2023 Hyundai Santa FE problems & reliability
202 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2023 Hyundai Santa FE, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
10 complaints report injuries (15 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2023 Hyundai Santa FE vehicles were involved in 13 fatal crashes with 7 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown OR Other | 58 | 29% |
| Power Train | 41 | 20% |
| Engine | 35 | 17% |
| Electrical System | 34 | 17% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 34 | 17% |
| Service Brakes | 21 | 10% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 7% |
| Visibility/wiper | 11 | 5% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 10 | 5% |
| Structure | 6 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I was driving, and the SUV all of a sudden lost power. I was trying to press harder on the gas pedal to keep up with the traffic, but the SUV was stalling. The SUV would not move, and as I kept trying to press on the gas pedal, a roaring noise like something was trying to turn but the engine kept trying to move the…”
Engine · filed Aug 5, 2026
“COMPONENT/SYSTEM: The powertrain launch control system — the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) and 8-speed wet dual-clutch transmission paired with the 2.5T engine — fails to deliver engine power in response to full accelerator input from a stop. The engine does not rev and the vehicle does not move for approximately…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Jul 12, 2026
“My dealership has reground the rotors on my car twice. Now with less than 40,000 mileson the car the brakes need ground again. The issue with the brakes is it causes the front end of the car to shake when the brakes are applied. This could lead to loss of control on down hill stops in slippery conditions.”
Service Brakes · filed Jul 3, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
45 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2023 Hyundai Santa FE. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin provides information related to a Transmission Control Unit (TCU) software update for some vehicles equipped with an 8-speed wet dual clutch transmission (8WDCT). The software update revises the touch…
26-AT-005H TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 5, 2026
This bulletin provides information related to the navigation and head unit software changes introduced in the 2026 1st Navigation Map and Software Update. The changes may vary depending on vehicle type, model, and…
26-GI-002H TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 27, 2026
Some vehicles may exhibit difficulty starting in cold weather. This bulletin provides the procedure to perform an inspection on the starter magnetic switch for potential freezing and, if necessary, replace the starter…
26-EE-003H TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 18, 2026
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co.…
DTN DL · Other · issued Apr 10, 2026
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety…
DTN DCS · Other · issued Apr 10, 2026
Certain 2021 – 2023 model year Santa Fe, 2021 – 2023 model year Santa Fe Hybrid, and 2022 – 2023 model year Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid vehicles may experience an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances…
Z09 OL · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Mar 30, 2026
Some Santa Cruz (NXT), Santa Fe (TMA, MX5A), and Sonata (DN8A) models may require replacement of the 8-speed wet dual clutch transmission (8WDCT) when the vehicle sets one of the high pressure electric oil pump (HP EOP)…
26-AT-001H TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 3, 2026
Some Santa Fe (TMA) and Tucson (NX4A) vehicles equipped with a 2.5L GDI engine and 8 speed automatic transmission may have DTC U028700 (Lost Communication With Trans Fluid Pump Module) set by the transmission Electric…
26-AT-002H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 21, 2026
Some vehicles may have an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances causing internal parts to oxidize. Hyundai is extending the warranty coverage for the horn replacement under this condition to 10 years…
26-BE-001H-1 DCS · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Feb 19, 2026
Some vehicles may have an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances causing internal parts to oxidize. Hyundai is extending the warranty coverage for the horn replacement under this condition to 10 years…
26-BE-001H-1 TSB · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Feb 18, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2023 Hyundai Santa FE has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2023 Hyundai Santa FE?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.