2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Engine Problems

While driving, my vehicle displayed “Shifter System Malfunction! Service Immediately.” Immediately after, I was unable to shift the vehicle from Drive into Park, Reverse, or Neutral. The only way to park the vehicle was to turn the engine off while it was still in Drive, restart it, and then shift into Park. This is an extreme safety hazard. A driver who cannot change gears can lose control of the situation during an emergency, be unable to safely park, reverse, or place the vehicle in neutral if needed. Having to shut the engine off while the transmission is still in Drive is unsafe and not how the vehicle is intended to operate. This issue first occurred around 45,000 miles while the vehicle was under warranty, but it temporarily resolved on its own. It has now returned in June 2026 at approximately 65,500 miles, after the warranty expired, and is happening repeatedly. After researching online, I found many Hyundai owners reporting the same “Shifter System Malfunction” with identical symptoms, indicating this may be a widespread defect. I request that NHTSA investigate this issue, as it poses a serious risk to driver and public safety.

NHTSA ID

11747288

Incident

Nov 20, 2025

Vehicle: 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe | Current Mileage: 140,000 Description of Safety Defect: While operating a 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe at speed, the vehicle suffered a sudden, complete, and catastrophic loss of motive power in the middle of a live, active roadway without any prior warning or dashboard indicator lights. The transmission abruptly dropped out of gear and the engine shut down entirely, trapping the driver and three young children in active traffic and creating an immediate, life-threatening highway safety hazard. The vehicle was towed to Sport Durst Hyundai in Durham, NC, where technicians confirmed a total internal transmission failure where the gears fail to engage. This exact mechanical failure mechanism directly mirrors the severe engineering defect detailed in NHTSA Campaign Number 22V746000 (Hyundai Safety Recall 236) for electric oil pump failures causing a sudden loss of drive power. Hyundai Motor America Corporate Case Management has issued a flat denial of all safety and goodwill repair coverage based strictly on the vehicle's 140,000 miles, claiming that mileage absolves them of product liability for a catastrophic drivetrain safety defect that endangered three young children. Furthermore, the franchise dealership is actively withholding the GDS diagnostic failure scan codes from the consumer, calling them "internal documents" to actively suppress federal evidence of this safety failure. Further, the authorized Hyundai dealership engaged in deceptive practices by refusing to put anything in writing, and refusing my request for any diagnostic information, including any report indicating diagnostic error codes, technician summary, etc.

NHTSA ID

11743203

Incident

May 23, 2026

Beginning on 04/17/2026, my vehicle began displaying multiple safety-related dashboard warnings simultaneously, accompanied by audible alerts. The warnings included the Forward Collision Safety System, Blind-Spot Monitoring, Electronic Parking Brake (EPB), Stability and Traction Control, Lane Keep Assist, and AUTO HOLD — all activating at the same time. These warnings reappeared on several occasions and were photographed with date and location data embedded in each image. My vehicle was brought to Burlington Hyundai dealership, where a repair order was opened and a loaner was provided. The car was returned without the issue being fixed. Within days, the same warnings reappeared and the situation worsened. On multiple occasions, the engine shut off completely and the transmission shifted into neutral on its own while my vehicle was being driven at approximately 20 to 40 mph. On at least one occasion, the parking brake engaged automatically without any input from the driver. A dashboard photo clearly documents the message "Engine Off! Shift to N, then start engine." These failures are a serious danger to everyone on the road. When the engine shuts off while driving, normal steering and braking ability is lost. When the parking brake engaged on its own, the car stopped abruptly with no warning. Any one of these incidents could have caused a serious accident or injury. My vehicle was returned to the dealership for a second repair visit and a second loaner was provided. The dealership confirmed via text that the car was still in the shop but never followed up with a diagnosis or timeline. When the dealership was called directly, no update was provided. As of 06/04/2026, my vehicle has been at the dealership for at least 30 days across two visits — 11 days for the first and at least 19 days for the second — with no confirmed root cause, no completed repair, and no clear communication.

NHTSA ID

11742021

Incident

Apr 17, 2026

This vehicle has experienced: • Multiple roadside breakdowns • Three fuel injector system failures • 2 complete transmission failures and replacements • Loss of propulsion • Fuel and chemical odor safety risks • A cumulative total of over 60 days out of service, currently at dealer since 4-15-26. SUMMARY OF SAFETY-RELATED FAILURES AND REPAIR HISTORY Incident #1 — May 20, 2022 (Mileage In: 4,899 | Mileage Out: 4,909) Vehicle broke down roadside in an unsafe, unlit area, requiring towing. Failure attributed to fuel injector defect. Vehicle remained in repair until May 24, 2022. Incident #2 — July 19, 2022 (Mileage In: 9,316 | Mileage Out: 9,321) Vehicle emitted strong gasoline odor, creating a potential fire and safety hazard. Vehicle was not drivable and required towing. Released July 26, 2022. During a recorded phone call, Hyundai Case Manager provided a verbal assurance that this failure would not recur. Incident #3 — September 9, 2025 (Mileage In/Out: 65,232) Vehicle exhibited engine shuddering, suspected fuel injector failure, and transmission shifting defects. Dealer released vehicle without resolving the defect on September 9, 2025. Incident #4 — January 13, 2026 (Mileage In: 72,089 | Mileage Out: 72,098) Vehicle lost power and broke down, requiring towing. Dealer determined full transmission replacement was required. All four fuel injectors were replaced again, marking the third injector-related failure. Released January 23, 2026. Incident #5 — January 30, 2026 (Mileage In: 72,467 | Mileage Out: 72,487) Vehicle overheated, lost power, and emitted chemical odors, requiring towing. Dealer confirmed cooler hose failure and fluid leakage. Released February 5, 2026. Incident #6: 4-15-26 - Sent back to dealer. Dealer still has car in shop. Advising needing new transmission. Still no confirmation as of 5-16-26 if car is repairable.

NHTSA ID

11738291

Incident

May 20, 2022

when vehicle accelerates from stopping position motor immediately increases rpm's from 700 to about 4,000 and increases and decreases with jerking motion. sometimes much difficulty controlling speed and controlling car when there are approaching vehicles. the transmission does not perform safely there is the same problem when passing other vehicles and travelling uphill , sometimes 50 to 75 mph. the selling dealer informed me this may be this transmission's way of learning how to accelerate.I don't believe this. I am [XXX] old, never a ticket with two safety classes in my first 30 years of driving heavy vehicles for my employer. the selling dealer was unable to completely reproduce problem. I have this problem when vehicle is first activated in the morning as I begin driving also. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11736072

Incident

Dec 1, 2025

Fuel injector failed the entire engine on my 2022 Santa Fe had to be completely replaced. The dealership put in a new engine. Santa Fe is only four years old. That is highly unusual.

NHTSA ID

11733833

Incident

Apr 13, 2026

Took my 22 Sante fe to the Hyundai dealership to have the blower motor checked since I have no air flow in my car. Dealership informed me that the engine harness needs replaced and that it melted the fuse box under the hood. So, I am not able to replace my blower motor at this time due to the melted fuse box. Dealership also advised that they have seen the same problem in multiple 22 Sante Fe. and that there is likely more with the same issue within the United States. I have been noticing a melting/hot smell in the car before the airflow quit and I took it to the dealership to be diagnosed.

NHTSA ID

11713858

Incident

Jan 20, 2026

Engine control harness with under fuse box due to melted fuse box. This caused my blower motor and relay to go bad. No air flow currently in car due to control harness. Dealership stated that there has been several Sante Fe that has came in this year with the same issue.

NHTSA ID

11706884

Incident

Dec 23, 2025

Ever since I bought by car in 2022 brand new the car has been shaking when I press on the brakes going around 70 mph. I took the car multiple times to the dealership and all they do is resurface the rotos. One time they refused to even look at the car so I called corporate and they got the dealership to do the same thing as before. But still the car shakes. I called corporate and they said to take to dealership to once again get the rotos resurfaced (how many times are they planning to resurface the damn rotors?) I took to dealership because the car was saying it was overheating. They ended up changing the thermostat or something related to it. And I asked them to once again look at the rotors because of the issue. The guy came back and said “we didn’t look at your rotors but you need brakes and that’s $500”. They refused to guarantee me if doing the break job will fix my issue. And I’m fed up. I looked online and as it turns out, the Santa Fe’s have a lot of possible manufacture defects. Such as: -Breaking System (Shudder / Vibration Common Issue) -Cooling System (Common Failures) - Suspension & Steering Components -AWD / Drivetrain (If AWD) -Electronics & Software - TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) Audit - Turbo oil-supply pipe crack / oil leak risk -Fuel-system pipe / fuel-rail hose leak (on certain turbo models -Transmission oil-pump / transmission-system recall (power-train issues) -Rear-view / backup-camera defect (visibility / electronics issue) (this actually did happen to me and they fixed it, but they denied it was a recall when I asked if this was common. So they lied) -Trailer-hitch wiring harness fire-risk recall And possibly more issues I’ve yet to come across other owners having. These are pretty serious issues. Some causing even the car to catch fire. This is extremely worrisome and I need peace of mind. Please help me out Thank you for your time

NHTSA ID

11702185

Incident

Oct 24, 2025

Bought Car in 2022 when COVID was still a problem. I had problems with the LED screen on the dash turning off. It did come back after about 10-15 minutes. I had to pull over to the side of the road in the meantime. I brought my car in and no problem was found. I was told that there was no way they could order a $6,000 part if they could not reproduce the problem. I still have had this problem periodically, but it does not last as long. This can be a safety risk when the screen goes out when driving. My check engine light has gone off many time in the 3 yrs and 7 months of me owning the vehicle. I am asked if the light is blinking when this occurs. If I said 'no', I was told 'then you don't have to worry'. I had my car in to evaluate the engine light on, and was told not to worry that no code showed up (I did not get a service record if they didn't find any thing, despite me asking). The very next day I was stranded on a busy Hwy. My car was towed to the shop. I barely got off the Hwy as one of my fuel injectors was bad. I was 45 min from my home and the check engine light went on. I started driving home and called the service dept. I was told that as long as the light was not blinking, it would be ok, and I tomorrow I should call for an appt if it is still on. My car started to act up when I was nearing my home, but it was drivable. The next morning the light was still on. I did not feel safe driving it around and felt it was another fuel injector. I was driving my car to the shop and the car was slowing down a little at a time. By the time I was about 1/2 mile from the shop, my car was only going 14 miles per hour. I was driving on the side of the hwy with my flashing lights on. Very unsafe. I know that I have a lemon for a car, but not taken seriously, that is a PROBLEM. I have had many more times that my engine light was on and would bring it in for an evaluation. Sometimes things were found, other times not. I am concerned about that lack of concern.

NHTSA ID

11680011

Incident

Aug 11, 2025

My Santa Fe limited 2022, has stopped running while traveling at 50 to 60 miles per hour on 3 different occasions. Car has 19000 miles and incidents have occurred over past 10000 miles.

NHTSA ID

11674712

Incident

Jul 19, 2025

Vehicle will stall out while driving at speeds Loss of braking capability and steering capabilities all lost when this happens. Vehicle will roll until stop. No control to steer or brake

NHTSA ID

11669378

Incident

Jun 13, 2025

A few days before the complete engine failure the car became very jerky on the throttle response I would slowly add throttle and the car would jump all over the place with RPMs and felt extremely jerky when shifting gears. At one point the engine downshifted past redline when decelerating off the highway. The day of the engine failure I was accelerating up hill after leaving a stop sign. Around 25 mph the throttle stopped responding and the engine went to idle around 800 rpm. The car started violently shaking and sounding like it was running on 3 cylinders. I tried the throttle again and nothing happened. At this time I was slowing to a stop on the hill while still in lane being unable to get out of lane to the shoulder. Upon coming to a stop the vehicle continued to shake and eventually the engine stalled while keeping the electric on. At this point there was never any lights on the dash board to indicate a fault. Upon attempting to restart the engine it turned over 3 times and eventually started all while violating shaking and eventually stalling again. The third time attempting to start it did not turn over. At this point I was stuck in lane and needed to call the police to come and assist me because I was unable to move the vehicle under its own power putting my life in danger. Upon taking getting it towed to a dealership they said it was a fuel injector fault.

NHTSA ID

11667258

Incident

Jun 14, 2025

While driving the car keeps Jenkins, and on the dash board it cane up have your power train checked. My vehicle has been in the shop 4 times since February over 30 days twice. My vehicle is still currently in the shop at the dealership. They refuse to check my power train area, and keep telling me 2 of the cylinders are backfiring

NHTSA ID

11665279

Incident

Feb 20, 2025

Was traveling on [XXX] near Reston, VA when the Santa Fe engine started missing and losing power and check engine light came on. Vehicle was towed to dealer and repaired on 04/26/24 Mileage was 36285. The repair order says it was fuel injector for cylinder #1. The second time the same thing happened was on [XXX] near Haymarket, VA. The date was [XXX], mileage was 36577. The engine started missing lost power and check engine light came on. Vehicle taken to dealer for repaired. They replaced injector #2. The third time was about [XXX] mileage about 51000. Was traveling near Haymarket, VA. Engine started to miss, decrease in power, check engine light came on. Vehicle was towed to dealer. Inspection of the engine revealed injector #3 was malfunctioning and they needed to replace it but could not get the injector for it from Hyundai. The vehicle has been setting at the dealer since then with no idea when it will be repaired. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11665141

Incident

Jun 5, 2025

My vehicle made 3 ringing sounds and began to decelerate from 67mph to 0 in less than 2 minutes. I had to pull over quickly to avoid getting rear ended. This incident happened twice already. I took it in to the dealer and they were not able to recreate what happened. This occurrence happened 2weeks ago.

NHTSA ID

11618252

Incident

Sep 22, 2024

Middle of May 2024 car begins to feel like it's shifting when accelerating and stopping. Nothing found by Hyundai Service Dept. Lakeland. On apx. [XXX] while driving stepped on gas pedal and felt no power. Kept pumping the pedal & car started jerking. Managed to get to light and get in left lane to turn into plaza honking horn. Car slid to a stop at entrance. On apx. [XXX] my husband was driving home and same thing happened. Managed to slide car into our driveway. Both times the car had to be towed to dealership. Two fuel injectors have been changed and when I asked them to change other two they said warranty would not allow. Worst case scenario is if this happens on the interstate traveling at 75 miles per hour. Not only could we be killed but others. Both times there was no warning lights or any other warning. The car just started jerking and lost power. It can very well cause a car to rear end us and a multiple car chain reaction hurting or worse killing others. I am filled with anxiety every time I take the car out for errands. I also saw a similar incident reported in the Better Business Bureau here in Tampa by another person. I reported my incident to Hyundai Corporation by phone and email and asked the rep to reported it to her superiors to see if they could just please let the dealership replace my other two fuel injectors & I was told they could do nothing. The dealership has told me several times the injectors must fail before they can replace. Apparently, the cost of the injectors is more than someone's life. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11610696

Incident

May 20, 2024

My vehicle has been having repeated issues within 2.5 years of my purchase. Initially it was the transmission and Hyundai service center with poor customer service kept the car for almost 20-25 days before replacing the vehicle. Now, I have picked up the vehicle for less than a week and I get another Powertrain DTC code P030100 and check engine light on. Hyundai service centers are worst in the country, very poor customer service. I have to take my caribou 100 miles away to a different service center because the in town service center wouldn’t even look at the car and says has no appointment. I have to drive the car for about 100 miles with engine light on which poses a major risk to the car and myself to even ben able to get the car service done under warranty. The company advertises best warranty in the industry but makes it hard to fix the vehicle under warranty. Please stay away from buying an Hyundai in future. Thank you.

NHTSA ID

11609251

Incident

Aug 18, 2024

When you go from drive to park it doesn't go into park. If you try to go to park to reverse it won't go into reverse. Has happened 3 times. Have take it in to dealership and found nothing.

NHTSA ID

11607927

Incident

Jul 19, 2024

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that on two occasions while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. On the second occasion, the vehicle was steered to the side of the road and restarted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure was not able to be replicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.

NHTSA ID

11607286

Incident

Jun 1, 2023

Mileage

10,000 mi

The vehicle shuts off completely when stopped at a stop sign, traffic light, or parking space. This has occurred multiple times. Hyundai can not find the problem after multiple times in the shop. The last time it occurred I was in the middle of a busy intersection and was almost broadsided.

NHTSA ID

11605470

Incident

Jul 3, 2024

The car completely shut off in the middle of driving and I was unable to put the car into park or use the emergency brake and hazard lights because all of the controls are electronic. The lack of mechanical safety features is a danger.

NHTSA ID

11605078

Incident

Jul 29, 2024

On November 28 2023, I was pulling onto a small highway when an alarm went off, car stopped (engine off) as other cars were coming towards me. The message displayed was "autostop is off. Shift to P or N and start engine manually". Because the alarm was so loud and I was concerned, I snapped a picture which will be attached. I immediately pushed start button and was able to get out of the way. I had not turned the Idle Start Stop (ISS) button to off - so supposedly it was on. (You have to push this button to turn ISS off. This happened twice until I was able to get to service department. After much time (and using a loaner car) Hyundai agreed to provide a new battery because of its health. This happened again. I took the car back and the manager showed me a technical service bulletin - regarding my car - "Rough Shift and Hesitation Improved Logic". This didn't sound like Idle Start Stop bulletin but I was assured it was (attached). Though the stall has not occurred since, the ISS icon at times just isn't there. My dealer is communicating with Hyundai to try to keep my car again and provide a loaner. I am reporting this because many others on Hyundai Forums are describing the same incidents. Yet I haven't seen anyone mention the Technical Service Bulletin, even though many have taken this problem to their dealer. To me this needs to be considered for a recall. I had a daughter and grand daughter in my car and had no idea what to do with cars approaching. Fortunately, just pushing start worked. I have read the manual and know what is required for ISS to work. All requirements were net. It is possible the TSB has fixed stall issue so I am mainly reporting for other drivers.

NHTSA ID

11604096

Incident

Nov 28, 2023

Was driving on the highway while it was in cruise control and on several occasions when trying to accelerate the vehicle would jerk aggressively and struggle to accelerate. It did this about 3 times on my way to my destination. Took it in and they said they couldn’t find anything wrong with it nor could they replicate the issue. No work was on done on it.

NHTSA ID

11598725

Incident

May 4, 2024

On Monday nite returning Tuesday Morning I was coming home from work and I noticed my engine light is on and car is not running properly. I had to drive slower than normal at 12:30 AM I can usually drive the expressway but I am glad I didn’t .I live in Detroit Mi My employer which is Amazon is located in Romulus Michigan so I took [XXX] to [XXX] that when I notice my automobile was not driving as usual so I pull over and I notice my check engine light was on so I restarted my car several and it still was on so I Prayed and drove slow all the way home Thank God I made safely my auto have 7100 miles on it I had one oil change the next one is due at 10,000 miles. So the next morning I was at dealership when it opened and met with the manager at Lafountain Hyundai on Telegraph in Dearborn Mi He tried to diagnose my car and showed but it didn’t work so he told me to take it to Lafountain Dealership in Livonia I arrived and they told me their were backed for three weeks And couldn’t get a appt and when I do I will have to leave like everyone else and I saw all those cars mine just sitting so I ask the reception and she had no answer after I explain so I tried Hyundai Corporate office no answer so I been read all the trouble shooting information but that wouldn’t help because is slipping so I came home and back on the internet and began reading other comment. I can’t leave my car I need to go to work how am going there buses do run out there and I don’t have any other Transportation so my car will just until someone helps me Thank you for excepting my complaint please help me I am losing money how can I pay for my car with no money. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11598248

Incident

Jul 2, 2024