Home · 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Hev · Complaints

What 493 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Hev

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (493)Crash / fire / injury (48)Engine (275)Brakes (54)Steering (52)Electrical system (49)Transmission & drivetrain (36)Fuel system (32)Speed control (27)Body & structure (20)Visibility & wipers (15)Airbags (12)

36 of 493 complaints match · Transmission & drivetrain · clear filters · page 2 of 2

Sep 8, 2017Transmission & drivetrainElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN FROM A STOP OR ROLLING STOP AND YOU PRESS HARD ON THE ACCELERATOR THE ENGINE DOES NOT REV UP AND THE HESITATION OF A SECOND OR TWO CAN LEAVE YOU STRANDED IN A LANE OF TRAFFIC.

NHTSA ODI 11022326

Jun 6, 2017Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

CAR WILL NOT START IN THE MORNING,DEAD BATTERY,HAVE TO USE BATTERY CHARGER EVERY NIGHT. CAR EMITS WHITE SMOKE. WHEN ON FREEWAY CAR WILL NOT GO ABOVE 60MPH, SEEMS LIKE IT IS IN LIMP MODE.

NHTSA ODI 10993423

May 22, 2016Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemCrash

2014 HYUNDAI SANTA FE SPORT, LESS THEN 12,000 MILES PURCHASED NEW 5/10/14. AT LESS THEN 2000 MILES DISCOVERED NO COOLANT IN RESERVOIR. 6 WEEKS AFTER DELIVERY BACK UP CAMERA REPLACED. ON 10/18/2014 WHILE SHIFTING INTO REVERSE EXTREME LOUD NOISE IN FRONT OF HOOD ON DRIVER SIDE, NAVIGATION SYSTEM GOES BLACK SIMULTANEOUSLY. COCHRAN ADVISED SAFE TO DRIVE CANNOT SERVICE CAR UNTIL 10/29/2014. SATURDAY 10/25/2014 WHILE IN PARK WITH ENGINE OFF AND NO ONE IN AUTO IT ROLLS BACK CAUSING OVER 6000.00 IN DAMAGES. AFTER 15 MONTHS, HYUNDAI EXPERT MECHANICS INSIST AUTO IS MECHANICALLY SAFE BUT CANNOT EXPLAIN THE LOUD NOISE THIS IS THE SECOND FILING ON THIS CAR.

NHTSA ODI 10870237

May 22, 2016Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemCrash

2014 HYUNDAI SANTA FE SPORT, LESS THEN 12,000 MILES PURCHASED NEW 5/10/14. AT LESS THEN 2000 MILES DISCOVERED NO COOLANT IN RESERVOIR. 6 WEEKS AFTER DELIVERY BACK UP CAMERA REPLACED. ON 10/18/2014 WHILE SHIFTING INTO REVERSE EXTREME LOUD NOISE IN FRONT OF HOOD ON DRIVER SIDE, NAVIGATION SYSTEM GOES BLACK SIMULTANEOUSLY. COCHRAN ADVISED SAFE TO DRIVE CANNOT SERVICE CAR UNTIL 10/29/2014. SATURDAY 10/25/2014 WHILE IN PARK WITH ENGINE OFF AND NO ONE IN AUTO IT ROLLS BACK CAUSING OVER 6000.00 IN DAMAGES. AFTER 15 MONTHS, HYUNDAI EXPERT MECHANICS INSIST AUTO IS MECHANICALLY SAFE BUT CANNOT EXPLAIN THE LOUD NOISE THIS IS THE SECOND FILING ON THIS CAR.

NHTSA ODI 10870236

Aug 31, 2015Transmission & drivetrainEngine

THE CAR MAKES A SCRAPING METAL NOISE ONLY WHEN ACCELERATING. SPEED IS NOT A FACTOR. HAPPENS EACH AND EVERYTIME YOU ACCELERATE. HYUNDAI REPLACED THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR WHEEL TWICE. HYUNDAI DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR ALMOST 2 MONTHS!

NHTSA ODI 10760443

Aug 12, 2015Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH THE VEHICLE LOST RPMS AND THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. I PULLED OVER SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALLED HYUNDAI ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE COULD NOT VALIDATE MY LOCATION. I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE TO THE NEXT TOWN BUT RPMS STAYED FROM 1000-2000 AND I WAS UNABLE TO GO OVER 25 MPH.

NHTSA ODI 10748014

Dec 6, 2014Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemCrash

HYUNDAI SANTA FE SPORT. CAN START/STOP ENGINE IN VARIOUS GEAR INCLUDING REVERSE. PURCHASED APRIL 10, 2014. AFTER DRIVING MY NEW HYUNDAI FOR A WEEK OR SO, DECIDED TO WASH IT. MY HABIT IS TO WIPE OUT THE HATCH AND UNDER THE HOOD. UPON OPENING THE HOOD DISCOVERED NO COOLANT IN RESERVOIR. EVIDENT THERE NEVER WAS ANY FROM THE FACTORY. MONTH LATER REPLACED BACK-UP CAMERA. 5 MONTHS LATER SHIFTED TO REVERSE NAVIGATION SYSTEM WENT TOTALLY BLACK. COULDN'T GET SERVICE APPOINTMENT UNTIL WEEK AND HALF LATER. ONE WEEK TO DATE, AFTER NAVIGATION BLACKED-OUT WHILE IN PARK AND NO ONE INSIDE AUTO DRIFTED BACK. VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. FOUND HYUNDAI SANTA FE CAN START OR STOP IN VARIOUS GEAR INCLUDING REVERSE WHICH IS DANGEROUS. I COULD NEVER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE AUTO AGAIN. FILED COMPLAINT WITH HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA EATING FOR RESOLUTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10662556

Dec 2, 2014Transmission & drivetrainCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT ROLLED OUT OF PARK POSITION AND ROLLED OVER THE DRIVER. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP WHEN IT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SUFFERED BROKEN RIBS AND RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,500. UPDATED 9/7/2017*CN

NHTSA ODI 10661530

Sep 2, 2014Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

THIS IS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM SHIFTING 1-2ND GEAR, AS WE SLOW DOWN TO ENTER OUR GARAGE AND WAIT FOR DOOR TO OPEN, THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD WITH HUGE AMOUNT OF FORCE, ALMOST AS IF WE ARE HIT FROM BEHIND, THEN IT GOES INTO GEAR AND PROCEEDS. HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY DAY NOW. I READ MANY CONSUMER BLOGS SAYING THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR THE SANTA FE MODELS. DEFINITELY A TRANSMISSION ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10629978

Aug 7, 2014Transmission & drivetrainSpeed control

FAILURE TO ACCELERATE FROM A FULL STOP WITH ACCELERATOR PETAL PARTIALLY OR FULLY DEPRESSED. MALFUNCTION OCCURRED THREE TIMES AND PERSISTED EACH TIME FOR BETWEEN ONE AND A HALF MILE ON TWO OCCASIONS AND FOR ONE HALF MILE ON ONE OCCASION. ON JULY 11, 2014 AUTOMOBILE WAS LEFT WITH DEALER FOR WARRANTY REPAIR OF THE MALFUNCTION AND HAS REMAINED THERE AS OF THIS DATE, AUGUST 3, 2014, WITH NO REPAIRS HAVING BEEN DONE. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS MALFUNCTION AND COULD QUITE EASILY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT WITH SERIOUS SAFETY CONSEQUENCES. THIS IS A NEW VEHICLE WITH ONLY 1100 MILES ON IT. THE MALFUNCTION HAS OCCURRED RANDOMLY DURING ROUTINE DRIVING FOLLOWED BY A RETURN TO NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE AFTER DRIVING THE DISTANCES NOTED ABOVE.. ALL THREE INSTANCES OCCURRED AFTER MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN FROM A FULL STOP. VEHICLE SLOWLY INCREASED SPEED WITHOUT ANY APPROPRIATE RESPONSE FROM ACCELERATOR POSITION. DRIVER HAD PETAL FULLY DEPRESSED IN ONE INSTANCE AND TRIED FLOORING AND PUMPING THE PETAL IN TWO OTHERS WITH NO RESPONSE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10620642

Apr 24, 2014Fuel systemTransmission & drivetrainEngine

I PURCHASED A NEW CAR, ON FEB.1, 2014. THE MALFUNCTION LAMP ON THE DASHBOARD WAS LIGHTED UP IN 1 MONTH. MY CAR WAS REPAIRED FROM MY DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE PROBLEMS ARE NOT CLEARED YET. AT LAST, THE VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM WAS HAPPENED ON APR. 19. I STEPPED DOWN FULLY ON THE GAS PEDAL ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT MY CAR WAS NOT CHANGED IN SPEED. THE RPM AND SPEED METER WERE NOT CHANGED WHEN I STEPPED ON THE PEDAL PERFECTLY TO THE END. THE STAFF IN SERVICE CENTER SAID THAT THE PROBLEM CAME FROM THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE BOLT OF HIGH-PRESSURE PUMP. THE RIGHT HAND SIDE BOLT HAD COME APART AND LEFT HAND SIDE BOLT WAS LOOSE. THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT WHY THIS PROBLEM WAS HAPPENED. THAT'S MY ALL SERIOUS STORY! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10584691

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Working with the data? Download all 493 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Hev verdict →