2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Owner Complaints

Hyundai Sante Fe Hybrid 2025 has a bad factory seal on the high voltage harness - hybrid battery connector that causes water to intrude the connector under normal conditions which can short the battery and pose a major safety issue. Hyundai is refusing warranty coverage of my shorted hybrid battery on my brand new 2025 Hyundai Sante Fe Hybrid stating “Flood” with no evidence of flood damage. My car experienced multiple P engine hybrid system faults on XXX and would not drive. I had it towed the Van Hyundai Carrollton on that date. They did not look at the car for over a week and it sat on their lot the entire time. On XXX they finally inspected it and claimed the car had been “flooded” and shorted the hybrid battery. The only evidence they provided was moisture in the high voltage harness. There were no water/silt lines, any other damage to any other components, and no evidence of any water anywhere else on the vehicle. The video they showed of the undercarriage only showed normal splash marks from driving. The car was never flooded/submerged. Any water/moisture found in the harness would have been due to a faulty/defective factory seal that should be impervious to water under normal operating conditions. No water/flooding/submersion damage would have been obvious of this. The dealership refused to provide any evidence and had no follow-up. One key aspect they refused to acknowledge was there was a massive rainstorm in [XXX] onXXX which was also the only rainstorm in the area in the previous 1-2 months. This happened while the car was on the dealer’s lot. The car had no issues with any water prior to being at Van Hyundai. A case was opened with Hyundai Corporate and the Dealship also lied stating the car wasn’t in their system until XXX, which is false as I have phone records, tow records, and appointments showing the 7/10 date, so corporate overlooked that. I disagreed with the dealerships diagnosis as it was a scapegoat finding putting all blame o INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

NHTSA ID

11755330

Incident

Jul 10, 2026

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The vehicle suffers from an intermittent, total engine stalling and propulsion failure. Without warning, the engine completely shuts down while driving and automatically drops the vehicle into "Accessory (ACC) Mode". The vehicle is fully intact, operational when it restarts, and is available for immediate inspection upon request How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? This issue has occurred five total times in live traffic, severely risking the safety of the vehicle's occupants and surrounding drivers. The most recent and dangerous incident occurred on the freeway in heavy, stop-and-go traffic. A sudden, complete loss of power on a high-speed freeway leaves the vehicle entirely vulnerable to rear-end collisions, as it leaves no room or momentum to safely coast to the shoulder. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No. The vehicle has been brought to an authorized Hyundai dealership five separate times specifically to diagnose this exact stalling issue. Because the failure is intermittent, dealership service technicians have been unable to replicate the problem during their test drives or resolve the root cause. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has been inspected five separate times by authorized Hyundai dealership technicians during the service appointments mentioned above. No police, insurance, or independent manufacturer representatives have inspected the vehicle yet, as the stalling has not yet resulted in a physical crash. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear?There are absolutely no dashboard warning lights, check engine indicators, error messages, or mechanical symptoms prior to the failures. The engine shuts down instant

NHTSA ID

11755009

Incident

Jul 25, 2026

After waiting a month (called in june car went in 7/28/26)for an appointment with my dealer for 2 recalls and a broken rear seatbelt the dealership has deemed my vehicle unsafe to drive and has impounded my vehicle for almost a week. They have to replace not only 1 rear seatbelts but ALL rear seatbelts. The original recall is for the front seatbelt.

NHTSA ID

11754125

Incident

Jun 26, 2026

235/60R18 103H While driving the 1year old car, the tire pressure reading in the vehicle began to go down, upon exiting the vehicle it was determined that two holes blew through in the side wall of the tire. Thankfully, this was not as dangerous of a situation as it could’ve been as the car had just come off the highway and was traveling at a lower speed a residential neighborhood. The tire is not available, it was disposed at the place it was replaced at. There were no major tire stores open as it was a Sunday so it replacement tire had to be purchased from a local tire vendor.

NHTSA ID

11753774

Incident

Jul 26, 2026

I am submitting a second and more urgent safety complaint regarding the Driver Monitoring and Driver Assistance systems in my vehicle. I previously reported this same core defect: the system falsely fails to recognize my face, sounds repeated warnings, and disables driving assistance while the vehicle is moving. Despite that prior complaint, the defect remains, and the seriousness of the danger has clearly not been recognized or addressed. This defect has now placed my life in immediate danger. While I was driving, the system falsely determined that it could not properly see my face. It sounded repeated warnings and then abruptly disabled driving assistance. That sudden withdrawal of assistance created a near-crash situation. I was attentive and was not experiencing a medical emergency. The danger was created by the system’s false detection and defective response. A safety system should reduce danger. This system detected a supposed problem and made the situation more dangerous by removing the assistance that was helping keep the vehicle under control. Had this occurred beside a concrete barrier, near stopped traffic, in a construction zone, on a curve, or next to a large truck, the result could have been a fatal collision. I could have been killed because of this system defect. When a driver cannot be verified, the vehicle should maintain lane control, reduce speed, activate hazard warnings, and perform a controlled safe stop. It should never abruptly withdraw assistance and create a more dangerous condition. I request that NHTSA investigate why a previously reported life-threatening defect remains unresolved and require Hyundai to correct this system logic before someone is seriously injured or killed.

NHTSA ID

11751090

Incident

Jul 17, 2026

First tire blowout- 6/3/26- on Ohio turnpike tire just blew. No nails / no pothole/ no reason back passengers side Second tire blowout - 7/4/26 on laurel street Pittston ( paved road, hit small bump in road. Nothing unusual) tire just blew out. Front drivers side). No nails no reason) Third tire issue -7 /16/26 large bubble noticed on back drivers side . Going to try to drive it to get ANOTHER new tire. After investing this on the internet, this is a know problem with the pitelli scorpion tire on the calligraphy model. We were never notified . Recommendation in line is to Replace all 4 tires! We just patio 1300.00 for the other 2 new ones which are apparently not safe. We no have to get a tire We were lucky that the 2 blowouts did not cause us to get in an accident or cause injury to someone. It’s only a matter of time and hundai will have a major suit in their hands I am going to file a complaint with Hyundai and the attorney general and anyone else I can think of. People need to be warned and they need to pay for new tires tie me plus the ones I already replaced Ethan now need to get rid of. If you Google you will see this had been a known problem previously reported to Hyundai

NHTSA ID

11750737

Incident

Jun 3, 2026

While driving on the on ramp to [XXX] the car completely stopped and all systems shut off. There were two dash lights that flashed quickly with one being the check engine light but I did not see the other long enough to identify it. The dealership could not reproduce the issue but has the car now and is doing a more thorough evaluation. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The engine stopped. Yes it is available How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Extremely dangerous as it came to a stop in the middle of the road. It was late at night so at that moment no one was behind me. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? no Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? no Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? no, the warning lights flashed on as the car died but disappeared once off. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11749471

Incident

Jul 1, 2026

On [XXX] after spending the day at Henson Creek Golf Course in Fort Washington, MD, I returned to my vehicle and discovered that it had completely lost all electrical power and would not start. The vehicle exhibited no warning signs prior to the failure. Believing the issue to be related to the battery, I contacted AAA for roadside assistance. AAA attempted to jump-start the vehicle, but the jump-start was unsuccessful. The vehicle was subsequently towed on May 18, 2026, to Pohanka Hyundai in Capitol Heights, MD for diagnosis and repair. After approximately nine days, the dealership advised that the battery terminals had been secured and that no additional problem could be identified. On [XXX], the exact same issue occurred again; however, this incident was significantly more dangerous because it occurred while the vehicle was being driven. While traveling during morning rush hour through a busy intersection in Northeast Washington, DC, the vehicle suddenly and completely lost power without warning while in traffic. The vehicle stalled in the middle of the intersection, creating an extremely hazardous situation. Fortunately, motorists traveling behind me were able to stop in time, and no collision occurred. However, this incident could easily have resulted in a serious crash involving injuries or fatalities. The vehicle was towed to Ourisman Hyundai in Bowie, MD, where it is currently undergoing additional diagnosis. I am extremely concerned that this vehicle has experienced two complete electrical failures within approximately one month, including one incident that occurred while driving in heavy traffic. Because the dealership was unable to identify the root cause after the first incident, I am concerned that a serious defect may exist involving the vehicle's electrical system, battery system, wiring, power distribution system, or another component affecting vehicle operation and safety. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11747163

Incident

May 17, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V218000 (Seat Belts) and 25V659000 (Electrical System); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted; however, the recall repairs were denied due to a lack of maintenance records with an authorized Hyundai Dealer. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID

11746649

Incident

Jun 26, 2026

On June 24, 2026, my spouse was operating our 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe when the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic, and total electrical failure while actively on the roadway. The vehicle was stopped at a traffic light when all propulsion power was instantly lost, the engine shut down, and all electronic systems—including the center infotainment screens and instrument cluster—went completely dark. Safety Hazard & Entrapment Incident: Simultaneous with the total electrical failure, the vehicle's electronic door lock system malfunctioned. The rear passenger doors and rear liftgate locked completely and could not be disengaged or opened from the inside by the passengers. Due to this total power loss and lock failure, my young daughters were trapped in the rear seats. My spouse was forced to climb over the center console from the front seat into the rear cabin to manually extract our children through the front doors. The family had to abandon the disabled vehicle in live traffic and walk down the roadway to reach a safe location. This constitutes a severe safety hazard involving both sudden loss of motive power on a public road and occupant entrapment due to safety lock/latch failure during an electrical short. The vehicle has been towed to Pohanka Hyundai of Capitol Heights for inspection.

NHTSA ID

11746406

Incident

Jun 24, 2026

The middle row left side seat belt does not buckle. We made sure everything is clear in it, it is not dirty. We have had issues with it clicking to lock since we purchased the car last March 2025. It does not work at all now.

NHTSA ID

11745481

Incident

Jun 20, 2026

On 6/6/2026, my husband and I were driving on I70 west bound near the Golden CO exit. Out of nowhere, we heard a very loud pop sound and then heard wind over our head. The front sunroof spontaneously shattered. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? FRONT SUNROOF How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? YES! Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? YES Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? NO Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? NO! NOT A SINGLE WARNING, NOTHING!

NHTSA ID

11742638

Incident

Jun 6, 2026

Component: TIRES Tire Brand: Pirelli Model: Scorpion (255/45R20) Vehicle: 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy Complaint Description: I have experienced two separate failures of the right‑rear Pirelli Scorpion 20" tire on my 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy within a four‑week period. Both failures occurred during normal driving on paved roads with no significant impact event. The first failure was a loss of air due to a puncture in the sidewall area. I was able to use the on board sealant kit to sufficiently repair the tire and get it to Belle Tire. The tire was replaced as the damage was on the sidewall on May 5, 2026. On June 6, 2026 while driving on HWY 75 in Ohio, the replacement tire on the same right‑rear corner also failed, again losing air rapidly and causing us to pull over to the side of the highway. Both failures occurred at low mileage and under normal driving conditions with no impact. This pattern suggests a potential safety‑related defect involving the OEM Pirelli Scorpion 255/45R20 tires used on the Santa Fe Calligraphy. I have since learned that many other owners of 2024–2025 Hyundai Santa Fe models equipped with these same 20" Pirelli Scorpion tires are reporting sidewall punctures, bulges, and repeated failures, often on the passenger‑side tires. Repeated tire failures on the same wheel position pose a serious safety risk, including the possibility of sudden blowouts at highway speeds. I am reporting this so NHTSA can investigate whether these tires or their application on this vehicle are defective.

NHTSA ID

11742527

Incident

Jun 6, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V808000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION) and 26V218000 (SEAT BELTS). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer on several occasions, and the contact was informed that the parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue, but no assistance was provided. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID

11742243

Incident

Jun 5, 2026

Engine Hood getting so hot it is bending or causing metal to bend , like someone sat on middle of hood. Popped it out and keeps forming a bend after driving. Not instelly but keeps coming back

NHTSA ID

11740722

Incident

May 28, 2026

The engine has 1205 miles on it and seized up. Autofair hyundia of Manchester denied us. We did get a warning light a couple days before. But to late just the dealer inspected it.

NHTSA ID

11740391

Incident

May 18, 2026

I own a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe that was purchased on 08/15/2025. The first malfunction occurred on 08/25/2025, only days after purchase, and the vehicle has experienced repeated safety-related issues since then. The vehicle has repeatedly displayed false Forward Collision Warning alerts, Blind Spot Warning failures, Park/Neutral errors, and intermittent disabling of safety features. The most serious incident occurred when the vehicle unexpectedly entered “Limit 20 MPH” mode while I was pulling into active traffic with my toddler in the vehicle, limiting acceleration and creating a safety risk. I have also experienced false collision alerts while parked and after the vehicle was shut off. The vehicle has been taken to the dealership multiple times for diagnosis and repair attempts. Some issues were duplicated by dealership personnel, while other visits were documented as “could not duplicate.” A front ultrasonic sensor was replaced, but the vehicle continued experiencing safety-related concerns afterward. During the repair process, I was informed and observed that dealership personnel appeared limited in what repair actions could be taken after consulting Hyundai through their diagnostic system. I was also informed that Hyundai influenced what could be included on service reports and that dealership personnel were instructed to “print the book” rather than fully document observed concerns. I believe this may have affected repair efforts and documentation of ongoing issues. The vehicle has been out of service for extended periods and the issues continue despite repeated repair attempts. Due to the ongoing malfunctions and inconsistent operation of the safety systems, I no longer feel safe driving the vehicle because I am concerned it may not function properly during a real emergency situation. Attached are photos of various dashboard errors and warning messages that occurred during these incidents to document the alerts and malfunctions experienced.

NHTSA ID

11740141

Incident

Aug 25, 2025

The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V218000 (Seat Belts) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. Th vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that the remedy parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID

11737020

Incident

May 11, 2026

Spontaneous windshield crack

NHTSA ID

11736997

Incident

May 9, 2026

The windshield spontaneously cracked while parked. There are no signs of impact to explain the crack. This can be a safety concern as it can continue cracking, impede visibility and even burst possibly sending glass towards occupants.

NHTSA ID

11735723

Incident

May 4, 2026

Driving down the highway. Vehicle random alerts that there is a transmission error.

NHTSA ID

11735358

Incident

May 2, 2026

On April 27, 2026, my 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe experienced an intermittent electrical/system malfunction affecting multiple vehicle systems at the same time. Multiple orange warning lights/messages appeared on the dash, including driver-assistance warnings and the master warning triangle. At the same time, the front turn signal stopped working, causing rapid flashing; the power locks stopped working; the windows would not roll up or down; and the rear liftgate would not open using the key fob or exterior liftgate button. The vehicle/component is available for inspection upon request. This created a safety and access issue. The malfunction affected exterior signaling, locks, windows, and rear cargo access. My dog was in a crate in the rear cargo area, and I could not open the liftgate normally to access him. The failure of locks/windows/liftgate could create a serious emergency risk if a person, pet, or cargo needed to be accessed quickly, and the turn signal failure affected my ability to safely signal to other drivers. The issue lasted approximately 30–40 minutes and did not immediately clear after turning the vehicle off and back on. It later returned to normal on its own. This has happened more than once. The vehicle was taken to a Hyundai dealership for inspection. The dealer has been working with Hyundai Techline, but as of now they have not been able to reproduce the issue or find active diagnostic codes. I provided video evidence of the dash warnings from the incident. The dealer advised that scans currently show systems operating as designed because the issue is intermittent and not occurring during inspection. There were no prior symptoms before the failure. The warning lamps and messages appeared at the time the malfunction occurred. Seek reimbursement for rental car fees and diagnostic fee.

NHTSA ID

11734834

Incident

Apr 27, 2026

The seatbelt buckles for the rear seats are limited to raising up beyond about a 45 degree angle. This makes safely and securly fastening a car seat that requires the seat belt essentially impossible. After the buckle is fastened and the seatbelt is somewhat tightened, the seatbelt starts to pull up at a sharp angle perpendicular to its guide through the buckle. Rather than being pulled through flat, as all seat belts are intended to work, the belt starts pulling through as if it were trying to cut through the side of the buckle. This causes the seat belt to bunch up and stop passing through the buckle. This happens before the belt can be tightened enough to secure the car seat in place. It also places a significant amount of sideways torque on the seatbelt buckle, which is not the angle that resistance should be applied. This is a design defect existing at least in all 2024+ santa fe calligraphy trims; it may be present in more trims though. The Santa Fe subreddit has reports of multiple other owners encountering the same issue.

NHTSA ID

11734271

Incident

Apr 28, 2026

My car has 11,000 miles and there is a bulge in the sidewall on the front passenger side. I did not hit a curb or pothole to cause this damage.Multiple people have complained of this same defect in their Hyundai Santa Fe around the same mileage.

NHTSA ID

11734022

Incident

Apr 26, 2026

On two occasions, five months apart, the windshield cracked for no apparent reason. No foreign object hit the windshield. The replacement was NOT a generic. If was a Hyundai OEM. Two cracks, which spread over the windshield is not “normal”, in my opinion. Thank you

NHTSA ID

11733668

Incident

Apr 22, 2026