2023 Hyundai Santa Fe brakes problems

Filed Oct 27, 2026 · Brakes, Driver assistance · UT

I was at a stop light, when it turned green I accelerated and the car automatically implemented emergency braking. No one was in front of me. Thank goodness no one was behind me or they would’ve rear-ended me.

Filed Oct 26, 2026 · Brakes · NV

No crash, injury, warning lamp, message, or loss-of-braking event occurred. The issue involves the brake hydraulic system and the fluid specified for my 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy. Hyundai’s owner specification requires SAE J1704 DOT-4 LV / ISO 4925 Class 6 brake fluid. During a brake-fluid exchange, an authorized Hyundai dealer installed BG 84032, which BG identifies as conventional DOT 4. BG sells a separate product, BG 84132, identified as Low Viscosity DOT 4 meeting ISO 4925 Class 6. The original BG 84032 has since been correctly replaced by an independent repair facility and is not available for inspection. I have attached all materials I believe are relevant. Both BG product specifications are available from the BG website. My safety concern is that conventional DOT 4 does not meet the Class 6 low-temperature viscosity requirement specified for this model and other high-volume Hyundai models, which could affect ABS/ESC hydraulic response under low-temperature, icy, or snowy conditions. The Hyundai dealer’s repair order documents installation of BG 84032, consistent with the MOBIS part listing for the vehicle. An email exchange between the dealer and a Hyundai Motor Americas (HMA) parts advisor suggests a lack of understanding of the required fluid specification. HMA customer service twice confirmed to me the vehicle requires a 'DOT 4 LV' fluid. There appears to be conflicting Hyundai information: the owner specification requires DOT-4 LV/Class 6; the reservoir cap states only 'DOT 4' and Hyundai/MOBIS service information simply lists conventional DOT 4. In addition, a call to the Lithia Hyundai (Reno) parts department also resulted in a recommendation for conventional DOT 4, suggesting this may be systemic rather than an isolated dealer error. No police or insurance inspection occurred. I am asking the federal safety agency to determine the extent to which this represents a broader safety-related service-information issue.

Filed Sep 23, 2026 · Acceleration, Brakes · NC

While traveling on [XXX] from [XXX] to [XXX] XXX, I initiated the adaptive cruise control. While engaged, with no other vehicles or other impediments on the roadway in front of me, the emergency braking system engaged and attempted to stop the vehicle. The first time this happened, I pressed the accelerator which disengaged the braking action. Later I reengaged the cruise control and after a few minutes, with no traffic near the vehicle, the same action happened again. I disengaged the adaptive cruise control and drove the vehicle manually with no further problems. I have scheduled an examination of the vehicle with a Hyundai dealer but have read of 25-30 similar issues with no resolution by Hyundai. This is a safety issue that will eventually cause an accident and needs to be resolved. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 3, 2026 · Brakes, Driver assistance · MN

Collision warning sensor alarm randomly comes on my dash and my car slams on the breaks. Very dangerous, I’m scared to drive down the highway going 60mph. 80,109 miles 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe. I have not brought it in to a Hyundai dealership because they want a diagnosis fee and everything else. Hyundai should fix it. This alarm has happened several times than it will go away and come on like 3 times in a row, usually daily when I use the car

Filed Jul 3, 2026 · Brakes · NV

My dealership has reground the rotors on my car twice. Now with less than 40,000 mileson the car the brakes need ground again. The issue with the brakes is it causes the front end of the car to shake when the brakes are applied. This could lead to loss of control on down hill stops in slippery conditions.

Filed May 27, 2026 · Brakes, Driver assistance · TX

My vehicle activates the emergency braking system while driving. It has happened several times now, almost causing a collision. I took it to the dealership, they held it for a week and gave it back to me telling me they could not find anything wrong with it. They did not fix anything at all. It has since done it once more.

Filed Apr 18, 2026 · Brakes · AZ

The front rotors need machining every 10,000 to 15,000 miles. The rotors experience exceeding distortion due heating by the brake pads. When brakes are applied, there are large vibrations in the front suspension which inhibits braking. This is especially true when braking on wet pavement where stopping distances become unsafe.

Filed Nov 14, 2025 · Brakes, Driver assistance · TX

Component/System: Automatic Emergency Braking / Forward Collision-Avoidance (AEB/FCA) system and/or Electronic Parking Brake (EPB). The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. What happened: While driving my 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe (VIN: XXX) at highway speeds, the vehicle suddenly and aggressively applied the emergency braking system on two separate occasions within the same day (approximately 45–60 minutes apart). In both instances, the red emergency braking warning lights illuminated on the dashboard, and a warning sound activated. There were no vehicles, obstacles, or hazards in front of me either time. The braking was forceful and abrupt, causing rapid deceleration at highway speed. Both events occurred under normal, clear driving conditions. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) Safety risk: My safety and the safety of other drivers were put at significant risk. Sudden unintended braking at highway speeds can easily lead to a rear-end collision since the deceleration was not caused by driver input and gave no warning. Reproduction / dealer confirmation: The dealer has not been able to reproduce the issue, and no diagnostic trouble codes have been found so far. The vehicle is currently at the dealership for inspection. Inspection: The vehicle has been inspected by the Hyundai dealership, but the cause has not been identified. No manufacturer field engineer, police, or insurance inspection has taken place yet. Warning lamps / prior symptoms: During the failures, the red emergency braking indicator and audible warning activated immediately when the brakes engaged. There were no warning lights or symptoms prior to either event. Assessment: Cause UNKNOWN. The problem appears to be an intermittent malfunction of the Automatic Emergency Braking system, forward collision sensors, or related braking components. No diagnostic codes were stored. This is a serious safety issue that occurred twice within one hour and could easily result in a collision.

Filed Oct 31, 2025 · Brakes · AZ

The vehicle front brake disks are not compatible for this vehicle. The action of braking causes heating of the disks. The disks warp due to the heat. The result is when braking at highway speeds, the entire front end vibrates excessively. This is unsafe in wet or snowy conditions as this greatly decreases the braking efficiency. The first time this was observed the vehicle had 22,000 miles and the dealership machined the rotors. The second time it happened at vehicle mileage of 32,000. Once again the rotors were 'machined' by the dealership. The action of braking at highway speeds and the resulting front end vibrations is a troublesome event. If this occurs a third time, I will try to find and install non-Hyundai disks.

Filed Sep 2, 2025 · Brakes, Driver assistance · TN

I was travelling at 50mph a car pulled in front of me and stopped unexpetedly. I braked hard. My car began to slow, but the brake pedal went to the floor and did not slow, AFter a few seconds, the brake pedal came up from the floor and braking was resumed. I held the pedal to the floor the whole time trying to stop. It was as though the braking system failed and recovered. There was no pulsing felt on the brake pedal typical of ABS working. After my car resumed braking thte collision avoidance system took over and the car stopped just inches from the stopped car in front of me. I had just taken the car in for dealer service at 24,200 and everything was supposedly checked out as required by maintenance. I have contacted Hyundai but have not gotten a response yet.