10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
77,158 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2009 Hyundai Santa Fe engine problems

engine problem

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2009 Hyundai Santa Fe Owner Comments (Page 3 of 3)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #13

Apr 012014

Santa Fe

  • 80,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

We had a sudden loss of power while traveling on the interstate at 70 mph. Had to get over quickly as the traffic was heavy and the car had no power. The engine would not deliver any power, other than idle. Turned the car off and let it sit for about 15 seconds, then started the car and had power back for about 3 miles. Happened again and did the same for about ten miles until got home. Recently started to happen again, same codes come up each time. Took car to dealership and they told me that it was just glitches causing codes to come up and cause the ESC to go into safe mode. Since then I have seen the exact same codes and not a lot of codes, but codes that indicate an ignition/fuel/control module problem. This is not as bad as acceleration, but if pulling out in traffic or on an on ramp, could be deadly. Has now happened seven times. First date was April 2014, could not enter date in your form for some reason.

- Perry, OK, USA

problem #12

Apr 222015

Santa Fe

  • 112,833 miles
I was driving my white Hyundai Santa Fe limited, 3.3L, 6cyl SUV home from work at approximately 4:30 pm eastern standard time. I was driving on the expressway at 70 mph when the engine suddenly shuts down and I lose steering control and brakes, veering onto a narrow shoulder and into a slope that sent my SUV into a swamp ditch, submerging the SUV up past the floorboards. My insurance claim specialist notified me that the vehicle was a total loss, and paid a claim payout and settlement far less than the amount still owed on the vehicle. It is my opinion that a cyber-attack signal sent to the SUV's engine immobilizer switch, shut down the engine without warning, electronically. This can be accomplished from any hand held device, mobil phone, lap top computer, satellite feed, etc. All that is required is a VIN number, and any signal to the engine immobilizer switch can shut down the engine dangerously at highway speeds. This has happened at lower speeds of 20mph, where I would just turn the ignition key, the SUV would start the engine, and I would proceed. However, at highway speeds, I did not have this option.

- Port Richey, FL, USA

problem #11

Dec 032013

Santa Fe

  • 94,000 miles
Engine light came on and then fuel warning light came on even though I had a least 1/2 tank of gas. Filled up my gas tank, all lights were out. When I had approximately 1/2 tank again, the engine and fuel lights came on. I brought my car to my mechanic and was told the 2 fuel sensors need to be replaced at a cost of over $350. Upon online researching, I learned that there are many others who are experiencing the same problem. I feel that because this is happening to other Hyundai owners, it is a problem that Hyundai needs to repair at no cost to the owner of these vehicles. In my case, I need to be reimburse the cost of the repair.

- Langhorne, PA, USA

problem #10

Jul 272014

Santa Fe 6-cyl

  • 78,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Upon take off from signal light, at about 10-15 miles an hour, vehicle engine had a total loss of power. At the time we were only able to coast to the side of the road. Turned key off. Waited a few minutes and then restarted engine and vehicle started up as if nothing happened. This is the second incident with this vehicle in the past 2 years. Online research reveals similar problems with Hyundai vehicles along with no resolution from manufacturer.

- Sebring, FL, USA

problem #9

Jan 032014

Santa Fe 6-cyl

  • 65,231 miles
The vehicle looses all power. It also surges and stalls.

- Kingsland, TX, USA

problem #8

May 112014

Santa Fe 6-cyl

  • 59,600 miles
While driving on the interstate at approximately 70 mph, using cruise control, the car suddenly lost power. I stepped on the gas and it would not accelerate. I coasted to a stop and pulled onto the shoulder. The engine was running, transmission was in gear, but the car would not move. I turned off the ignition and let it sit for a few minutes. I restarted it, had power, everything seemed normal, except the engine light remained lit. I drove approximately 10 miles to my destination. The car sat for six hours and I was then able to drive the 65 miles home without incident. Repair results: My Hyundai dealer indicated the problem was caused by a 'throttle position sensor'. they replaced the electronic component and reset the error codes in the vehicle's computer.

- Mount Pleasant, WI, USA

problem #7

Jul 172013

Santa Fe 6-cyl

  • 49,400 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving approximately forty (40) miles per hour, in traffic, when the engine shut-off. I quickly turned the ignition to "off" and then back on. The engine started immediately. I am extremely concerned about being in an accident. This happened again, when I was driving through a parking lot. I quickly turned the ignition to "off" and then back on. The engine started immediately, on both occasions. I took my vehicle into planet Hyundai in las vegas, Nevada, on August 7, 2013. They could not identify the problem with their systems check and could not produce the same engine shut-off event, while operating the vehicle.

- Englewood, CO, USA

problem #6

Aug 172013

Santa Fe 6-cyl

  • 48,186 miles
When entering an up-ramp to a limited access highway at slow speed, less than 30 mph, and turning to the right, the engine suddenly died and power was lost to steering and brakes. We were able to pull off the road and restart, but were just lucky that this didn't happen on a curve at high speed or in heavy traffic. Took the car to the dealer the next day, and they were unable to repeat the problem.

- Dothan, AL, USA

problem #5

Jul 202013

Santa Fe 6-cyl

  • 54,000 miles
I was a passenger in the vehicle when it crashed into a fire hydrant doing approximately 40mph. The seatbelt failed to lock and the airbags failed to deploy. The car has major damage to the underbody, front-end, the inside of the vehicle dash, the motor mounts, engine and other damages are unknown at this time.

- Ft. Wayne, IN, USA

problem #4

Aug 012013

Santa Fe 6-cyl

  • 26,400 miles
While slowing down, applying brakes to exit the highway into the cloverleaf off ramp, steering became very difficult and I was forced to continue in the current direction off the road into the grass. Upon stopping noticed dash lights were on and the vehicle had stalled. I was very lucky that I was headed into a grassy area and not into a wall as I couldn't steer in any other direction from when I lost power. Hyundai found no error codes and couldn't replicate the problem. Please see the following links for pages of similar experiences with Hyundai Santa Fe: 15 pages of related issues - www.Hyundai-forums.com/187-cm-2007-2012-santa-fe/133580-2011-santa-fe-stall-while-driving-13.html another -

- Edina , MN, USA

problem #3

Feb 032013

Santa Fe

  • 30,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was on a return trip of 5 hours or so each way which I took at about 30,000 miles on the odometer, and noticed a very pronounced drop in power and acceleration capability quite suddenly. It was as if some wiring or hose had come loose under the hood. A few months later, when the problem had not changed at all in over 3000 miles of day-to-day driving, including a daily stint (to work) of maybe 12 miles each way on the freeway which entails accelerating up the on-ramp into the flow of traffic, I still could feel the difference in acceleration and response time while accelerating. When I took the Santa Fe in for a normal oil change, I reported to the dealer these symptoms, and asked to have it checked out. They changed the oil, and checked out the computer readouts for the vehicle, and said there were no problems detected by the computer at that time, but when this type of behavior on the vehicle occurred, it was most often due to the fuel filter being all clogged up, although that still might not be the problem. They quoted me a price of $270 to change the fuel filter, and after I asked if there was any coupon discount for this service ever thru their dealership, the service manager gave me a coupon book for a flat rate off depending upon how much was being paid for. (it amounted to maybe $25 off this service.) they did not have time that day to change it out, so I decided to check out both whether there had been any complaints, service reports, or recalls about this fuel filter, and that is what led me here to make this complaint about both the cost of this replacement and the poor prognosis of it solving the acceleration problem. I am going to check with a repair place I feel confident in about their cost to do this replacement. Hopefully, it will be much less.

- Sunland, CA, USA

problem #2

Oct 012012

Santa Fe

  • 7,800 miles
This incident occurred at night time. About 10 min from a cold start, I turned onto the 210 fwy. There was a 270 degree downhill turn (a steep curve) so I had the brakes on while doing 15 mph. Half way into the turn, I suddenly lost brake and steering wheel froze. With some effort, I managed to turn the steering and stop the car. The engine died without warning. Later I sent the car to dealership but they could not reproduce the event.

- Riverside, CA, USA

problem #1

Jun 012012

Santa Fe

  • 55,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled numerous times without warning while driving at various speeds. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times for the failure where a diagnostic was performed twice but the dealer was unable to generate a failure code. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 55,000 and the current mileage was 57,004.

- Mountainburg , AR, USA

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