2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Powertrain (other)4223.7%
- Driver assistance2916.4%
- Electrical2916.4%
- Engine147.9%
- Brakes137.3%
- Seat belts105.6%
- Interior & seats95.1%
- Visibility84.5%
- Tires & wheels63.4%
- Body & structure52.8%
- Fuel system31.7%
- Steering31.7%
- Other / unspecified31.7%
- Exterior lighting21.1%
- Airbags10.6%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
I am filing an urgent complaint against Hyundai motor America for a direct violation of the national traffic and motor vehicle safety act. The manufacturer is actively refusing to honor and execute the mandated remedy for federal safety recall 263 (NHTSA campaign 24V-529). My 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT suffered an immediate transmission failure, throwing DTC P086800, which is the precise fail-safe error logic covered under this safety recall. When escalated to Hyundai Motor America Corporate Consumer Affairs (Case #XXX), a corporate case manager issued a formal written denial. The manufacturer explicitly stated that the safety recall remedy would not be covered because the vehicle is "past its 10-year/100,000-mile warranty period". This denial is legally fraudulent. Under federal law, safety recalls do not carry mileage, time, or warranty status restrictions. Furthermore, my vehicle is a 2024 model year, making the manufacturer's claim of it being "over 10 years old" a clerical impossibility. Because my vehicle is a primary tool for my livelihood as a rideshare driver, this unlawful denial has caused extreme, compounding injuries. The vehicle entered limp mode and was rendered entirely undrivable. Hyundai's refusal to provide a loaner vehicle or repair the safety hazard has completely cut off my ability to earn an income. As a direct result of this prolonged corporate delay, I have suffered sudden job loss and immediate housing displacement, rendering myself and my family homeless and stranded in the state of [XXX]. I have suffered greatly having to sleep on the streets due to this non-compliance. I request that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration immediately investigate Hyundai Motor America Case Management for systemic compliance violations regarding Recall 263, and compel the manufacturer to replace the failed transmission assembly immediately at zero cost INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Our vehicle does this all the time and has done so for almost two years. After starting the vehicle and then shifting to a gear, either drive or reverse. The vehicle does not always go into gear. When you take your foot off the brake to push on the accelerator, the vehicle will start to roll in the opposite direction if you are on a very small incline in the opposite direction. If you are on flat ground, the car will not move for a few seconds. If the incline is in the direction of your selected gear, you start rolling in that direction with no power from the transmission. In one to three seconds you get power to the transmission. This happens at any time of the day, from the very first start up, to anytime during the day when in use. If you stop to get gas and when you restart the vehicle it can happen. We have almost hit other cars and people several times from rolling backwards when we have drive selected because the transmission does not properly engage. Everytime it happens I say to the car, why are you doing this? The only reason we haven't hit anyone or another car is because I hit the brakes again very quickly once we start rolling backwards after we do not start going forward. Not sure if it is associated or not, but driving through the parking lot a few times in drive. We have lost all power to the transmission. You are driving along and without any visual indications or sounds, you just start slowing down. If you press on the gas more, it does nothing to increase the speed of the vehicle. It has only happened once to us on a road going 45 mph. The power came back after a few seconds.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
Our vehicle has twice gone from parking to drive and moved on its own! Both times almost running over my wife
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe gasoline model. My VIN was included in Hyundai Safety Recall 263 / NHTSA Recall 24V-529 involving the Transmission Control Unit and potential damage to the dual-clutch transmission. On September 25, 2024, at fewer than 5,000 miles, the transmission failed and the vehicle was taken to a Hyundai dealership. The transmission repair/replacement was approved and the vehicle remained out of service until October 21, 2024. On June 5, 2026, the vehicle would not start and required towing to an authorized Hyundai dealership. The vehicle has remained at the dealership continuously since June 5 and has not been returned to me. The dealer has undertaken multiple unsuccessful repair/diagnostic efforts during the current visit. I am currently being told that the condition involves the engine/powertrain. Hyundai is now sending an engineer to the dealership because the condition remains unresolved. I am reporting this history because this vehicle experienced a transmission failure shortly after being subject to a federal transmission-related safety recall and has now developed another major engine/powertrain condition while still relatively new.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
It seems like the computer or electrical system is failing in the main ECU and the entertainment console. The car's entertainment console will blink when driving over a bump or while braking. It will disconnect from apple carplay and won't reconnect. More importantly, it will turn the car completely off while braking sometimes. This happens while moving. There was an incident where the car didn't wake up and unlock with the key fob first thing in the morning. I had to unlock it with the physical key. Once I opened the door th car woke up and the alarm went off.
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe gasoline model. My VIN was included in Hyundai Safety Recall 263 / NHTSA Recall 24V-529 involving the Transmission Control Unit and potential damage to the dual-clutch transmission. On September 25, 2024, at fewer than 5,000 miles, the transmission failed and the vehicle was taken to a Hyundai dealership. The transmission repair/replacement was approved and the vehicle remained out of service until October 21, 2024. On June 5, 2026, the vehicle would not start and required towing to an authorized Hyundai dealership. The vehicle has remained at the dealership continuously since June 5 and has not been returned to me. The dealer has undertaken multiple unsuccessful repair/diagnostic efforts during the current visit. I am currently being told that the condition involves the engine/powertrain. Hyundai is now sending an engineer to the dealership because the condition remains unresolved. I am reporting this history because this vehicle experienced a transmission failure shortly after being subject to a federal transmission-related safety recall and has now developed another major engine/powertrain condition while still relatively new.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
I am reporting an intermittent transmission/shifting issue that has not been resolved despite multiple visits to the dealership. On several occasions, when shifting my vehicle from Park into Drive or Reverse, the vehicle will not engage the selected gear and remains in Park. When this happens, the vehicle is not drivable until I place it back in Park, shut the engine off, and restart it. After restarting, the transmission will usually engage normally. I have reported this issue to the dealership multiple times. The dealership has connected diagnostic equipment to the vehicle; however, no diagnostic trouble codes have been stored, and they have been unable to identify the cause. Despite the lack of codes, the problem continues to occur intermittently. My concern is that this issue could create a safety hazard if the vehicle fails to engage a gear when needed, such as when entering traffic, leaving a parking area, or attempting to move the vehicle out of a dangerous situation. The fact that the vehicle only operates properly after being shut off and restarted suggests a possible defect within the shifting, transmission, or electronic control system. I am requesting that this complaint be documented and investigated, as the issue remains unresolved and may affect other vehicles of the same make and model.
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe gasoline model. My VIN was included in Hyundai Safety Recall 263 / NHTSA Recall 24V-529 involving the Transmission Control Unit and potential damage to the dual-clutch transmission. On September 25, 2024, at fewer than 5,000 miles, the transmission failed and the vehicle was taken to a Hyundai dealership. The transmission repair/replacement was approved and the vehicle remained out of service until October 21, 2024. On June 5, 2026, the vehicle would not start and required towing to an authorized Hyundai dealership. The vehicle has remained at the dealership continuously since June 5 and has not been returned to me. The dealer has undertaken multiple unsuccessful repair/diagnostic efforts during the current visit. I am currently being told that the condition involves the engine/powertrain. Hyundai is now sending an engineer to the dealership because the condition remains unresolved. I am reporting this history because this vehicle experienced a transmission failure shortly after being subject to a federal transmission-related safety recall and has now developed another major engine/powertrain condition while still relatively new.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
Despite having the DCT software recall repaired, today the parking brake disengaged after the car was idling for a few minutes at my son’s school. It lurched forward, startling me, and then I was alerted that the emergency parking brake deployed. The rollaway could have injured a child in the parking lot. No alerts or lights have been on prior. Additionally, after the rollaway incident, I was stopped at a red light, and my brakes depressed halfway. The last few weeks the acceleration from stop is difficult, and the brakes shudder and partially depress, especially when driving over a bump - feeling every minor flaw in the road rattling beneath my foot on the pedal. To also be mentioned - I have retained an attorney to pursue a Magnusson Moss cash & keep settlement on the car. From June - August 2026 the car was out of service, 4 repair orders, 2 dealerships, and a FSE I demanded finally found & diagnosed faulty O-rings causing the freon to leak and the AC to fail. The car also smelled strongly of fuel one full day, and the dash & steering wheel felt hot to the touch - but no defect was found or diagnosed.
My 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe (VIN: [XXX] ) was manufactured on March 14, 2024, in [XXX] . The vehicle is currently experiencing dual-clutch transmission (8DCT) juddering, shuddering, and extreme hesitation when trying to accelerate from a complete stop at traffic lights and intersections. This creates a severe lag in acceleration, leaving the vehicle dangerously exposed to oncoming traffic. This component failure directly mirrors the mechanical hazards outlined in NHTSA Safety Recall 263. Because my manufacturing date falls just outside the official recall window, this vehicle has not received a formal recall remedy, yet it actively exhibits the identical, dangerous powertrain defects, suggesting the recall's production scope may be too narrow. Furthermore, in November 2024, the vehicle suffered a catastrophic safety failure where it completely lost all propulsion power for approximately 30 seconds while moving through the middle of a live intersection. Most recently, on XXX, right after being released from an extended 38-day service stay at an authorized dealership, the electronic infotainment displayed an active warning screen stating the car should be shifted to park while the vehicle shifter was physically and securely locked in Park. Time-stamped video evidence of this active transmission/braking sensor failure has been captured and preserved. The vehicle remains an active, uncorrected threat to my physical safety on the road. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
I got recall notice, called and scheduled appointment for July 10. I brought my car in and told them I was having issues with the seatbelt sticking sometimes. When I went to pick it up, they said the part had been ordered and would be in a few days. I never heard from them and contacted them to check on 7/21, 7/27, 8/5, 8/20, 8/28, and today. They have never reached out to me once. Today my seatbelt got stuck and I couldn’t get out of my car. I have been patient and I need the seatbelt fixed before something happens and I can’t get out or my children can’t get out.
Passenger front seat belt. If the seat belt would have been used , due to the area that is coming apart and there would be an accident, the belt could come apart. The dealer refused to even take pictures or call the manufacturer. I called the manufacturer myself and basically all they have done is put the issue on a back burner. I’ve ask for a higher level person. They said that they didn’t have a phone number for them . But they would put notes on the account to have someone call me . A week or so goes by, they called asking if the vehicle was still at the dealer, I told her no because we have to have it to go to work . At the 2 nd trip to the dealership, after she said to take it in, they acted like they never got a call from the manufacturer. They said that they were going to take pictures this time and send them in . I also took pictures this time and the last time. The dealership called their supplier in Dallas and said it was on back order, and it could take as long as a year to get one . When I talked to the manufacturer representative, I told her I made 1 call and they had one . If I found one , why couldn’t the dealership do the same thing . My understanding is that they are saying it’s because it has 62,000 miles at the time . Barely over the 60,000 . We took it in to have it serviced and to have the seat belt recall checked . I guess the date would have been about [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
The 2024 Caligraphy trim line, has a unique illumination for all dash controls that control; AC, seat heat, seat AC, fan AC, steering wheel heat, ect. Each of these controls are illuminated with a dull Amber color that is impossible to see in bright sunshine, and difficult in all daylight situations. This force the driver to take their eyes off the road to insure proper calibration of each. I confirmed with the sales manager of my serivice dealer Hyundai Nashua ….he drives the same model there is no illumination adjustment that will make the controls visible in sun. Other trim lines have different illumination of the same controls. It would seem this is an easy swap and fix
The rear occupant seat sensor after an update even if there is nothing on the back or on the seat it continues to activate the horn and advising we received a rear occupant alarm. I even deactivate the option and still goes off constantly. I have to leave the car unlocked to avoid the alarm going off.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
Windshield breaks with no reason. I have had 2 windshields crack with no sign of any damage. First windshield is within 3,000 miles of owning the car. Replaced one has already cracked and has less than 500 miles. This issue is affecting multiple Sante fe drivers
I was trying to back up a few times and not being able to see some objects behind while looking at the rear view camera on my Hyundai Santa Fe 2024.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
Pirelli Scorpion MS 255/45r20 105, was driving at low speed in flat smooth parking lot when the tps monitor went off. I went from 35 psi immediately to 19 and dropped 1 psi poer second as a i parked. by the time i parked i had 12 psi. notices side wall blew out. same issue as my other tire on my last report. AAA driver stated it looked like product malfunction or dry rot. Tire had 13,111 miles on it.
pirelli tire has less than 13k miles on it. car was parked outside. came back and the tire was deflated in minutes. found the leak to be on the inside outer wall. just blew out on its own. had the same problem with the passenger front. same tire same issue 3 weeks later. will ber making a separate complaint. they are both a pirelli scorpion ms 255/45r20 105
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact's girlfriend owns a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently swerved from side to side. The message “Consider Taking A Break” was displayed and the Driver Attention Warning (DAW) warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the Automatic Emergency Braking activated while driving near a vehicle or object, slamming the vehicle to a stop and causing the cruise control to deactivate. The message "Keep Hands On Steering Wheel" was displayed even though the contact's hands were on the steering wheel. The contact also stated that the front and rear driver's side doors were vertically bent from a manufacturing defect. The contact stated that his girlfriend feared for her safety while driving the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case a filed. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
I was trying to back up a few times and not being able to see some objects behind while looking at the rear view camera on my Hyundai Santa Fe 2024.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
I was merging onto the highway and the acceleration stopped working and the vehicle would not go more than 25 mph. Had to restart car in shoulder, isue seemed to self correct but then it happened 10 minutes later stranding me in between the highway and exit ramp. This was a huge safety issue and myself and others lives were at risk. I am bringing the vehicle in for inspection but this seems to be a recurring hyundai issue. There were no warnings that came on. The auto mode on the dash went from green to an amber color. When i restarted the vehicle nothing changed. After the second time it occurred a check engine light came on.
When I first start my car for the day, I get an error message, which says transmission error get transmission checked immediately. I’m unable to put my car into gear and when I try to go forward the transmission acts as if insufficient transmission fluid and does not accelerate properly and go into gear. I went to a Hyundai dealer in October 2024!to get the car serviced. The Hyundai dealer flushed the transmission system For a while I no longer got the transmission error message on the dash. A few weeks later I had the transmission error again and the car would not go into gear. I took the car in for a second time to be serviced by Hyundai dealer They said that they reset the software. About a week later I got the transmission error message again, along with the difficulty of engage in the transmission. The workaround I had for this was to turn the car off and turn it back on again and that would get rid of the transmission error message until the next day. I plan to take my car in to a Hyundai dealer this week and report to them that I’ve been having this transmission error message almost daily for the last week. This problem makes the car feel unreliable, and it is a potential safety risk to not be able to accelerate and change gear when operating the vehicle. The car also lurches foreard slightly after parking and turning off thr ignition.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact's girlfriend owns a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently swerved from side to side. The message “Consider Taking A Break” was displayed and the Driver Attention Warning (DAW) warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the Automatic Emergency Braking activated while driving near a vehicle or object, slamming the vehicle to a stop and causing the cruise control to deactivate. The message "Keep Hands On Steering Wheel" was displayed even though the contact's hands were on the steering wheel. The contact also stated that the front and rear driver's side doors were vertically bent from a manufacturing defect. The contact stated that his girlfriend feared for her safety while driving the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case a filed. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
-I had just exited from the highway and was driving into my town. While doing so, I had both hands on the steering wheel and suddenly the car started beeping and flashing warnings/ alerts indicating that my hands were not on the steering wheel, which they were. Within seconds the car began to deaccelerate and pull me off the road to my right hand side. I initially had no control over the vehicle. Then again- without explanation it began to register hands on the steering wheel and I was able to resume control of the vehicle. I believe the lane assist feature was on at the time. It all happened very quickly. Had I still been on the highway as I was moments before, there was enough traffic that I would have been pulled into another vehicle or caused an accident if people saw me suddenly rapidly deaccelerating/braking in front of them because they would have no warning and a very tiny amount of time to react. Then, in an other instance that followed shortly thereafter, my boyfriend was driving with one of the lane assist on. While driving, the weather changed and it began snowing and freezing rain that was freezing when it hit the windshield. The lane assist began to have trouble seeing the lines on the road since the snow and ice were obscuring them somewhat. It began to beep and gently correct the car- which was not appropriate in this case (we understand that the road conditions were beyond its abilities to safely discern things accurately). My boyfriend who had two hands on the wheel trying to carefully navigate this sudden burst of weather so at not to slide. He tried turning it off, but it wasn't turning off, and couldn't troubleshoot it without taking his hands off the wheel. He instructed me to turn it off through the settings menu in the infotainment system, which seemed to disable it. Prior to these dangerous problems, I had experienced some seemingly sensor- related malfunctions with the tire pressure monitoring system. I'm out of room to write more.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
Hi vibration after 55mph, tire balancing and wheel alignment doesn't help
One of the original OEM tires (Pirelli Scorpion MS KS NCS XL - 245/45R21) had the acoustic dampening foam on the inside of the tire fall apart. Dealership indicated that there was 'no impact damage or modifications found with the tire during inspection; meaning this was likely a manufacturing defect due to adhesion issue. Despite the problem and the fact that this tire has less than 12K miles on it at the time of the incident, the local Hyundai dealership, Hyundai corporate and Pirelli all refused to cover the cost to replace the tire. Hyundai dealer said to file a complaint with Hyundai corporate, Hyundai Corporate said that this was a Pirelli tire warranty issue (no paperwork provided about Pirelli tire warranty at time of purchase) and Pirelli indicated that only the local dealer or an authorized dealer of their tires can submit warranty claims, and that it is contingent upon a Pirelli inspection and prorated based on the remaining tread of the tire. This leaves the consumer in a difficult position having to bear the burden of the tire replacement cost upfront, and little chances of recourse as these 3 parties skirt responsibility of the OEM tire. When the acoustic foam fails, the car shakes violently at high speeds, for us this stats at ~50mph. There is no warning light that appears for this, dealer originally thought this was related to ice build up which did not rectify the problem causing us to have to go to the dealer twice for diagnostics. Online forums seem to point that this acoustic foam adhesion issue is especially common in colder climates. Symptoms of problem first appeared in early January, with full diagnosis confirmed early Feb.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
The 2024 Caligraphy trim line, has a unique illumination for all dash controls that control; AC, seat heat, seat AC, fan AC, steering wheel heat, ect. Each of these controls are illuminated with a dull Amber color that is impossible to see in bright sunshine, and difficult in all daylight situations. This force the driver to take their eyes off the road to insure proper calibration of each. I confirmed with the sales manager of my serivice dealer Hyundai Nashua ….he drives the same model there is no illumination adjustment that will make the controls visible in sun. Other trim lines have different illumination of the same controls. It would seem this is an easy swap and fix
Auto dimming headlights. The headlights have stopped auto dimming. I feel like this is a safety issue because if you have them on you have to push the switch forward and then pull backward to change them back to dim. It is not something that happens occasionally it is every time they are on. Not only is it dangerous for me but also on coming vehicles. I have taken it to the dealer and was told they were waiting on some way to test what the problem is.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
Involved in a car accident 4/24 going 60 mph, driver cut over and made contact near driver side door, causing us to also slam into a concrete wall on passenger door. After 3 months and up to 29k in damages, insurance declared our car a total loss on 7/23/24. On 7/25/24 the recall was released. No airbags deployed but I had 2 airbag safety codes on my phone (after accident) I didn’t have the car for. 4/11 and on. POA was signed on 7/24/24 releasing car to at fault party’s insurance. Hyundai said they can’t do any investigation on the car to determine if it was a fault. Collision site and dealership was surprised airbags did not deploy. The final damage reported was the inner most pillar that was “last line of defense, cannot be repaired must be replaced” per collision site, had a crack all the way down. I was 30 weeks pregnant and now dealing with ongoing back issues and my toddler was in her car seat. Going that speed with that much damage and hit on both sides should have deployed airbags. Also interesting timing our car was totaled 2 days before official recall. All seatbelts in car “deployed” but side airbags did not. No airbags did
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .