2019 Hyundai Santa FE
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 200 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 17th highest complaint count among 25 Santa FE model years with reports.
Of the 2019 reports, 16 involved a crash and 12 involved a fire. 10 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Trailer hitchesPark outsideMar 17, 2023
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.
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
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.
Campaign 23V181000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, side/windowOct 11, 2018
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles. The Side Curtain Air Bag (SCAB) mounting bolts may interfere with and damage the air bags during deployment.
In the event of a crash, if the air bags become damaged during deployment they may not inflate properly, increasing the risk of injury.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the SCAB installation bolts, free of charge. The recall began December 3, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 177.
Campaign 18V715000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
200 reports, newest first.
Steering, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Oct 12, 2024
The Forward Collision Assist would intermittently disable during driving. The Lane Keeping Assist light illuminated and would not allow me to disable it causing the vehicle to drive straight only and to make left or right turns extremely hard to turn the vehicle. This incident occurred on [XXX] and was dropped off at Johnson Hyundai in Wake Forest on that date. After a week of no contact of a diagnosis, I had to visit the dealer and was told the steering column was the issue and needed to be replaced. I contacted Hyundai America to report this issue and currently waiting on a response from their warranty to see if they will cover all or a percentage of the replacement of the steering column since my mileage is over their 100k (113k to be exact) coverage. While I appreciate their efforts, I also feel this could have resulted in a very serious incident had my daughter been driving on the highway when this occurred. Thankfully, she was picking me from home and it happened as we drove off from our house in our neighborhood. A steering column should outlast any other part(s) of a vehicle. If not, this is a huge safety concern. My [XXX] was also in the car at the time and I cannot even imagine how I would recover if something worse were to happen while he's on board. Hopefully this reporting will keep something bad from happening to others who own this type of vehicle but failed to report it. Thank you for your time. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Other or unspecified, Sep 11, 2024
My car just stalls at a stop ligth , no check engine light, no warning, and takes several attempts to start. It happened 3 times in two weeks one of those time while in the highway. One a the stop ligth and one driving in the neighborhood.
Other or unspecified, Aug 7, 2024
I had a tow-hitch installed and attached a cargo tray which I previously used with my 2010 Santa Fe. On June 21, 2024 at the end of the first day of our extended vacation the items on the passenger side of the cargo tray had melted. This included elements of the cargo tray itself, a Coleman chair, a brand new (1st use) Yeti cooler, cargo net and bungee cords. The following day I went to a Hyundai dealership in Charlestown, WV who verified the tow hitch was installed correctly but mentioned that the exhaust from my Turbo 2.0 engine was extremely hot and probably contributed to the melting. We were not able to find a way to elevate the tray away from the exhaust or add a shield to divert the heat. We had to discontinue use of the tray and purchase a trailer which connected several feet behind the car. As mentioned, I previously used this same tray with my 2010 Sant Fe without any difficulty or heat issues. I am concerned because of the potential for a fire with items igniting due to the extreme heat. I did not find any warnings about this nor any verbal precautions from the dealer when I purchased the car. If I had been carrying items more flammable I could potentially of had a fire start on the tray while the car was in motion resulting in more severe damage or harm to persons.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Seats, Jun 11, 2024
Continuous issue of front driver passenger power seat front level button failure. Continuous Headlights, fog lights getting fused every 4 months. Indoor back roof light works and sometime just does not work for months.
Forward collision avoidance, Jun 3, 2024
enciende la alerta de choque y para sin tener vehiculos cerca.
Steering, Lane departure, Apr 23, 2024
I had a serious issue with the Santa Fe lane keeper system. I was driving on I15 in a winding portion through the Virgin River Gorge in relatively high traffic on a corner. I have used this feature many times in the past and expected a gentle nudge on the steering wheel. But unexpectedly the steering wheel turned hard left, almost causing a total loss of control. I am safe driver always checking for other drivers doing what they shouldn't, but I never expected my car to be the one making dangerous movements. If I hadn't had a firm grip on the wheel, I would have been out of control on a narrow bridge in heavy traffic. Am I the only one with this problem?
Power train, Apr 18, 2024
Front CV Joint inner axle boot losing grease due to manufacture insufficient torque or poor quality of the clamp material.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Mar 20, 2024
For the past month my car has been stalling in traffic. The car stalls and then turns back on a few seconds later. It also stalls when I am accelerating after stopping for a red light. This situation is very dangerous and it means that I cannot drive my car expecting to be safe at all. It seems like the motor and the transmission are involved which makes the stalling very dangerous as those are major systems.
Seat belts, Mar 20, 2024
Seatbelt wont snap or lock. This is a safety issue
Seat belts, Mar 12, 2024
Seat belt won't snap on the driver side.
Electrical system, Mar 11, 2024, fire
Fire while driving - Electrical - No Warnings Reference NHTSA Recall 23V181000 Fire Extinguished once by fire extinguisher (civilian) then again by Union, MO fire department. Hyundai had the vehicle towed to their inspection facility. Inspection report being withheld. Claim has been denied. Hyundai now refusing to return vehicle.
Electrical system, Engine, Feb 28, 2024
My Santa Fe developed difficulty starting beginning the afternoon of February 18. While waiting in stop-and-go traffic to park for a sporting event, the ISG (idle stop-and-go) activated at least 40 times. After at least the 40th time, the Santa Fe did not turn back on. After about 10 minutes, I was able to start it. This happened while I was stuck in very heavy traffic exiting the freeway. After that, it would always take multiple attempts to start the car even though the battery had more than enough power to turn over the starter. After a couple of days of dealing with this, I took the Santa Fe to my local Hyundai dealer. After diagnostics, they were able to reproduce the problem and they determined that the starter had developed an intermittent short which was likely caused by the multiple ISG activations on Sunday, 2/18/2024. While they verbally agreed with me that repeated activation of the ISG was the likely cause of the starter short, they wouldn't put that in the written service statement. At the time of this problem, my Santa Fe was 1,887 miles past the 5-year 60,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. I had purchased the Santa Fe a few months ago as certified pre-owned with about 58,500 miles on it so, even though being the 2nd owner, I retained the remainder of the bumper-to-bumper warranty as well as the 10 year 100,000 engine/drivetrain/transmission warranty. Oddly enough the starter, which is attached to the engine is categorized as part of the car's electrical system instead of as part of the engine so the starter replacement wasn't covered. I appealed to the dealer for a discount of some kind. They declined. They claimed to have called Hyundai USA which also supposedly said no to covering the cost of the new starter. A quick Google search for this problem revealed other owners of Santa Fes with the ISG have had the same exact issue.
Engine, Feb 15, 2024
There is a system in the car that starts and stops engine, supposedly only at lights to save on fuel. Mine has stopped in the middle of a highway on my way up to Tahoe. Luckily I had just left light and only driven enough to reach the speed of about 10 miles per hour so the cars behind me were able to stop and not hit me. I had to completely turn the car off, put in park and restart car to get it to operate. It has stalled out like a stick shift would if not handled properly, but it is an automatic transmission, on numerous times. Sometimes this will cause the vehicle to completely shut down and sometime it will sputter for a few minutes and then slowly pick speed up and stop. The IGS button to turn this feature on and off when you get into the vehicle will sometimes stay off (not supposed to) and sometimes turn back off as it is supposed to each time the vehicle is turned on or off. It doesn't register as a recall, but I have done my research and saw that at one point you guys had done an investigation into this exact problem with my car. It doesn't show up on diagnostic and it doesnt do this every time I drive. So I have no way to show mechanics the isues. But this puts my life and anyone in my cars lives at risk. Not to mention any cars behind me if this happens on the highway again. I dont know what to do :( Can you please help me?
Engine, Dec 22, 2023
Oil Pan leaks after an oil change. Oil pan has a hairline crack just below the drain plug after normal tightening of the plug. Excessive oil was found on my driveway. No obvious engine damage, considering the vehicle was only moved from one spot to the other. The dealer stated the oil pan isn't covered under warranty. I simple internet search revealed there was a high number of complaints. It was a "Do It Yourself repair." The cost to fix was to replace the oil pain, new tools and 5 quarts of oil.
Structure, Dec 20, 2023
2019 Hyundai the white paint is peeling. It was not caused by road damage. I asked the dealership and was told I was past the warranty due to my mileage.
Electrical system, Dec 13, 2023
At various times the vehicle will not start. It takes multi times to to start the vehicle. The starter and battery have been tested and both are in excellent condition. Both key phob batteries have been replaced and the vehicle at times won’t start but the dash lights turn on. After twice of trying to start the breaks get really stiff. I’ve learned if I get out of the vehicle and open the hood and close it the car will start then any other time getting out and back in it does not start. I even placed the key phob in the designated location of the battery died and still won’t start. The check engine is not on either.
Other or unspecified, Aug 25, 2023
On August 24, 2023, I was walking to my car, a 2019 Santa Fe in my driveway. The back windshield spontaneously shattered! It was only 70 degrees out and I had my window cracked open a bit. The noise sounded like a gun shot. I was extremely fortunate that I was not behind the windshield or that I was driving. I have no explanation as to what happened. I called my insurance company, and the windshield is being replaced by Safelite on Tuesday, 8/29/23. However, I have to pay for $483 for a new windshield, my deductible is $500. I am more concerned about safety. I have seen other complaints about Hyundai windshields. Please Hyundai address this issue.
Electrical system, Air bags, Aug 3, 2023
The Airbag light keeps coming on and saying it’s not activated, the wiring also keeps blowing out brand new headlights due to faulty wiring.
Electrical system, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Aug 1, 2023
the systems forward collision and lane departure warning are randomly turned off. Dealership is not aware of how to fix
Engine, Jul 7, 2023
Engine Failure. Engine stalls during deceleration. If it doesn’t stall while braking, it immediately stalls around 5 mph when I come to a stop sign or red light. Vehicle start/stop button will not work to start the vehicle back up. It is to sit for 10-20 minutes and then it will start. If I don’t let it sit, it gives me a message on the dash that the vehicle is already on/running even though it is not. I have done regular maintenance and have had it serviced 4 times for the same issues. It has 126,000 on it. The dealership said it was the oxygen sensors and spark plugs. We had those fixed and the problem continued. The dealership is now wanting me to pay $11,000 for a used motor to be installed. Check engine light keeps repeating oxygen sensor malfunction. This has been happening since July of 2022.
Other or unspecified, Jul 5, 2023
On May 20,2023 my 2019 Hyundai Santa Ultimate turbo died while I was sitting at a red light in the far right lane in an extremely busy street. Car was running perfectly fine prior to it dying. For almost 15 mins my car wouldn’t turn over. Then it just started it right up. Took it home my husband checked for any codes, nothing. I checked the Blue Link app, no issues detected. On June 29th at approximately 9:08AM my car dies again while sitting at a red light. Next to an off ramp to an extremely busy freeway. I’m almost in a full panic the car restarts up. Within 5 mins it dies again. This time blocking a drive way to a driveway at a gas station. All 3 times were identical. All three have no warning. No indicator warning lights and nothing detected in the blue link app. Can’t get it to do it again. So frustrating.
Other or unspecified, Firerelated, Jul 2, 2023, crash, fire
On June 28th at approximately 1130pm, my son was involved in a single vehicle accident. Upon impact with the tree the car immediately burst into flames
Electrical system, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 26, 2023
Adaptive Cruise Control Automatic Emergency Braking Blind Spot Warning Forward Collision Warning Lane Departure Warning Lane Keeping Assistance Parking Collision Warning Rear Cross Traffic Warning Every one of these lights are going off in the car. I’ve taken it twice to the Hyundai dealership. Both times they have not been able to figure out what is wrong with it even with the OPD it’s not showing any issues or fault codes a technician has even had the car for one week went through every single sensor, cable, battery, alternator fuses and didn’t come up with any results. He returned the car back to me completely baffled and unable to fix the issue. Please email at[ XXX] For photos and video which I cannot add here on this website through mobile. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Trailer hitches, Jun 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V181000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Engine, May 10, 2023
While driving, the engine stalled out/cut off while the car remained on. I had to push the brakes completely to re-engage the start button. The engine turned off and the check engine light came on, but turned back off once the engine restarted. The car never turned off when the start button was pressed, just the engine.