2010 Hyundai SANTA FE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2010 Hyundai SANTA FE has 331 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 4.1x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (33% of all complaints), specifically: 2010 hyundai santa fe v6 awd limited i put the key in the ignition to start it, and the vehicle lunged forward approximately 6 inches. the vehicle was in park when i started it. luckily my foot was near the brake, so i instinctively slammed on the brake. i do not know how far it would have gone . ⚠️ 10 fire reports filed.

10 fire reports 8 crash reports 8 injuries

331

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

4.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

110 complaints

33%

• 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE V6 AWD LIMITED I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION TO START IT, AND THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 6 INCHES. THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK WHEN I STARTED IT. LUCKILY MY FOOT WAS NEAR THE BRAKE, SO I INSTINCTIVELY SLAMMED ON THE BRAKE. I DO NOT KNOW HOW FAR IT WOULD HAVE GONE
• ENGINE HESITATION AND ACCELERATION,PULLING TO THE RIGHT OF THE ROAD. WHEN BRAKING ALMOST COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. CAN HEAR WHEEL NOISE,LIKE TIRES ARE GOING TO FALL OFF. *TR
• I HAVE A 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE AWD. WE BOUGHT THE CAR WITH 8 MILES. AFTER ONE WEEK WE STARTED TO NOTICE A BANGING SOUND WHEN THE CAR WOULD SHIFT AT LOW SPEEDS, SOMETIMES IT WAS SO SEVERE THE CAR WOULD JERK FORWARD VIOLENTLY. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER TWICE AND THEY TELL US THERE IS NOT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE V6 AWD LIMITED I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION TO START IT, AND THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 6 INCHES. THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK WHEN I STARTED IT. LUCKILY MY FOOT WAS NEAR THE BRAKE, SO I INSTINCTIVELY SLAMMED ON THE BRAKE. I DO NOT KNOW HOW FAR IT WOULD HAVE GONE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

45 complaints

14%

• 2010 SANTA FE GL - ABOUT 60% OF STARTING HAS A JERK/KICK. IT'S LIKE SOMETHING ENGAGED SUDDENLY. TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE AND SHOWED NO ABNORMAL READINGS. ON AUG. 19/2010, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 110 KM/HR THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AS IF SOMETHING HIT THE CAR FROM BEHIND. I THOUGHT THE TRUCK BES
• VEHICLE STOPPED ON INCLINE OF A HILL, THEN REVERSED (GEAR SHIFT IN DRIVE) BACK DOWN 600 FEET THE HILL AND CRASHED AGAINST A CONCRETE WALL CORNER. HAVE 2 WITNESSES THAT SWITCHED OFF THE ENGINE, INSPECTED WRECK, FOUND NO FAULT CODES WITH A LAUNCH 431-READER BUT FIGURED THAT BATTERY WAS DRAINED AFTER
• WHEN PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE FROM STOPPED POSITION THERE IS A NOTABLE PAUSE. (1-3 SECONDS??)THIS THEN CAUSES YOU TO PUSH ACCELERATOR FURTHER ,THEREBY CAUSING A MUCH MORE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. I AM USED TO IT BECAUSE IT HAS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY SINCE CAR WAS NEW, BUT SOMEONE COULD GE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“2010 SANTA FE GL - ABOUT 60% OF STARTING HAS A JERK/KICK. IT'S LIKE SOMETHING ENGAGED SUDDENLY. TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE AND SHOWED NO ABNORMAL READINGS. ON AUG. 19/2010, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 110 KM/HR THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AS IF SOMETHING HIT THE CAR FROM BEHIND. I THOUGHT THE TRUCK BES”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

28 complaints

• ON TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2010 I WAS ON A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WITH FAST MOVING TRAFFIC AND MY CAR LOST ALL POWER WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO BARELY GLIDE THE SANTE FE TO THE SHOULDER AND STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. FOLLOW UP: 3 PM VISITED HYUNDAI SERVICE CENTER AND WAS TOLD THA
• 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE SE / OWNED 5 1/2 WEEKS / 824 MILES. STARTED VEHICLE LATE MORNING, PREPARING TO DRIVE OUT OF THE GARAGE. SMOKE BEGAN POURING FROM THE A/C VENTS. IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE & GOT OUT OF VEHICLE. CALLED 911 FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT. SMOKE CONTINUED FOR COUPLE OF MINUTES AFTE
• A 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END IMPACT . THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL BODY SHOP FOR REPAIRS. IN THE NORMAL COURSE OF REPAIRS, THE SHOP REPLACED THE COMPONENTS OF THE SUPPLEMENTARY RESTRAINT SYSTEM AND SENT THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER TO CHECK FOR ERROR CODES AND TO RES

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“ON TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2010 I WAS ON A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WITH FAST MOVING TRAFFIC AND MY CAR LOST ALL POWER WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO BARELY GLIDE THE SANTE FE TO THE SHOULDER AND STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. FOLLOW UP: 3 PM VISITED HYUNDAI SERVICE CENTER AND WAS TOLD THA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

25 complaints

• ON TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2010 I WAS ON A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WITH FAST MOVING TRAFFIC AND MY CAR LOST ALL POWER WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO BARELY GLIDE THE SANTE FE TO THE SHOULDER AND STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. FOLLOW UP: 3 PM VISITED HYUNDAI SERVICE CENTER AND WAS TOLD THA
• I HAVE A 2010 SANTA FE WITH 19K MILES.....TWICE THIS WEEK I WAS DRIVING AND SUDDENLY THE GAS PEDAL STOPPED WORKING AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. BRAKES WORKED, THANK GOODNESS. ANYONE ELSE HAVE "SUDDEN UNINTENDED DECELERATION"?? AFTER THE FIRST EVENT, I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER (FOLLOWING PROTOCO
• 2010 HYUNDAI SANTE FE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO INCOMPATIBILITY OF BLUETOOTH WITH VEHICLE *TGW THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A GLITCH WITH THE PHONE IN RESPECT TO THE BLUETOOTH COMPATIBILITY. THE CONSUMER STATED THE BLUETOOTH WOULD BECOME DISABLED, NOT ACCEPT VOICE COMMANDS OR MAKE CONNE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 2 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

21 complaints

• ON TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2010 I WAS ON A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WITH FAST MOVING TRAFFIC AND MY CAR LOST ALL POWER WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO BARELY GLIDE THE SANTE FE TO THE SHOULDER AND STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. FOLLOW UP: 3 PM VISITED HYUNDAI SERVICE CENTER AND WAS TOLD THA
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING WHEN IT BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARD. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WAS OPEN WHILE THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT RAN TO CATCH THE VEHICLE AS IT INDEPENDENTLY REACHED A STOP. THE FRONT PA
• 2001 HYUNDAI SANTA FE LURCHES WHEN GEAR IS PUT TO DRIVE, OR WHEN DRIVING AT LOW OR HIGH SPEEDS WHERE IT IS WORST (FEELING THAT WE JUST GOT REAR ENDED). STARTED ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO. THIS HAPPENED BEFORE, ABOUT 3 TO 4 YEARS AGO, AND WAS DIAGNOSED AND HAVE REPLACED THE INPUT/OUTPUT SPEED CONTROL BY THE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 331 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE V6 AWD LIMITED I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION TO START IT, AND THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 6 INCHES. THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK WHEN I STARTED IT. LUCKILY MY FOOT WAS NEAR THE BRAKE, SO I INSTINCTIVELY SLAMMED ON THE BRAKE. I DO NOT KNOW HOW FAR IT WOULD HAVE GONE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: 2010 SANTA FE GL - ABOUT 60% OF STARTING HAS A JERK/KICK. IT'S LIKE SOMETHING ENGAGED SUDDENLY. TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE AND SHOWED NO ABNORMAL READINGS. ON AUG. 19/2010, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 110 KM/HR THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AS IF SOMETHING HIT THE CAR FROM BEHIND. I THOUGHT THE TRUCK BES
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: ON TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2010 I WAS ON A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WITH FAST MOVING TRAFFIC AND MY CAR LOST ALL POWER WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO BARELY GLIDE THE SANTE FE TO THE SHOULDER AND STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. FOLLOW UP: 3 PM VISITED HYUNDAI SERVICE CENTER AND WAS TOLD THA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: ON TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2010 I WAS ON A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WITH FAST MOVING TRAFFIC AND MY CAR LOST ALL POWER WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO BARELY GLIDE THE SANTE FE TO THE SHOULDER AND STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. FOLLOW UP: 3 PM VISITED HYUNDAI SERVICE CENTER AND WAS TOLD THA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)