SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
2026 Hyundai Santa Fe
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 29 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe, most frequently naming the driver assistance, interior & seats and visibility categories. 4 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 8 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | 1 | 1 |
| Dec 2025 | 1 | 2 |
| Jan 2026 | 2 | 4 |
| Feb 2026 | 4 | 8 |
| Mar 2026 | 5 | 13 |
| Apr 2026 | 3 | 16 |
| May 2026 | 7 | 23 |
| Jun 2026 | 4 | 27 |
| Jul 2026 | 1 | 28 |
| Aug 2026 | 1 | 29 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Driver assistance824.2%
- Interior & seats515.2%
- Visibility412.1%
- Electrical39.1%
- Other / unspecified26.1%
- Powertrain (other)26.1%
- Steering26.1%
- Tires & wheels26.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
4 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
Over the past month, on two occasions my vehicle has emitted gasoline fumes filling my garage, and today my interior cabin smelled like gasoline. Additionally, after warming up, my vehicle experiences acceleration drop/stuttering when accelerating after idling. This happens every day. I took the car to two dealerships (San Tan Hyundai and Chapman Hyundai Scottsdale) and they weren’t able to diagnose the issue.
- NHTSA ID
- 11754586
- Incident
- Aug 3, 2026
I left work and my car pulled back I looked at my dash I just saw all the lights on indicators telling me I may stop or not I was so scared I live 45 mins from my job and this isn’t the first incident after the second day I bought this brand new car my low oil light came on and the dip stick was dry on a brand new car the following day and from that point on my car is like a magnet and pulls to the right lane to another car this is causing me PTSD I BEGGED my husband to drive me to work in my 48 years I’ve never been afraid of a car when I let the dealership know they don’t care it’s a stupid woman well I’ve owned 2 brand new Palisades and they were amazing vehicles this one is just not working right
- NHTSA ID
- 11749658
- Incident
- Jul 10, 2026
-On [XXX] I was drivng on a highway while using cruise control. The car suddenly applied the brakes hard. I tried 4 times to use the accelrator and each time the brakes were applied hard again. -The car behind me laid on its horn and managed to shift to another lane thereby avoiding a rear end collison. -Fortunately I was driving in an outside lane and got the car to the shoulder. -I turned the engine off and then started the car again. -There were no warning lamps or messages that I can recall. It happened quickly. -This incident came very close to causing at least vehicle damage and possibly physical harm to the occupants of my car and the car behind me. -I took my car to the dealership which is Crown Hyndai in St. Petersburg, Florida. They were unable to recreate the problem so the issue is still outstanding. -To prevent future incidents I no longer use cruise control and turn off the FCA system when I start the car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- NHTSA ID
- 11746383
- Incident
- May 24, 2026
I had a flat tire. When I recently bought the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, I did not think to ask about a spare tire, they have been standard on every car I bought in the past. However, this car did not have one and I had a flat tire. They provide a sealant which is supposed to get you to a tire repair shop to get the tire fixed. That was worthless. Not having a spare is dangerous if you are caught with a flat tire in a remote area with no cell service. In addition, I had to pay $144 to get towed to a tire repair shop to get a $15 repair completed. Common sense has been replaced with greed.
- NHTSA ID
- 11744626
- Incident
- Jun 16, 2026
Driving down the road and the sunroof just exploded. No rock, no nearby cars that could have kicked something up. Just crumbled in.
- NHTSA ID
- 11743648
- Incident
- Jun 12, 2026
Driving at 70 mph on interstate, driver adjusted hands on steering wheel and accidently pulled both paddles, shifting car into neutral. Fortunately, there was little traffic, and the driver was able to move to the side of the interstate, out the car into park and shift back to drive. This was highly dangerous. Losing control of the vehicle while traveling at 70 miles an hour could have resulted in death. This feature is completely unnecessary in a family SUV and is going to cause an accident.
- NHTSA ID
- 11742217
- Incident
- Jun 4, 2026
New vehicle purchased February 2026 with OEM Pirelli tires. Had puncture in tire, but on repair, tire found to have inside sidewall bubble. No history of any impacts or hard strikes to tires. Discount Tire said probable tire defect, unsafe to drive even a few miles, so placed spare and we took car to dealer. No extended warranty but less than 2400 miles on gently used tire. Hyundai denied coverage under Pirelli warranty for nearly new tire, stating that it was due to some kind of undetermined impact to tire (all other tires thus far okay), and we paid for a new replacement tire. But given the lack of history, I noted that their are numerous online complaints regarding this same tire on larger vehicles, including 10 complaints filed already to NHTSA. I have filed an inquiry with Pirelli, but believe, given the numerous prior complaints and the EXTREME SAFETY RISK OF A BLOW OUT on a tire that appears to be defective. based on other reports and our experience, an investigation into this tire should be undertaken with possible recall and replacement of all of these tires with a safer model, at Pirelli's expense, should a defect indeed be found.
- NHTSA ID
- 11741053
- Incident
- May 29, 2026
See attached document for complaint.
- NHTSA ID
- 11740595
- Incident
- Mar 4, 2026
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
SEATS
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.
POWER TRAIN
Some Santa Fe (MX5A) and Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles may exhibit a low idle or excessive vibration while in Drive or Reverse, or DTC P050600 (Idle Air Control System – RPM Lower than Expected) caused by the one-way clutch sprags being misaligned. This bulletin provides instructions to remove the automatic transmission and replace the torque converter.
AIR BAGS
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.
AIR BAGS
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.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
SEATS
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.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026Viewing | 29 | 4 | 0 | 55.0 |
| 2025 | 123 | 5 | 0 | 58.7 |
| 2024 | 136 | 7 | 0 | 62.0 |
| 2023 | 204 | 1 | 0 | 50.5 |
| 2022 | 192 | 5 | 0 | 56.7 |
| 2021 | 164 | 7 | 1 | 59.7 |
| 2020 | 200 | 2 | 1 | 67.3 |
| 2019 | 192 | 2 | 1 | 63.9 |
| 2018 | 108 | 2 | 2 | 60.0 |
| 2017 | 950 | 6 | 3 | 66.5 |
| 2016 | 235 | 3 | 3 | 58.8 |
| 2015 | 254 | 2 | 3 | 59.6 |
| 2014 | 493 | 3 | 7 | 63.4 |
| 2013 | 604 | 3 | 8 | 61.2 |
| 2012 | 352 | 1 | 6 | 56.2 |
| 2011 | 181 | 3 | 5 | 62.0 |
| 2010 | 257 | 3 | 3 | 57.3 |
| 2009 | 357 | 3 | 1 | 55.6 |
| 2008 | 541 | 6 | 1 | 54.4 |
| 2007 | 682 | 9 | 2 | 56.9 |
| 2006 | 106 | 1 | 0 | 44.3 |
| 2005 | 216 | 3 | 0 | 50.2 |
| 2004 | 303 | 3 | 0 | 53.3 |
| 2003 | 308 | 4 | 1 | 56.3 |
| 2002 | 165 | 4 | 1 | 54.2 |
| 2001 | 209 | 4 | 3 | 54.8 |
| 2000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.