2015 Hyundai SANTA FE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2015 Hyundai SANTA FE has 331 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 4.1x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (48% of all complaints), specifically: on two separate occasions while driving on the highway, call lost power and would not operate in a normal fashion. rpm gauge was highly erratic and pushing the accelerator to the floor did not result in increased speed. the first time i took it in, they said nothing was wrong with it. the 2nd time i. ⚠️ 16 fire reports filed.

16 fire reports 11 crash reports 10 injuries

331

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

4.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

160 complaints

48%

• ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, CALL LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT OPERATE IN A NORMAL FASHION. RPM GAUGE WAS HIGHLY ERRATIC AND PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR DID NOT RESULT IN INCREASED SPEED. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT IN, THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. THE 2ND TIME I
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE ENGINE FAILED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. THE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE ENGINE REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE
• THE CAR STALLS AND COMPLETELY LOSES POWER. WE JUST HIT THE 62K MILE MARK. WHEN IT LOSES POWER EVEN THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK. WHEN YOU STOP AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN THE CAR JERKS. THE EXHAUST IS SMOKING BADLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AND WITH MORE THAN ONE DRIVER.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 7 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, CALL LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT OPERATE IN A NORMAL FASHION. RPM GAUGE WAS HIGHLY ERRATIC AND PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR DID NOT RESULT IN INCREASED SPEED. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT IN, THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. THE 2ND TIME I”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

30 complaints

• THE CAR STALLS AND COMPLETELY LOSES POWER. WE JUST HIT THE 62K MILE MARK. WHEN IT LOSES POWER EVEN THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK. WHEN YOU STOP AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN THE CAR JERKS. THE EXHAUST IS SMOKING BADLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AND WITH MORE THAN ONE DRIVER.
• 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FEE I BOUGHT NEW, TURBO SPORT. AT 26,750 MILES THE DISC PADS ON ALL 4 WHEELS FELL OFF THE STEEL BACKING PLATES. THE PADS IN THE FRONT WERE PAPER THIN AND THE BACK WERE SOMEWHAT BETTER. THE "SQUEALERS" THAT WARN YOU OF PAD THICKNESS NEVER MADE A SOUND. DANGEROUS SITUATION. I'M A 50
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V520000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED WEST BROAD HYUNDAI LOCATED AT 8903 W BROAD ST, RICHMOND, VA 23294, (804)

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 6 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“THE CAR STALLS AND COMPLETELY LOSES POWER. WE JUST HIT THE 62K MILE MARK. WHEN IT LOSES POWER EVEN THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK. WHEN YOU STOP AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN THE CAR JERKS. THE EXHAUST IS SMOKING BADLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AND WITH MORE THAN ONE DRIVER.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

22 complaints

• THE ELECTRONIC KEY SYSTEM OF THIS CAR HAS A BIG FLAW. THE DOORS DO NOT LOCK EVEN AFTER MULTIPLE ACTIVATION THROUGH THE LOCK BUTTON OF THE ELECTRONIC KEY WHEN THE ENGINE IS LEFT RUNNING . THE BEHAVIOR IS UNLIKE OTHER CARS SUCH AS NISSAN ALTIMA, WHICH LOCKS THE DOOR.S. THIS BEHAVIOR MAKES I
• THE SCREEN ON THE GPS UNIT CRACKED AS I WAS CLEANING IT. I HAD THE CAR FOR 10 MONTHS WITH 7000 MILES ON THE CAR. HYUNDAI HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE THE UNIT. I AM UNABLE TO DOWNLOAD UPDATES, THE CONTINUITY IS BROKEN. THE CAR WAS PARKED AND IN MY DRIVEWAY AS I WAS CLEANING IT.
• WHILE DRIVING MY HYUNDAI SANTA FE DOWN A HIGHWAY AT NORMAL SPEED, THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF ON THE VEHICLE SHATTERED. THERE WERE NO CARS AHEAD OF ME TO CAUSE A ROCK TO FLY INTO THE ROOF AND CRACK IT. THERE WAS AN EXTREMELY LOUD POP SOUND WHEN THIS ISSUE OCCURRED. THIS HAPPENED WHILE MY FAMILY AND I WERE

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

“THE ELECTRONIC KEY SYSTEM OF THIS CAR HAS A BIG FLAW. THE DOORS DO NOT LOCK EVEN AFTER MULTIPLE ACTIVATION THROUGH THE LOCK BUTTON OF THE ELECTRONIC KEY WHEN THE ENGINE IS LEFT RUNNING . THE BEHAVIOR IS UNLIKE OTHER CARS SUCH AS NISSAN ALTIMA, WHICH LOCKS THE DOOR.S. THIS BEHAVIOR MAKES I”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

22 complaints

• WHEN I AM ON A SUBSTANTIAL INCLINE, I PLACE THE AUTO INTO REVERSE, THERE IS A HARD SHIFTING NOISE AND VIBRATION. MY GIRLFRIENDS INCLINE ON HER DRIVEWAY IS PROBABLY AROUND 6% GRADE. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. I HAVE CONTACT HYUNDAI @CONSUMERAFFAIRS@HMAUSA.COM ON 7/25/2016. I ALSO CONTACTED A DEAL
• MY HYUNDAI IS 3 YEARS OLD WITH 70,000 MILES ON IT , I'VE MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURERERS SUGGESTIONS . THE CAR HAD NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON OR WARNINGS THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND THE NEXT DAY I START MY CAR AND IT'S MAKING A VERY LOUD TICKING NOISE WHILE DRIVING AND SLOWLY LOSI
• HIT ACCELERATOR AND WON'T SHIFT INTO GEAR, LOUD REVS AND THEN HEAR A BANG AND THE CAR JUMPS AS IT FINALLY SHIFTS INTO GEAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED RANDOMLY THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF MY CAR AT RANDOM, I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT, THEN LAST WEEK, I START TO LOSE POWER, AND SAME THING, IT HAPPENS MULTIPLE TIMES

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

“WHEN I AM ON A SUBSTANTIAL INCLINE, I PLACE THE AUTO INTO REVERSE, THERE IS A HARD SHIFTING NOISE AND VIBRATION. MY GIRLFRIENDS INCLINE ON HER DRIVEWAY IS PROBABLY AROUND 6% GRADE. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. I HAVE CONTACT HYUNDAI @CONSUMERAFFAIRS@HMAUSA.COM ON 7/25/2016. I ALSO CONTACTED A DEAL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

20 complaints

• BLIND SPOT DETECTOR TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES ,WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW 10 MONTHS AGO.
• SIMILAR TO INCIDENT 10885095; BLIND SPOT DETECTION SYSTEM FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH. UPON INSPECTION BY DEALER, IT WAS FOUND THE SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE "RE-CALIBRATED", BUT NO BSD SENSOR ISSUES WERE FOUND. *TR
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIFTGATE FAILED AND ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE ON ITS OWN INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN THE SMART LIFTGATE FEATURE WAS ACTIVATED AND DEACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUF

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

“BLIND SPOT DETECTOR TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES ,WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW 10 MONTHS AGO.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~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:

☐
ENGINE: ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, CALL LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT OPERATE IN A NORMAL FASHION. RPM GAUGE WAS HIGHLY ERRATIC AND PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR DID NOT RESULT IN INCREASED SPEED. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT IN, THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. THE 2ND TIME I
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: THE CAR STALLS AND COMPLETELY LOSES POWER. WE JUST HIT THE 62K MILE MARK. WHEN IT LOSES POWER EVEN THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK. WHEN YOU STOP AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN THE CAR JERKS. THE EXHAUST IS SMOKING BADLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AND WITH MORE THAN ONE DRIVER.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: THE ELECTRONIC KEY SYSTEM OF THIS CAR HAS A BIG FLAW. THE DOORS DO NOT LOCK EVEN AFTER MULTIPLE ACTIVATION THROUGH THE LOCK BUTTON OF THE ELECTRONIC KEY WHEN THE ENGINE IS LEFT RUNNING . THE BEHAVIOR IS UNLIKE OTHER CARS SUCH AS NISSAN ALTIMA, WHICH LOCKS THE DOOR.S. THIS BEHAVIOR MAKES I
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: WHEN I AM ON A SUBSTANTIAL INCLINE, I PLACE THE AUTO INTO REVERSE, THERE IS A HARD SHIFTING NOISE AND VIBRATION. MY GIRLFRIENDS INCLINE ON HER DRIVEWAY IS PROBABLY AROUND 6% GRADE. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. I HAVE CONTACT HYUNDAI @CONSUMERAFFAIRS@HMAUSA.COM ON 7/25/2016. I ALSO CONTACTED A DEAL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)