2024 Hyundai Santa Fe: seat belt won't latch or retract

Filed Sep 23, 2026 · Seat belts · TX

I got recall notice, called and scheduled appointment for July 10. I brought my car in and told them I was having issues with the seatbelt sticking sometimes. When I went to pick it up, they said the part had been ordered and would be in a few days. I never heard from them and contacted them to check on 7/21, 7/27, 8/5, 8/20, 8/28, and today. They have never reached out to me once. Today my seatbelt got stuck and I couldn’t get out of my car. I have been patient and I need the seatbelt fixed before something happens and I can’t get out or my children can’t get out.

Filed Mar 17, 2026 · Seats · CA

A child was exiting the vehicle from the second row driver-side seat, and the seat fold-up button (on the shoulder of the seat) was accidentally tapped. The seat began to tilt forward to collapse, squeezing a toddler in a rear facing child seat between the seat and the back of the front driver seat. Thankfully, the child seat bore the brunt of the pressure, but the incident clearly demonstrated an absence of sensors or logic to disallow the button to function when a child seat (using latch) is installed. We then tested the passenger seat in the second row and found that, even if a seat occupant is present, if the seatbelt is not buckled, the button WILL continue to operate and crush the passenger. That is to say the collapse function of the seat is uninhibited by the weight or resistance of a seated passenger. This is especially alarming given our elementary age children enter and exit the car on their own with little assistance requested from us.

Filed Mar 17, 2026 · TN

Rear bucket seat crushes occupant of seat belt is not buckled. Rear facing car seat is crushed posing huge risk to baby

Filed Mar 17, 2026 · Seat belts, Seats · CO

This is related to the recent issue with a '26 Palisade Calligraphy and the stop sale due to the 2nd row seat killing a [XXX] . I just went out and tried this on my ’24 Santa Fe Calligraphy with the 2nd row captains chairs and the electric button on the top of the seat. First off, if the seatbelt is secured, the button is disabled. Our rear facing car seat is a Britax click tight which uses the seatbelt to secure it. If the seatbelt is not secured, the button works. I sat in the seat (adult male), reached back and pushed button, and the seat started to compress me while sitting in it. Once I started to resist, the seat stopped, but it did not back off. I had to use more pressure than expected. I had to reach back and push the button again to get out. I did the same test again this time using my arm and I had to put moderate pressure to get the seat to stop. More pressure than I expected was required. I don’t know many details on the tragic death of the [XXX] old but I believe they were in a rear facing car seat that was not using the seat belt and instead using the latch connectors to secure it to the seat. This means the button in the Palisade was operable (assuming it’s like the Santa Fe) and I can totally see the seat back coming down onto the rear facing toddler. Whatever fix Hyundai does for the Palisade needs to be done on the Santa Fe as well as it is dangerous for small kids with how it works currently. There has to be a way to detect pressure on the seat and render the button inoperable just like when the seatbelt is secured. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 11, 2025 · Brakes, Driver assistance · PR · crash

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): [XXX] Make: Hyundai Model: Santa Fe Year: 2024 Description of the issue: •Component or system that failed: The vehicle’s brake system, including the emergency braking system, failed to slow or stop the vehicle at low speeds. The problem is available for inspection upon request. •Safety risk: This failure endangered my safety and others. While driving slowly in traffic, I fully pressed the brake pedal, and the emergency braking system activated, but the vehicle did not slow or stop, causing a minor collision with another vehicle. •Reproduction or confirmation: Prior to the incident, on two separate occasions, I noticed the brake pedal felt loose or like it “released” at low speeds, forcing me to press harder for the vehicle to slow. These issues were not previously inspected or documented. I was planning to have the brake issue inspected along with a current recall and other concerns, including a stiff seatbelt buckle and a door that was difficult to open, as soon as I had the chance. I have not received any formal recall notice by mail or email. I learned about the recall during routine maintenance at the dealership. •Inspections: The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer but I plan to take it to an authorized Hyundai dealership asap for inspection. The accident has not been reported to the police or insurance yet but it will be first thing tomorrow. •Warning lamps or symptoms: No warning lights appeared, but there unusual brake behavior was noted on two occasions about two weeks before the crash. Thought this time was significantly worse, and by worse this I mean the vehicle didn’t brake. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)