What 131 owners told NHTSA about the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Hev

The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while pulling into an automatic car wash and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal travelled down to the floorboard, and the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle then drove into the car wash while the car wash conveyor system was not engaged. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving 2-3 MPH in a parking lot, and the vehicle rear-ended another occupied vehicle. There was no damage or injury sustained. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 5 MPH and pulling out of a parking lot, the brake pedal was depressed, but travelled down to the floorboard, and the vehicle failed to respond. The contact pumped the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to respond and rear-ended another occupied vehicle. The contact sustained cuts on the left leg from hitting the leg against the dashboard while pumping the brake pedal. The contact's vehicle sustained scratches on the front end, and the other vehicle sustained damage on the bumper plastic cover. A police report was filed. Both vehicles could be driven away from the scene. The air bags did not deploy. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing on several occasions; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11684980

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): [XXX] Make: Hyundai Model: Santa Fe Year: 2024 Description of the issue: •Component or system that failed: The vehicle’s brake system, including the emergency braking system, failed to slow or stop the vehicle at low speeds. The problem is available for inspection upon request. •Safety risk: This failure endangered my safety and others. While driving slowly in traffic, I fully pressed the brake pedal, and the emergency braking system activated, but the vehicle did not slow or stop, causing a minor collision with another vehicle. •Reproduction or confirmation: Prior to the incident, on two separate occasions, I noticed the brake pedal felt loose or like it “released” at low speeds, forcing me to press harder for the vehicle to slow. These issues were not previously inspected or documented. I was planning to have the brake issue inspected along with a current recall and other concerns, including a stiff seatbelt buckle and a door that was difficult to open, as soon as I had the chance. I have not received any formal recall notice by mail or email. I learned about the recall during routine maintenance at the dealership. •Inspections: The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer but I plan to take it to an authorized Hyundai dealership asap for inspection. The accident has not been reported to the police or insurance yet but it will be first thing tomorrow. •Warning lamps or symptoms: No warning lights appeared, but there unusual brake behavior was noted on two occasions about two weeks before the crash. Thought this time was significantly worse, and by worse this I mean the vehicle didn’t brake. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11679733