What 28 owners told NHTSA about the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid

I left work and my car pulled back I looked at my dash I just saw all the lights on indicators telling me I may stop or not I was so scared I live 45 mins from my job and this isn’t the first incident after the second day I bought this brand new car my low oil light came on and the dip stick was dry on a brand new car the following day and from that point on my car is like a magnet and pulls to the right lane to another car this is causing me PTSD I BEGGED my husband to drive me to work in my 48 years I’ve never been afraid of a car when I let the dealership know they don’t care it’s a stupid woman well I’ve owned 2 brand new Palisades and they were amazing vehicles this one is just not working right

NHTSA ODI 11749658

-On [XXX] I was drivng on a highway while using cruise control. The car suddenly applied the brakes hard. I tried 4 times to use the accelrator and each time the brakes were applied hard again. -The car behind me laid on its horn and managed to shift to another lane thereby avoiding a rear end collison. -Fortunately I was driving in an outside lane and got the car to the shoulder. -I turned the engine off and then started the car again. -There were no warning lamps or messages that I can recall. It happened quickly. -This incident came very close to causing at least vehicle damage and possibly physical harm to the occupants of my car and the car behind me. -I took my car to the dealership which is Crown Hyndai in St. Petersburg, Florida. They were unable to recreate the problem so the issue is still outstanding. -To prevent future incidents I no longer use cruise control and turn off the FCA system when I start the car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11746383

I had a flat tire. When I recently bought the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, I did not think to ask about a spare tire, they have been standard on every car I bought in the past. However, this car did not have one and I had a flat tire. They provide a sealant which is supposed to get you to a tire repair shop to get the tire fixed. That was worthless. Not having a spare is dangerous if you are caught with a flat tire in a remote area with no cell service. In addition, I had to pay $144 to get towed to a tire repair shop to get a $15 repair completed. Common sense has been replaced with greed.

NHTSA ODI 11744626

Driving down the road and the sunroof just exploded. No rock, no nearby cars that could have kicked something up. Just crumbled in.

NHTSA ODI 11743648

Driving at 70 mph on interstate, driver adjusted hands on steering wheel and accidently pulled both paddles, shifting car into neutral. Fortunately, there was little traffic, and the driver was able to move to the side of the interstate, out the car into park and shift back to drive. This was highly dangerous. Losing control of the vehicle while traveling at 70 miles an hour could have resulted in death. This feature is completely unnecessary in a family SUV and is going to cause an accident.

NHTSA ODI 11742217

New vehicle purchased February 2026 with OEM Pirelli tires. Had puncture in tire, but on repair, tire found to have inside sidewall bubble. No history of any impacts or hard strikes to tires. Discount Tire said probable tire defect, unsafe to drive even a few miles, so placed spare and we took car to dealer. No extended warranty but less than 2400 miles on gently used tire. Hyundai denied coverage under Pirelli warranty for nearly new tire, stating that it was due to some kind of undetermined impact to tire (all other tires thus far okay), and we paid for a new replacement tire. But given the lack of history, I noted that their are numerous online complaints regarding this same tire on larger vehicles, including 10 complaints filed already to NHTSA. I have filed an inquiry with Pirelli, but believe, given the numerous prior complaints and the EXTREME SAFETY RISK OF A BLOW OUT on a tire that appears to be defective. based on other reports and our experience, an investigation into this tire should be undertaken with possible recall and replacement of all of these tires with a safer model, at Pirelli's expense, should a defect indeed be found.

NHTSA ODI 11741053

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ODI 11740595

While driving, the sunroof glass of the vehicle exploded/shattered with no known trigger, force or debris striking the glass. At the time no risk to myself as the sunroof shade was closed. I am in the process of getting this inspected and repaired.

NHTSA ODI 11739269

Hyundai - DAW - Driver Attention Warning / Forward Attention Warning System This issue warrants immediate consideration for a recall. Despite wearing glasses, sunglasses, or no glasses, the problem persists. I occasional do remove my glasses while driving, and the warning continues to sound. This occurs regardless of the time of day, weather conditions, or whether I am sitting upright or reclining. The warning randomly activates and deactivates, sometimes without any intervention. Occasionally, I simply allow the warning to sound without taking any action, and it remains active for a few seconds or until it triggers a warning that the system will be turned off, at which point it deactivates. I have attempted various troubleshooting methods, such as keeping my eyes open, adjusting my seating position, wearing and removing my glasses, and tilting them to minimize glare. None of these methods have proven effective in preventing the warning from activating or in making it deactivate. This is a persistent problem. Hyundai dealerships initially informed me that the warning might be an annoyance and their response was to simply refrain from using it. However, if a basic feature like cruise control in a 2026 model is rendered unusable due to a design flaw (which this certainly is), it constitutes a clear violation of safety standards and should be addressed through a recall. The incessant alerts are highly disruptive and can be quite frustrating. For instance, driving with an arm in the 12 o’clock position triggers a warning, while wearing polarized sunglasses also results in an alert. The presence of a setting to disable the warning is a welcome feature but doesn't exist, and the system’s persistent alerts can be overwhelming. The alerts continue even after taking a break. It is distracting and a safety hazard. Drivers should be able to adjust the sensitivity of the feature turn off this feature. Currently, there is no way to disable or temporarily disable this feature.

NHTSA ODI 11737176

The back windshield of my 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe just exploded outwards. The vehicle hasn't been moved or driven today. The glass exploded out the back and shot over 18 ft away. There has been no change in temperature it is 70°. It was terrifying and came out of nowhere there were no cracks or chips in the back windshield. I'm so glad we were off to the side when this happened or it would have caused serious injuries.

NHTSA ODI 11736653

The right side power captain seat in the second row began to fold down without the button being pressed. It happened with and without the seatbelt plugged in. It came down while my toddler was in her rear facing car seat and began to crush the car seat and push on her feet. The chair would not stop the power seat motors even with both my wife and myself pushing back on the seat trying to free our daughter from the car seat. It continued to push down the moment there was more space to collapse. No errors or messages or engine lights of any sort were displayed anywhere. Even after removing our daughter it happened several times again.

NHTSA ODI 11735879

"What component malfunctioned...?" - Electrical system (suspected) "How was safety put at risk?" - We were unaware if the dashboard instruments were reading correctly. We also couldn't lock/unlock the doors or open/close the windows. The tailgate would also not open. "Has problem been reproduced?" - Not yet - plan to have the service center inspect. "Has vehicle been inspected by the manufacturer?" - No "Were there warning messages or symptoms?" - Yes, when the issue occurred. The vehicle reported 13 warnings/alerts. Happened for the first time on 5/2/2026 GENERAL DESCRIPTION: While the vehicle is parked or idling after sitting for a period of time, the dashboard suddenly displays approximately 13 warning alerts simultaneously, including a message stating "Check Emergency Stopping function" among others. During this condition, multiple vehicle systems become inoperative, including: - Power windows - could not open/close - Door locks - could not lock/unlock - Tailgate operation - could not open (it was closed) The vehicle appears to experience a system-wide electronic failure affecting both body controls and safety systems. The condition is intermittent but has occurred multiple times. Restarting the vehicle does NOT immediately resolve the issue. After driving for a period of time, the vehicle eventually returns to normal operation. This is a safety concern because: - Critical safety systems (automatic emergency braking / driver assist features) are (potentially) disabled - Basic vehicle functions (locks/windows) are unavailable. This is a concern if the door can't be opened and one needed to exit through the window in an emergency. - The failure occurs without warning and cannot be reliably reproduced on demand This appears to be a broader electrical or communication system failure rather than a single component issue.

NHTSA ODI 11735486

I bought a 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD Calligraphy on April 25, 2026 from Pohanka Hyundai. On April 27, the second row captain's seat on the driver's side folded, pressing my child's chest to his knees. He had his seatbelt on and stated that, even though he tried, he was unable to resist the pressure from the automated collapse/folding feature. While I was in park, a child sitting in the third row pressed the second row collapse button next to their third row seat. The second row captain's seat with a 60+ lbs. child belted in folded. There were no indications that the seat was moving, no alarms or flashing lights on the driver's dashboard notified me. Had I not gotten out to look for someone, my child would have been folded in that position for the next 30 minutes as we drove from school to our home. I called the dealer on April 27 to ask about the collapse feature and if it should sense the seat is occupied before folding. The person who sold me the vehicle asked that I bring it in on April 29 for a diagnostic because he was not aware of a recall on the Santa Fe Calligraphy. A diagnostic was run on the vehicle on April 29 by Pohanka Hyundai Service Center. They stated that no codes came up and no recalls were reported.

NHTSA ODI 11734704

There has been an active recall on the front seat belts of Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles for almost a month. I scheduled an appointment online to have this fixed and was called by the dealership to let me know that there is currently no way to fix this. According to what I have read online, letters won't begin going out from Hyundai regarding the recall until June 2026. That is a very long and unacceptable time for people to drive cars with malfunctioning seat belts. Hyundai needs to be forced to do something sooner regarding this issue.

NHTSA ODI 11734221

Safety Concern – Lack of Air Conditioning Ventilation in Third Row Seating I am writing to formally report a safety concern regarding a vehicle that lacks adequate air conditioning and ventilation in the third-row seating area. The third row of this vehicle does not receive sufficient airflow, resulting in significantly elevated temperatures compared to the front and middle seating areas. This creates an uncomfortable and potentially unsafe environment for passengers seated in the rear. This issue raises several safety concerns, including: - Increased risk of heat-related illness, especially during warm weather conditions - Lack of proper air circulation, which may affect breathing comfort - Potential danger to vulnerable individuals such as children, elderly passengers, or those with medical conditions In addition, the absence of adequate ventilation in the third row appears inconsistent with standard safety expectations for passenger vehicles, where all seating positions should have reasonable access to airflow and temperature control. I am requesting the following: - A formal evaluation of the vehicle’s ventilation system - Clarification as to whether this is a design issue or mechanical defect - Appropriate corrective action to ensure safe and adequate airflow to all seating areas I would appreciate a timely response regarding how this concern will be addressed. Please note that I am documenting this issue due to its potential impact on passenger safety. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Se INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11731192

My 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe has a dangerous power-fold feature for the middle row. This problem is making headlines in another model, the Hyundai Palisade, and for good reason. Why isn't the Santa Fe included in the recall(s) that are intended to correct the problem in the Palisade? In my vehicle, the second row has two seats (captain's chairs). The power-fold feature is the only way to fold the middle row for additional cargo space. When my wife activated the power-fold, I was unable to prevent that seat from folding. When I activated the power-fold, and an [XXX] relative was standing outside the vehicle, he was able to reach in, but he was not able to prevent the seat from folding, and he was very concerned when he learned this. Please note that, when the middle row seats are (manually) positioned forward in the vehicle, the power-fold feature does reverse when the folding seat contacts the back of a front seat. So there must be a sensor, but its threshold is set very high. In addition, when the conflict is removed, by (manually) moving the middle row seat backward in the vehicle, the auto-fold seems to take that as an invitation to fold again. I have only observed this once, but I argue that this is an uncommanded movement, and that there is no possible justification for this software/firmware action. Thank you for reading this. Please consider the Santa Fe for a future recall campaign. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11726855

vehicle unable to determine when a passenger is seated with seatbelt fastened in 2nd row captains chairs and the ‘one-touch’ tilt-and-slide button is pressed. The seat will keep folding and crushing the passenger. This is a known issue with the Hyundai Palisade at this time and is affecting my vehicle as well. Please have Hyundai issue a recall immediately. My teenage son was in the seat at the time this happened.

NHTSA ODI 11726318

The contact owns a 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while attempting to adjust the front driver's seat, the second-row passenger’s side seat engaged unintendedly. The child was seated in the booster seat, and the main seat started to fold down. The contact was unaware that the seat had been activated, but was able to stop the seat from fully folding. The child was unharmed. The dealer was notified of the failure; however, the manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure. The manufacturer opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 174.

NHTSA ODI 11724997

"TAKE A BREAK" - the feature prompts the driver to “Take a Break” with that text and a‘Coffee Cup” logo after a certain period of continuous driving. There are instances when turning it off is necessary and Hyundai has removed that option - high distracting false alarm rate. The alert, visual and auditory are intrusive, unnecessary, demonstrate a high false alarm rate leading to frustration and distraction. While designed as a safety feature, it has the opposite effect. The system inaccurately interprets the driver’s behavior as signs of fatigue with alerts popping up at an alarming rate. Perfectly normal and safe driving behaviors see the alert popping up again and again. Further there are environmental interferences - bright sunlight, reflections off glasses, bumpy roads requiring frequent corrections - system interprets these as driver inattention and cannot tell the difference between drowsy driving and navigating a poorly maintained highway. New Hyundai models do not allow the driver to disable the Take a Break alert. “You’re cruising down the highway, minding your own business, alert and focused, when your Hyundai flashes a coffee cup icon and tells you to take a break. Again - this for the third or fourth time in 20 minutes. You’re not tired, not swerving, and frankly, you’re getting annoyed”. The system is disruptive and unsafe as it disrupts the driver activating when the system detects inattentive driving, suggesting breaks even if the driver does not feel fatigued. The alert can illuminate even during short drives of less than 30 minutes. The alert can occur extremely frequently, especially during long drives, which is extremely annoying. The warning can appear shortly after starting a trip and may repeat every few minutes, which is extremely frustrating. It is far more disruptive than safe and helpful.

NHTSA ODI 11723493

Pirelli Scorpion M+S (size 255/45R20)

NHTSA ODI 11723500

After turning off the radio with the push button control the instrument cluster and navigation display panel went completely dead black. After pushing multiple buttons several times the panel came back to life. This has not yet been reported to the dealer. On 12/12/2025 this same vehicle also experienced faulty engine / power train components which required replacement @1199 miles. Throttle body assembly and torque converter assembly which caused loss of power when accelerating onto a high speed parkway attempting to reach @55mph along with excessive vibration when brakes were off. Took dealer 22 days to fix the problem.

NHTSA ODI 11719714

A brand new Santa Fe Hybrid AWD SEL(less than 2500 miles) makes squeaky noises when rotating the steering wheel to the counter clock wise. It is very annoying and frustrating. Due to the noise I can't fully concentrate to driving the car. Brought the vehicle to a local dealer and they would not do anything about it.

NHTSA ODI 11719196

The vehicle has a feature that puts a message on the dashboard that reads “Consider taking a break “ that is not able to be adjusted by the consumer or the dealer. This message can come up repeatedly and has an audio portion that overrides the audio in the vehicle. Weather conditions, back roads, and unmarked lanes of traffic will trigger this message and without the ability to adjust the sensitivity or the ability to turn it off, it is a very dangerous situation. I have had it go off multiple times in a drive when there is a strong side wind and the vehicle is being pushed around and it can be very, very difficult to safely drive when this is visually and auditory messages keep coming up on the dash without any option to adjust it. On back roads or in situations where there is snow covered roads, this message can be nonstop and go off 50 times or more in a 90 mile drive. It is the worst thing about this vehicle and it’s not reasonable for the vehicle not to have the ability to adjust the feature? I’d ask that an investigation be opened to look into this and demand that Hyundai update the vehicle software to allow the settings for this message to be adjustable. When looking on the internet for this problem, there are 100s of not 1000s of people that have been searching and complaining about this message on the new Kia and Hyundai vehicles. Thank you.

NHTSA ODI 11718776

2026 Hyundai Santa Fe - Front windshield had spontaneous horizontal crack about 8" on driver side WHILE PARKED WITH NO IMPACT. Car is new with NO ROCK CHIPS. Our winter nights were about 15-25 degrees and the crack would spread WHILE PARKED overnight. Within a week it spread to 24" while trying to get the dealer to agree that this is a warranty issue with no luck. Was told it is NOT a warranty issue. Upon purchasing this new car, I had purchased the "Windshield Protection" package for $595. with the impression it would cover things like this, but it only covers rock and road debris chip REPAIRS, not REPLACEMENTS. Looking at the crack, the windshield appears to be literally HALF AS THICK as other windshields in my past. NOT getting the car washed until it's repaired Google and Facebook searches show MANY complaints about FRAGILE, THIN windshield glass and SPONTANEOUS CRACKS and SHATTERING, even with NO IMPACT. There is even a reported class action lawsuit for this same issue with the Hyundai Palisades. Dealer claims to be unaware of this problem, but there are many online complaints for the 2024 and 2025 Santa Fe's. Now I have to pay my $500 deductible with MY AUTO INSURANCE due to a faulty, thin windshield??

NHTSA ODI 11716425

It was snowing lightly/moderately, and prior to driving, the windshield was cleared with snow and the wipers set to Low. Once driving began, the wipers stopped working on multiple occasions for a brief period each time, before resuming on their own. During the period that the wipers stopped, the snow accumulation on the windshield caused poor visibility and potential danger to our car as well as others on the road. There were no prior indications on the dashboard or otherwise that anything was wrong with the wipers prior to, during or after the incident, which causes significant concern of a potential repeat of the issue. We returned home with the children immediately and plan to call the dealer first thing in the morning.

NHTSA ODI 11711757