2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid owners report a jump in transmission complaints

Filed Nov 5, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · 14,362 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly lost power and decelerated to 30 MPH. While in heavy traffic, the contact pulled over to the side of the road, waited for the battery to charge, and drove to the dealer at a slow speed. The dealer inspected the vehicle and associated the failure with low ethanol and heavy contaminants in the fuel. The fuel pump was replaced, and a fuel injector service was performed, but 30 days later the failure reoccurred. The high-pressure fuel pump and the high-pressure fuel pump sensor were replaced and repaired. The contact stated that several days after the repair, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was returned to the same dealer, and the contact was informed of a catalytic converter failure caused by the contaminated fuel. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure by phone. The failure mileage was approximately 14,362.

Filed Nov 6, 2026 · Driver assistance · MS

I only am entering Automatic Emergency Braking because I have no other section to select. While my wife was driving our 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid at a speed of approximately 55 mph the vehicle suddenly, without any type of warning, began slowing down to a speed of 20 mph. A message appeard on the display above the steering "20 mph limit". The vehicle decreased the speed from 55 mph to 20 mph in approximately 5 to 6 seconds. She could not accellerate above 20 mph regardless of how hard she tried. She had no control of the speed. Fortunately she was on a two lane highway with little or no traffic. She stopped the vehicle and put it into Park, waited and began travelling again. It would not go over 20 mph and the message remained on the screen. She managed to get home. When the vehicle was parked, turned off and then turned back on the message was no longer on the screen. I then drove it directly to Hyundai dealership to report the problem. I was told they could do nothing unless they were able to get the vehicle to repeat the issue. I had to leave it at the dealership. I have since read that Hyundai has a "Fail Safe" mode that causes the vehicle to do that if there is an issue with the engine, hybrid mode, transmission or emissions. This issue happens with ablolutely no warning. I just begins to stop. My major complaint is that this could occurr when I am traveling at 70 mph on a major Interstate hwy while in the left lane in high traffice and have no way of maintaining my speed long enough to get to the shoulder of the road. This could easily create a major catastrophe. Hyundai should address this issue ASAP before someone is killed because they have no control of the speed of the vehicle.

Filed Nov 8, 2026 · Electrical · OH

Vehicle is 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid. Component that failed was the electrical system, specifically, the 12 V battery drained leaving the vehicle's electrical systems completely dead. Happened on two occasions: first in XXX, and second in XXX. Vehicle had to be towed in both instances. Our safety was put at risk in that my wife and I, who are both senior citizens, were essentially stranded in dark parking garages at night and left to arrange towing services under very difficult circumstances. In both instances, the electrical system was examined by Hyundai service technicians. The first time I was without the vehicle for 11 days. The second time I was without the vehicle for 22 days. Both service calls identified and confirmed that an unknown power drain was the source of the problem, and in both instances replacing the 12V battery was "the solution". The dealerships that serviced the vehicle ran all diagnostics and could not pinpoint the source of power drain; neither could assure me that it would not happen again, more or less at random. There were no warning lamps, messages or other indications of the problem prior to failure and the dealerships that serviced the vehicle (one in [XXX] and one in [XXX]) indicated that if it were to happen again, there likely would be no advance notice in that instance, either. Result: I have no confidence that the vehicle will not leave me stranded in an unsafe location/condition far from home or a vehicle service facility. Vehicle is parked in a surface lot next to our apartment in [XXX] while I shop for a new (non-Hyundai hybrid) vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)