2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

There is a safety risk on the 2nd row seats crushing a child. In my 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid (Calligraphy trim), I've had two incidents where a child in the 3rd row pressed the button in the trunk to close the 2nd row captain's chair seats, crushing a child that was in the seat. These seats are not supposed to fold down when occupied. When the vehicle is moving, or not in park, or the seat belt is engaged, the seats correctly do not fold when the folding button on the top of the seat is pushed. The same holds true when the folding button is engaged from the 3rd row/trunk, EXCEPT the seat will STILL fold while the car is in Park and the seatbelts are engaged. I believe this is a design or software flaw, as clearly the seat should not fold while a passenger is in the seat. This presents a clear safety risk as a child can not provide enough resistance to stop the seat from folding, leading to a risk of injury or death - evidenced by the March 2026 incident that killed a [XXX] in the similarly-designed Hyundai Palisade. A recall and stop-sale was issued for the Palisade but one was not issued for the Santa Fe. A video of a demonstration of this situation and resulting safety hazard is available here: [XXX] The notes from my Hyundai dealer service visit are also attached. The service technician confirmed the problem is not on my car specifically, but is an issue facing all cars of this type. The service technicians and manager also acknowledged the clear safety issue and in fact encouraged me to make an NHTSA safety complaint. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11765532

Incident

Sep 17, 2026

I was driving the hybrid vehicle uphill on a highway and there was traffic so we were driving under 5 mph for about 20 minutes. When speed picked up I went to accelerate and the vehicle, it never accelerated when I depressed the gas pedal, and stayed in electrical mode rather than switching over to gas. The vehicle then shut off in traffic and I could not pull over safely on congested two lane interstate 17 and I was afraid as vehicles were swerving and driving past and we could not get out safely. The "check hybrid system, Stop safely" warning came on the dash. This vehicle at the time only had 8,808 miles on it and is relatively new. I brought the vehicle in to the dealership but they said "tech scanned for codes. No DTC present. No warnings on cluster at this time. Tech checked for ECM SW upgrades. None available. Tech Road tested vehicle without any issue. No repair performed at this time." When I picked up my vehicle they only put that only the check hybrid warning light came on and left off their report that my vehicle completely stopped working.

NHTSA ID

11765417

Incident

Sep 6, 2026

The Driver Attention sensor cannot be turned off. In a recent trip it engaged a dozen times over a one hour ride, a ride I was completely fully alert for. I find the warning itself to be a safety issue and very distracting while I'm trying to drive and follow a map to have it constantly be going off. A simple software update to provide ability to turn it off would resolve this and there are hundreds of similar complaints about this that I can find in message boards. Unacceptable.

NHTSA ID

11762605

Incident

Sep 6, 2026

"take a coffee break" warning goes on an inappropriate amount of time. When I drive straight down the highway it alarms. However, if i cross the white lines it does not alarm. Also when this alarm turns on all other sounds systems in the car go silent including the GPS/Apple Carplay. I have missed exits and turns due to this alarm going off. There is no way to turn it off or make it less sensitive. I consider this alarm to be unsafe and annoying.

NHTSA ID

11762602

Incident

Sep 4, 2026

Please keep in mind that I am not a mechanic and only a consumer so my specific knowledge of vehicle systems is limited. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. On July 9, 2026 while reversing out of my sloped driveway my Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy Hybrid conducted a sudden, uncommanded emergency brake stop without warning or cause. This occurred one week prior as well on an unknown date. The system appears to misinterpret the angle of the incline and encroaching tall vegetation as a solid obstacle. This uncommanded malfunction caused a rapid deceleration that directly caused and exacerbated my post concussive syndrome, cervical strain, occipital neuralgia, hyperacusis, and noxacusis, requiring treatment at an Urgent Care clinic on Saturday July 11; the unresolved defect poses an immediate crash and bodily injury hazard. I am going to also need pain management therapies. I attended an appointment at the McGrath Hyundai of Cedar Rapids on Monday July 13 for assistance with this among other things that were occurring with my vehicle. I also have been reported experiencing an interconnected systemic electrical failure, including dashboard cluster loading lag, a complete failure of the Head-Up Display (HUD) to register speed limits, and intermittent green color distortion on the blind-spot turn signal camera display, which shares the camera network used by the reversing safety systems. These issues began around the same time as the sudden emergency braking. I am unsure if they are related however it would make sense. They did not fully conduct the tests necessary to locate the problem as a simple diagnostic scan will not do that. The sensor calibration might be off among other causes. The dealership did not look at the EDR to determine the history of this emergency stop occurring. I am currently working with a Hyundai Corporate investigator whom their team agreed for my vehicle to be inspected by a field engineer. I am currently awaiting their call.

NHTSA ID

11759180

Incident

Jul 9, 2026

Driving through a green light going 45 mph and my car had an episode of “phantom braking” and decided to automatically brake out of NO WHERE. Slinging me forward and scaring me. No warning signs or chimes came on before, during or after the incident. It made no sense. I’m scared to drive this car with my baby in it now in the fear of going the speed limit or driving on the freeway with it randomly auto braking out of no where and making me crash with my child in the car or something worse happening with my baby inside the vehicle. I’m very displeased and worried.

NHTSA ID

11758488

Incident

Aug 21, 2026

Component Failure I was driving on [XXX] in [XXX] at 70 miles per hour. My red oil indicator light came on, and within seconds the vehicle suffered a catastrophic power loss. I had zero control of the propulsion. I was in the right lane and managed to steer to the shoulder. I contacted Hyundai Roadside assistance/Hyundai care. They sent a wrecker in about an 45-1 hour as I sat on the side of the highway. I was then put into a wrecker and my car was loaded on a flatbed truck and we then took a 45 minute drive to [XXX] to Weisner Hyundai where the vehicle was left for diagnostic testing. Safety My safety was undeniably at risk due to going the speed limit to zero in seconds. It put me in harms was due to other drivers on the road not expecting a car to stop at those speeds, unable to react in time without causing a collision which could have resulted in significant bodily injury or death for myself, my passenger and possible many others on the road that were around me. I was afraid, not sure what had happened, very distraught and traumatized. I fear for my safety in this vehicle. Service Center The car was taken to Weisner Hyundai at this time they have been unable to replicate or discover any code. They have seen the oil light come on. They have had my vehicle since XXX until today XXX when they were going to send it to [XXX] Hyundai where I purchased the vehicle. Inspections I am not sure about who all has looked at it within the dealership. Warnings The only warning I had was a red oil lamp that appeared on the dash seconds before the catastrophic loss of power. Special Note, I just found out that my vehicle originally had repairs done as it came from transport to the engine/oil components which were not disclosed to me by the dealership prior to me purchasing the vehicle "new" at full price. The dealership had knowledge that the vehicle already had issues that cause the malfunction and sold it knowing the dangers. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11758112

Incident

Aug 12, 2026

The Driver Attention Warning system activates a "coffee break" alert repeatedly after approximately two hours of continuous driving, regardless of actual driver attentiveness. There is no way to permanently dismiss or disable this alert. When attempting to cover the cabin camera to stop the alerts, the vehicle triggers a separate "Limited Assistance" warning that is equally intrusive. There is no scenario where the driver is free from one alert or the other during extended drives. This has created dangerous situations. I drive frequently through mountain roads with sharp curves, steep grades, and limited shoulders. On multiple occasions these alerts have diverted my attention from the road at critical moments and I have nearly been involved in accidents as a direct result. A system designed for safety is actively making driving less safe by forcing interaction with dashboard warnings instead of focusing on the road. The component is available for inspection. The system is functioning as programmed, which is the core problem. It is not a mechanical failure but a design issue that creates a real safety hazard for anyone driving longer than two hours. The problem has not been taken to a dealer as it appears to be functioning as Hyundai intended. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives for this issue. No prior warning lamps or symptoms preceded this. Alerts began as soon as I started making drives exceeding two hours. The problem is fully reproducible on any drive of that length.

NHTSA ID

11756011

Incident

Aug 1, 2026

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 power seats with or without Integrated Memory System (IMS) may produce buzz, squeak, rattle noises when the driver’s front seat is adjusted forward or backwards due to friction within the motor’s tube. This bulletin provides instructions to remove the motor tube.

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.

Some vehicles may exhibit a loss of connectivity or interruptions in the middle of using Bluelink functions. This may be due to an occasional disconnection on Verizon’s communication network. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to verify Bluelink Data Communication Unit (DCU) network connection and if needed, reset the DCU in Dealer Mode to resolve the connection.

Certain Santa Fe (MX5A) and Santa Fe Hybrid (MX5A HEV) vehicles may experience battery drain and inoperative heated seat capacitive touch buttons due to incorrect ECU logic for the Seat Heater Unit – Front (SHU_FRT). Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) 25-01-025H-1 and 25-01-028H-1 provides instructions to perform a software update for the Seat Heater Unit – Front to correct the logic. Over-the-Air (OTA): This update can also be conducted via OTA. The customer can complete on his/her own if he/she has an active subscription to Hyundai Bluelink. A visit to the dealership is not required. Deployment of the OTA to Bluelink customers is planned to start the week of 11/11/25.