There are 8 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Airbags for the ENTIRE car did not deploy in a car accident that rendered the car inoperable. Vehicle was going 40mph and nothing. There were NO service lights on or any issues prior to the accident. This resulted in contusions and a sprained neck.
THE 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE WAS INVOLVED IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT WHERE THE FRONT END HIT A GUARDRAIL ON A RURAL HIGHWAY. THE GUARDRAIL WAS CRUSH, AND THE IMPACT SPUN THE CAR AROUND 180 DEGREES. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT, BUT THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE CAR WAS AFFECTED DURING THE WRECK. PENDING NOTIFICATION IF CAR IS TOTALED.
THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON EVEN AFTER IT WAS RESET BY THE DEALERSHIP.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING 28 MPH, AN ONCOMING VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY CROSSED INTO THE CONTACT'S LANE. AS A RESULT, A HEAD ON COLLISION OCCURRED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED NECK, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND COMING UPON A RED LIGHT, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT WHILE PRESSING THE BREAK PEDAL THE VEHICLE INITIALLY SLOWED DOWN BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF A SECOND VEHICLE. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. JFT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL. THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,347. ..UPDATED 01-10-14 *BF
A PASSENGER IN THE BACK SEAT WENT TO PUT ON HER SEATBELT AND FOUND THAT THE SHOULDER HARNESS JUST CAME APART MAKING IT COMPLETELY UNUSABLE AND UNSAFE. I WENT TO THE DEALER, FITZGERALD HYUNDAI AND REPORTED THE PROBLEM, EXPECTING THEM TO FIX IT BUT I WAS TOLD IT WAS MY PROBLEM AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED. I WAS SHOCKED AS I BELIEVED THAT A SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION WAS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT ANY DEALER WOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR. WHEN I INSISTED THAT THE I DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO CAUSE THE MALFUNCTION AND THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD FIX IT I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO CHECK IT OUT WITH A HIGHER MANAGEMENT LEVEL AND WOULD GET BACK TO ME. I HAVE HAD NO FOLLOW UP FROM FITZGERALD. I FOLLOWED UP TWICE BY EMAIL ONCE USING THEIR OWN WEBSITE FORM HOPING THAT WOULD GET A RESPONSE, BUT STILL NOTHING. I AM NOW CONCERNED THAT THIS ISSUE WITH THE SEATBELT MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH OTHER HYUNDAI OWNERS SO I AM REPORTING THE PROBLEM. I DO NOT USE MY BACK SEAT FOR PASSENGERS VERY OFTEN BUT NEVERTHELESS I FEEL A SEATBELT MALFUNCTION IS A SAFETY CONCERN OF HIGH PRIORITY AND SOMETHING THAT A DEALER SHOULD TAKE CARE OF IMMEDIATELY AND THERE SHOULD BE NO DISPUTE! *TR
THE MIDDLE SEAT (PASSENGER) DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER SEAT BELT CAME APART WHEN A PASSENGER TRIED TO BUCKLE UP. THE PASSENGER PULLED THE SHOULDER STRAP OUT TO PULL AROUND AND BUCKLE TO THE SEAT LATCH WHEN THE LATCH PLATE JUST SLIDE RIGHT OFF OF THE BELT. THERE WAS NOTHING SECURING THE SHOULDER STRAP. IT JUST CAME APART. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CHECKED OUT AND FIXED AS I WAS CERTAIN IT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE CAR'S WARRANTY. I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY A COUPLE OF HUNDRED DOLLARS TO HAVE THE SEAT-BELT FIXED! HOW COULD THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A SEAT-BELT MALFUNCTION? I STILL HAVE THE SEAT-BELT PROBLEM AS I BELIEVE THAT HYUNDAI SHOULD FIX IT AND NOT CHARGE ME. IF THIS HAPPENED TO ME, THEN I FEEL THAT IT PROBABLY HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER VEHICLE OWNERS SO I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THIS IS A WIDER SPREAD PROBLEM THAN JUST A FLUKE WITH ME. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026