2012 Hyundai SANTA FE problems and owner complaints

THE VEHICLE ENGINE STALLED RANDOMLY DURING DRIVING, TOTAL 4 TIMES, ALMOST CAUSING 4 ACCIDENTS. THE DEALER MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSES FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THEREFORE WAS UNABLE TO FIX IT, LEAVING THE VEHICLE IN A STATUS WITH TREMENDOUS SAFETY CONCERNS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 2,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10469577 at NHTSA ↗

THE ENGINE STALLED THE 4TH TIME. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT REACH A DIAGNOSIS AND UNABLE TO FIX IT.. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10470435 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED; THERE WAS A DELAYED RESPONSE AND SHE ALSO HEARD A SQUEAKY NOISE. IN ADDITION, THE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR ABRUPTLY AND THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY CAME TO A STOP. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AT ANY GIVEN SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE DEFECT WAS A COMMON ISSUE. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE BRAKE MALFUNCTION ASSOC…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10438540 at NHTSA ↗

I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT, IN FRONT OF A BAKERY, AND STOPPED TO ALLOW A CAR TO LEAVE A PARKING SPOT. I THEN PROCEEDED TO PULL INTO THE VACANT PARKING SPOT AND WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS ACTUALLY GUNNING INTO A HIGHER GEAR, AND AS I WAS PUSHING HARDER DOWN ON THE BRAKE WITH MY RIGHT FOOT THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THE BAKERY. I PROCEEDED TO APPLY BOTH MY FEET TO THE BRAKES IN HOPES THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP, AND IT DID. THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED BEFORE ENTERING THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 3,323 miles reported. Look up ODI 10467753 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE STALLED AS TURNING INTO DRIVEWAY OF SHOPPING COMPLEX. THE STEERING WHEEL FROZE AS I WAS TRYING TO TURN LEFT. IN THE DASHBOARD, NO LIGHTS ON EXCEPT "MALFUNCTION INDICATOR" LIGHT WAS LIT. RESTARTED CAR AND DROVE ON, THE "MALFUNCTION LIGHT" GOT TURNED OFF, CAME HOME AND THEN CALLED DEALER. DROVE TO DEALER BUT THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE SINCE THE LIGHT WAS NOT ON AND SO NO CODE CAN BE FOUND. CAR IS LESS THAN 3 MONTHS OLD AND NOT EVEN 3000 MILES ON THE CAR. I FEEL THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE UNLESS HYUNDAI TAKES CARE OF THE PROBLEM.…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10482822 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT, ENGINE DIED WITHOUT WARNING. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE ENGINE HAS DIED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS. WHEN THE ENGINE DIES, THE CAR LOSES STEERING AND BRAKES AND IS VERY UNSAFE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10483428 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING I SMELLED ELECTRICAL SMOKE, PARKED CAR SHUT OFF ENGINE, OPENED HOOD AND FOUND AN ELECTRICAL MOTOR OF SORTS ON FIRE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 2,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10476823 at NHTSA ↗

FIRST TIME AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN OFF A MAJOR ROADWAY. POWER SHUT OFF, ENGINE AND BATTERY LIGHT WENT ON. UNABLE TO PUT GEAR SHIFT IN PARK. AFTER A MINUTE WAS ABLE TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND THEN RE-START CAR. MADE A COMPLAINT TO THE DEALERSHIP. A FEW MONTHS AFTER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME ON THE HIGHWAY. TOOK IT STRAIGHT INTO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY KEPT IT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. DIAGNOSIS A LOOSE CONNECTION. AGAIN SAME SCENARIO A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER. WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG IT. AGAIN - A…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10586732 at NHTSA ↗

DRIVER WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WHEN SANTA FE SUDDENLY SURGED OR LUNGED FORWARD AND TO THE RIGHT CAUSING CAR TO JUMP OVER A CONCRETE BUMPER AND INTO ANOTHER CAR PARKED AT A 90-DEGREE ANGLE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION WAS CLEARED DRIVER PROCEEDED TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. ENROUTE THE SANTA FE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF LOW GEAR. DEALER CLAIMED THE EVENTS COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,320 miles reported. Look up ODI 10433996 at NHTSA ↗

THIS IS MY LATEST ISSUE WITH MY 2012 SANTA FE (THE PREVIOUS BEING A BAD TRANSFER CASE WHICH MADE IT SPUTTER, A BAD 4WD COUPLING ASSEMBLY WHICH MADE IT CLUNK WHILE TURNING & A BAD TRANSMISSION RANGE SHAFT WHICH CAUSED IT TO NOT START OCCASIONALLY)...IT NOW JUST TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING. HAPPENED TWICE IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS. THE FIRST TIME, 2/5/14, I WAS TURNING ACROSS 2 LANES OF CROSS TRAFFIC AROUND 20 MPH AND IT JUST TURNED OFF AND DRIFTED! AT FIRST I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE WHAT HAPPENED... THANK GOODNESS I WASN'T HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC! ON 2/22/1…

Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10565537 at NHTSA ↗

1ST OF MANY TOTAL ENGINE DE-POWERMENTS HAPPENED AT A STOP SIGN, GOING APPROX.15 MPH. I HAD FILLED THE GAS TANK AND AT THE FIRST STOP SIGN I CAME TO, THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON; AND IT DIED, POWERLESS. I COASTED TO MY DESTINATION (LESS THAN A BLOCK AWAY) AND CALLED MY SERVICE REP AT DANBURY HYUNDAI (CT). SHE TOLD ME IT WAS DUE TO AN INCORRECT GAS CAP REPLACEMENT, TO UNDO THE GAS CAP AND START THE CAR. IT WORKED. AFTER THE FIRST EPISODE, THIS ABSOLUTE POWERING DOWN OF EVERYTHING, BRAKE, STEERING, CONTROL; HAPPENED SO OFTEN, IT BECAME ROUTINE…

Owner-reported narrative. 22,985 miles reported. Look up ODI 10598194 at NHTSA ↗

ALL EVENTS OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY.BEGAN TO HAVE A INTERMITTENT NO START CONDITION AROUND THE THIRD WEEK OF JANUARY 2016. THETA 2.4 ENGINE #165130 WOULD NOT TURN OVER. A JUMP START WITH 2ND VEHICLE BATTERY SUPPLY AND JUMPER CABLES WERE NEEDED FOR ENGINE TO RUN.TESTED THE BATTERY VOLTAGE OUTPUT ON SANTA FE WITH ENGINE COLD 12.65 AND ENGINE RUNNING 13.96 TO 14.02 RANGE ALL STARTING AND CHARGING COMPONENTS WERE OPERATING IN NORMAL CONDITIONS AND NO CHECK ENGINE OR BATTERY INDICATORS ILLUMINATING. NO SIGNS OF ENGINE MALFUNCTION WAS E…

Owner-reported narrative. 71,348 miles reported. Look up ODI 10845644 at NHTSA ↗