2017 Hyundai Santa FE electrical system problems

Related recalls

• Recall 16V842000Nov 21, 20166,172 vehicles
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING · TRAILER HITCHES

  Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Tucson vehicles manufactured May 19, 2015, to November 14, 2016, and 2017 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured November 28, 2015, to November 14, 2016. The affected vehicles may be equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result, in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

  Risk: If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected accessory trailer hitch wiring harnesses, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 13, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 153.

What owners say

1. Filed Sep 29, 2026SCElectrical SystemEngineTransmission & Drivetrain

   Was driving down road car went into limp mode about caused a big wreck, check engine was flashing and heard a loud noise as I was trying to get to safety. Had the car scanned and was for code p1326 and looking at all the recalls nothing is for the 2.4l but y'all have been having a lot of issues with these theta 2 engines.

   NHTSA complaint #11767901 · source
2. Filed Aug 31, 2026NCElectrical SystemEngineTransmission & Drivetrain

   Cold-Start Hesitation & Rough Shifting: Following the 9C2 ECU update, my vehicle is experiencing a brief period of throttle hesitation, rough shifting, or jerky transmission behavior specifically during cold-start operations.

   NHTSA complaint #11760934 · source
3. Filed Aug 24, 2026NJElectrical SystemEngineTransmission & Drivetrain

   My 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe, purchased new from Lynnes Hyundai in February 2017, has approximately 93,000 miles. The vehicle previously developed a significant oil-consumption/engine problem that was diagnosed by Hyundai, and Hyundai replaced the engine with a remanufactured engine. Approximately two weeks after the engine replacement, the check-engine light illuminated and DTC P1326 was identified. The dealership replaced the knock sensor. Approximately two weeks later, the…

   NHTSA complaint #11759120 · source
4. Filed Jul 3, 2026CAAirbagsElectrical System

   Airbag light on. La Quinta Hyundai verified light on scanned codes found active b134800 Driver airbag resistance circuit short to ground 1st stage. Testing found clock spring issue internal fault. Since this clock spring is related to driver airbag, & horn, it would seem that this would be a safety hazard that would be under warranty. The extended warranty (Z01) that I received from Hyundai doesn’t cover my problem.

   NHTSA complaint #11748248 · source
5. Filed Apr 24, 2026TXAirbagsElectrical SystemSteering

   The steering left side electrical components quit working at the same time without warning. This is all related to the Air Bag clock spring a serious safety defect that disables the airbag and possibly horn. I have taken the vehicle to a Hyundai dealership for diagnostics and this is what was found. "Needs immediate attention [Primary]: SSD : STEERING OR SUSPENSION DIAGNOSIS Air Bag - Clockspring Assembly / Spiral Cable: CLOCK SPRING HAS SHORTED OUT CAUSING ALL THE BUTTONS…

   NHTSA complaint #11733693 · source
6. Filed Apr 7, 202663,000 miFLFireTowedElectrical SystemOther / Unknown

   The contact owned a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe equipped with a Rockland Electric Mobility Scooter Lifter, Part Number: 10101194. The contact stated that after the mobility scooter lifter was installed on the vehicle, the vehicle experienced electrical failures. The A/C became inoperable, and the hatch opened intermittently. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked approximately a month after the lifter installation, the alarm sounded intermittently during the day. The…

   NHTSA complaint #11729701 · source
7. Filed Mar 26, 2026MIBrakesElectrical System

   Bottom brake lights will not work but top high brake light works. I was stopped by police three times. They state all three brake lights must operate.

   NHTSA complaint #11727182 · source
8. Filed Mar 20, 2026COBrakesElectrical SystemEngine

   After performing regular oil changes, and even a new fuel pump sensor, I experienced an issue. Last oil change was within the past two weeks. Driving home from the mountains, I heard a knocking sound from the engine bay. I narrowed it down to all gears above 2500RPM, increasing knocking with RPM speed. I took it easy on the engine, mostly coasting down the mountain. Suddenly during acceleration on an uphill, a pop sounded, and copious white smoke started coming from the…

   NHTSA complaint #11725726 · source
9. Filed Mar 16, 2026113,000 miNJElectrical System

   Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe on March 11, 2024, from a private dealer with approximately 46,000. The contact was informed that the vehicle had only one owner who had leased the vehicle. Recently, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The mechanic retrieved a Carfax report and discovered that the vehicle had five previous owners and there were several mileage discrepancies. At the…

   NHTSA complaint #11724587 · source
10. Filed Dec 17, 2025ALElectrical SystemEngineOther / Unknown

    While driving- in total movement- the car completely shut off. Without any prior warning or indication. Immediately after, the car restarted, drove a couple blocks over, continuing to shut off while driving. It was then towed. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The warning lights did not appear until AFTER the car quit. They all came on & flashed & quickly went back out. Uncertain which component misfired or is affected- possibly related to an engine or…

    NHTSA complaint #11705698 · source
11. Filed Nov 26, 2025NYElectrical SystemEngineTransmission & Drivetrain

    While driving on the highway at normal speed, the vehicle suddenly lost power with no prior warning lamps or messages, placing me and other road users at immediate risk. The engine rapidly began knocking, lost acceleration, then stalled completely. I had to coast to the shoulder, which was extremely dangerous in high-speed traffic. The failure appears consistent with bearing wear and debris circulation described in Hyundai Recall 168 and TSB 17-01-071, which warn that…

    NHTSA complaint #11701758 · source
12. Filed Oct 7, 202572,000 miINElectrical System

    The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the automatic power door locks failed to operate as needed. Due to the failure, the contact had to manually unlock and lock all doors inside the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that the button to unlock the gas cap also failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately…

    NHTSA complaint #11691832 · source

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology