What 604 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Hev

Hyundai sent a notification a few years ago about a known manufacturing defect in the engine of the 2013 Santa Fe Sport. Stated that due to the manufacturing process of the engine, burs could be left inside that could disrupt oil flow causing it to stall. Stated a software patch would prevent this. The patch was completed. It didn't prevent this. While getting on the highway, during afternoon noon rush hour traffic, experienced total engine failure as soon as it reached highway speed. Got off the ramp onto the highway and immediately next ramp rolled to a stop at the bottom. Safety was put at risk because the vehicle lost it's engine getting on a freeway in heavy traffic. Hyundai dealers couldn't see the car for 2 to 3 months so had it towed to a non-dealership mechanic who stated the engine was a total loss with metal shavings in the oil drained from the pan. Pulled the head and found the oil at the top of the block to be in good maintenance shape but engine totally failed. No lights or warnings prior to the failure. As soon as the engine stopped there was alternator, oil pressure, and check engine light. Those came on after loss of engine Hyundai states they extended the warranty to cover this because it's a known issue but local dealerships state they have so many engine failures they won't be able to look at it until the end of September (we are at the beginning of July) and when they do get a chance to look at it there is a chance they could refuse to cover it. Contacted Hyundai customer support where they stated there's nothing they can do. Currently vehicle is being stored in my garage pending outcome of inspection that's months away.

NHTSA ODI 11601188

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered with an abnormal burning odor coming from the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that several days later the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnosed with a blown engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the contact had not yet received the recall notification. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the failure was not related to the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 141,884.

NHTSA ODI 11597433

When we received the notification about the Anti-Lock Brake System fuse recall, we called our nearest dealer (Larry H. Miller Hyundai) to make an appointment and found out we had to wait almost four weeks to be seen. When it finally was our appointment day, we brought the car in and we found out that they could only test to see if we needed the Anti-Lock Brake System fuse. We of course failed and were told that they ordered the part and would call when it was available within 2-3 days. Five days went by and we never heard back so we called them to find out what was happening with the part. The service agent let us know that since Hyundai only allocates five of these parts to them per day, they have to inform customers as they were seen by the dealership. Which was different from what we were told initially. We then asked, how long would we have to wait and they said at least three to four weeks before we were called that the part was available to us. We waited a month just for the appointment, now we have to wait another month just for the part and possibly another month for another appointment just to have the part put on our car. We always assumed when there is a recall, your car would be fixed right away. Never have we had to wait for a part especially when its for a recall. Its ridiculous that Hyundai only gives five parts for this recall, when it affects so many cars to each dealer.

NHTSA ODI 11592670

This complaint relates to Recall Campaign 251 from Hyundai, specifically the ABS Control Module. I own an affected 2013 Hyundai Sante Fe Sport. I bought it used in October 2023, and it driven by my minor child. While the affected components have yet to cause a problem, the mere fact that this vehicle could start on fire concerns me. Moreover, Hyundai has the wherewithal to fix the problem, rather than simply replacing a fuse and hoping for the best. As a father, it is my privilege and responsibility to protect and provide for my family. In order for me to do this, I would like NHTSA to throw the full weight of their influence on Hyundai and insist that they fix this problem. The very least they could do is provide a suitable vehicle as a loaner until my vehicle is fixed. Better yet, they can buy this vehicle and I will use that money to buy the same, or nearly same, type of vehicle from them. That is a win-win situation in my opinion. I am a retired State Trooper and for over half of my career I conducted numerous Traffic Homicide Investigations and Accident Reconstructions. I lost count of how many civil trials I testified in. I was considered a subject matter expert in several areas, including vehicle equipment failure. This is a lawsuit waiting to happen. More importantly, if this issue is not fixed, people are going to die because of Hyundai's malfeasance. Thank you for your time. I am committed to following through on this and will be watching very closely how both Hyundai and NHSTA respond to this campaign.

NHTSA ODI 11592281

While driving at highway speed (70 mph) on 4/2/2024, the engine without any warning suffered an internal detonation caused by a crank shaft main bearing failure. This caused a vaporization of all the engine oil which was ejected through the vehicle exhaust system in a massive cloud of smoke which blinded the 18 wheeler tractor trailer traveling behind our vehicle. But for the fast response of this truck driver our vehicle would have been rear ended at high speed. Note that Hyundai USA had issued a recall a few years back regarding this Theta 2 engine failure condition that DID NOT include our vehicle. Nor did Hyundai USA inform us at anytime prior to this incident that our vehicle was in need of remediation. Hyundai USA did replace the engine under an extenuating circumstance but has declined to repair our exhaust system components that were destroyed along with the engine at the time of this incident. They have also declined towing expense / dealership diagnostic expense on the exhaust system / replacement of vehicle splash guard damaged in this incident / loss of use / transportation reimbursement. Any and all costs to us associated with this incident.

NHTSA ODI 11590559

I was driving when it stalled out while driving and people helped me push my car out of turning lane to safety. The hood engulfed in flames. It was out the blue I had just bought the car a few months earlier. I was notified later that there was a recall on the car that caused fires but was unaware at the time

NHTSA ODI 11590271

I was driving on the backroads on my way into town. I passed a vehicle and then slowed down to regular speed, when I tried to accelerate again my car would not accelerate. It began making like a clanking noise before it completely slowed down and I pulled over. I turned it off right away and had a friend come give us charge thinking it was the battery. It turned on but when I tried accelerating it would not and began making a weird noise and white smoke came out of the engine somewhere. I had to get it towed back to my house. No check engine lights turned on or any warning lights. My car has not been drivable for a month.

NHTSA ODI 11589704

I was driving along and without any notification the engine stopped running causing me to have to try to get the car off of the road. It would not start back up and I had to have it towed to my house.

NHTSA ODI 11588969

See attached document for complaint

NHTSA ODI 11586133

The contact owns a.2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that while parked, he observed smoke emanating from the engine compartment. The contact opened the hood and observed flames coming from the center of the motor and extinguished the fire. The fire department was made. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the fire started due to fuel rail malfunctioned and melting the hard plastic manifold causing the fire, and the fuel rail and intake manifold needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

NHTSA ODI 11584912

Engine failed in the middle of a 2 lane highway. There were no warning lights on at the time of failure. Vehicle needed to be towed to owners home and engine is “ blown “ and vehicle has been rendered no longer drivable. Vehicle only had 128,322 miles at time of engine failure. Police needed to be contacted to assist with getting car out of lane.

NHTSA ODI 11585057

I have a Hyundai 2013 Santa Fe Sport 2.0T. I parked the car in the middle of my cement driveway. I went into my home for a moment to get my Stanley water bottle. When I walked back to the car, the engine compartment was on fire. I had 2 fire extinguishers and attempted to put out the fire by to no avail. My daughter immediately called 911 to report the fire. The fire department came and it took about 8-10 fireman to put the fire under control. I have owned all types of cars for the past 40-years. I have never seen a car go up in flames and burn to the ground in about one minute. Had I parked my car in the garage my entire house would have burn down while potentially killing my entire family. I called my insurance company (Geico) to advise them of the fire and asked them to contact Hyundai about the matter. Geico said its not their responsibility. I'm having difficulty contacting Hyundai to report this serious fire before some other family gets killed. I never was notified about any type of dangerous recall with the entire car burning down. I will try to contact Hyundai again tomorrow morning (XXX). Please help me with this matter as Hyundai must be held accountable for this fire almost killing my entire family. More importantly I wish to help prevent a similar situation for another family in the future. Thank You, [XXX] [XXX] or [XXX] ) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11583709

my door lock actuator has gone out once again and it seems to be a common issue i believe it could potentially be a safety hazard if the actuator goes out and driver is unaware could potentially get drivers or other passengers stuck in vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11583419

Doors unlock without warning while driving.

NHTSA ODI 11582327

See attached document for complaint

NHTSA ODI 11581888

I was driving the vehicle on the left lane of the freeway and the acceleration suddenly gave out. The car began to slow even when I pushed on the gas. Heat gage was fine and no lights went on. I quickly got over 4 lanes of traffic to the next exit and was able to pull over to the side of the road. White smoke began to billow out of the hood on the offramp and all the emergency light indicators came on at once. I turned the car off and the smoke turned black. I popped the hood and flames leapt out from under the hood. I jump out of the car and ran, leaving everything behind. I got safety away from the car and called 911. All of this happened within 2 minutes of losing acceleration. I typically have my two children in car seats in the car for school drop off and, [XXX] , they weren't with me. The fire overtook the front quickly and spread to the main cabin. By the time the fire department arrived (appx. 5-7 min) the car was completely engulfed. Nothing was salvaged. There is a fire report with the fire department. The police were not called. The car had gone through a full inspection and oil change one month prior and had no warning signs or issues. I lost a number of things in the car, including my purse, work items, kid's items, car seats, etc. Just after the incident, I developed a cough and severe headache that lasted two days. I also twisted my knee while running away, exacerbating an old injury. I am also dealing with acute mental health symptoms and am seeing a psychologist. I have not yet returned to work due to brain fog and exhaustion. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11581902

My engine failed at an intersection exiting highway. Found out this is a recalled engine. Vehicle stalled, without any warning. Lights came on after the stall. Vehicle would not restart. Had to wait at intersection for tow truck. Vehicle currently at reed hyundai Missouri, under going a 6 month wait to be told crankshaft part of engine failed. Hyundai not wanting to cover their recalled engine.

NHTSA ODI 11581626

Hyundai is taking an extensive period of time to repair a current recall. Owners were notified to park vehicles away from other structures and other vehicles. Since I've had to park my vehicle outside of my garage, my vehicle has been broken into. I installed remote start because I physically was unable to scrape the ice off my windshield. The delays in this "fix' have cost me frustration and money. I've called Hyundai each month to check in and nobody has an answer. As of this moment, we have no notification of how soon a repair can be made. I'd like to sell or trade my vehicle in, but with an open recall without a current repair, the value is not the same.

NHTSA ODI 11580528

The contact owned a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, a gasoline and smoke odor was ventilating into the interior of the vehicle through the vents, after which the driver observed flames emanating from the engine compartment on the passenger side of the vehicle, prompting him to pull to the shoulder of the roadway. Upon exiting the vehicle, the vehicle became fully engulfed in flames. Local emergency services arrived and were able to extinguish the fire. The ABS warning light was illuminated. A fire report was filed. A police report was reported, and injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. The contact stated that though medical treatment was not sought, the driver sustained minor injuries to his right arm, and a passenger sustained a quarter-sized burn to his right leg. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 138,000.

NHTSA ODI 11580122

Hyundai announced recall over 6 months ago and there is still no remedy. Manufacturer Recall Number 251 NHTSA Recall Number 23V651000 They advise to park outside. I've been parking outside for these 6 months, while I have a perfectly good garage available. Since I've been parking outside, I've been concerned over a number of issues: safety walking outside at night, possible theft, slipping on ice/snow (which I've done a couple of times). My windshield also got cracked. While I can't prove that happened while parked outside, I think that it was. This vehicle has had many recalls before, but nothing that ever took this long. Is there any way to push this along?

NHTSA ODI 11579379

We brought our vehicle into the dealer for a recall for undercoating on [XXX]. The work was completed by Tarbox Hyundai in north kingstown ri. We noticed our car started drifting to the right and our tire was out of align. We brought the car to our local mechanic and were told that the entire under carriage is rotting away and needs to be replaced. I feel Hyundai should be responsible for this because they knew about it and didn't tell us. Instead they just did the undercoating trying to hide the fact that is was completely rotted. thank you INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11578650

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11578675

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11578416

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Sante Fe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 ( Service Brakes, Hydraulic), however, the part to repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable time to remedy the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11578470

See attached document for complaint

NHTSA ODI 11577277