What 941 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Hev

2017 Santa Fe, car had fire in 09/2024 and was with dealership until 05/2025. BSD, ABS, TRACTION, and Parking Brake lights on the dash when vehicle was picked up. Dealership not complaint to pay as the assume it is an Outside issue

NHTSA ODI 11670835

I was accelerating on the highway and my RMPS shot the whole way up over 7,000 then bottomed out. I lost speed so I pulled over. Another car pulled over to inform me my car was on fire. I turned the car off and the fire went out. The car was towed to Blaise Alexander (dealership) in Altoona, PA. The mechanic reported that a connector rod went through the oil pan, engine block, and brake starter. He kept repeating to me "I've never seen anything like this before". He reached out to Hyundai to ask if they would cover repairs (starting at $13,790). Hyundai said no. I believe this incident was more than mechanical, and is related to the open recall. I attempted twice to have my car repaired under the recall but the dealership "didn't have the part".

NHTSA ODI 11495138

On November 14, 2022 at approximately 0800 while traveling 495N in Massachusetts from Cape Cod my 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe with 109,000 miles experienced catastrophic engine failure. I was maintaining a speed of approximately 70 MPH when without waring the 3.3L V6 engine stalled and made loud clunking noises while smoke filled up the cabin of the vehicle causing me to cough and choke, my visibility was also diminished. I was fortunate enough to pull the vehicle to the right side of the highway and did cut someone off because I panicked and could not see almost causing a serious crash. The vehicle was then towed to a Hyundai dealership in Raynham, MA. The service advisors tried helping me with getting a new engine replacement from Hyundai Corporate, Corporate would not honor their demands and now I'm without a vehicle for myself to get to and from work and for my family so they can attend school, doctors appointments and social events.

NHTSA ODI 11494097

I PARKED MY CAR PARALLEL TO THE CURB ON A CITY STREET. I MOVED THE SHIFTER FROM "DRIVE" TO "PARK". I DID NOT TURN OFF THE ENGINE BECAUSE I WAS ONLY GOING TO GET OUT FOR A FEW SECONDS TO OPEN THE DOOR BEHIND ME TO LET SOME SENIOR CITIZENS TO GET IN THE CAR. I RELEASED MY SEAT BELT BUCKLE AND PROCEED TO OPEN THE DRIVER-SIDE CAR DOOR. AS SOON AS MY FEET WERE ON THE GROUND AND MY BODY WAS OUTSIDE OF THE CAR, THE CAR STARTED TO MOVE IN REVERSE DIRECTION. THE CAR WAS MOVING FAIRLY QUICKLY BECAUSE WITHIN A SPLIT SECOND, I WAS KNOCKED TO THE GROUND BY THE CAR DOOR WITH THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL ON TOP OF MY LEFT FOOT. THE WHEEL PROCEEDED TO ROLL OVER MY LEFT ANKLE, LEG, THIGH, HIP, ABDOMEN, CHEST, AND FINALLY MY RIGHT UPPER ARM AND SHOULDER JOINT. THE CAR CONTINUED TO TRAVEL IN REVERSE BY JUMPING THE CURB ONTO THE SIDE WALK AND FINALLY STOPPED BY HEAVY BUSHES IN FRONT OF A BUILDING. UPON INSPECTION, THE SHIFTER HAD SLIPPED INTO THE "REVERSE" POSITION. BASED ON THE GRADIENT OF THE ROAD SERVICE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, THE REMOVAL OF MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE WOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY ALLOWED THE CAR TO MOVE BACKWARD HAD THE SHIFTER WAS IN REVERSE WHICH WOULD MAKE EXITING MY WHOLE BODY OUT OF THE CAR WITHOUT NOTICING CAR MOVEMENT VERY UNLIKELY IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, PARTICULARLY FOR A 72 YEAR OLD MALE WHO IS RECOVERING FROM AN OPEN HEART SURGERY AND TWO BRAIN SURGERIES. THE SHIFTING MECHANISM AND THE ASSOCIATED CONTROL MUST BE FAULTY RESULTING IN THE "FALSE PARK" POSITION.

NHTSA ODI 11176511