AI Damage2023 Hyundai Santa FE: common problems
Owners of the 2023 Hyundai Santa FE filed 211 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and electrical system. The maker issued 49 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 211
- involving a crash
- 11
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 49
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 21% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 17% of all complaints
- 3 Forward collision avoidance 17% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 17% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 12% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 7% of all complaints
- 7 Visibility 6% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel/propulsion system 5% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 45 complaints (21% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 16.
- Electrical system: 36 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 15.
- Forward collision avoidance: 36 complaints (17% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 35 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 6.
- Service brakes: 25 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- 2.5 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- 1.6 L · hybrid · turbo · 4 cyl
- 1.6 L · plug-in hybrid · turbo · 4 cyl
- automatic, 8-speed
- dual-clutch (DCT), 6-speednamed in 7 complaints
- dual-clutch (DCT), 8-speednamed in 7 complaints
Drive: AWD, FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 211 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 45 | 3 | 16 |
| Electrical system | 36 | 1 | 15 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 36 | 5 | 0 |
| Engine | 35 | 1 | 6 |
| Service brakes | 25 | 1 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 13 | 1 | 2 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Wheels | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Lane departure | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Backover prevention | 3 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Car lurched / jumped forward with no depression of the gas pedal. This caused us to strike the car in front of us.
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.
My wife was parking the car at carport, all of sudden unintended acceleration happened and hit through the wall. The damage on the car was $12478.57 and damaged the wall and storage on both sides of carport. My wife is scared to drive this car.
I had adaptive cruise control on and debris hit my windshield and I went into the rumble strip and eventually into the guard rail where the car essentially pingponged from there until it eventually stopped when the metal hit the front. It appears the emergency brake did not activate and the lane keep did not activate.
There were no warning lights or anything on before the issue occurred as this was a brand new vehicle with only 8,000 miles on it.
While parking, the brakes failed. Although the brake pedal was correctly and completely depressed the car failed to stop until it hit the building causing damage to structure and injuries occurred to passengers. The brake pedal pulsated but the car did not stop.
The air bag caught on fire within seconds after it had deployed. Thankfully I was conscious to where I was able to unbuckle my seat belt quickly and someone came to my aid quickly enough to where I was able to exit the vehicle safely.
Recently, while driving on the highway, the vehicle lost power and would not accelerate even with the accelerator pedal pressed all the way down. I had to pull over to the side of the highway. Without turning off the engine, I shifted into Park and then back into Drive.
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 311 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 15% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Santa FE has 209 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 211, about average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Forward collision avoidance. Radar and camera: calibration after bumper or windshield replacement.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
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 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…
- This bulletin provides information related to a Transmission Control Unit (TCU) software update for some…
This bulletin provides information related to a Transmission Control Unit (TCU) software update for some vehicles equipped with an 8-speed wet dual clutch transmission (8WDCT). The software update revises the touch…
- 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 difficulty starting in cold weather
This bulletin provides the procedure to perform an inspection on the starter magnetic switch for potential freezing and, if necessary, replace the starter magnetic switch (solenoid) assembly.
- 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…
- Some Santa Cruz (NXT), Santa Fe (TMA, MX5A), and Sonata (DN8A) models may require replacement of the…
Some Santa Cruz (NXT), Santa Fe (TMA, MX5A), and Sonata (DN8A) models may require replacement of the 8-speed wet dual clutch transmission (8WDCT) when the vehicle sets one of the high pressure electric oil pump (HP…
- Some Santa Fe (TMA) and Tucson (NX4A) vehicles equipped with a 2.5L GDI engine and 8 speed automatic…
Some Santa Fe (TMA) and Tucson (NX4A) vehicles equipped with a 2.5L GDI engine and 8 speed automatic transmission may have DTC U028700 (Lost Communication With Trans Fluid Pump Module) set by the transmission Electric…
- Some Santa Fe (TMA) vehicles may have DTCs P218100, P2181F0, and/or P2181F1 (Cooling System Performance)…
Some Santa Fe (TMA) vehicles may have DTCs P218100, P2181F0, and/or P2181F1 (Cooling System Performance) set in the Electronic Control Unit (ECU), resulting in an illuminated Check Engine warning lamp. Follow the…
NHTSA lists 49 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 2023 Hyundai Santa FE?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, electrical system, forward collision avoidance. Total complaints: 211. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (15%), windows, sunroof (11%), driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2023 Hyundai Santa FE?
NHTSA lists 49 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 2023 Hyundai Santa FE 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 2023 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 2026-11-04.