NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 78 complaints against the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe has generated 248 NHTSA complaints and has 4 active recalls. If your 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Hyundai pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe has generated 30 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “I purchased this vehicle on September 8, 2025, from Antwerpen Hyundai of Clarksville. Since purchase, the vehicle has had persistent problems that substantially impair its use and market value. Issue 1: HVAC / Ventilation Defect: Outside air enters through the center dash vents even when the fan is turned off. The recirculation feature disengages automatically after a few minutes, allowing outside air into the cabin. This issue has been ongoing and unresolved despite service visits. Issue 2: Intermittent Screeching/Scratching Noise from Dash/Steering Column Area On October 4, 2025, we began hearing an intermittent screeching or scratching sound from the front dashboard/steering column area. The vehicle has been serviced 3 times at 2 dealerships: November 10–14, 2025 – Antwerpen Hyundai Clarksville: Technician documented that the sound was replicated on two separate occasions and attempted two repair solutions. We were told the issue was resolved. The sound returned the same day during the drive home. December 9-16, 2025 – Hyundai of Dundalk: Service record indicated “fittings greased.” No detailed explanation provided. Personnel who handled the vehicle were no longer employed at pickup. The noise continued. January 20 – February 5, 2026 –Antwerpen Hyundai Clarksville: Service manager drove vehicle approximately 55 miles each way (100+ miles total) attempting to replicate the sound but reported being unable to do so. When picking up the vehicle, the noise was present again. Audio recordings of the sound were provided to the dealership multiple times. The service manager later indicated he might use electronic diagnostic equipment but did not follow up further. Current Condition: The screeching/scratching noise continues intermittently. While not constant, it is recurring and has persisted since October 2025. The issue has been replicated and documented by dealership technicians previously but remains unresolved after three repair attempts. The HVAC issue contiues.” (NHTSA Complaint #11720116)
Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) defects — including malfunctioning forward collision warnings, lane keep assist failures, and erratic automatic emergency braking — can create dangerous driving conditions. The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe has 22 NHTSA complaints for this defect type. Owner reports include: “Forward Facing Driver Assist cabin camera will shut off the cruise while you are driving if it cannot detect your eyes. This is NOT a safety feature but rather an extremely dangerous safety hazard!!! While you are traveling at 70+ mph and put on sunglasses and all of a sudden the car starts alarming and decelerates without warning causing the driver to become EXTREMELY distracted trying to figure out what is going on is a recipe for a major incident. There is no way to shut the camera off so you are then forced to either drive with no cruise at all so you can wear sunglasses and for long trips creates added and unnecessary driver fatigue OR you forego wearing sunglasses and squinting causing unnecessary eye strain/fatigue so you can use the cruise. Please explain to me how this is a safety feature? Also the warning that ‘you might need to take a break’ is also NOT a safety feature and also creates driver distraction rather than safety and should just totally be removed from the vehicle software completely. We have literally driven the car over the center line on the rumble strips without a signal and then back into our lane again the warning does NOT go off, we’ve jerked the wheel to avoid an object in the road warning does NOT go off, BUT if you happen to drive to close to the center line but don’t go over it then the warning DOES go off…..if we just left the house turned out of the driveway, the damn thing goes off. There is no making sense of when or why it goes off, it’s completely random. And again, no option to turn it off. Had the dealership given COMPLETE details of these 2 specific “SAFETY” features – I use that term EXTEREMLY loosely – sharing they could NOT be turned off I never, EVER would have bought this vehicle. I am not alone in my complaints, I have seen hundreds of similar complaints on forums for Hyundai vehicles that have this feature. PLEASE PLEASE issue a directive to Hyundai that they need to push a fix allowing shut off of these 2 features” (NHTSA Complaint #11721750)
The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe has generated 20 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “I was sent a letter in the mail asking to bring in my vehicle for a safety recall involving the rearview camera. I scheduled an appointment with Key Hyundai of Milford, CT. After waiting for an hour, I was told that the dealership did not have the part needed to perform the repair and that they would call me when the part came in. It has been three weeks and I have not received a call or been contacted in any way. I got the sense that because this was not a paid service it was a very low priority for the service department. Because of that, I feel reluctant to trust the dealership with the repair.” (NHTSA Complaint #11721831)
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 18 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “When I start the car or first start rolling the whole dashboard goes black! I can still hear sound but nothing on the screen. This is a safety issue. It flickers while driving then goes black.” (NHTSA Complaint #11722167)
Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) defects — including malfunctioning forward collision warnings, lane keep assist failures, and erratic automatic emergency braking — can create dangerous driving conditions. The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe has 16 NHTSA complaints for this defect type. Owner reports include: “The sensor always goes off stating my eyes aren’t on the road to the point it trys to stop the vehicle in traffic. This prevents me from being able to use cruise control because the sensor is causing issues by not detecting my eyes” (NHTSA Complaint #11646900)
The following 4 recalls have been issued for the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe by the NHTSA or Hyundai. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:CRITICAL FASTENERS
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. An oil leak in the presence of hot engine components can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai’s number for this recall is 281.
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and reinstall the starter motor terminal cover, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning October 22, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai’s number for this recall is 285. Vehicle Identification Numbers
Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the camera wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning January 15, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai’s number for this recall is 288. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall bec
Component: AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: Side curtain air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will reinstall the side curtain air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning December 29, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai’s numbers for this recall are 289 and 029G. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in t
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Hyundai to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Hyundai must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe qualifies as a lemon under California law, Hyundai may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Hyundai a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Hyundai dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Hyundai pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Hyundai a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Hyundai is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
Get a free case evaluation. Hyundai pays our fees if you win — you pay nothing upfront.
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