RoadVitals

2026 Hyundai Santa Fe

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
40
+3 complaints in 30 days
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
4
Latest Apr 6, 2026
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0
3 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 40 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe, most frequently naming the driver assistance, interior & seats and electrical categories. 4 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 13 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.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Driver assistance1022.2%
  • Interior & seats511.1%
  • Electrical511.1%
  • Visibility511.1%
  • Tires & wheels48.9%
  • Other / unspecified36.7%
  • Powertrain (other)36.7%
  • Steering36.7%

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

View all 4

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.gov
26V218000

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

Apr 6, 2026
294,448 units potentially affected
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6, 2023-2026 Genesis G90, 2024-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe, and Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid vehicles. The driver and passenger seat belt anchors may detach.
The risk: A detached seat belt anchor will not adequately restrain the seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect and reinforce or replace the seat belt anchors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning May 29, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460 and Genesis customer service at 844-340-9741. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 298 and 032G. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov April 8, 2026.
Hyundai Motor AmericaManufacturer number 298-032GView on NHTSA.gov
26V047000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

Jan 26, 2026
41,651 units potentially affected
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 IONIQ 5, Santa Cruz, Kona, Palisade, Palisade Hybrid, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, Sonata, Sonata Hybrid, and Tucson vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Controls and Displays."
The risk: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy: The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 24, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai's customer service at 855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 293. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 28, 2026.
Hyundai Motor AmericaManufacturer number 293View on NHTSA.gov
25V809000

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN

Nov 20, 2025
258 units potentially affected
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025 Tucson, 2025-2026 Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, and 2026 Genesis GV70 vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not have been installed properly, which can cause the air bags not to deploy as intended.
The risk: Side curtain air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will reinstall the side curtain air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning December 29, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 289 and 029G. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 22, 2025.
Hyundai Motor AmericaManufacturer number 289 (H); 029G (G)View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 40
Visibility
Filed Nov 6, 2026
2 injuries reported

The contact owns a 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, there was a loud bang, and the sunroof glass shattered without impact. The contact stated that fractured glass fell into the cabin, onto exposed skin, and into clothing. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who inquired about potential causes of the shattered glass and referred the contact to the insurance provider for repair. The contact was informed that the sunroof glass would be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered assistance with the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 650.

NHTSA ID
11776198
Incident
Oct 3, 2026
Mileage
650 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Nov 2, 2026

The vehicle has frequent, annoying and distracting, "consider taking a break" message. On a recent 1000 mile trip from [XXX] to [XXX], this message was repeated 40+ times. The dealer reports this is a known issue for the Hyundai Sante Fe with no known solutions. It can and should be addressed with a software fix. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11775101
Incident
Oct 17, 2026
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Oct 15, 2026

Dash went dark, and 3 separate occasions the car would not accelerate while driving.

NHTSA ID
11771355
Incident
Oct 14, 2026
Other / unspecifiedSteeringSuspension
Filed Oct 1, 2026

Vehicle: 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, purchased NEW on [XXX] from Sports Durham Hyundai, Durham, NC. At approximately 1,000 miles, two steering-related safety defects have been present since purchase: 1) Abnormal noise coming from under the steering column while driving. 2) Wheel alignment problem: the vehicle pulls to one side while driving and the tires scrape the curb. Concerned about loss of steering control. The selling dealer refused to inspect or service the vehicle. Written notice of these defects was sent to Hyundai Motor America on 10/01/2026. The defects have not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center because the dealer refused inspection. No warning lamps or messages. No crash, fire, injury, or fatality has occurred. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11768270
Incident
Sep 14, 2026
Filed Sep 13, 2026

Rear Back Up Camera Had Moisture In The Lenses Making The Rear Back Up Assist Worthless. Nearly Caused Multiple Collisions While In Revers.

NHTSA ID
11763931
Incident
Sep 3, 2026
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 6, 2026

Size 245 / 45 R 21 It's already my second tire thta gets a bubble on the side wall without any know crash One tire blew mid driving for no apparent reason on less than 10K miles I recommend you recall all those tires they are dangerous

NHTSA ID
11762478
Incident
Sep 1, 2026
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 3, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating. The failure occurred mostly while making a left turn and while accelerating from a stop and continued for 10-seconds before self-correcting. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that there was almost a crash during the failure. The failure was not self-corrected after one failure. The vehicle was turned off and restarted, and the failure was then self-corrected. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failures, and there was no DTC found. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 5,100.

NHTSA ID
11761943
Incident
Jul 6, 2026
Mileage
5,100 mi
Filed Aug 29, 2026

Oil light comes on and beeps when putting on brakes suddenly.

NHTSA ID
11760551
Incident
Aug 28, 2026

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

26-GI-003H

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin provides information related to the navigation and head unit software changes introduced in the 2026 2nd Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle type, model, and navigation system. Refer to the 2026 2nd Navigation Map and Software Update Key Improvements and Additional Improvements tables in this TSB for a list of specific changes. The software can be downloaded via Navigation Updater (NAU) and updated by USB.

26-GI-004H

BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS

Some Hyundai vehicles may be equipped with a parking distance warning (PDW) sensor(s) that may trigger various DTCs and display warning messages on the instrument cluster, resulting in the PDW sensor(s) failing to detect nearby objects or triggering multiple false alarms. This condition may be a result of external damage to the PDW sensor membrane or sensor cover from rock chips or road debris, a collision, or previous vehicle repairs or modifications.

26-EM-016H TSB

ENGINE

Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin outlines the combustion chamber cleaning procedure for vehicles diagnosed with this condition. All internal combustion engines consume some engine oil during normal operation, depending on driving conditions and mileage, and this procedure should only be performed when deemed necessary based on inspection and diagnosis of the vehicle as outlined in TSB 26-EM-015H, Engine Oil Consumption – Inspection & Repair Guidelines, or the latest revision.

26-EM-015H TSB

ENGINE

Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin provides the inspection and repair procedures for vehicles exhibiting this condition. All internal combustion engines consume engine oil as part of normal engine operation. Oil consumption rates may vary based on mileage, operating conditions, driving habits, and maintenance history. Hyundai recommends following the prescribed maintenance schedule and periodically checking the engine oil level using the dipstick to maintain proper engine oil level.

26-BE-026H TSB

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

26-BE-015H TSB

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.

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

Hyundai Santa Fe by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2027000—
2026Viewing404055.8
20251445058.5
20241657062.5
20232161049.9
20222045057.5
20211707160.0
20202182167.0
20192062164.6
20181102260.6
20179756366.7
20162383359.8
20152552359.5
20144933762.6
20136053861.4
20123551656.7
20111813561.4
20102603358.7
20093593156.3
20085416154.2
20076849257.1
20061061042.8
20052163050.2
20043033053.3
20033084156.3
20021654154.2
20012094354.8
2000000—

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.