2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Complaint Log

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)

While driving on the interstate at 70mph the vehicle’s fuel injectors failed causing the vehicle to lose power suddenly.

I have attached a photo since I couldn’t save it

The front rotors need machining every 10,000 to 15,000 miles. The rotors experience exceeding distortion due heating by the brake pads. When brakes are applied, there are large vibrations in the front suspension which inhibits braking. This is especially true when braking on wet pavement where stopping distances become unsafe.

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.

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.

Horn stopped working at 47,474 miles Check Tire Pressure System light is on, poor sensor at 45,650

Component/System Failure: The electronic throttle control system malfunctioned. The vehicle is reporting powertrain diagnostic trouble codes P2118 and P2101 through the Hyundai manufacturer mobile application (Bluelink), indicating an electronic throttle actuator / throttle control motor issue. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: This malfunction poses a safety risk because it can cause sudden loss of throttle response, reduced engine power (limp mode), or stalling while driving. Loss of throttle control increases the risk of a crash, especially in traffic or at intersections. Reproduction / Confirmation: The issue is ongoing. The check engine light remains illuminated and the fault codes continue to be displayed in the Hyundai mobile application. The problem has not yet been diagnosed by a dealership due to lack of immediate service availability. Inspections Performed: The vehicle has not yet been inspected by a Hyundai dealership or the manufacturer due to delayed service appointments. No inspections have been performed by police or insurance representatives. Warning Indicators / Symptoms: The check engine light illuminated and remains on. Diagnostic trouble codes P2118 and P2101 are displayed in the Hyundai mobile application. The warning light first appeared in late January 2026. Current Vehicle Condition: The vehicle is considered unsafe to drive due to the active electronic throttle control fault and risk of sudden loss of power.

2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy repeated horn failures since purchasing vehicle new. Will be having 5th and 6th horns replaced with no effective remedy as vehicle has less than 11K miles on it and this urgently safety failure needs to be corrected. There is no warning of the horn failure until you need them to prevent an emergency/collision warning.

I stopped to fill the gas on my road trip and the gas panel would not open. As a single women driving alone this is not ideal. It took 45 min of continuous unlocking/locking with pushing to get it to pop open. There needs to be an alternative/emergency handle to pull so this does not happen again. I was standing in 32 degree weather the entire time! NOT SAFE

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.

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.

Both horns have failed for the second time since the vehicle was purchased new in November 2023 and is currently showing 25,000 miles. The first set was replaced under warranty at a Hyundai dealership approximately 1 year ago. Not having a functioning vehicle horn is a safety hazard that would fail annual vehicle safety inspection testing in my state.

My back up camera is not working properly. The picture at times is scrambled and starts floating around on the screen. This was not the first time this has happened. I reported it to the dealership service department when I first noticed, about a year ago or longer. They updated the software and told me that would correct the problem. Clearly it did not correct the problem, if it is continuing to have issues.

Horn completely out, yes available. I was unable to warn another driver from entering my lane several times. Warn a pedestrian from stepping out into traffic. Confirmed by the dealer. The horn was Inspected replaced at my own cost on March 2025 by December 2025 the part is no longer operational. I asked the dealer to honor the warranty they declined saying the mileage was passed the warranty terms.

Both horns on my 2023 Hyundai Santa FE have failed 3 times. The first set was covered under warranty (3/24), the second set cost $499.64 (3/25). Now both horns are nonfunctional after just being replaced this Spring. After reviewing many complaints on the Hyundai community form, it is very obvious there is a major issue with their horns ( and not just the Santa Fe model). Twice this week I was in need of my horn to alert other drivers but instead had to make quick maneuvers to avoid an incident. My vehicle currently cannot pass a state inspection.

While driving after dark, a different car traveling in opposite direction almost caused head on collision while driving in the wrong lane. Driver of the Santa Fe attempted to activate horn on vehicle to alert other vehicle that they were traveling in the wrong lane/direction, but horn failed to sound. Driver was narrowly able to avoid physical collision as a result. Driver took vehicle to dealership and it was determined both high and low horns had failed again (total horn system failure), and the dealership replaced under warranty. This is the second time in less than 2 years of ownership the horns have failed and needed to be replaced. Dealership stated horn failure is common in the 2023 Santa Fe, but is only covered under the 5 year/60000 mile warranty despite being a known defective part. Hyundai should offer a voluntary recall to repair affected vehicles with redesigned parts as the horns failing is a known issue and failure can result in severe safety risk while driving.

The vehicle cannot pick up speed, and it is displaying the DTC- P1C2D03. This is similar to the issues that led to "Safety Recall 236 to repair a condition involving the 8-Speed Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT) system" in earlier model years (till 2022) for certain Hyundai and Kia vehicles. NHTSA should issue a recall for 2023 model years also as Hyundai has not addressed this issue to the fullest extent in 2023 model years.

On a clear road a sencor comes on detect comes on says detection collision. The breaks come on when you are traveling on interstate or two lane roads. When you are traveling 75 mph and breaks come on all of a sudden on the highway. We are lucky we never got hit in the back of the car going that fast. We will stop 75 to 35 mph in 10 seconds.

Fuel injectors are bad. The car misfires, I smell gas, runs rough. They fixed one the second week of December 2025. I had the same symptoms when my light came on again on December 23,2025, they said they couldn’t find anything and gave me the car back. On January 3, my engine light came on again, I had warnings sent to my email and phone app about potential engine failures they said today ( 1/6/26) that it was another fuel injector and was told they would not replace the rest until they went out. When I asked them how safe I would be on an upcoming trip, I was told to just check the car every day before I go!

My panoramic sunroof spontaneously blew while driving on freeway

Total horn failure, both horns. Took vehicle to the dealership, diagnosed both horns need to be replaced. None in stock. Horns ordered , no dates known by Hyundai when they will be in stock. Hyundai admits it h. Known with many models Driving a car in Buffalo NYwith. Out a horn driving a vehicle,r Nissan , is VERY DANGEROUS and scary. I do not think that Hyundai is taking this issue seriously and they need a recall and plan to fix this problem.

The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while there was snow on the roof of the vehicle, the windshield wipers failed to operate as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer because there was space between the hood and the windshield where the snow was collected, causing the windshield wipers to fail to operate as intended. The dealer tightened the wiper blades; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 35,000.

At stop sign and car with auto start stop on and at the time of releasing the brake, car was not able to start engine. Car had to be shifted to parking position to start engine.

Horn has failed 4 times

Horn has needed to be replaced twice. Stops working for no apparent reason.

The sunroof on my 2023 Santa Fe exploded.

Component/System: Automatic Emergency Braking / Forward Collision-Avoidance (AEB/FCA) system and/or Electronic Parking Brake (EPB). The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. What happened: While driving my 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe (VIN: XXX) at highway speeds, the vehicle suddenly and aggressively applied the emergency braking system on two separate occasions within the same day (approximately 45–60 minutes apart). In both instances, the red emergency braking warning lights illuminated on the dashboard, and a warning sound activated. There were no vehicles, obstacles, or hazards in front of me either time. The braking was forceful and abrupt, causing rapid deceleration at highway speed. Both events occurred under normal, clear driving conditions. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) Safety risk: My safety and the safety of other drivers were put at significant risk. Sudden unintended braking at highway speeds can easily lead to a rear-end collision since the deceleration was not caused by driver input and gave no warning. Reproduction / dealer confirmation: The dealer has not been able to reproduce the issue, and no diagnostic trouble codes have been found so far. The vehicle is currently at the dealership for inspection. Inspection: The vehicle has been inspected by the Hyundai dealership, but the cause has not been identified. No manufacturer field engineer, police, or insurance inspection has taken place yet. Warning lamps / prior symptoms: During the failures, the red emergency braking indicator and audible warning activated immediately when the brakes engaged. There were no warning lights or symptoms prior to either event. Assessment: Cause UNKNOWN. The problem appears to be an intermittent malfunction of the Automatic Emergency Braking system, forward collision sensors, or related braking components. No diagnostic codes were stored. This is a serious safety issue that occurred twice within one hour and could easily result in a collision.

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.

The vehicle front brake disks are not compatible for this vehicle. The action of braking causes heating of the disks. The disks warp due to the heat. The result is when braking at highway speeds, the entire front end vibrates excessively. This is unsafe in wet or snowy conditions as this greatly decreases the braking efficiency. The first time this was observed the vehicle had 22,000 miles and the dealership machined the rotors. The second time it happened at vehicle mileage of 32,000. Once again the rotors were 'machined' by the dealership. The action of braking at highway speeds and the resulting front end vibrations is a troublesome event. If this occurs a third time, I will try to find and install non-Hyundai disks.

The vehicle's software was updated on Oct 21, 2025. The software has serious flaw. When driving on slight incline on the passing lane the vehicle will apply the brakes without warning. This has happened 3 times. At times, when vehicles were following me they also had to apply the brakes unexpectedly. Had they not applied their brakes, they would have rear ended me at highway speeds. I also recall that there were no vehicles either in front or to the right ahead of me when it occurred. Also there was a guardrail on the left side of the highway at the time. This did not occur with the previous installed software. Every time this happened, the vehicle was in cruise control and driver assist was ON to keep vehicle in the lane.

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.

Was driving at 10 MPH on highway car began to cut out run rough and produce an extremely pungent smell of gasoline.. then stalled.. vehicle serviced and low pressure fuel injector had a leak causing fuel to spill onto the vehicles starter causing it to fail as well.. both were replaced under warranty by dealer. Highly concerned about fuel leaking from injector system onto a hot engine and electrical components and the aerosolized fuel. Police advised not to start vehicle due to fuel leaking and smell.

I have had 6 car appointments and on my 3rd horn replacement in this car. It goes completely out and it is a safety hazard to not have any horn. It loses both the high and low pitch horn

I was in a car accident on September 30, 2025. I was hit from behind by a dump truck and was pushed into the car in front of me. My seat belt in my Santa Fe did not tighten, and my head hit the steering wheel. There is something wrong with the seat belts. I was going to take it to the dealer to check after repairs, but my car is a total loss. Just wanted you to know the seat belts failed, and it could happen to others who own this type of vehicle. The air bag did not deploy, but my understanding is that the car has to be going a certain speed.

My 2023 Santa Fe Limited has 3,000 mils on it. At least four times it had low speed hesitation (lags then revs up for a few seconds). It’s a problem with the DCT (Dual Clutch Tranny) Hesitation pulling onto a highway poses a significant risk of a faster car colliding into my car. I called my car dealer and the service manager said they know they are having problems with this. He said they tried everything to remedy the problem but, there is no solution. They said the only way not to have the problem is to get a different car!!! Hyundai should have a recall on this hesitation matter before someone gets injured or killed. It’s a safety issue. The last time it happened will be the date of my incident report.

Horn No longer works in vehicle - A major safety issue

Driver and passenger seatbelts not always latching or becoming unlached while driving

On [XXX] in Rehoboth, DE, my 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe experienced a sudden and complete power failure while reversing out of a parking spot. All electrical systems shut down—including propulsion, dashboard lights, and emergency brake—causing the vehicle to roll backward into oncoming traffic. No warning lights appeared beforehand. After about an hour, power returned on its own. A passing police officer witnessed the situation and a report was filed with the Rehoboth Beach Police Department. On September 6th, Hyundai service performed a diagnostic scan of the engine and transmission systems. No fault codes were found, and the issue could not be replicated. After sitting overnight, the vehicle restarted normally and passed a road test. The dealership documented the incident but returned the vehicle without repair, stating: “Cannot duplicate concern at this time.” I was advised to tow the vehicle in if the issue recurs and, if rolling occurs again, to use a wheel chock. I purchased this vehicle new in 2023. It has only 40,000 miles and is covered under a 10-year bumper-to-bumper warranty. A failure of this magnitude—especially during a basic maneuver like reversing—poses a serious safety risk. Despite the dealership’s inability to replicate the issue, I do not feel safe operating the vehicle until the root cause is identified and resolved. I am currently in the process of escalating to Hyundai corporate for further investigation, including a buyback review, replacement evaluation, or extended diagnostic protocol. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I was travelling at 50mph a car pulled in front of me and stopped unexpetedly. I braked hard. My car began to slow, but the brake pedal went to the floor and did not slow, AFter a few seconds, the brake pedal came up from the floor and braking was resumed. I held the pedal to the floor the whole time trying to stop. It was as though the braking system failed and recovered. There was no pulsing felt on the brake pedal typical of ABS working. After my car resumed braking thte collision avoidance system took over and the car stopped just inches from the stopped car in front of me. I had just taken the car in for dealer service at 24,200 and everything was supposedly checked out as required by maintenance. I have contacted Hyundai but have not gotten a response yet.

horn has stopped working twice. Had it replaced under warranty in January of 2024. Same incident happened where horn of vehicle does not work. Seems to be a systemic issue. This is a safety related issue and this needs to be addressed with the manufacturer.

horn has stopped working. Seems to be a systemic issue when looking online in Forums etc... I have scheduled the problem to be fixed and it is not a fuse issue. It will be a month before the dealership is able to get me in to assess the problem. This is a safety related issue and this needs to be addressed with the manufacturer.

Horn not blowing. It started giving a low sound and now it has stopped working completely. I went online and saw where this problem is wide spread.

Car only has 20,000 miles and the horn already needs to be replaced