Complaint volume
188 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Complaints
188 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe, grouped by component category.
188 Total complaints
13 Crash reports
7 Fire reports
12 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are engine, unknown or other, visibility. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 13 crash reports, 7 fire reports, 12 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 41 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 26,122 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to engine, unknown or other, visibility?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2020 Hyundai Santa Fe
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe complaints?
13 Crash
7 Fire
12 Injury
0 Fatality
13 Towed
10 Medical attention
What are the most common 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe complaint categories?
ENGINE 41
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 23
VISIBILITY 10
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 9
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 8
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 7
POWER TRAIN 7
AIR BAGS 5
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4
STRUCTURE 4
188 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | ENGINE | On [XXX}, my 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL 2.0T (VIN: [XXX] ) experienced sudden complete engine failure accompanied by a strong burning smell. The vehicle would not start or turn over, stranding me and creating a safety hazard. The burning smell indicated potential fire risk. This appears to be related to the known Theta II engine defect that has caused multiple recalls and engine fires in Hyundai vehicles. Despite dealer confirmation that the engine was clean and well-maintained with no customer fault, Hyundai has denied warranty coverage. The sudden failure pattern with burning odor represents a serious safety defect that could endanger drivers and passengers. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I am writing to formally express my serious concerns regarding an ongoing safety issue with a certified used vehicle I purchased from McDonough Hyundai, [XXX] , in December 2024 and the dealership’s repeated failure to resolve the issue, even after a car accident occurred due to this malfunction. Two months after purchase, I discovered that my horn did not work when I attempted to use it. I brought the vehicle back for service and was told the issue had been resolved. However, the horn continued to malfunction. I have returned to the dealership approximately five times with the same complaint. Each time, I was told the horn works, yet it continues to fail intermittently. In June 2025, I was involved in a car accident and was unable to alert the other driver because the horn did not work. Despite the severity of the situation, no one at the dealership has taken appropriate action to identify or correct the issue. During my most recent visit, Service Manager [XXX] witnessed firsthand that the horn did not work. His technician pressed it once, and because it worked in that moment, the vehicle was returned to me without further inspection. This intermittent failure has still not been addressed. I have time-stamped video evidence showing the horn failing just two days after the last service visit. A non-working horn is a major safety hazard. The repeated dismissal of this issue is unacceptable. I expected better from a pre certified used vehicle. I would be happy to provide any information needed to resolve this issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Medical attention | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Maintenance has been maintained on this SUV. SUV has about 20,000 miles. While at a complete stop at stop light, the SUV jerked a few times and when attempting to drive the accelerator pedal the SUV would not respond. I then put in park then back in drive slow acceleration, was able to pull over. After turning SUV off and waiting a few minutes , turned SUV back on engine light is on. Home is 10min. away, engine light is on and acceleration sucks. By time I park the engine light is off. Wait 2 hrs. drive around the block no light acceleration is off. Dealership is not helpful no engine lights can 0914not tell what is wrong with SUV. Its has been a week no engine light but acceleration still fill off. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | ENGINE | The vehicle has been taken in for routine oil changes and other routine maintenance since purchasing in January 2024. On 9/4/2025, just before arriving home from work, the oil light came on. I checked the dipstick and it was dry. There was no oil in the engine. The last oil change was ~3600 miles ago (regular intervals of 5,000 with synthetic oil). I added two quarts of oil before driving anywhere. On 9/5/2025, I took the vehicle into a shop to have the oil topped off and asked if there were any obvious signs of a leak. The mechanic noted there were no signs of a leak, but added that Hyundai had a lawsuit about the Theta II engine consuming an excessive amount of oil and to look into it. Upon looking into the lawsuit, it came to my attention that my vehicle has this engine and this is a likely culprit to the problem. This report was advised to work toward a resolution to the issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | There is a problem with the car's headlights. They are having to be replaced every couple months. I have taken it to the dealership and they told me it would be several hundreds of dollars to diagnose, but cannot tell me anything upon inspection other than needs replacement. We are having to purchase new bulbs every 2-3 months. One side goes out, then the other. We are being careful when replacing them, not to handle them with our fingers and using the bulb lubricant as advised per the parts store. I have receipts for multiple headlamp purchases. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | ENGINE | I AM HAVING TO GET AN OIL CHANGE EVERY MONTH FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS. MY ENGINE LIGHTS COMES ON EVERY NOW AND THEN, AND MY OIL LIGHTS COMES ON EVERY MONTH. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE 2020 HYUNDAI SANTA FE'S AND THE COMPLAINTS ARE BEING IGNORED. I HAVE NEVER MISSED MAINTENACE ON MY CAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2020 BRAND NEW. EVEN THE PLACES I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO GET MY OIL CHANGES SAID THEY HAVE HEARD OF THE SAME ISSUES WITH OTHERS THAT HAVE THE SAME YEAR AND MAKE OF CAR. I SPENDS AT LEAST 45-55 DOLLARS A MONTH JUST FOR OIL CHANGES AND SOMETIMES 16.00 IN BETWEEN THE CHANGES BECAUSE THE LIGHT WILL COME ON BEFORE IT'S TIME FOR THE MONTHLY CHANGE. PLEASE HELP!!! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | *Problem Parts:I only could check 1 box- should be Brakes and Steering too *ADAS: Lane Keeping Assistance too Over the course of two days, my 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe experienced a serious electrical and safety system failure. It started with the blind spot monitoring lights flickering in the side mirrors and warnings for Forward Collision Avoidance (disabled), ABS, Electronic Stability Control, Downhill Brake Control, Parking Brake & Brake Fluid (blinking red). The rearview camera failed and the screen remained on the radio display when in reverse. The Lane Keeping Assist Indicator shifted from white/green to orange. The next morning, I had trouble opening the vehicle with the key fob. Auto Hold, Master Warning, Forward Collision, ESC, and Downhill Brake Control lights were now steadily on. The MPH numbers on the dash were blurred, and a message appeared saying “Put in P” even though the vehicle was already parked. The accessories light came on, but the engine would not start. Interior lights continued to work. I had to manually open the car and start it by pressing the fob to the button. While trying to exit a parking garage (where a tow truck couldn’t reach me), more warnings appeared: AWD, Low Tire Pressure, Malfunction Indicator (not engine), and Power Steering. I felt tightness in the wheel and had to pull over. The temp and gas gauges dropped to zero along with the RPMs. I have a newer car battery and recently replaced fob batteries, so this was not a simple battery failure. I’ve reported the issue to Hyundai Consumer Affairs. No recall appears under my VIN, despite similar failures being widely reported in this model. I’m a single parent who typically drives with two young children, including one with serious medical needs. I rely heavily on this vehicle for medical travel. The vehicle has since been towed to a Hyundai dealership for diagnostics. This is a serious safety concern and could have led to a loss of control or failure in an emergency situation | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | ENGINE | First noticed during the last 3 months that the car seemed under powered during acceleration. Then had 2 incidents where the engine shut off when stopped at intersection to turn. Then on [XXX] I noticed while driving, the oil warning light flashed but did not remain on. Then again it flashed 1 time and did not remain lit. Upon checking the oil I found it to be 3 1/2 quarts low. Oil had been changed at the dealership at 90000 miles and the mileage that day was 93340 miles. No leaks under the car where I park at home or work. Have had all our regular oil changes at the dealership every 5000 miles. No prior oil consumption noted. We have contacted the dealership. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | SEAT BELTS | Nothing just have a question for me and my friends that all own newer Hyundai SUV’s that seem to be having similar seatbelt issues | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | Vehicle killed the battery even with new alternator and new battery. Dealership does not know why and it died while at the shop. Vehicle has extremely high oil consumption and light comes on every once in a while. Vehicle started shaking and took to two dealership. Vehicle was diagnosed with a burnt valve in cylinder one. Dealer stated they have not heard of this problem. Called Hyundai representative corporate and was told they never had this problem before and have not heard of it. Out of warranty and was informed I would have to pay for it even though it is common in these vehicles. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I have a Hyundai Santa Fe 2020 had it only a year my sunroof is a panoramic and it busted out of nowhere. Nothing hit it just shattered on its own when I was going down the road. I know nothing hit it because nobody was on the road near me and I looked around and saw nothing. I was told to report it here so that’s what I’m doing. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | VISIBILITY | The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that occasionally while driving at various speeds in hot climate, the air conditioning failed to blow cold air. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer however, the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic for a second opinion, where it was diagnosed with an evaporator temperature sensor failure. The contact was informed that the evaporator temperature sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 21-HA-001H; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 29,000 |
| Jun 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | June 2020 I purchased the car brand new 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe SE 2.5L from dealership, after the first year I started having issues with my display monitor just shutting off and my car going idle at red lights or when I’m sitting in traffic. I’ve never been in an accident and I’m not a reckless driver to my standards besides occasional potholes, the car going idle happened 3 times before I reached out to a dealership asking questions only for them to tell me, “it sounds like I’m using the start-Stop feature too much and it’s not recommended to be used often”. So I stopped using it completely. Fast forward throughout the years, it still happened about 5-10 times a year for the past few years, I’ve learned to hurry up and put it in park, give it gas, then put it in drive. Fast forward 2025, Feb I was passed due for an oil change about 300-500 miles the the oil light came on and when I check it myself the oil tank was completely empty, I assumed it was normal since I was passed due for an oil change, and a family friend told me that wasn’t normal, I follow the recommended oil change interval on my warranty paperwork 7,500 even set my car to it, after the oil change my car was fine. I took it in at 130,284 miles, fast forward June 2025, I start my car a morning for work & it’s at 135,658 miles, the oil light comes back on and I notice it’s completely empty again. 2nd time it’s happened this year, and two family friends that are licensed mechanics tell me that’s not normal especially if I’ve gotten an oil change this year & it’s seems like the engine is burning oil too quick. I took it in to get another oil change, tell them about the issue of it being empty when I’ve been this year and it doesn’t seem right, the dealership & a local quick oil change place tells me it’s due to me not bringing it in for regular maintenance. There are no lights on on my dashboard, and when I called the dealership to ask about using the lifetime powertrain warranty I have, I have to pay. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | A few days ago, while driving on one of Chicago’s busiest expressways, my Hyundai 2020 Santa Fe with only 56,000 miles and a complete record of up-to-date maintenance, suddenly started smoking, smoke coming from under the front hood then caught fire without any warning. The fire consumed the entire front end of the vehicle from underneath the car to the top hood of car, to make matters worse, my seatbelt temporarily locked up during those critical moments, compounding the terror of the situation, potential risk to my life and property. I am incredibly grateful that I was able to escape unharmed, but I remain visibly shaken and traumatized by the experience. As you can imagine, this unexpected event has profoundly affected my peace of mind and trust in the safety of Hyundai vehicles. It is extremely concerning that a modern car, properly maintained according to its manufacturer's recommendations, could catch fire during regular operation, no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of any problems prior to the incident. I have always valued Hyundai’s engineering and safety standards, which is why I find this incident especially alarming. I am uncertain to what component failed the fire department stated it could have been either the brakes or electrical. As of writing this no official inspection to determine cause has been conducted however, I have reported the fire and filed an insurance claim and asked If they are able to determine how this happened to provide me with this information. | Crash: No Fire: Yes | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Driving vehicle at highway speed, engine RPMs dropped to less than 1500, could not maintain any speed, CEL illuminated. As soon as vehicle was pull to side of road, it would no longer run. It would start, idle roughly then stall out. Vehicle was towed to Mountain Hyundai in Denver. High pressure fuel pump failed, fuel pump in one cylinder failed, fuel was dumped into oil fouling all spark plugs. This is the second high pressure fuel pump failure on this vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | ENGINE | 2020 Santa Fe. Engine is consuming oil exceding average rate of 1 quart / 1000 miles. No smoke, no external leaks. No warning until car begins to shudder while driving. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Frequent intermittent dash warning lights, no speed indicated, no tach indicated, cycles through warnings of safety systems malfunctioning. No lane departure, no adaptive cruise, no cruise, no forward collision warning, no blind spot warning. The disabling of these systems puts all drivers at risk. Dealership replaced front camera and windshield to fix this issue. Not fixed, continues to alarm at random times while driving. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | First of all the transmission locked up at 97,423 miles when I was on my way to work. It took almost a month to get this fixed under warranty. I bought the vehicle in 2021 with 55 miles on it. Now at 164,000 it has to have a new motor. It has burnt more than a quart of oil every week for the last 2 years. I have had it to the dealership multiple times to be checked and never got a response as to why it was burning oil. Then in December of 2024 I was on my way to work and the vehicle was struggling to go. I would push the gas and it would go a little but as soon as I let off the gas it would stop running. Took it to the mechanic recently (due to other issues) and was told that it is only running on 3 cylinders. Also that in order for it to stop burning 2 quarts of oil a week that the pistons needed replaced. Mechanic stated it would be cheaper and better with the other issue to replace the whole motor. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ENGINE | I believe I am having an oil burning/consumption problem. I drove my car and the oil light flashed and I have had some hesitations in the engine. I checked the oil upon parking at my home and I had no oil on the dipstick. I put in approx 4.5 qts of oil. I read online that there is an oil consumption issue with my engine type (2.4 gdi). I called Hyundai Service Dept at my local dealership and they told me before looking at the car that wasnt an issue and not the problem. They investigated and found 0 leaks or issues with the car and engine. We did an oil change and they told me to come back in 1k miles. Im very close to the 1k miles and my dipstick is showing low level of oil. The dealership is not happy that I called today to tell them this and said just come in once you hit the 1k and no sooner. I have been told that the next test that needs to be done will be between 700 and 800 dollars out of my pocket as "Hyundai doesnt like to cover the tests and neither does the extended warranty." This appears to be a bigger issue than what Hyundai wants to acknowledge. I have no confidence in them fixing the car and debating to trade my sante fe in and getting a new car at this point. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ENGINE | Change the oil in the engine and found metal flakes in the oil. Took it to the dealership and they stated this is normal. After going to another dealership they found that this was not normal and had to replace the motor. Now three (3) months later the check engine light is flashing. It has a code of P1326. Was told this could be a knock sensor or it could be something wrong ever further into the engine. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | AIR BAGS | The airbag light comes on intermittently when a passenger is sitting in the front seat. Took to a LaCrosse WI Hyundai dealer for OBD code. The dealer reported the following: “Body Elect Concern. ODS ECU and Seat Mat Failure. Inspected found code b149000 found code due to ECU failure. Tested seat mat and found mat also failed due to high resistance outside of spec range. Repair estimate given at $2,800.00. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | I was backing out of a parking spot and suddenly the car accelerated backwards into a wall. The floor mat was NOT on the accelerator pedal. Obviously, I might have accidently pressed the gas pedal. But, I strongly believe I did not. For me to be mistaken, all three of the following would have to be true: 1) I would have had to put my foot on the accelerator by mistake, even though I am of sound mind and body, I was not distracted, and I have been driving for decades without having done such a thing. 2) I would have had to continue holding my foot to the gas pedal even as I felt myself racing backwards. 3) Having slammed into the wall, I would have had to be unaware that I had caused the accident. That all three conditions were true seems highly unlikely. (Not impossible. Just unlikely.) I can't imagine stepping on the gas when I meant to step on the brake and then not realizing that I was doing so and then not remembering that I had done so. Cars have computers and computers sometimes have bugs. It seems more likely that a computer glitch caused the crash. And, I suspect that, if it has happened to others, they did not report it because they assume they would not be believed. (When I told a friend of mine what had happened, he told me that, on two separate occasions, he applied the brakes on his Hyundai (a different model) only to have the engine rev up and "fight" his braking. He had to press harder on the brakes to stop his vehicle.) Question: does the onboard computer record all of the car's and computer's activities? (Note: I called the police, who came to document what had happened. I don't believe he filed an official report, but if you need what he recorded, let me know.) | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | Engine oil disappear at 2,000 miles. Car dead stop while driving without any warning ️ break fails at 95 degrees curves. Steering wheel loose and make noise. Hyundai dealer refused to fix the issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | High utilization of motor oil. Using 1 quart of oil every 300miles. Hyundai dealership (Gurnee Hyundai-Illinois) completed a "combustion system cleaning" but oil consumption continues unabated. Getting run-around from dealership and manufacturer. I am original owner. Care has 87K miles. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The contact owned a 2020 Hyundai Santa FE. The contact stated that after the vehicle was unoccupied and parked in the residential carport, she was in bed for the night and four bystanders stopped outside the contact's residence. One bystander knocked on the contact's door, the second bystander ran to the back of the house to search for a rear entrance to enter the home and the third bystander grabbed the water hose and attempted to extinguish the fire but was unsuccessful. The contact mentioned the parts of the vehicle exploded. The fourth bystander called 911 and the contact evacuated from the home. The contact did not sustain injuries. The contact mentioned the bystanders did not sustain injuries either. No medical attention was sought. No police report was filed. The fire departments arrived on the scene, and the firefighters extinguished the fire. The fire consumed the vehicle in the carport and the fire spread to the house causing damage. Fire department reports were filed but no report number was available. The vehicle currently remained on the scene. The insurance company deemed the vehicle and her home totaled. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and an inspector from Progressive Insurance in addition to an inspector from American Modern Home Insurance out to the contact's residence after careful review they could not discover a product defect responsible for the vehicle incident. The failure mileage was 61,000. | Crash: No Fire: Yes | 61,000 |