8.3

pretty bad
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
4,000 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.

2016 Hyundai Santa Fe engine problems

engine problem

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2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Owner Comments

problem #4

Mar 092024

Santa Fe

  • miles

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

My car started accelerating on its own, out of nowhere. There were no prior indications. No prior damage. It began accelerating on its own. After shutting the vehicle off and turning it back on, the issue has persisted. Anytime it is in drive or reverse, it accelerates at an extreme rate. It also disabled the brake, when the acceleration began.

- Salem, IN, USA

problem #3

Dec 152023

Santa Fe

  • miles
I am not sure what is wrong with my Hyundai Santa Fe 2016 because it is at the dealer at this moment waiting for a diagnostic test. I started the vehicle and heard a revving-up noise. I went to the doctor and on my way back to the house I accelerated and heard a rattling sound and the oil light, the check engine light, and the battery light all came on. The car slowed down and when I tried to accelerate again there was no acceleration power. I drove the car as far as I could go, then it stopped in the middle of a road. Thank God I was in my subdivision. I had to ask a UPS truck driver to push it to the curb. It was towed to the dealer 12/26/2023. That was the earliest appointment because it was the Christmas Holiday weekend. this is my only form of transportation. I am so glad I was not on a main street. UNKNOWN because I am waiting for the diagnostic test results. I am requesting a manufacturer's warranty because I am under 100,000 miles. I did file a claim with my insurance but haven't heard from them as yet.

- Dacula, GA, USA

problem #2

May 162023

Santa Fe

  • miles
I was driving my 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe to my morning job, & noticed a slight trembling of the vehicle initially. Upon approaching a stop sign at a 2 way stop, I noticed that my brakes were not fully engaging so I pumped them a couple times. Immediately my car started accelerating on its own faster and faster until my brakes were not stopping the car at all even with my foot pushing the brake pedal down as far as possible. My foot wasn-??t on the accelerator at all. I noticed a pickup truck about to cross the intersection for which I needed to stop. Because I had no control over the car to get it to stop, I slammed the car into park, & it finally stopped just before my car crossed through the intersection. If I had not done that I would-??ve been hit directly on my drivers side door by a truck going at least 55 mph. The car revved really high for several seconds after putting the car in park. I drove 10 mph to my work destination, & experienced exactly the same symptoms when I was pulling into my parking spot. As soon as I started braking to come to a stop to park, the car immediately started to accelerate again beyond my control & the ability to engage my brakes, even with my brakes pushed down as far as they would go. Again I slammed the car into park, otherwise my car would-??ve run through the side of a barn & a horse stall with a horse and the barn owner inside. I checked to make sure nothing was impeding the movement of my accelerator and braking pedals, and nothing was. No warning lights came on at any time. I am very concerned as I am reading multiple reports of almost identical incidents for other Hyundai Santa Fe owners of a variety of years, & because this issue can-??t be reproduced, there is no recall, and no code comes up, owners are not being given a solution or any type of support by Hyundai dealers or the manufacturer itself. I absolutely do not feel safe driving my car for my own safety & the safety of those on the road with me. I was almost killed today.

- Wayland, MI, USA

problem #1

Jan 072017

Santa Fe

  • 16,000 miles
Wife stopped at stop sign, car would not respond to accelerator pedal, 1 block from home was able to idle car into drive way. I got into car to see what was going on found same problem. I shut car off and restarted and accelerator started working, pulled into garage and called Hyundai to get towed to dealer car not safe to drive.

- Marine, IL, USA

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