2010 Hyundai Santa FE problems
Owners have filed 333 complaints about the 2010 Hyundai Santa FE with NHTSA. Power train accounts for 33.3% of them — far more than any other system, ahead of engine at 11.1%.
Complaints333
Crashes14
Fires12
Injuries13
Deaths2
What owners report breaking
Power train 33.3% · 111
Engine 11.1% · 37
Electrical system 8.4% · 28
Unknown or other 6.6% · 22
Vehicle speed control 6.3% · 21
Suspension 4.2% · 14
Structure 3.3% · 11
Fuel/propulsion system 3.0% · 10
Severity
Of those complaints, 14 describe a crash, 12 describe a fire, 13 report an injury and 2 report a death.
Reading the numbers
Across the 25 model years of the Hyundai Santa FE in this data, 2010 sits 10th by complaint volume. 2017 draws the most.
Filings have fallen off, 21 in the last three years against 37 in the three before. That is normal as a generation leaves the road.
The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 41,000 miles.
In owners' own words
The automatic transmission slips and then violently kicks into first gear when starting out. It will also slip while driving along and then kick back into gear with a bang sound. These slips seem to occur when the engine is cold( just started and temperature gage reads at or near c). I have taken it to the dealer 3 times over the years and they tell me they find nothing wrong. The problem recurs at least weekly. Power train · reported at 20,000 miles
The vehicle stops or stalls on shifting from first to second gear. It has just died merging into traffic from a stop sign and I have been forced to roll to the shoulder. It will not always pull up an incline from a stop such as a steeper driveway. I have been successful to "fix' this by shifting into neutral and then back in gear. This problem is well documented in the Hyundai forums on line. Power train · reported at 5,000 miles
Turned car on, there was a bang (as if getting rear ended). Put car in reverse- car does not show being in gear. Start backing up, there is another loud shift, car slows down, and then goes in reverse. Put car in park, turn off, restart, car starts normally and gets into gear. Happened two more times in same week. Last time huge crash sound as if getting rear ended really hard. Power train · reported at 58,210 miles
Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
Safety recalls
Checking NHTSA for open recalls…