heat within their car. So Hyundai needs to have a special recall on this for a safety concern and cold weather.

NHTSA ID

11635063

Incident

Jan 4, 2025

I had my vehicle serviced at Hyundai of Kirkland, located at 11800 124th Ave NE, Kirkland, WA 98034, on December 19th, 2024. During the service, the dealership did not inform me of any active recalls on my vehicle, nor did they address any recall-related issues. I believe it is their responsibility to notify customers of recalls and ensure proper servicing as required.

NHTSA ID

11632551

Incident

Dec 19, 2024

2024 Models appear to not allow disabling the "Consider taking a break" alert even when disabling the "Driver attention warning" feature. This alert appears to go off on imperfect roads at seemingly random intervals when the car "thinks" you are driving improperly. The alert is abrupt, jarring, and unsafe in my option. I have no idea why they would release a model where you can't disable it when in previous models you easily could. It appears this is a common problem from my research online and I don't think Hyundia has made any steps to fix this.

NHTSA ID

11627889

Incident

Nov 28, 2024