NHTSA recalls, safety ratings, and consumer complaints for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe.
| Overall Rating | |
| Frontal Crash | |
| Side Crash | |
| Rollover |
| Overall Rating | |
| Frontal Crash |
Component: TRAILER HITCHES
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Santa Fe, 2021-2023 Santa Fe HEV, 2022-2023 Santa Fe Plug-in HEV and Santa Cruz vehicles potentially equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Hyundai dealership. Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Consequence: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is completed. Dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed starting May 16, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 244. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-633.
Today, i received an extended warranty for my horn. There is a known issue with water getting into the horn and causing them to fail. Upon researching this, people have reported having their horns changed several times. This is a safety matter that an extended warranty is not fixing. Please enforce a recall so that this matter may be properly resolved. Canada has already issued a recall, I hope we can do the same. Thank you.
Driving on sunny day, the fixed roof glass located between the windshield and sunroof exploded across the entire width of the glass insert with a very distracting noise.
On March 4, 2026, at approximately 7:30 AM EST, while driving my 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited on [XXX] , the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of propulsion while traveling at approximately 70 mph (posted speed limit). The vehicle would not accelerate or maintain speed and would not move forward when placed in drive, indicating a failure within the powertrain/transmission system. The vehicle is currently located at a Hyundai dealership and is available for inspection upon request. This incident created a significant safety risk, as I was traveling at highway speed in active traffic when the vehicle unexpectedly lost the ability to move under its own power. This placed me at risk of being rear-ended and made it difficult to safely maneuver out of traffic. The vehicle was inspected by a Hyundai dealership. Diagnostic trouble code P284001 (Shift Fork “D” Position) was identified, and I was informed the failure is transmission-related. The condition was reproduced by placing the vehicle in drive, at which point the vehicle would not move. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership. The manufacturer has been notified but has not physically inspected the vehicle. No police or insurance inspection was involved. There were no warning lights, messages, or prior symptoms before the failure. The issue occurred suddenly without any indication of a problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe has 1 NHTSA recall and 184 consumer complaints on file. It received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA crash testing. The high number of complaints suggests potential reliability concerns — review the complaint details above before purchasing. For the most detailed information about a specific vehicle, decode its VIN using our free decoder above.
Enter a specific VIN to get the full report — specs, recalls, safety ratings, complaints, investigations, and technical service bulletins.
| Side Crash |
| Rollover |
During on driving, engine stopped 3 or 4times since Jan/2025 Last time engine stopped yesterday around 6:30pm on 3/30/2026 at [XXX] between [XXX] and [XXX] in Los Angeles INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Oil pan leak.
I have been fighting this issue now for 2 years, vibration while driving interstate speeds, especially right rear seat. I have had tires replaced twice trying to fix balance issue only to find out that one rim will not road force balance correctly, even with tire matched it only reduced road force balance to 20lbs (30lbs with out match). I have had it at discount tire and Gettel Hyundai of Lakewood ranch, FL several times. Hyundai sent a senior tech to look at tires, did not speak to me to get explanation of my concern, did a balance, got same numbers and said was good to go. My other 3 rims have a max road force of 12lbs without even being matched. This causes vibrations when driving, extra wear and force on the tire and is a safety concern. This rim is the issue and Hyundai refuses to fix it.
Driving to work and a loud noise (pop) was heard and then I realized the sunroof had basically exploded. Glass was all over the car and all over myself. I immediately got off the road and turned on my hazard lights to assess the situation. This could have caused an accident had I not remained calm. Contacted dealership this morning. Waiting to hear back. No prior warning to this happening.
While driving on the interstate at 70mph the vehicle’s fuel injectors failed causing the vehicle to lose power suddenly.
On 6/7/2023 with the original owner, the vehicle displayed code P1c2D03, according to carfax history the transmission was replaced 7/12/2023. I purchased the vehicle in May, 2025. In December, 2025, while driving to work I experienced intermittent loss of ability to accelerate, followed by the vehicle again displaying code P1C2D03 in the Bluelink app. The dealership performed a software update and told me to come get my car. On Monday, February 16, 2026, I started the vehicle and the dash displayed "Transmission error. Check transmission fluid immediately!", I again had it towed to the dealership where it has remained for the past three weeks. Now I have been called again to pick up the vehicle as the dealership cannot duplicate the error. At this time I am unsure if the service center actually checked the transmission fluid as the warning indicated should be done.
I am submitting this complaint regarding a safety-related incident involving my 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe on February 14, 2026. While driving, the vehicle suddenly began to overheat, creating an immediate safety hazard. I was close to my home and was able to return there safely, but once parked, I observed coolant leaking from the front of the vehicle. Due to the risk of further overheating or engine failure, the vehicle was not drivable and had to be towed to a local Hyundai dealership. At the time of the incident, the vehicle had fewer than 38,000 miles and was purchased brand new. Despite this, the dealership informed me that the repair would not be covered under warranty, claiming the radiator damage was caused by “road debris.” However, they did not provide any evidence of an impact, puncture, or external damage. The only documentation offered was a video showing coolant spewing from the radiator after a technician inserted an object into the grille. This video does not demonstrate any pre‑existing road damage or confirm that debris caused the failure. I requested proof of actual damage multiple times, including photographs or inspection notes showing an impact point, but none was provided. Without verifiable evidence of external damage, I am concerned that this may represent a premature component failure or a potential safety defect in the cooling system. The sudden overheating while driving, combined with the lack of substantiated cause, raises significant safety concerns for me and potentially for other owners of this model. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
I have attached a photo since I couldn’t save it
The horn stops working which is a safety hazard in case someone is backing into you, etc. This horn has stop working 4 times and had to be replaced.
1. The factory-supplied scissor-type jack that came with my 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe failed. While changing a flat tire on the side of the road, the jack collapsed three times and could not hold the vehicle. Yes, the jack is still available for inspection. I have it in my possession and have provided photographs of the jack, its capacity label, and the incident location as evidence. 2. My safety was put at serious risk. The vehicle fell off the jack three times while I was attempting to change the tire on the road. The car remained on the ground without a tire until roadside assistance arrived. If I or a family member had been under or near the vehicle when it fell, we could have been seriously injured or killed. My wife and three toddlers travel in this vehicle, making this a major safety concern for our family. 3. No. Rosen Hyundai dismissed my concern. Service Manager Jeff Bravieri claimed the jack is rated for 3 tons (6,000 lbs) and blamed user error. But my photo shows the jack's label states 1,200 kg (2,645 lbs). The road was flat. The dealership dismissed my safety concern and refused to replace the jack unless I paid for it. They have not inspected the jack despite my request until the involvement of Hyundai Motor America. 4. Not sure, that vehicle and jack have been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. However, manager later agreed to inspect it and instead blamed user error. I am reporting this directly to NHTSA because the dealership and Hyundai have not taken this safety defect seriously. 5. No. No warning lights or signs. The jack looked normal. It failed the first time when I used it in an emergency situation. 6. The jack label says 1,200 kg (2,645 lbs). My vehicle weight is 1,724 kg (3,801 lbs) . The jack is under-rated and unsafe. It failed on a flat road. The dealer ignored the evidence. I fear this could happen to others and cause serious injury or death.
Needed to use horn in an emergency situation and that's when I found out my horn no longer works. 20,000 miles on 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Horn How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My horn stopped working - cannot use it when driving to warn other drivers - safety issue Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Not reproduced, but dealership has confirmed the horn stopped working on three separate occasions. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Dealership - three times Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No. Hyundai dealership said my fuse blown on three separate occasions causing the horn to stop working. My horn stopped working a few months ago, then about a month ago and again last week - all due to blown fuses to which the dealership has no explanation.
Showing 15 of 184 complaints