2019 Hyundai SANTA FE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2019 Hyundai SANTA FE has 268 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (25% of all complaints), specifically: on march 5, this vehicle stopped while driving in the middle of a street. i was unable to start the vehicle and me and my passenger could have been seriously injured or killed. car was towed to dealership and has 2600 miles on it. i have found that hyundai is doing a recall to replace starter an. ⚠️ 13 fire reports filed.

13 fire reports 11 crash reports 5 injuries

268

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

67 complaints

25%

• ON MARCH 5, THIS VEHICLE STOPPED WHILE DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF A STREET. I WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE AND ME AND MY PASSENGER COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND HAS 2600 MILES ON IT. I HAVE FOUND THAT HYUNDAI IS DOING A RECALL TO REPLACE STARTER AN
• 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 MI
• ENGINE BEGAN TO SKIP ON ACCELERATION ESPECIALLY GOING UP HILL. VEHICLE WAS TAKES TO DEALER AND ACCESSED. DEALER DIAGNOSED OWNER HAD VEHICLE IN INCORRECT DRIVE MODE FOR ACCELERATION. OWNER EXPRESSED TO DEALER, SUSPENSION OF SPARK PLUG OR COIL PROBLEM GIVEN OWNER EXPERIENCE IN BUYING OWNING HYUNDAI VE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 5 fire reports

“ON MARCH 5, THIS VEHICLE STOPPED WHILE DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF A STREET. I WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE AND ME AND MY PASSENGER COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND HAS 2600 MILES ON IT. I HAVE FOUND THAT HYUNDAI IS DOING A RECALL TO REPLACE STARTER AN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

50 complaints

19%

• I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AUGUST 1 AND DROVE IT HOME, 50 MILES, AT 75+ MPH. IMMEDIATELY I NOTICED A HIGH VIBRATION IN THE RIDE AS WELL AS LOOKING IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR THE CARS BEHIND ME WERE BLURRY FROM THE VIBRATION UNTIL I PLACE A FINGER ON THE MIRROR. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY RELATING
• 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 GOI
• I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2019 HYUNDAI SANTA FE ON FEBRUARY 20, 2019. ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24 WHILE DRIVING ON A BACK COUNTRY ROAD GOING NO MORE THAN 35 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE ON THE ROOF OF THE CAR. I OPENED THE ELECTRIC CLOTH COVER AND THE SUNROOF WAS SHATTERED AND GLASS STARTED FALLING IN THE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 6 fire reports💥 7 crashes

“I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AUGUST 1 AND DROVE IT HOME, 50 MILES, AT 75+ MPH. IMMEDIATELY I NOTICED A HIGH VIBRATION IN THE RIDE AS WELL AS LOOKING IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR THE CARS BEHIND ME WERE BLURRY FROM THE VIBRATION UNTIL I PLACE A FINGER ON THE MIRROR. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY RELATING”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

29 complaints

11%

• TL* THE CONTACT LEASED A 2019 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE, DRIVING INTO A PARKING LOT AT AN EXTREMELY SLOW SPEED, THE IDLE STOP &GO (ISG) ENGAGED. THE ENGINE STARTED TO REV AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT FAILED AS WELL AS TH
• I BOUGHT SANTA FE 2019 LIMITED FWD, IT HAS AN ISSUE WITH ACCELERATION, IT HESITATES AROUND 2000 RPM, IT CREATE A BIG ISSUE WHEN I CHANGE LANE TO OVERTAKE OR DRIVING TO UPHILL, I HAVE TO PUSH ACCELERATION PADEL REALLY DOWN TO KEEP GOING. IT JERKS SOMETIMES. I TOOK TWO HYUNDAI DEALERS FOR CHECK AND BO
• THE FIRST TIME IS WAS DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE HESITATED SLOWED DOWN AND I EVENTUALLY HAD TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY BEFORE IT COMPLETELY TURNED OFF. THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF AS I WAS MBV AKING A RIGHT TURN ON THE ROAD.

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

“TL* THE CONTACT LEASED A 2019 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE, DRIVING INTO A PARKING LOT AT AN EXTREMELY SLOW SPEED, THE IDLE STOP &GO (ISG) ENGAGED. THE ENGINE STARTED TO REV AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT FAILED AS WELL AS TH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

26 complaints

10%

• 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 GOI
• ON MARCH 5, THIS VEHICLE STOPPED WHILE DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF A STREET. I WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE AND ME AND MY PASSENGER COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND HAS 2600 MILES ON IT. I HAVE FOUND THAT HYUNDAI IS DOING A RECALL TO REPLACE STARTER AN
• THE BLUE LINK REMOTE START OFTEN DOES NOT RESPOND. THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET FIXED. THE DEALER DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THIS SYSTEM. HYUNDAI DOES NOT HAVE A CONTACT NUMBER THAT IS EASY TO LOCATE. WHEN YOU DO CALL THEY ARE DIFFICULT TO TALK WITH AND OFTEN JUST HANG UP ON YOU. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGO

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

“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 GOI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

16 complaints

• "FCA" system disabled radar blocked" error came on while test driving on 3 separate occasions but no diagnostic code recorded, prior to taking possession they replaced a camera they thought to be the cause 11 days later during a snowy morning I got the same error again. Again it didn't register a co
• 12/26/2021 Driving on I40 E between Santa Rosa and Tucumcari using adaptive cruise control (SCC) at approx 68 m.p.h the brakes were harshly applied which resulted in the vehicle rapidly de-accelerating from approximately 68 m.p.h to approximately 5 m.p.h. (There was a warning displayed on the odomet
• The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the check Forward Collision Avoidance warning light was illuminated. While driving at various speeds, the vehicle veered into oncoming traffic. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the sensor in the wi

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

“"FCA" system disabled radar blocked" error came on while test driving on 3 separate occasions but no diagnostic code recorded, prior to taking possession they replaced a camera they thought to be the cause 11 days later during a snowy morning I got the same error again. Again it didn't register a co”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 268 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: ON MARCH 5, THIS VEHICLE STOPPED WHILE DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF A STREET. I WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE AND ME AND MY PASSENGER COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND HAS 2600 MILES ON IT. I HAVE FOUND THAT HYUNDAI IS DOING A RECALL TO REPLACE STARTER AN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AUGUST 1 AND DROVE IT HOME, 50 MILES, AT 75+ MPH. IMMEDIATELY I NOTICED A HIGH VIBRATION IN THE RIDE AS WELL AS LOOKING IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR THE CARS BEHIND ME WERE BLURRY FROM THE VIBRATION UNTIL I PLACE A FINGER ON THE MIRROR. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY RELATING
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: TL* THE CONTACT LEASED A 2019 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE, DRIVING INTO A PARKING LOT AT AN EXTREMELY SLOW SPEED, THE IDLE STOP &GO (ISG) ENGAGED. THE ENGINE STARTED TO REV AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT FAILED AS WELL AS TH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: 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 GOI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)