2021 Hyundai Santa Fe problems and complaints
Owners have filed 167 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The most-reported areas: Power Train (51), Unknown Or Other (41), Engine (37).
Key takeaways
- 167 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 4 involve a crash, 2 a fire, 2 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 51 | 31% |
| Unknown Or Other | 41 | 25% |
| Engine | 37 | 22% |
| Electrical System | 29 | 17% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 18 | 11% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 9 | 5% |
| Back Over Prevention | 7 | 4% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 7 | 4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 4% |
| Visibility | 7 | 4% |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 4% |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV AWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV FWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Power Train - filed 2026-10-12
On September 20, 2026, my 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy suffered sluggish acceleration while operating on a public roadway due to an internal dual-clutch transmission (DCT) failure. The Malfunction indicator light illuminated, and a diagnostic scan revealed stored history code P1C2D03, indicating a total breakdown ...
Engine - filed 2026-09-09
The contact owned a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 50 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly caught on fire. The contact's wife became aware that the radio was inoperable before the failure. Additionally, the contact’s wife’s eyes were irritated, and there was a hot, harsh odor which g...
Fuel/Propulsion System - filed 2026-08-27
The door to the gas tank is a push door which is temperamental. I can be at the pump and push the door to pop it open and it won't. I'm at the point where I have to pop my gas tank open before I even get to the gas station because to pull up to the pump and not be able to put gas in the tank is a waste of time. There i...
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More for the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.