Hyundai Santa Fe seat belt problems

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 Jun 21, 2026 · Seat belts · NE

The middle row left side seat belt does not buckle. We made sure everything is clear in it, it is not dirty. We have had issues with it clicking to lock since we purchased the car last March 2025. It does not work at all now.

Filed Apr 28, 2026 · Seat belts · AZ

The seatbelt buckles for the rear seats are limited to raising up beyond about a 45 degree angle. This makes safely and securly fastening a car seat that requires the seat belt essentially impossible. After the buckle is fastened and the seatbelt is somewhat tightened, the seatbelt starts to pull up at a sharp angle perpendicular to its guide through the buckle. Rather than being pulled through flat, as all seat belts are intended to work, the belt starts pulling through as if it were trying to cut through the side of the buckle. This causes the seat belt to bunch up and stop passing through the buckle. This happens before the belt can be tightened enough to secure the car seat in place. It also places a significant amount of sideways torque on the seatbelt buckle, which is not the angle that resistance should be applied. This is a design defect existing at least in all 2024+ santa fe calligraphy trims; it may be present in more trims though. The Santa Fe subreddit has reports of multiple other owners encountering the same issue.

Filed Apr 22, 2026 · Electrical, Suspension · KY

The vehicle intermittently fails to reverse properly, hesitates, jerks, and at times locks despite no obstruction present. This occurs during normal use and creates a serious safety concern, particularly when backing out of parking spaces or into traffic. In addition, the vehicle exhibits ongoing electrical issues, including intermittent warning lights, rearview camera distortion or failure, inconsistent system operation, intermittent inability to unlock using the key fob or door handle, and the vehicle fan or air system continuing to run for extended periods after the vehicle has been turned off. These issues occur without consistent warning and have not been resolved despite multiple service visits. The vehicle is also subject to an active safety recall (the federal safety agency Recall 26V218000, Manufacturer Recall 298) involving the front seatbelt anchor. The recall remains unrepaired, with no remedy currently available. I have personally experienced the seatbelt becoming stuck and not releasing properly, which presents an additional safety risk. The vehicle also experienced a battery failure. I was initially informed that the battery could not be replaced without cost; however, it was later replaced. Despite repeated concerns, the hybrid battery system was not tested or evaluated, and this remains an unresolved issue affecting vehicle reliability and safety. Additionally, the vehicle has experienced tire tread separation and peeling requiring replacement. This is not consistent with normal wear and may indicate alignment, suspension, or other underlying vehicle-related defects. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership multiple times; however, the issues were not reproduced and no corrective repairs were performed. These problems are intermittent and occur during regular day-to-day operation. Collectively, these unresolved issues present an ongoing safety risk to the driver and others.

Filed Apr 12, 2026 · Seats · NY

The 2nd-row seats in the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Calligraphy feature motorized recline and folding functions. My testing reveals a significant safety flaw: the motorized "Seat Slide Forward" and "Rear Cargo Fold Down" buttons do not appear to have functioning pinch sensors and do not automatically disable when a passenger or object is detected. Specific Incident: On [XXX], while my [XXX] son was entering the vehicle, the "rear access" button was accidentally triggered. The seat began folding and sliding with him in the path of travel; the motor did not sense his presence or stop automatically. Fortunately, he was not yet buckled and was able to jump out of the way before I manually reversed the action. Technical Findings: Based on further testing (see attached results), any car seat installation would be severely compromised if these buttons are pressed. While the vehicle's system is aware when a seat belt is buckled, it fails to use this logic to lockout the motorized folding functions. All motorized movement should be disabled for any seat where the buckle is engaged to prevent injury to occupants or the structural compromise of a child safety seat. This issue is similar in nature to the recent recall of the 2026 Palisade (the federal safety agency ID: 26V160000). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Apr 3, 2026 · Seats · 20,000 miles · MO · 1 injury

The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the button was pressed to fold the second row passenger seat while the [XXX] daughter was still seated. During the incident, the electronic folding seat began to fold down onto the daughter, causing extreme distress to the child and crushing her into the seat. The button was pressed, which stopped the seat from continuing to fold down, and the child was freed from the seat. No medical treatment was required. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who examined the seat and determined no failure had occurred. The contact was informed that although the incident was extremely dangerous, the electronic folding seat had operated as intended. The contact was informed that the seat belt needed to be buckled to avoid the problem in the future. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance had yet been offered. The contact indicated that a similar incident resulting in a fatality had occurred in the Hyundai Palisade vehicle. The failure mileage was 20,000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

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 Dec 18, 2025 · Brakes, Driver assistance · NY

There have been several times that I have been driving and either turning onto a 4-lane road (2 lanes going each way) or driving on the parkway, where my car has slammed on the brakes by itself. Not only was I not prepared for this to happen, but neither were the cars behind me. I tend to drive with at least 1.5 car-length space between myself and the car in front of me. Last week, I was making a right hand turn (going north) into the right lane from a residential street. The only other car near me was the one driving in the left lane (also going north). My car drove about 100 ft and maybe realized that there was a car next to me and just slammed on the brakes. I was suddenly thrown forward. My seat belt locked and I was thrown back into my seat. I had a bruise from my seat belt and came too close to slamming my head on my steering wheel. Thankfully, the car behind wasn't tailgating. About a month ago, I was driving on the parkway going east. I was originally in the right lane. I put on my blinker and when it was clear, I changed lanes to the middle lane. After I was clear and my blinker was off, my car started screaming to tell me that there was a car in my driver's blind spot (this happens EVERY time I switch lanes). I drove for maybe 1.5 - 2 miles and then suddenly, my car slammed on the brakes. Someone must be watching over me because the Escalade behind me (definitely tailgating) was somehow able to swerve into the left lane and then swerve around me to cut me off in revenge. They were screaming and honking at me, while I was screaming and yelling at my car. They could have easily have plowed into me (we were driving at least 60mph) and could have caused a horrible accident that could have killed myself or others around me. I have notified Hyundai of this issue and have read many similar complaints online. Hyundai claims they cannot "replicate the situation" and therefore, Hyundai Corp is unable to fix the problem.