2023 Hyundai Santa Fe: adaptive cruise control problems

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 May 11, 2026 · Driver assistance · GA

While driving on the interstate, while using cruise control, my vehicle braked and decelerated, uncontrollably. The collision alert alarm went off. I forced the vehicle to accelerate and it stopped the braking and the collision alarm ceased. I took the car to the dealer and they spend the day checking it over. They said they couldn’t get the same reaction I reported, but reset the cruise control. On my way back home on, again on the interstate, and with the cruise control activated, it again had the same failures. I called the dealer and told them. They asked if I had recently mounted any new equipment on the windshield. I said I had Velcro attached and EZPASS toll reader. They asked me to remove it, because might be interfering with the cruise sensor. After I removed it, and while continuing on the interstate, with cruise activated, it again repeated the same failures. The dealer arranged to have my vehicle towed to their shop.

Filed Apr 27, 2026 · Driver assistance · NY

It is not just this vehicle; it is ALL vehicles with adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking. When sensors get snow or debris on them, they shut the vehicles down without warning. I have had 3 times this winter when the roads were fine, cruise control set, and because another vehicle was kicking up road salt, the vehicle instantly shut off the cruise control without any warning to the driver, all 3 times I had traffic behind me at 55mph or on the highway at 70mph. The emergency braking is another issue, as it will bring the vehicle to almost a stop, and does not take into account if there are other vehicles behind it or not! How more people have not been killed because of these 2 systems is beyond me! BOTH of these systems and the vehicle they are on NEED to be recalled and either sensors removed or workarounds implemented, that at least give the driver some advanced notice before the cruise control is turned off or before a vehicle decides to hard-brake itself!

Filed Oct 31, 2025 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · AZ

The vehicle's software was updated on Oct 21, 2025. The software has serious flaw. When driving on slight incline on the passing lane the vehicle will apply the brakes without warning. This has happened 3 times. At times, when vehicles were following me they also had to apply the brakes unexpectedly. Had they not applied their brakes, they would have rear ended me at highway speeds. I also recall that there were no vehicles either in front or to the right ahead of me when it occurred. Also there was a guardrail on the left side of the highway at the time. This did not occur with the previous installed software. Every time this happened, the vehicle was in cruise control and driver assist was ON to keep vehicle in the lane.

Filed Mar 20, 2025 · Airbags, Driver assistance · TN · crash · 1 injury

I had adaptive cruise control on and debris hit my windshield and I went into the rumble strip and eventually into the guard rail where the car essentially pingponged from there until it eventually stopped when the metal hit the front. It appears the emergency brake did not activate and the lane keep did not activate. My air bags did not deploy.

Filed Sep 20, 2024 · Driver assistance · CO

The forward collision warning system engages and slows the car, often very abruptly, when on the highway and only when cruise control is on. It happens after we have been on the highway for a few hours, thus the dealer cannot reproduce the incident. It happens a few times on every road trip and is very disturbing when there are no other vehicles or obstacles in the road or nearby. We have reported this to the dealer several times and they can find nothing wrong. I provided a photo to the dealer of the dashboard showing the cruise control on, the forward collision system DISENGAGED, and the forward collision warning activated. Dealer states they have recalibrated the system but can replace no parts unless a part is found to be faulty. The latest suggestion yesterday from the dealer was to "get out" of the car before the issue gets worse.

Filed Feb 29, 2024 · Engine · 140 miles · MD

The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving on three occasions, at approximately 60 MPH, the cruise control was engaged, and the contact attempted to accelerate using the toggle and the vehicle accelerated to over 110 MPH. The brake pedal was depressed, and the cruise control was deactivated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140.

Filed Sep 22, 2023 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · WI

Occasionally the cruise control when accelerating will exceed the set speed and continue to climb and I will be going 20 miles faster than the set speed and climbing. The only way to sop this is to turn cruise off, slow down and restart. My thought is it happens after I have disengaged the cruise and then when safe reengage which is done by pressing the switch straight down. In my previous vehicles I would push the control up. I may be doing this by accident and giving the system an unknown command. Whatever I am doing to create tis situation is too easy to do and creates a safety issue. this has happened multiple times.

Filed Aug 16, 2023 · Driver assistance · NY

The front collision warning/assistance system on this vehicle does not appear to be working. The dealer claims that it is working. It seems that the protocol for testing for proper function is flawed and no one is tacking ownership of this issue. They are saying that in order to test the system a near collision must be imminent and to simulate this puts the technician at risk of injury (understandable); Nevertheless, I have been in situations where I should have at least received a warning and there was none. On a test drive by the service manager with me in the vehicle the front collision assistance was verified on and active. The cruise control function was tested and worked to adjust the speed of the vehicle appropriately which tells me that assistance is available. It appears that the either the collision sensor is not recognizing collision danger or the danger message is not getting to the warning trigger and possibly the assistance trigger. This situation should be reported to the appropriate department a Hyundai for review.

Filed Jul 6, 2023 · Brakes, Driver assistance · VA

Over the last Tom th, I have encountered some pretty scary issues with my brand new Santa Fe purchased in April. Last week, while driving, after I turned on adaptive cruise control, the system alerted me that “smart crusade control conditions weren’t met” and kept trying to engage the front left brake — this occurred three days in a row. After turning off the smart cruise control and entering residential roads, the front left brake tried to engage in a manner that seemed consistent with ABS issue. I brought car in two days later to Dublin Hyundai and they said they couldn’t find anything wrong with it. I picked the car up yesterday morning and then last night while driving on the highway, it alerted me that I need to “check highway drive assist system” and a warning light came up. After about 5 minutes, the car jerked me incredibly hard to the left on the freeway and then athe light turned off. Then two days ago, I was driving my car on the highway the car randomly said “emergency braking system activated” twice, while going 70 on the freeway in the middle of nowhere. This was while driving safely and no cars nearby either time. I looked online and it appears this is a problem that’s occurred in many Santa Fe’s, so there is clearly an issue with manufacturing (which I’m assuming is the same case as the previous issues I’ve run into).

Filed Jun 2, 2023 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · AZ

Driving on highway with cruise control selected to 80 mph. Left signal is applied to travel to left lane to pass a semi trailer. When the vehicle is half way into the left lane, the automatic system applies hard braking even though the semi trailer has not been detected as too close. Vehicle slowed to 74 to 75 mph before cruise control was turned off. Vehicle behavior is a total surprise to vehicles following since the braking is unexpected on a clear road. Repeated the symptoms several times. This braking does not occur if the vehicle ahead in the right hand lane is an automobile. This only occurs if it is a large vehicle such as a semi. Moving quickly or slowly to the passing lane affects the total time the braking is applied. The slower the movement, the longer the braking is applied. Repeated this behavior at 75 mph and 70 mph with similar results.

Filed Dec 23, 2022 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · WA

I purchased this SUV new and noticed an issue with the automatic intermittent wipers. The dealership has replaced the windshield sensor and issue is now unreliable at best. Service department told me to simply wipe the sensor off or pour water onto the sensor to get the wipers to work. That seems to work for about 3 wipes and then stops again. Also, the driver seat changes position by itself while driving, and the advanced cruise control failed to provide any braking and almost caused me to rear end a stopped car in freeway traffic. Additionally the advanced braking system does not work at all... I had the salesman check the settings and they are turned on, but do not provide any braking function. The alert system does provide a warning if a car turns a corner in front of me, but fails to take any action.