AI Damage2025 Hyundai Santa FE Hybrid: common problems
Owners of the 2025 Hyundai Santa FE Hybrid filed 105 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and electrical system. The maker issued 30 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 105
- involving a crash
- 5
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 30
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 32% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 30% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel/propulsion system 30% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 24% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 21% of all complaints
- 6 Forward collision avoidance 14% of all complaints
- 7 Lane departure 5% of all complaints
- 8 Backover prevention 4% of all complaints
- Engine: 34 complaints (32% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Electrical system: 31 complaints (30% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 16.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 31 complaints (30% of all).
- Powertrain: 25 complaints (24% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Vehicle speed control: 22 complaints (21% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 105 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 34 | 1 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 31 | 0 | 16 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 31 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 25 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 22 | 2 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| Lane departure | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Backover prevention | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 6 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Vehicle was turned on and in park. I placed my child in the back seat, opened the driver door and was able to enter the vehicle. The car began to roll down the driveway, while in park, and ran me over. It continued to roll backwards into a tree and was stopped by rolling into my neighbors home.
On 08/22/26 at approximately 11:45 AM I was stopped at a traffic light and struck by a Ford Pickup truck whose approximate speed was 45 mph as described in the police officer who witness the accident totaling my Hyundai 2025 Santa Fe. No airbags were deployed.
Any of the airbags failed to deploy during a significant crash. It is not available for inspection due to it being investigated by insurance. The driver and passengers' safety were affected in that more bodily damage could have occurred if they had hit the steering wheel or any other part of the car.
My wife was parking our vehicle near the front of our home, simply rolling forward toward the car in front of her to complete parking on the left side of the street when the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated on its own.
While driving at freeway speeds in normal traffic conditions, the vehicle experienced a sudden, complete loss of motive power and rapid deceleration. The accelerator pedal became entirely unresponsive.
This is not reduced performance or hesitation. The vehicle loses all usable propulsion. The vehicle continues moving briefly while slowing, providing only a short window to reach the roadside.
There were no warning lights. The vehicle slowed to a stop and required towing to [dealer] the first incident, the dealership identified diagnostic code P0191 and replaced the fuel-rail pressure sensor under warranty. However, the September 28 failure occurred despite that repair.
I initially reported a rattling noise near the B-pillar to an authorized Hyundai dealership. A repair order was created documenting my complaint. Following further investigation, I was informed that spot welds in the B-pillar area had separated, requiring structural body repairs.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 3,461 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 9% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Santa FE Hybrid has 40 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 105, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil…
Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin outlines the combustion chamber cleaning procedure for vehicles diagnosed with this…
- Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil…
Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin provides the inspection and repair procedures for vehicles exhibiting this condition…
- Some Santa Fe Hybrid (MX5A HEV) vehicles may have walk-in switches that are not fully secured
This bulletin provides instructions to trim the seat cover and replace the walk-in switch with improved parts.
- Some Santa Fe (MX5A) and Santa Fe Hybrid (MX5A HEV) vehicles may exhibit a 12-volt battery drain due to…
Some Santa Fe (MX5A) and Santa Fe Hybrid (MX5A HEV) vehicles may exhibit a 12-volt battery drain due to the passive entry feature of the Digital Key 2 premium causing repeated wakeup of the vehicle. This bulletin…
- Some Santa Fe (MX5A) and Santa Fe Hybrid (MX5A HEV) vehicles equipped with natural leather or Nappa…
Some Santa Fe (MX5A) and Santa Fe Hybrid (MX5A HEV) vehicles equipped with natural leather or Nappa leather seating surfaces may exhibit wrinkling on the first or second row seat cushions or seat backs, or tearing…
- Some Santa Fe (MX5A) and Santa Fe Hybrid (MX5A HEV) vehicles equipped with power seats with or without…
Some Santa Fe (MX5A) and Santa Fe Hybrid (MX5A HEV) vehicles equipped with power seats with or without Integrated Memory System (IMS) may produce buzz, squeak, rattle noises when the driver’s front seat is adjusted…
- This bulletin provides information related to the navigation and head unit software changes introduced in…
This bulletin provides information related to the navigation and head unit software changes introduced in the 2026 1st Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle type, model, and…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety…
- Some vehicles may exhibit a loss of connectivity or interruptions in the middle of using Bluelink functions
This may be due to an occasional disconnection on Verizon’s communication network. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to verify Bluelink Data Communication Unit (DCU) network connection and if needed, reset the DCU…
- Some Santa Fe (MX5A) and Santa Fe Hybrid (MX5A HEV) vehicles equipped with 2nd row captain’s chairs have…
Some Santa Fe (MX5A) and Santa Fe Hybrid (MX5A HEV) vehicles equipped with 2nd row captain’s chairs have an armrest cap that may detach. This bulletin provides the procedure to replace the armrest cap on the 2nd row…
- Certain Santa Fe Hybrid (MX5A HEV) vehicles may experience a discharged battery condition due to the…
Certain Santa Fe Hybrid (MX5A HEV) vehicles may experience a discharged battery condition due to the Fingerprint Module (FPM) not entering 'SLEEP' mode when the ignition is turned off. This bulletin provides…
NHTSA lists 30 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2025 Hyundai Santa FE Hybrid?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, electrical system, fuel/propulsion system. Total complaints: 105. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: loss of power / limp mode (26%), warning lights, check engine (20%), infotainment or screen glitches (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2025 Hyundai Santa FE Hybrid?
NHTSA lists 30 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2025 Hyundai Santa FE Hybrid from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2025 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.