2025 Hyundai Santa FE
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 134 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 23rd highest complaint count among 25 Santa FE model years with reports.
Of the 2025 reports, 5 involved a crash. 4 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Seat belts, front, anchorageApr 6, 2026
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.
A detached seat belt anchor will not adequately restrain the seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
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.
Campaign 26V218000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, side/window, curtainNov 21, 2025
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.
Side curtain air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
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.
Campaign 25V809000 on NHTSA.gov
Back over prevention, display functionNov 21, 2025
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Hybrid vehicles. The rearview camera may not have been installed properly, which can damage the wiring harness and cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the camera wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning January 15, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 288. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 22, 2025.
Campaign 25V808000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, starter assemblyOct 2, 2025
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Santa Fe vehicles. The B+ positive terminal cover on the starter motor assembly may be improperly installed, which can cause an electrical short during a crash.
An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Dealers will inspect and reinstall the starter motor terminal cover, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning October 22, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 285. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 4, 2025.
Campaign 25V659000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, critical fastenersAug 26, 2025
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson and Santa Fe vehicles. The connecting rod bolts in the engine may have been improperly tightened, which can cause a loss of drive power and engine damage, possibly resulting in an oil leak.
A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. An oil leak in the presence of hot engine components can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire.
Dealers will replace the engine, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 281.
Campaign 25V549000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
28 reports, newest first. Show all
Other or unspecified, Sep 26, 2026
Fighting with Hyundai for a year over the vibration in the front, steering and seat seats. First, they said tires. Hyundai case mgmt #XXX. The tires were replaced by mfr warranty, vibration never stopped. @18253miles. 3 times they assessed problem but not recorded.XXX I told tech to record on invoice. XXX they kept the car for several days, brought in a specialist, gave me a rental. Couldn’t find the problem again charged me $235 for a repair thing not only couldn’t find but couldn’t fix. On XXX Bloomington dealer emailed me, take elsewhere 2nd option. [XXX] drove our car and four other cars. All of them vibrate. he really did research. The other dealer did not. He documented everything shared it with the case manager at Hyundai. At least six trips to have this looked out. cannot figure out why it vibrates. Hyundai sent me an email .XXX “Based on these findings, the dealership determined that the condition is consistent with the operating characteristics of like vehicles and does not indicate a warrantable defect or malfunction. The dealership has completed all applicable diagnostic procedures outlined by Hyundai and has confirmed that your vehicle is operating as designed. At this time, there are no additional repairs or corrective actions available, as no abnormal condition has been identified. Therefore, we are unable to offer any further repair or resolution regarding this concern” Well, I know this may not be in your mind as safety issue. In the future, there are concerns about a car vibration, causing problems. They didn’t record the problem at first, and then they stopped, repairing it before lemon law. Not to mention when you take a drink of coffee or put your arm across the camera in front of your face on the steering wheel, it de-accelerates and shuts off the cruise in the middle of heavy traffic at Highway speeds. Which is a great way to get killed in [XXX] traffic. Please reach out with questions. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Seats, Other or unspecified, Sep 19, 2026
NHTSA Vehicle Safety Complaint My 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe has a recurring problem when starting the vehicle. When I start the vehicle, the engine jumps abnormally. I have taken the vehicle to a Hyundai dealership multiple times specifically because of this problem. The condition continues to occur, but I have repeatedly been told that the dealership cannot find anything wrong and that they have to wait for a diagnostic code to appear before they can determine the cause. The vehicle has now developed an additional symptom. When I turn the vehicle off, it sometimes makes an abnormal prolonged gurgling/squeaking-type noise that continues for approximately 3-4 seconds. This shutdown noise is new and is occurring in addition to the recurring engine jumping during startup. No cause has been identified or repaired despite multiple dealership visits. I am concerned that an unidentified engine/powertrain problem is continuing and appears to be developing additional symptoms while I continue operating the vehicle. The vehicle remains available for inspection. I have also experienced problems with both middle-row seats not properly retracting/folding. I reported the problem to the dealership, but only one side was addressed. A component from the back of one seat has also detached. The detached component and vehicle remain available for inspection. I am reporting these conditions because they have continued despite repeated attempts to obtain diagnosis and repair. I do not know the underlying cause, and the dealership has not identified one. Its becoming worse then before so something is wrong.
Other or unspecified, Jun 8, 2026
On 6/6/2026, my husband and I were driving on I70 west bound near the Golden CO exit. Out of nowhere, we heard a very loud pop sound and then heard wind over our head. The front sunroof spontaneously shattered. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? FRONT SUNROOF How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? YES! Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? YES Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? NO Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? NO! NOT A SINGLE WARNING, NOTHING!
Other or unspecified, May 11, 2026
Spontaneous windshield crack
Other or unspecified, Apr 24, 2026
On two occasions, five months apart, the windshield cracked for no apparent reason. No foreign object hit the windshield. The replacement was NOT a generic. If was a Hyundai OEM. Two cracks, which spread over the windshield is not “normal”, in my opinion. Thank you
Other or unspecified, Apr 18, 2026
The driver attention warning incorrectly emits loud alarms, a coffee cup icon, and suggests the driver take a break. These warning alarms are not based on any discernable lack of attention, erratic driving, etc. They are RANDOM and ongoing, and when they begin, they repeat every few minutes. On this 2025 model - unlike prior years and models - this cannot/cannot be adjusted or turned off according to every level of Hyundai dealer staff. This has become an intolerable, frustrating, aggravating safety hazard that makes a driver irate, impatient and angry. This type of "warning" should be reserved for an imminent crash warning, or sudden lack of oil pressure. Please ensure that this safety hazard is eliminated. Thank you
Other or unspecified, Mar 31, 2026
I am writing because my local Hyundai dealer is failing to make the repair in a timely manner consistent with what my recall notice stated, and is requiring that I make TWO trips to Hyundai in order to get this NECESSARY recall work completed. Meanwhile, if the camera fails, it could put me and others at risk. My service representative, [XXX] , and his service manager showed ZERO concern about my time or possible dangers if the rear camera fails, stating that it's Hyundai corporate that made the policy that customers must have their car inspected and photos taken of the rear camera harness assembly during this first visit, BEFORE ordering the parts under my vehicle's specific VIN number. Once they do this and submit it to Hyundai corporate, they say, the parts will be ordered and I will be contacted AGAIN to make yet ANOTHER appointment to have the parts installed. My letter from Hyundai says NOTHING about having to make two visits. It says to schedule an appointment, and the recall work will be done. I actually tried to call the 855 Hyundai number to schedule the work, and that operator said nothing about two visits; she was unable to book the appointment she'd given me, so directed me to the local Hyundai dealer, who also said NOTHING about two appointments being needed to have this recall work done. I am concerned, because i am scheduled to drive out of town in a high pedestrian and vehicle traffic area in two weeks and was doing my due diligence to get the recall work done before the trip. I feel that the two appointments are unnecessary when EVERY 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe with this feature is equipped with the same rear camera and rear camera harness assembly, such that there's no reason to have to FURTHER register it with my VIN, that this could all be done in one appointment. Requiring customers to come for 2 appointments--especially without telling them anywhere in the letter or during 2 phone calls--simply increases risk of injuries if the camera fails. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 25, 2026
All normal sounds completely stop working, no audio or volume at all: no turn signal, no collision warning, no GPS audio, no radio; no hands-free phone volume. Hyundai Service department advised they have never heard of this type of incident. All warning systems are completely silent.
Other or unspecified, Feb 24, 2026
I purchased this vehicle on September 8, 2025, from Antwerpen Hyundai of Clarksville. Since purchase, the vehicle has had persistent problems that substantially impair its use and market value. Issue 1: HVAC / Ventilation Defect: Outside air enters through the center dash vents even when the fan is turned off. The recirculation feature disengages automatically after a few minutes, allowing outside air into the cabin. This issue has been ongoing and unresolved despite service visits. Issue 2: Intermittent Screeching/Scratching Noise from Dash/Steering Column Area On October 4, 2025, we began hearing an intermittent screeching or scratching sound from the front dashboard/steering column area. The vehicle has been serviced 3 times at 2 dealerships: November 10–14, 2025 – Antwerpen Hyundai Clarksville: Technician documented that the sound was replicated on two separate occasions and attempted two repair solutions. We were told the issue was resolved. The sound returned the same day during the drive home. December 9-16, 2025 – Hyundai of Dundalk: Service record indicated “fittings greased.” No detailed explanation provided. Personnel who handled the vehicle were no longer employed at pickup. The noise continued. January 20 – February 5, 2026 –Antwerpen Hyundai Clarksville: Service manager drove vehicle approximately 55 miles each way (100+ miles total) attempting to replicate the sound but reported being unable to do so. When picking up the vehicle, the noise was present again. Audio recordings of the sound were provided to the dealership multiple times. The service manager later indicated he might use electronic diagnostic equipment but did not follow up further. Current Condition: The screeching/scratching noise continues intermittently. While not constant, it is recurring and has persisted since October 2025. The issue has been replicated and documented by dealership technicians previously but remains unresolved after three repair attempts. The HVAC issue contiues.
Other or unspecified, Feb 14, 2026
I was driving on a 5 Lane Highway when suddenly what sounded like a gunshot or grenade going off in my right ear turned out to be my sunroof shattering. I thought someone shot at me since there were traffic on my right, but when I looked to my right I saw no evidence until I looked up, then immediately felt glass particles falling in all around.
Other or unspecified, Feb 11, 2026
Three separate original equipment Pirelli Scorpion MS tires experienced sidewall structural failures on my 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy within the first 8,000 miles. One tire suffered a sudden blowout at approximately 3,000 miles. Two additional tires developed visible sidewall bubbles at approximately 6,000–8,000 miles. These failures occurred without impact damage or misuse and represent a serious safety risk. The dealership acknowledged observing one sidewall bubble during service but failed to inform me. Due to repeated structural failures, I was forced to replace all four original equipment tires at my own expense to ensure vehicle safety. I am concerned this may represent a pattern defect involving the factory-installed Pirelli Scorpion MS tires on 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy models. Happy to provide my receipts and documentation, and my out of pocket expense was $1,396.17. The first failure was in August, 2025 (car purchased in July) on country road setting, the second and third were both in early January under primarily highway conditions.
Other or unspecified, Jan 16, 2026
I was driving at on the highway no other cars around going 80mph and the sunroof spontaneously shattered without impact. Distracting me with a loud bang and glass flying I had my wife and two kids in the car it’s a major safety issue. I’ll repeat the sunroof spontaneously shattered without impact of rock or debris. And I was traveling at a speed of 80mph on a clear highway. Distracting me with the loud bang and glass flying in and over my roof of the car
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Jan 15, 2026
This car was in a BBB binding Arbitration and Hyundai was told to fix: speed control malfunction, speed linit not posting to hub arbitrary fan engagement. The Dealership ALM West had the car 2 weeks and the car sat on their lot. They said we are unable to duplicate the problem. Now in addition I showed them the cracked windshield and they were not responsible. I had an insurance complaint I took it to Safelite and replaced the windshield yesterday and I got it back with a new windshield and it also had a Crack in the replacement windshield. I think Hyundai knows there's a problem with the glass which is also part of the safety system of the car.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Jan 8, 2026
While driving on a service road at approximately 45 mph, the corner side glass on my 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe shattered suddenly and without warning. There was no impact from a rock or object, and no other vehicles were present that could have caused debris. We had just entered the service road, and road conditions were normal. My [XXX] was seated in the front passenger seat at the time of the incident. The glass shattered inward, and the only thing preventing glass from entering the cabin was the window tint holding the shattered pieces together. This presented a serious safety hazard, as occupants could have been injured if the tint had not contained the glass. Once parked in my garage, I took pictures and tried to examine the damage but the window was still crackling and popping. My husband was able to inspected the window immediately after he returned home and confirmed there is no visible rock chip or point of external impact. The fracture pattern appears to originate from inside the glass or along the edge, consistent with a stress fracture or defect rather than road damage. This failure occurred under normal driving conditions with no accident, no debris strike, and no extreme temperature change. The sudden shattering while driving posed a significant risk to driver control and passenger safety, especially with multiple children in the vehicle. I am also aware of other owner complaints involving unexplained glass cracking or shattering on Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles, which raises concern that this may represent a broader defect rather than an isolated incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Dec 30, 2025
I am submitting this complaint to formally report ongoing and unresolved vehicle safety defects involving a leased 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. These defects include persistent toxic or chemical odors inside the passenger cabin, electrical and body control system malfunctions, and unintended vehicle operations that present serious risks to occupant health, vehicle security, and public safety. Despite multiple service visits and repeated requests, Hyundai dealerships have refused or failed to conduct comprehensive diagnostic testing, leaving the vehicle in an unsafe and unreliable condition.
Other or unspecified, Dec 18, 2025
I have had my 2025 Santa Fe since May 28, 2025. Shortly after, I was driving to the supermarket and once I found a spot, I put the car into Park. Unfortunately, I did not start recording the episodes and taking pictures until July 29, 2025. I had had my car into Hyundai of 110 two weeks prior. One of the in-take people saw the episode happen once I put the car into P. I asked him if this was normal and he told me no. He then got several of the managers and they immediately came over because this was occurring: My dashboard was literally screaming at me, the MPH and RPM were flashing and the battery warning light along with the warning light that shows the car with the hood open were flashing. The following message was displayed: Auto Stop is OFF. Shift to P or N and start engine manually. I asked this person several times if it was ok to shut off. Every time, he said yes. I asked if he wanted to take a pic or record it and he told me not to worry. He'd remember. So I shut the car off. Well, he never once spoke up while they were trying to find out what the silly female was speaking about. Since then, this has happened MULTIPLE times. I recently dropped my car off at Hyundai of 110 and they concluded that because they were unable to "replicate the problem", there was nothing wrong. I had sent them every single video or picture. Despite concluding that there was nothing wrong with my car, they will not put that in writing. Nor will they put in writing that they will accept fault for when my car stops working in the middle of nowhere and God forbid, something happens with myself and/or my passengers. My car is currently sitting at Hyundai of 110. They refuse to allow a manufacturer's technician to look at my car. All of my videos exceed 10 MB
Other or unspecified, Dec 16, 2025
Windshield has crack starting in lower left corner cracking upward to the right. 2nd cracked sine May 2025. Reported 1 crack previously
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Dec 9, 2025
On more than 10 occasions the SUV gets stuck in neutral upon starting the car. You can only switch between Park and neutral and are unable to drive the car. It will not go into drive or reverse. Sometimes this problem lasts for 10 minutes. The car will not shut off during that time even when you press the stop button the screen just resets. The only solution is to wait or to press the hard reset button on the computer screen. It is a dangerous situation because if you need to go somewhere, you physically cannot drive the car. I took it to the car dealership when the car was almost brand new and they had it for eight days and they did a software update but I don’t think they found the problem. this problem is now having more and more frequently.
Suspension, Wheels, Other or unspecified, Dec 6, 2025
Intermittent and variable vibration/shaking at all speeds ranging from mild to severe. Worse when cold. TSB 25-SS-002H-1. Despite multiple balancing attempts (hunter road force balancer) and complete set of tire swap there was no resolution. TSB indicates this is a known abnormality/issue and present across all models. Vehicle inspected by 2 different hyundai dealerships and independent dealership without resolution. Began at 7500 miles and has persisted.
Other or unspecified, Nov 30, 2025
I was trying to merge with 70 mph traffic and could not accelerate last 35 mph. Apparently a speed limiting feature came on that has never came on before decided to engage. My daughter and I were terrified and pulled over and googled what the heck had happened. We went into the settings and this feature was not selected at all so I have no idea why it decided to engage itself.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Oct 29, 2025
I’ve had several instances where putting the vehicle into park the system doesn’t register the shifter button being pressed and continues to be in the current gear. IThis seems to be a safety issue since it has happened multiple times ever since I bought the vehicle. I made sure to fully press the Park button but it continues to stay in the drive or reverse gear The first time it happened I did not notice the vehicle did not register the gear change and the car started to roll forward towards a building.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Oct 22, 2025
Bought this brand new Santa Fe in July 2025 and on day 5 after purchasing this vehicle, car stopped accelerating while driving on highway, which is a serious safety concern. Took the vehicle back to the dealership and turned out the issue is with failed catalytic converter and they had to replace it. Since then, the acceleration has not been that great and had continuous issues with random engine noises etc
Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Oct 9, 2025
Wearing any kind of polarized sunglasses prevents you from seeing the Heads-Up display and will abruptly disable the adaptive cruise control. The Santa Fe forum has hundreds of complaints about this, yet Hyundai has not done anything to correct the problem. I have asked three different dealers about this problem, and they just repeat the company line (you need to find sunglasses that don't cause a problem). This situation is dangerous and unacceptable.
Other or unspecified, Oct 9, 2025
The alert, "Consider taking a break", produces visual and audible alarms. The audible alarm emits from the dash and has a similar sound to the seat belt not buckled alarm. There is no obvious event that causes the alert. Sometimes occurring minutes after starting the engine, other times randomly during several hours of driving. During normal driving conditions (low traffic, no weather problems) this alert is just annoying. However, during stressful driving with heavy traffic and or weather events, this distraction draws attention away from the task at hand, driving safely. There should be an option to turn this alert off or set the parameters for when it is triggered.
Other or unspecified, Aug 11, 2025
The climate control screen is difficult to see, especially in sunlight. This makes it unsafe to change things like fan speed while driving. Interestingly all other screens are very bright but this one screen is not bright and dealer says no adjustment available.