What 191 owners told NHTSA about the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Hev

COMPLAINT SUMMARY: [XXX] / ENGINE THERMAL FIRE RISK / WARRANTY DECEPTION My 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe (2.4L GDI Engine) is experiencing severe powertrain degradation under the known Theta II engine defect class-action framework. On November 7, 2025, the vehicle logged a Permanent Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P1326 via an independent scan, indicating catastrophic internal rod bearing wear. On XXX, the vehicle was brought to Hyundai of Milledgeville for safety recall verification. Instead of executing the mandatory corporate-directed Bearing Clearance Test (BCT) to replace the failing engine block, the service department committed technical campaign malpractice. The technician forced the 9C2 ECU Software Update directly over the locked mechanical fault to suppress the dashboard warning lights and alter the vehicle's ROM ID parameter limits. When caught via a photograph of their active GDS diagnostic tablet showing 7 historical system faults, the service manager provided a truncated printed report hiding Page 1 and omitting the critical P1326 powertrain code count to evade a warranty engine replacement. Due to these unmitigated delays, the vehicle has suffered severe consequential safety damage. The advanced engine degradation and oil consumption have flooded the exhaust system, melting the catalytic converter substrate and triggering a new DTC P042000 (Catalyst Efficiency) fault immediately after the dealer visit. The extreme engine vibrations have also damaged the transmission's torque converter clutch (DTC P074100). The dealership refused a service loaner and knowingly sent a disabled consumer and an elderly passenger away in an active, failing vehicle that presents a sudden stall-on-highway hazard and a severe thermal exhaust fire risk under extreme summer heat conditions. Hyundai Motor America Corporate has failed to provide emergency towing or alternative mobility accommodations despite a registered corporate case file. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11749805

On March 04, 2026, I took my 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe to the local dealer for oil change service. As part of that service visit, they performed Hyundai recall 9C1 which was supposed to lower tailpipe emissions. The next morning, and ever since, my vehicle ran differently. The engine had several 1000rpm surges and was sluggish at other times. This behavior has continued. Particularly when I first start out in the morning and the engine is cold. Never after the engine is warmed up. A visit to the Hyundai forum shows a growing list of other Hyundai owners who are experiencing the same issues. This recall is defective and should be corrected.

NHTSA ODI 11742383

My Hyundai Santa Fe 2019 Limited is burning oil. It started after the Turbo broke in October 2024. The turbo began leaking oil and then died. I took it to the dealership as it is still under warranty and they replaced the turbo. As a result, I have had issues ever since and now my car burns oil at a fast rate. In between oil changes I need to put oil in the engine to avoid it being drained. I am able to go about 3k miles on Synthetic oil and by 2.5-3k it is almost empty. It has been doing this now since 2024. I just had my 90k mile check up complete and with that I got an oil change. This was done in November 2024. Syntehtic oil was used. On January 16, as I was driving my car mileage decreased, the car began to shake and the engine light came on. I was able to safely stop and have the car towed. It was found that after driving just 2k miles the oil had completely burned off. I currently have an appointment at the dealer for them to run diagnostics on why it is burning. I saw there was a class action lawsuit against other Hyundai's doing the same thing and as a result Hyundai has to replace the engine. I also have read numerous forums where everyone is reporting the same thing with this particular model of it burning oil. I wanted to report this in case there were other owners of the same car experiencing the same thing.

NHTSA ODI 11712612

I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE VERY SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE IN JUNE 2019. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT MY VEHICLE THREE TIMES DUE TO SERVICE/WARRANTY RELATED ISSUES - TWICE IN A RENTAL, AND NOW THE THIRD TIME I AM USING A FRIEND'S VEHICLE. MY COMPLAINTS BEGAN WITH A "HARD START" AND A DELAYED TURNOVER OF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE BEHAVES AS THOUGH IT WANTS TO STALL OUT. HYUNDAI TOLD ME FOR MONTHS THAT THEY COULDN'T RECREATE THE PROBLEM TO FIX IT EVEN THOUGH IT HAPPENED 2-3 TIMES MINIMUM PER WEEK. THEN THE OTHER THINGS STARTED GOING WRONG...HERE IS A SHORT LIST FOR YOU OVER MULTIPLE VISITS AND PHONE CALLS TO THE DEALERSHIP: -HARD START - VEHICLE JERKS FORWARD UPON ENGINE START -DELAYED TURNOVER - FEELS LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL -VEHICLE ENGINE TICKING UPON START -MOST RECENTLY, VEHICLE ENGINE LOUDLY KNOCKING UPON START -VEHICLE AUTO COLLISION SENSORS MALFUNCTIONED AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON A BUSY 4 LANE HIGHWAY BY CAUSING MY BRAKES TO SLAM TO AN ALMOST STOP BECAUSE THE CAR IN A LANE NEXT TO ME WAS TURNING (I WAS GOING 60MPH AT THE TIME WITH NO RISK OF COLLISION). -APPLE CAR PLAY MALFUNCTIONS - SOUNDS LIKE WIRES ARE CROSSED (USING APPLE CHARGER AND GENERIC CHARGER) -REAR VIEW CAMERA STAYS ON FOR 10-15 MINUTES AT A TIME TO THE POINT THAT I HAVE TO TURN OFF AND RESTART THE VEHICLE -WHILE GOING 25-40 MPH, AT TIMES, THE VEHICLE WILL CREATE A NOTICEABLE FRONT END JERKING MOTION -WHILE THE FLIGHT RECORDER WAS IN ME VEHICLE, IT WENT OFF ON AN EMERGENCY ALARM FOR OVER 3 HOURS AND HYUNDAI'S SERVICE TEAM COULDN'T DETERMINE A PROBLEM -THE GAS CAP DOOR WILL NOT OPEN OR CLOSE PROPERLY -VEHICLE, ON 5 OCCASSIONS, WOULD NOT RESPOND TO DEPRESSION OF GAS PEDAL THERE ARE OTHER SMALLER ISSUES THAT I HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONCERN OVER, AND I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE WITH MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN HAVE NOW BEEN WITHOUT VEHICLE FOR 30+ CUMULATIVE DAYS

NHTSA ODI 11320404

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING UP HILL. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,700.

NHTSA ODI 11193340

GAS TANK LEAK UPON DELIVERY. AFTER INSPECTING THE LEAK, TECHNICIANS WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE MANUFACTURER HAD ISSUED REPAIRS ON GAS TANKS THAT WERE TOO THIN AND AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WE PURCHASED WAS NOT PROPERLY REPAIRED AND LEAKED FUEL.

NHTSA ODI 11157338

MY NEW 2019 HYUNDAI SANTE FE FROM THE TIME I BOUGHT IT HAD THE YELLOW CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON. IT SAID THE BSM SYSTEM WASN'T WORKING. THEN THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. I HAD TO WAIT TO GET IT TO START. THERE HAVE BEEN 3 OCCASIONS WHEN IT DID START IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS GOING DIE, VERY SLUGGISH AND DIDN'T WANT TO ACCELERATE. THE RPM WOULD NOT INCREASE. IT ALSO STARTED 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS IT LOST STEERING WHEEL POWER AND THE A/C STOPPED BLOWING COLD AIR. I HAD TO TURN IT OFF AND WAIT TO RESTART IT. IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING FOR THE BLIND SPOT MONITORING MODULES. THE FIRST TIME THEY REPLACED THE MODULE IT STILL SHOWED IT NOT WORKING. SO NOW IT IS UNDRIVABLE AT GENE MESSER HYUNDAI IN LUBBOCK TEXAS, THEY SAY IT'S NOT SAFE TO DRIVE SO I AM DRIVING A LOANER. THEY SAY THEY CAN'T DETERMINE WHY THE ENGINE DID THE DESCRIBED THINGS ABOVE. THESE THINGS HAPPENED WHILE IN MOTION AND PARKED.

NHTSA ODI 11152076