Hyundai did make a statement in the then-new crossover segment with its Santa Fe SUV and the SUV’s success has allowed the brand in retaining its position too. The SUV has had some encounters with issues in the past but the brand has addressed those promptly. The reliability department of the vehicle has not been consistent over the years but the 2019 model rather impresses with its one recall and 74 complaints as compared to its 100,000+ units of total sales. The powertrain section of the 2019 Santa Fe has seen the most trouble according to the complaints while the other problems show that the niggles are not present in abundance. The crossover rivals the Honda CR-V, the Volkswagen Tiguan, and the Chevrolet Equinox in the segment.
Hyundai Santa Fe user complaints and problems
Safety problems
- Airbag failure: A few complaints regarding the non-deployment of the airbags of the Santa Fe were recorded. The owners said that despite having collisions from the front, the airbags failed to deploy. In one case, the driver suffered serious injuries such as broken ribs and sternum. In a separate instance, the front co-passenger seat’s airbags failed to activate since the passenger placed a cushion to ease back pain.
- Automatic emergency braking system malfunction: Some models of the 2019 Santa Fe which were equipped with the forward collision avoidance system faced a malfunction with the system. The owners stated in the reports that while driving at various speeds, the system would apply the brakes suddenly even though there was no obstruction on the vehicle’s path.
- Steering locking up: A few owners reported that the steering of their vehicles was locked up. The failures occurred while driving, putting the owner’s safety at risk.
Engine problems
- Engine shutdown/stalling issue: Several models of the 2019 Santa Fe were hit by this issue. Hyundai introduced the automatic start-stop feature in the Santa Fe for 2019 and a malfunction in the system itself resulted in the majority of the cases. The owners reported that their vehicles shut down or stalled randomly while driving or while they were waiting at a stoplight. In a few instances, the starter motor was shot due to frequent start stops due to the system.
- Transmission and hard start of engine issues: A handful of complaints were officially recorded for these problems against the 2019 Santa Fe. In the case of the transmission issues, the affected vehicles’ transmission performed hard shifts and the issue got worse over time. In a single case, while accelerating from a complete stop, the vehicle lunged forward. Another report mentioned that while starting the vehicle, the engine would behave like having a hard start and jerk. Sometimes, the engine turned over after a considerable delay.
2019 Hyundai Santa Fe recalls
|
S.No. |
Recall Date |
NHTSA Campaign ID |
Issues noticed |
Additional remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
October 11, 2018 |
18V715000 |
Bolts Damaging Side Curtain Air Bags |
In the event of a crash, if the airbags become damaged during deployment they may not inflate properly, increasing the risk of injury. |
Hyundai will notify owners and dealers will install a protective cover over the SCAB installation bolts, free of charge. The recall began on December 3, 2018. |
Should you buy a used Hyundai Santa Fe?
The Hyundai Santa Fe has been a dependable vehicle for plenty of buyers and its strong set of characteristics along with the striking design ups the appeal further. To date, the 2019 version of the crossover has had a good enough reliability while some of the older models, especially the 2017 model year, did face higher complaints and recalls. We would recommend avoiding that model year if you’re keen on going with a used Hyundai Santa Fe.
