2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

Vehicle is 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid. Component that failed was the electrical system, specifically, the 12 V battery drained leaving the vehicle's electrical systems completely dead. Happened on two occasions: first in XXX, and second in XXX. Vehicle had to be towed in both instances. Our safety was put at risk in that my wife and I, who are both senior citizens, were essentially stranded in dark parking garages at night and left to arrange towing services under very difficult circumstances. In both instances, the electrical system was examined by Hyundai service technicians. The first time I was without the vehicle for 11 days. The second time I was without the vehicle for 22 days. Both service calls identified and confirmed that an unknown power drain was the source of the problem, and in both instances replacing the 12V battery was "the solution". The dealerships that serviced the vehicle ran all diagnostics and could not pinpoint the source of power drain; neither could assure me that it would not happen again, more or less at random. There were no warning lamps, messages or other indications of the problem prior to failure and the dealerships that serviced the vehicle (one in [XXX] and one in [XXX]) indicated that if it were to happen again, there likely would be no advance notice in that instance, either. Result: I have no confidence that the vehicle will not leave me stranded in an unsafe location/condition far from home or a vehicle service facility. Vehicle is parked in a surface lot next to our apartment in [XXX] while I shop for a new (non-Hyundai hybrid) vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11776545

Incident

Jun 20, 2026

I only am entering Automatic Emergency Braking because I have no other section to select. While my wife was driving our 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid at a speed of approximately 55 mph the vehicle suddenly, without any type of warning, began slowing down to a speed of 20 mph. A message appeard on the display above the steering "20 mph limit". The vehicle decreased the speed from 55 mph to 20 mph in approximately 5 to 6 seconds. She could not accellerate above 20 mph regardless of how hard she tried. She had no control of the speed. Fortunately she was on a two lane highway with little or no traffic. She stopped the vehicle and put it into Park, waited and began travelling again. It would not go over 20 mph and the message remained on the screen. She managed to get home. When the vehicle was parked, turned off and then turned back on the message was no longer on the screen. I then drove it directly to Hyundai dealership to report the problem. I was told they could do nothing unless they were able to get the vehicle to repeat the issue. I had to leave it at the dealership. I have since read that Hyundai has a "Fail Safe" mode that causes the vehicle to do that if there is an issue with the engine, hybrid mode, transmission or emissions. This issue happens with ablolutely no warning. I just begins to stop. My major complaint is that this could occurr when I am traveling at 70 mph on a major Interstate hwy while in the left lane in high traffice and have no way of maintaining my speed long enough to get to the shoulder of the road. This could easily create a major catastrophe. Hyundai should address this issue ASAP before someone is killed because they have no control of the speed of the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11776173

Incident

Nov 5, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly lost power and decelerated to 30 MPH. While in heavy traffic, the contact pulled over to the side of the road, waited for the battery to charge, and drove to the dealer at a slow speed. The dealer inspected the vehicle and associated the failure with low ethanol and heavy contaminants in the fuel. The fuel pump was replaced, and a fuel injector service was performed, but 30 days later the failure reoccurred. The high-pressure fuel pump and the high-pressure fuel pump sensor were replaced and repaired. The contact stated that several days after the repair, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was returned to the same dealer, and the contact was informed of a catalytic converter failure caused by the contaminated fuel. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure by phone. The failure mileage was approximately 14,362.

NHTSA ID

11775997

Incident

Sep 8, 2026

Mileage

14,362 mi

The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65-70 MPH, the vehicle shut off. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and restarted the vehicle. During an oil change appointment, the dealer informed the contact of Hyundai TSB Number: 25-01-028H-1 (Seat Heater Unit Software Update) and associated the bulletin with the failure. The dealer completed the repair; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the failure identified in the TSB had caused the battery to drain. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the HPCU and main wiring harness were replaced twice, the battery was replaced once, and the transmission was replaced once; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20-25 MPH and coming to a stop on an incline, the vehicle shut off. Several messages, including "HEV Low Battery - Hibernation Mode", were displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was shifted into neutral and rolled into a nearby parking lot. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone and email, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 23,489.

NHTSA ID

11775071

Incident

Dec 2, 2025

Mileage

23,489 mi

I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, which I purchased as a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle in April 2026 with approximately 15,000 miles. The vehicle currently has approximately 27,000 miles. While driving on the [XXX], my vehicle suddenly and unexpectedly lost propulsion. The vehicle’s electrical systems remained on, but it would no longer accelerate normally. There were no warning lights, messages, or alerts before the loss of power. I was in active freeway traffic with numerous vehicles behind me. Because my vehicle could no longer maintain speed or accelerate, I was placed in an extremely dangerous situation. I feared being struck from behind by another vehicle. It was a terrifying experience. I was eventually able to pull over to the side of the freeway. I turned the vehicle off and waited briefly before restarting it. I was then able to get off the freeway and reach a gas station. Once at the gas station, multiple warning lights illuminated on the dashboard, and I observed that the hybrid battery was not charging. The vehicle ultimately became undrivable. The vehicle was towed to Centennial Hyundai in [XXX] for diagnosis. The dealership advised that diagnosis could take approximately two to three days. This is the first time the vehicle has experienced this failure. However, the sudden loss of propulsion without any prior warning created a serious risk of a rear-end collision. I am concerned that this failure could happen to other Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid owners while driving at freeway speeds. I am requesting that NHTSA review this incident as a potential vehicle safety defect, including the sudden loss of propulsion, lack of advance warning, and apparent hybrid charging-system malfunction. At the time of this complaint, the cause of the failure has not yet been confirmed by the dealership. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11774907

Incident

Oct 29, 2026

I was driving around 60-65 mph and felt like the left rear wheel was having trouble catching the road. 15-30 seconds later I was put into a spin, did one full revolution before hitting the soft dirt embankment right after the on ramp for 10A on NJ-18 South. When I got out of the car, the left rear wheel looked like it had snapped from the main arm of the suspension. Airbags did not deploy.

NHTSA ID

11774856

Incident

Oct 11, 2026

My 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid has multiple ongoing problems. Several are intermittent. BRAKES: The brake pedal intermittently sticks when I first start the car. STARTING/ELECTRICAL: On two occasions the vehicle would not start and roadside assistance had to come to start it. It is also sometimes hard to start. The Digital Key on my phone intermittently fails to unlock the doors or start the car. On occasion, all audio is lost at startup, including the radio, speakers, and turn signal sound. The front left speaker intermittently cuts out or sounds distorted. The passenger front door exterior handle/unlock intermittently fails. The driver side temperature knob is stuck at 77 degrees F. POWER TRAIN: The vehicle hesitates/stutters during the first half mile of driving after starting. SEATS: The driver seat memory intermittently fails to move to the saved position when the car starts. SUSPENSION: A creaking, spring-like noise occurs when the car rocks during initial acceleration and braking, possibly from the driver side front. I have reported this to the dealer twice before. Inspection: I have reported these problems to Westlake Hyundai in Thousand Oaks, CA, on previous visits and have another service appointment scheduled. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance. I am concerned about the brake pedal and no-start problems as safety issues.

NHTSA ID

11774623

Incident

Jun 1, 2026

While driving at freeway speeds in normal traffic conditions, the vehicle experienced a sudden, complete loss of motive power and rapid deceleration. The accelerator pedal became entirely unresponsive. No warning messages, check engine lights, or diagnostic indicators appeared on the dashboard during or immediately after the failure leaving me blind to the vehicle's state. This loss of propulsion on a high-speed live freeway created an immediate, extreme safety hazard, forcing an emergency maneuver across active lanes of traffic without predictable vehicle control. Component or System: Engine / Powertrain / Fuel System (High-Pressure Fuel Pump / Fuel Rail Sensor) Recurring / Prior History: This is a severe, recurring safety defect. The exact same highway power loss and deceleration event occurred last month. The vehicle was brought to an authorized Hyundai dealership where a repair was allegedly completed on 9/11/2026. However, that repair failed to address the root cause, and the dangerous failure has now repeated itself. The lack of a dashboard warning light masks a systemic component failure (strongly suspected to be the high-pressure fuel pump or associated pressure sensors failing to maintain adequate rail pressure under load

NHTSA ID

11773143

Incident

Oct 22, 2026

This bulletin provides information related to the navigation and head unit software changes introduced in the 2026 2nd Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle type, model, and navigation system. Refer to the 2026 2nd 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.

Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin outlines the combustion chamber cleaning procedure for vehicles diagnosed with this condition. All internal combustion engines consume some engine oil during normal operation, depending on driving conditions and mileage, and this procedure should only be performed when deemed necessary based on inspection and diagnosis of the vehicle as outlined in TSB 26-EM-015H, Engine Oil Consumption – Inspection & Repair Guidelines, or the latest revision.

Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin provides the inspection and repair procedures for vehicles exhibiting this condition. All internal combustion engines consume engine oil as part of normal engine operation. Oil consumption rates may vary based on mileage, operating conditions, driving habits, and maintenance history. Hyundai recommends following the prescribed maintenance schedule and periodically checking the engine oil level using the dipstick to maintain proper engine oil level.

Some Santa Fe Hybrid (MX5A HEV) vehicles may have walk-in switches that are not fully secured. This bulletin provides instructions to trim the seat cover and replace the walk-in switch with improved parts.

Some Santa Fe (MX5A) and Santa Fe Hybrid (MX5A HEV) vehicles may exhibit a 12-volt battery drain due to the passive entry feature of the Digital Key 2 premium causing repeated wakeup of the vehicle. This bulletin provides instructions to perform software updates for the Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) and Body Domain Control (BDC) modules.

Some Santa Fe (MX5A) and Santa Fe Hybrid (MX5A HEV) vehicles equipped with natural leather or Nappa leather seating surfaces may exhibit wrinkling on the first or second row seat cushions or seat backs, or tearing along the perforation holes due to the stiffness of the leather material. This bulletin provides instructions to replace the wrinkled or torn seat covers.