AI Damage2022 Hyundai Santa FE Plug-IN Hybrid reliability: common problems
Owners of the 2022 Hyundai Santa FE Plug-IN Hybrid filed 27 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine. The maker issued 43 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 27
- involving a crash
- 2
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 43
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 26% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 26% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel/propulsion system 22% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 19% of all complaints
- 5 Lane departure 19% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 11% of all complaints
- 7 Forward collision avoidance 11% of all complaints
- 8 Air bags 4% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 7 complaints (26% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 11.
- Engine: 7 complaints (26% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 7.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 6 complaints (22% of all).
- Powertrain: 5 complaints (19% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 5.
- Lane departure: 5 complaints (19% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 27 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 7 | 0 | 11 |
| Engine | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Lane departure | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Hybrid propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Tires | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Visibility | 0 | 0 | 2 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The cab of the vehicle filled with smoke and sparks came out around the steering wheel. Driver felt like their pants are on fire. To the best of my knowledge, there has been no inspection of the airbag system.
The vehicle then lurched forward and collided with a storage cube adjacent to our garage wall, causing extensive damage to both the front end of the vehicle and the garage/dining room wall.
The car was shaking alot but the engine light was off. Started it the next dat and the check engine light came on. Went to auto zone to see what the codes were. The 1st and 3rd cylinder are misfiring. The car was just serviced for the 60,000 mile tune up in june 2026. This problem started August 14, 2026.
Every time they assure us it is fixed and we try to take it home, it develops another failure and the check engine light returns. The technicians have told us they have no explanation for the multiple failures and are not confident they can permanently fix the vehicle.
I took car and immediately noticed grinding noises and straight back to Hyundai. They claim it's fine. Today same issue with reversing and aggressive car jolting. Hyundai is going to take it back tomorrow. I do not feel safe in this vehicle. It felt like the transmission was going to give out on the freeway.
The steering wheeled locked up and the dash showed error messages of check hybrid system and refill inverter coolant and car seemed to go into limp mode as I could barely accelerate forcing me to pull over.
Driving along, merging onto Interstate, various warnings such as check lane keeping assist, and warnings to stop vehicle and check brake systems. Driving approximately 50mph, the warning started to flash and speedometer dropped to zero then went back to full speed. Automatic braking was attempting to slow the car.
The first time we were driving up a significant hill and the car slowed, lost power and we had to pull over and coast back down the mountain to a repair center. The second time, I was on the freeway and lost acceleration causing me to pull off the road in median.
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 6,893 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Santa FE Plug-IN Hybrid has 16 complaints (3 years in the data). This year has 27, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- 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.
- Certain Santa Fe Hybrid (TM HEV), Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid (TM PHEV), Tucson Hybrid (NX4 HEV), andTucson…
Certain Santa Fe Hybrid (TM HEV), Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid (TM PHEV), Tucson Hybrid (NX4 HEV), andTucson Plug-in Hybrid (NX4 PHEV) vehicles may experience intake air line freezing and Exhaust GasRecirculation (EGR)…
- 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…
- Certain Santa Fe Hybrid (TM HEV), Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid (TM PHEV), Tucson Hybrid (NX4 HEV), and Tucson…
Certain Santa Fe Hybrid (TM HEV), Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid (TM PHEV), Tucson Hybrid (NX4 HEV), and Tucson Plug-in Hybrid (NX4 PHEV) vehicles may experience intake air line freezing and Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR)…
- Some vehicles may have an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances causing internal parts…
Some vehicles may have an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances causing internal parts to oxidize. Hyundai is extending the warranty coverage for the horn replacement under this condition to 10 years…
- 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…
- Certain 2021 – 2023 model year Santa Fe, 2021 – 2023 model year Santa Fe Hybrid, and 2022 – 2023 model…
Certain 2021 – 2023 model year Santa Fe, 2021 – 2023 model year Santa Fe Hybrid, and 2022 – 2023 model year Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid vehicles may experience an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances…
- Certain Santa Fe Hybrid (TM HEV) and Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (TM PHEV) vehicles may have an inoperable…
Certain Santa Fe Hybrid (TM HEV) and Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (TM PHEV) vehicles may have an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances causing internal parts to oxidize. Hyundai is extending the warranty…
- This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the…
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of…
- This bulletin provides information related to the changes introduced in the 2025 1st Navigation Map and…
This bulletin provides information related to the changes introduced in the 2025 1st Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle type, model, and navigation system as described in this…
- Certain Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid (TM PHEV) and Tucson Plug-in Hybrid (NX4 PHEV) vehicles may exhibit a…
Certain Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid (TM PHEV) and Tucson Plug-in Hybrid (NX4 PHEV) vehicles may exhibit a restricted coolant flow condition, which may be accompanied by a warning message (e.g., Coolant Supplement, Refill…
NHTSA lists 43 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 2022 Hyundai Santa FE Plug-IN Hybrid?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine, fuel/propulsion system. Total complaints: 27. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (19%), driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping (11%), jerking, harsh shifts (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2022 Hyundai Santa FE Plug-IN Hybrid?
NHTSA lists 43 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 2022 Hyundai Santa FE Plug-IN 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 2022 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.