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What 108 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 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 (108)Crash / fire / injury (10)Engine (53)Brakes (19)Transmission & drivetrain (10)Electrical system (9)Steering (8)Airbags (6)Fuel system (5)Speed control (5)Engine & cooling (3)Seats (3)

1 of 108 complaints match · Transmission & drivetrain · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

May 2, 2026Transmission & drivetrainBrakesCrash1 injury

On April 13, 2026, I arrived home and parked the vehicle, engaging the traditional shifter into the "Park" position and turning off the engine. After exiting and standing on the ground to retrieve a purse from the cabin, the vehicle spontaneously and rapidly began reversing. ​As the vehicle gained momentum, I was struck by the driver-side door, which knocked me down and resulted in the vehicle running over me. The vehicle only stopped its rearward movement once it collided with a neighbor's parked car. Only after the vehicle began moving did the horn begin blaring, indicating a delayed rollaway alert. ​This incident resulted in a fractured ankle that required surgical intervention. Despite the traditional shifter being placed in "Park" and the engine being off, the vehicle failed to remain stationary, representing a catastrophic failure of the parking pawl or transmission engagement.

NHTSA ODI 11735250

Working with the data? Download all 108 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 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Hev verdict →