Home · 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Hev · Complaints

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)

5 of 108 complaints match · Fuel system · clear filters

Jul 21, 2025Electrical systemEngineFuel system

The oil pressure switch has a faulty seal causing oil to leak out onto the engine block. This causes oil on the underbody and ground, smoke amd smell from oil on got surfaces, knocking noises from the engine, reduced power or hesitation, illumination or the check engine light and oil pressure light, high speed stall, and will also cause fire in the engine compartment resulting in death or sever injury. I have taken my car to the Red McCombs Hyundai dealership in San Antonio TX for repair and they have confirmed that it is the oil pressure switch seal that failed. The oil leak has also damaged electrical components causing a malfunction in the dash cluster and steering wheel control.

NHTSA ODI 11675128

Jun 26, 2025EngineFuel system

Q: What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? A: Two fuel injectors on bank 2 are failing intermittently causing the engine light to flash and stay on (P0300 errors) and the car loses power.  Q: How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? A: Driving to Newark airport on [XXX] the car suddenly lost power and was quickly coming to a halt. LUCKILY I was was in the middle lane and was able to get to the shoulder without incident. This also happened to my daughter when she was in WA state, driving to work on the highway (the car was serviced but the fuel injectors were not replaced - see attached receipt). Q: Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? A: Yes. An independent service center performed a injector value load test which determines the amount of blocked pressure the injector is performing under load. The values and the math show that more than 1 injector on bank 2 are failing. Q: Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? A: I had the vehicle in the Hyundai dealer but they did not do the injector load test and only wanted to replace all the coil packs and plugs. I had two other independent service facilities confirm the issue is with fault fuel injectors. Hyundai has the parts on hold and is not releasing any due to this issue. I do NOT understand how this is not a recall circumstance. I am fortunate that in both instances an accident did not occur. Q: Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? A: Yes, the engine light comes on - at first blinking, then steady. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11669452

Dec 29, 2020EngineFuel systemFire

THE CAR BEGAN SHUTTERING WHILE DRIVING DOWN A MAIN STREET (45-50MPH). WHEN WE PULLED OVER WE SMELLED GASOLINE AND BURNING. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO HYUNDAI SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT INFORMED MY THE FUEL INJECTORS WERE LEAKING CAUSING A FIRE. THE ARE REPLYING THE FUEL INJECTORS AND TOLD ME IT WOULD BE WISE TO HAVE THEM REPLACE ALL SPARKS PLUGS ($190) WHILE THEY HAD THE ENGINE OPENED UP.

NHTSA ODI 11385531

Apr 6, 2019EngineFuel system

ABOUT A MONTH AGO I WAS DRIVING HOME TO SANTA FE NEW MEXICO WITH MY WIFE AND DOG. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND DIED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I CALLED BLUE LINK WHICH IS THE HYUNDAI ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE CLUB AND THEY TOWED MY VEHICLE INTO FIESTA HYUNDAI IN SANTA FE. AT FIRST THEY SAID MY OIL WAS OVER FILLED. I CALLED JIFFY LUBE WHERE I HAD IT SERVICE 5 DAYS PRIOR AND THEY SENT THEIR MANAGER TO HYUNDAI. UPON HIS ARRIVAL THE SERVICE MANAGER AT HYUNDAI SAID THEY MADE A MISTAKE AND IT WAS A FUEL INJECTOR THAT WAS STUCK ON AND FILED THE CYLINDER WITH FUEL CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN. THEY REPLACE THE FUEL NOZZLE AFTER 3 DAYS I GOT THE VEHICLE BACK AND HEADED TO MCKINNEY TEXAS, I MADE IT TO WICHITA FALLS TEXAS AND THE CAR SPUTTERED AND DIED AGAIN THIS TIME NOT EVEN TURNING OVER WHEN YOU PUSHED THE BUTTON. ONCE AGAIN I CALLED BLUE LINK AND THEY TOWED THE VEHICLE INTO HYUNDAI TO BE SERVICED. THEY CALLED ME THE NEXT DAY SAID THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT AND ADVISE ME. THEY NEVER CALLED ME BACK SO I HAD TO CALL THEM. THEY SAID THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BLEW OFF. THEY SAID THEY WOULD HAVE IT IN THE MORNING. THAT NERVE HAPPENED AND THEY HAVE NOT CALLED ME BACK SINCE AND THAT WAS 6 DAYS AGO. THIS VEHICLE POURING FUEL INTO A CYLINDER IS A FIRE HAZARD. THIS TIME IT BUILT UP ENOUGH COMBUSTION TO BLOW THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER COMPLETELY OFF. I DO NOT KNOW THE REASON FOR THIS AS OF YET AS THEY ARE NON RESPONSIVE BUT I HAVE FILED A LEMON LAW CASE AGAINST HYUNDAI AND AM AWAITING THEIR DECISION. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE AND I REFUSE TO GET BACK ONTO IT AGAIN. IT HAS STRANDING MYSELF AND MY FAMILY DOG INCLUDED TWICE NOW ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THE ENGINE DIED BOTH TIMES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11194354

Dec 26, 2018Transmission & drivetrainFuel system

OCCASIONALLY STALLS WHEN STOPPED & TAKE OFF & TURN RIGHT OR LEFT AT A SLOW SPEED..ONE T IME DIED COMPLETELY ABLE TO PULL OVER & RESTART ENGINE. HAPPENS ON CITY STREETS. THE DATES IT STALLED ARE 9-14-18 10-5-18 10-18-18 11-16-18 11-28-18 12-04-18

NHTSA ODI 11163465

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 →