2019 Hyundai SANTA FE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
196 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
10,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2019 model year. Data snapshot: . 65 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 69 of 196 complaints (35.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 29 | 14.8% |
| Engine operation | 21 | 10.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 18 | 9.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 15 | 7.7% |
| Steering behavior | 12 | 6.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 1.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 69 |
| Unknown Or Other | 46 |
| Power Train | 34 |
| Electrical System | 24 |
| Structure:Body | 14 |
| Steering | 12 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 11 |
| Service Brakes | 11 |
Engine: 69; Unknown Or Other: 46; Power Train: 34; Electrical System: 24; Structure:Body: 14; Steering: 12; Fuel/Propulsion System: 11; Service Brakes: 11
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 44 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 12 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 8 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 44; 25,000 to 49,999: 12; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 8; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (44). 131 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 29 |
| 2020 | 19 |
| 2021 | 18 |
| 2022 | 17 |
| 2023 | 25 |
| 2024 | 23 |
| 2025 | 34 |
| 2026 | 27 |
2018: 4; 2019: 29; 2020: 19; 2021: 18; 2022: 17; 2023: 25; 2024: 23; 2025: 34; 2026: 27
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 29 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 21 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 18 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11193023 · 2019-04-01 (April 1, 2019)
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AS WE SLOWED AND TURNED INTO A PARKING SPACE AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT PARKING LOT. ENGINE REVED, CAR ACCELERATED RAPIDLY, BRAKES DID NO HOLD AND THE VEHICLE PLOWED INTO AND THEN ON TOP OF A SAFETY BARRIER STOPPING JUST SHORT OF A CHAIN LINK FENCE GUARDING A SET OF LARGE PROPANE TANKS. POLICE WERE CALLED TO SCENE, HE TOOK PICTURES. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP COLLISION CENTER.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,850 miles reported. Look up ODI 11193023 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11231630 · 2019-07-13 (July 13, 2019)
STOPPED VEHICLE ON SIDE OF NEIGHBORHOOD ROAD ON MODERATE DOWNWARD INCLINE. PLACED VEHICLE IN PARK AND AT IDLE. A FEW MINUTES LATER, SHIFTED CAR INTO DRIVE AND PROCEEDED TO PULL OUT INTO ROADWAY. VEHICLE SEEMED TO LOSE POWER STEERING AS WELL AS POWER BRAKING. AS THE VEHICLE TURNED A CORNER, IT LOST ACCELERATION (CAR SLOWED TO A STOP AS ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED) , AND TACHOMETER DECREASED TO ZERO. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD AS CAR SLOWED TO A STOP. TOTAL DISTANCE CAR TRAVELLED AT THIS POINT WAS ABOUT 75 FEET). PUT CAR IN PARK AND TURNED OFF ENGI…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11231630 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11246589 · 2019-08-26 (August 26, 2019)
ON A BRAND NEW 2019 HYUNDAI SANTA FE, THE ENGINE STALLED TWICE WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT LOW SPEEDS INTO/OUT OF A PARALLEL PARKING SPACE ON A VILLAGE STREET. I HAD TO RESTART THE ENGINE IN ORDER TO CONTINUE MANEUVERING THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS AS I COULD HAVE BEEN HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC.
Owner-reported narrative. 110 miles reported. Look up ODI 11246589 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11252807 · 2019-09-02 (September 2, 2019)
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 BOTH SAID NOTHING WRONG WITH CAR, THEY DID NOT FIND ANY CODE OR ISSUE. IT IS SO FRUSTRATING SOMETIMES. MY 12-YEAR-OLD PILOT HAS A BETTER RIDE AND PERFORMANCE THAN 2019 SANTA FE. THIS IS MY FIRST HYUNDAI CAR AND I PAID A LOT OF MONEY . I LIKED THE INTER…
Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11252807 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11269295 · 2019-10-18 (October 18, 2019)
I HAVE A BRAND NEW 2019 SANTA FE ULTIMATE 2.0T LEASED IN AUGUST WITH 1600 MILES AND I HAVE ALREADY HAD THE CAR IN TWICE WHERE THEY HAVE HAD TO RECALIBRATED THE TRANSMISSION. WHENEVER I WAS AT A STOP OR WAITING TO MAKE A TURN I WOULD PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THE RPMS WOULD GO UP BUT THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED A COUPLE OF TIMES BECAUSE THE CAR WOULDN'T GO INTO GEAR AND MOVE WITH THE GAS PEDAL PUSHED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND THEN ALL OF SUDDEN THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT INTO GEARS. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENIN…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11269295 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11142147 · 2018-10-23 (October 23, 2018)
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 TO THE VIBRATION. THEY BALANCED THE FRONT TIRES. I RETURNED HOME AND THE VIBRATION WAS STILL THERE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER 4 MORE TIMES WITH NO SOLUTION. I HAVE BEEN SUPPLIED WITH A RENTAL FOR A FEW DAYS AND WAS TOLD THE SUV WAS READ…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11142147 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11386654 · 2021-01-05 (January 5, 2021)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2019 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, A THICK, GRAYISH SMOKE ENTERED THE VEHICLE CABIN FROM THE REAR, PASSENGER SIDE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND REQUESTED ALL OCCUPANTS TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. AS THE CONTACT BEGAN TO CALL 911, AN OFFICER NEARBY CAME OVER TO ASSIST THE CONTACT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EVENTUALLY ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED AND BOTH A FIRE AND POLICE REPORTS WERE FILED. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT HAD THE V…
Owner-reported narrative. 41,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11386654 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11152076 · 2018-11-16 (November 16, 2018)
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 GOING DIE, VERY SLUGGISH AND DIDN'T WANT TO ACCELERATE. THE RPM WOULD NOT INCREASE. IT ALSO STARTED 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS IT LOST STEERING WHEEL POWER AND THE A/C STOPPED BLOWING COLD AIR. I HAD TO TURN IT OFF AND WAIT TO RESTART IT. IT IS CURRENTLY AT T…
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11152076 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11157338 · 2018-12-10 (December 10, 2018)
GAS TANK LEAK UPON DELIVERY. AFTER INSPECTING THE LEAK, TECHNICIANS WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE MANUFACTURER HAD ISSUED REPAIRS ON GAS TANKS THAT WERE TOO THIN AND AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WE PURCHASED WAS NOT PROPERLY REPAIRED AND LEAKED FUEL.
Owner-reported narrative. 367 miles reported. Look up ODI 11157338 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11654870 · 2025-04-15 (April 15, 2025)
One cylinder of the engine is misfiring. When I bought it used in 2021, I realized it had a problem. At red lights or stop signs, the car would randomly not accelerate when it was time for me to go. I would have to turn it off, then on; shift to park then drive; or mash hard on the gas for the car to recover. For example, it happened at these days and times in 2024 (I didn't write down every time since ownership began): 1/24/24 and the key icon lit up; 3/14/24 at 9:20 am; 4/20/24; 7/19/24; 8/7/24; 8/18/24; 8/21/24 at 10:40 am; 8/25/24; 8/27/24;…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11654870 at NHTSA ↗