While backing out of a parking space the car slowed down and then stopped on its own, I pressed the gas and nothing happened, I then shifted to forward and the transmission slammed into gear violently, but appeared to function normally. I did notice afterward that the "eco" indicator did not work while driving at any speed. I later stopped and restarted the engine and it appeared to function normally and the "eco" light came back on. I previously have had problems with sudden acceleration when stopped and the dealer has not found any problems or made any repairs.
2012 Hyundai Santa Fe transmission complaints
Page 2 of 2: complaints 11 to 24 of 24, newest first, as owners wrote them.
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 few months after same thing. This time the battery was changed. Again it happened. This past 2 weeks it has been occurring more often. Took it in and was told they upgraded the system. Exactly 5 days after while making a right turn on a one-way street, the power went off. I barely avoided an accident. By sheer force I was able to avoid running right into another vehicle which was park by steering the car into the opposite direction. What was most upsetting there was a child in the car with me. This is a lease vehicle and I can't get out of the contract.
Our 2012 hyundai sante fe has suddenly lost power on three occasions. The first two times we were driving at highway speeds, lost power and managed to get to the side of the road without being hit from behind. The dealer initially did an ECM upgrade and after the second incident replaced the throttle body assembly. A year later (march 2014) the same thing happened while driving about 15 MPH. Unlike the previous episodes, there was no code and the dealership couldn't replicate the problem. They told me to take the car but I refused because it was such a safety problem. After two weeks with the car they replaced the throttle body assembly again. I am concerned that this is going to happen again and tried to work with the dealer to replace the car but without luck. I've seen on the internet that this problem is common with this particular car and can't understand why there isn't a recall. Many people experienced the same scenario as I did and also believe the next time they could be killed.
The vehicle shut itself off when driving locally and on high way. The dealership could not even make a diagnosis. Hyundai headquarters refused to investigate it.
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 2/22/14 it happened again as we were driving down a hill coming to a stop! Fortunately the brakes still worked but again it just turned off with no warning... Both times there was sufficient gas in the vehicle and it started right back up. It is going to the shop this week, but I really feel like I got a lemon of a vehicle! I owned 3 other hyundais previously and never any problem and now it is constant!!! I don't want this vehicle as I do not feel safe in it at all but the dealership says that there's no way to get out of this lease!
I was on a freeway on ramp that goes downhill and involves a curve to the right. About halfway down the on ramp my engine stalled. I had to turn my wheel as far right as I could to avoid going off embankment and could not accelerate to try to move away from the edge of the embankment or attain a safe speed to merge onto freeway. My oil light and malfunction light both came on. I was able to get to the side of the road and turn car off. When I turned it back on all indicator lights were off and car drove fine. I was informed by dealership there has been a recent software fix for this that has to do with the throttle.
Car has stalled while driving three times, all at low speeds. 3/4 tank of gas, no less. Car also won't start at times unless you move shift lever. Car is under warranty and dealer keeps saying nothing wrong. Not starting is very minor. Car stalling in traffic is a major safety issue.
2012 hyundai santa fe had complete power loss on interstate while moving at 65mph in the left most lane. Engine shuttered, check engine light came on and engine power went to idle RPM. There was no throttle responce and steering became heavy. Managed to cross two lanes and get the vehicle to the shoulder. Shut vehicle off and restarted it. Check engine light stayed on and engine appeared to function normally. Accelerated from shoulder into traffic. Drove for 1/4 mile and incident again repeated itself as described above. Fearing for my safety, I parked the vehicle and had it towed to dealer whom I purchased vehicle from. I called (on 5-2-13) the dealer and told them what was happening. The next morning (5-3-12) I called them at 9am to find status of repair. They stated it was already repaired. They stated it is related to the trottle position sensor. They stated they were well aware of the problem. They stated they were having many of the same issues with this type of vehilce. They stated there was a tsb on the problem. Does someone have to be injured or killed before a manufacture has the obligation to correct a known problem that repeats itself? Look at all the other reports and complaints! I have a wife and 2 children that ride in this vehicle. What now?
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 hyundai santa fe. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle lost acceleration power and did not accelerate over 30 MPH. The engine had to be shut off for the vehicle to regain acceleration. The dealer replaced the throttle body and the computer system was updated. Less than two weeks later, the failure recurred. The vehicle was returned to the dealer and the throttle body was again replaced and the contact was awaiting the results of more testing. The manufacturer was notified and advised her to take the vehicle to a different dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure was 9,805 according to the invoice, the check engine light illuminated several times, and each time the vehicle was taken to the dealer. Updated 02/27/13
As I was driving vehicle lost all power on a highway very dangerous situation. Again this has happened a second time now with 17000 miles. Dealership said computer update the first time now throttle body I don't think there is an answer very dangerous.
In stop and go traffic, I took my foot off the brake to coast towards the car in front of me. This pattern had been going on for several miles. I was not touching the accelerator and in fact, my foot was not on the brake either, and the car suddenly accelerated full throttle. I had just a couple of seconds to try to avoid hitting the vehicle in front of me. I swerved to the right, towards the shoulder, but I hit the truck in front of me. I was braking the entire time, but it was not enough to stop the sudden unintended acceleration. My left bumper hit his truck on the right hand side of his bumper. My radiator was damaged and leaked all the fluid out onto the highway. The car was not drivable because of the radiator.
The car was parked on a sloping driveway. The keys were removed from the ignition and the car was shifted to park. A 2 year old child alone in the car managed to shift from park to neutral without the key being in the ignition or applying any brake pressure. The car then rolled down the driveway and into traffic. By sheer luck and adrenaline, I managed to run after the car, get the door open, dive in, and stop the car by depressing the brake pedal with my hand before an accident occurred. After this event, I was able to reproduce the shift-from-park-to-neutral-without-key-or-brake behavior 100% of the time. This is extremely dangerous.... My kid could have been hurt or worse. This car should be recalled.
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 bakery window. I called the dealership and arranged for them to tow it to their mechanics department.
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.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history