Your vehicle report
2019 Hyundai Santa FE
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 203
- Received Oct 2018 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine suddenly shuts off while driving21 complaints · 10% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine burns excessive oil between changes16 complaints · 7.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Vehicle catches fire from wiring13 complaints · 6.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #23V181000Park outsideHyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Santa Fe, 2021-2023 Santa Fe HEV, 2022-2023 Santa Fe Plug-in HEV and Santa Cruz vehicles potentially equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Hyundai dealership. Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
- Recall #18V715000Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles. The Side Curtain Air Bag (SCAB) mounting bolts may interfere with and damage the air bags during deployment.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Engine burns excessive oil between changesFirst signal: Feb 2025
- Paint peels off roof and hoodFirst signal: Nov 2024
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 16 crashes, 13 fires, 10 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 18 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
1 more problem
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 29 |
| 2020 | 19 |
| 2021 | 18 |
| 2022 | 17 |
| 2023 | 25 |
| 2024 | 23 |
| 2025 | 34 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 34 |
| Total | 203 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 21 | 10% | 2.4× | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 16 | 7.9% | 13.4× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Feb 2025 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.9% |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 13 | 6.4% | 3× | NHTSA recall #23V181000 |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 11 | 5.4% | 26.7× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Nov 2024 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.3% |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 11 | 5.4% | 3.2× | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 9 | 4.4% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 7 | 3.5% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 6 | 3.0% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 6 | 3.0% | – | NHTSA recall #18V715000 |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 5 | 2.5% | 1.3× | |
| Rearview backup camera fails or goes black | 4 | 2.0% | 1.5× | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 4 | 2.0% | – | |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 4 | 2.0% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 4 | 2.0% | 1.8× | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 3 | 1.5% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 3 | 1.5% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 3 | 1.5% | – | |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 3 | 1.5% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #23V181000March 17, 2023584,784 vehicles affected
Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.
trailer hitches
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Santa Fe, 2021-2023 Santa Fe HEV, 2022-2023 Santa Fe Plug-in HEV and Santa Cruz vehicles potentially equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Hyundai dealership. Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is completed. Dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed starting May 16, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 244. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-633.
NHTSA recall #18V715000October 11, 20188,204 vehicles affected
air bags: side/window
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles. The Side Curtain Air Bag (SCAB) mounting bolts may interfere with and damage the air bags during deployment.
In the event of a crash, if the air bags become damaged during deployment they may not inflate properly, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the SCAB installation bolts, free of charge. The recall began December 3, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 177.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2019 Hyundai Santa FE.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN