2.1

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
74,028 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #215

Oct 052023

Santa Fe

  • miles
Large leak detected P0455

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

problem #214

Oct 172022

Santa Fe

  • miles
The fuel tank level sensor failed and yes can be inspected. Check engine light goes on and fuel says empty with little yellow light.My mechanic checked my car and told me it was the fuel tank level sensor. Check engine light goes on and the fuel needle goes up and down to empty. When I fill the tank, the check engine light goes off and the needle rises to full. When the gas reaches a certain level the check engine light goes on and fuel needle drops to empty. It will go up and down. This first occurred October 2022.

- Smithtown, NY, USA

problem #213

May 012019

Santa Fe

  • 110,000 miles
The fuel gage keeps marking the wrong level of gas. First it went crazy going up and down. After sensors were changed, it stayed at half of tank even when full. Now the fuel system will need to be replaced again because when it reaches a certain gas level, the check engine shows up. Its random issues and all have to do with the pump, and sensors. Been trying to fix this for 2 years and replacing the system seems to work for a few months and then the issues show up again.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #212

Apr 012021

Santa Fe

  • 120,000 miles
Fuel gage does not work. Fill up car with gas and the tank shows empty for days and the check engine light comes on. Getting new system does not fix this issue. Each day you get in the car it will show a different and inaccurate readying. I have seen many other online complaining about this.

- Lenexa, KS, USA

problem #211

Oct 302020

Santa Fe 6-cyl

  • 89,230 miles
FUEL GAUGE FAILED. THE FUEL TANK WOULD BE FULL BUT THE GAUGE READ 1/4 TANK, (RAN OUT OF GAS IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE) CONTACTED HYUNDAI, THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE BUT OFFERED NO SOLUTION AS FAR AS RECALL, THEY STATED THE FIX WOULD COST APPROX. $600 WITH PARTS AND LABOR. I CHECKED THIS ISSUE ON LINE AND THIS DEFECT IN THE "FUEL SENSORS" HAS BEEN GOING ON FROM APPROX. 2007 TO 2015 EFFECTING THOUSANDS OF HYUNDAI SANTA FE'S. MY QUESTION IS, WHY HASN'T "THE HYUNDAI MOTOR CO." CORRECTED THIS SAFETY PROBLEM OR ISSUED A RECALL? THEY EXPECT CUSTOMER LOYALTY BUT IT APPEARS THE LOYALTY GOES ONLY ONE WAY. I WAS VERY HAPPY WITH MY 2008 SANTA FE BUT NOW I'M WONDERING HOW MANY OTHER SAFETY ISSUES ARE BEING COVERED UP. I WAS AT MY HYUNDAI DEALER JUST PRIOR TO THE FUEL SENSOR ISSUE LOOKING AT THE NEW PALISADE LIMITED" BUT NOW I'LL LOOK ELSEWHERE [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Bohemia, NY, USA

problem #210

Mar 102020

Santa Fe

  • 110,000 miles
Take to much fuel

- Sacramento, CA, USA

problem #209

Jan 162020

Santa Fe

  • 131,009 miles
The fuel sensor stopped working. Pay to fix it but only lasted 1 month and than stop working again. Electrical. Was driving on highway heard a whining noise and then the car starting stalling. Won't turn

- Spring Hill, FL, USA

problem #208

Apr 012015

Santa Fe

  • miles
I have a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe that has a faulty fuel level sensor. The gas gauge does not show the correct amount of gas in the tank and the check engine light is always on. About 95 percent of the time it shows empty, even after filling up the tank. Sometimes the gauge will move just over half way, then it goes back to empty. I have taken the vehicle to three different shops to have it checked out and they all say that fuel level sensor not working properly. To fix this issue will be between $700 - $1000. After looking up this issue on the internet, there are multiple complaints about this same issue for the exact my make, model, and year vehicle that I am making the complaint about. This issue is consent if I am moving or stationary. The only way to ensure I do not run out of gas is to fill up about the 250 mile mark to make sure I do not get stranded. I have attached a picture of the indicator after filling up the tank completely. If you need to contact [xxx]. thanks in advance any help in this matter. Redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Martinez, GA, USA

problem #207

Dec 222019

Santa Fe

  • 49,377 miles
With 49,377 miles, I added partial fuel (6.9 gallons) and the fuel gauge showed zero with the fuel light on. After a few days the fuel gauge read normally. Since then I've added fuel five more times. Each time the gauge went to zero and then ramped up gradually. Yesterday, February 29, the check engine light came on steady. Today I had the error code read: P0463 fuel level sensor a circuit high input. Although the part required lists for $79.99, it is apparently changed in the fuel tank and very expensive to access.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #206

Mar 012019

Santa Fe

  • 85,000 miles
My fuel level gauge has become erratic to not working at all causing my check engine light to come on. I have to spend $1700 to get this repair made so that I can register my vehicle. The problem is the fuel level sensors, one or both have failed. I have never had the problem with any other vehicle ever. I have googled this and see that it has been a problem also for many others who own a 08 Hyundai Santa Fe. I wanted to get this information out there that it is a known problem which Hyundai should recall to fix.

- Stow, OH, USA

problem #205

Jul 012019

Santa Fe

  • 125,000 miles
The fuel pump and sensors went bad. The fuel gauge started glitching and going up and down randomly. After 1-2 months it was showing empty at all times. I changed the sensors and the fuel gauge went to the middle even when the tank was full. I had to replace both sensors and the fuel pump to get it fixed.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #204

Dec 292019

Santa Fe

  • 142,000 miles
The gas guage in this vehicle stopped working over a year ago and we have ran out of gas in the middle of traffic when we keep our gas guage filled in this vehicle all the time causing a danger to ourselves and our children someday somebody is going to hit us due to this issue keeps happening in the middle of traffic and the road and interstate. It constantly keeps showing us empty when we are not. I have read many reviews that this happens with many of these vehicles and it has yet to be recalled.

- Glenburn, ME, USA

problem #203

Jul 152013

Santa Fe

  • 64,000 miles
For past 2 years my fuel tank will sender it's full when it's been low and only too 5 gals in a 19 gal. Tank. I have read over many times complaints that the gas gauge doesn't work"? I've been quoted $425 to repair it" it's a 2008 Hyundai sante fe limited. The chk engine light was on my mechanic used the car detector system. It states fuel cap issues. I replaced that $70 later it not working. I've dealt with this for too many years

- South Bend, IN, USA

problem #202

Oct 152019

Santa Fe

  • 75,500 miles
I was getting check system warnings. Then my fuel gauges went crazy and did not register accurately and I could not tell if my gas tank was holding the gas and as much gas as I put in was not registering and once the car stopped while driving and it had gas in it. Apparently per what I've read from others, this is a rampant problem with this vehicle year and model and I think other years too. I've written to Hyundai three times and they refused to do anything didn't even answer me. In last email to them I said I'd contact you if they continued to ignore and they did"! this should be a recall as it is dangerous to say the least. My local Hyundai dealership wanted $221 to just look at it and told me to contact Hyundai corporate to get them to recall this issue. They will not and this is ludicrous. My vehicle has only 76,000 miles on it. I wound up having the repair done not at a Hyundai dealership, but by a very reputable mechanic. I paid $540 for this and it is outrageous Hyundai refuses to do a recall on this. Can you get them to reimburse for this repair please and likewise for all others affected by this. It's a dangerous issue. How can they get away with this?" it is outrageous to say the least! when car stopped it was luckily on a local street and I was lucky little traffic or I would have been hit stopping while driving! Hyundai does not care! the car jerked on stopping too. Very frightening to say the least! I was afraid to drive it so I did the repair and I cannot afford the cost and will be paying three times this via my credit card installments! I live on social security solely and am 75 years old. Please help. If you want my receipt please advise. If you want to see my emails sent to Hyundai advise too.

- Georgetown, TX, USA

problem #201

Feb 022019

Santa Fe

  • 84,500 miles
The fuel gauge stopped working at 84500 miles. The check engine light comes on and even though the tank is full, the gauge reads empty and the fuel low light comes on.

- Harrisburg, PA, USA

problem #200

Aug 012019

Santa Fe

  • miles
Fuel gauge sending unit faulty and doesn't give a correct reading to the level of fuel in the car.

- Elyria, OH, USA

problem #199

Oct 042019

Santa Fe

  • miles
Gas gauge saying it's on empty when there is gas in the car when this happens the service engine light turns

- Troy, NY, USA

problem #198

Aug 202019

Santa Fe

  • 130,800 miles
Gas gauge erratic and not reading properly. After fueling gauge drops to E and fuel light comes on and check engine light comes on. While driving the gauge continues to go all over the place, from E to F. mechanics say fuel sensor/sender unit(s) in the gas tank have failed and need replacement, $400-$500. Only way to know the fuel amount in the tank is to keep track of miles driven and estimate miles per gallon and refuel every 200-250 miles to be safe and not run out of gas and create a dangerous situation. Please help to make Hyundai do a recall on these sensors.

- Eau Claire, WI, USA

problem #197

Jun 012018

Santa Fe

  • 125,000 miles
Fuel gauge not working properly. Goes to empty when I put gas in to fill tank and fuel light comes on. After driving a few miles, needle on gauge fluctuates. Then check engine light comes on. I ran out of gas while trying to enter into traffic on highway and almost got ran over, almost causing a serious accident. Extremely dangerous situation! my mechanic just replaced both fuel sensors on 4/29/2019 as check engine readout indicated. This costly repair did not fix the problem. The fuel gauge still fluctuates, reads empty when filling, fuel light comes on and now check engine light is on again. This is a serious safty proplem and should be recalled by Hyundai. I am afraid now when driving my car because of this. Is Hyundai not recalling because they know even when replaced, the new parts are faulty too? NHTSA, you need to please step in before someone gets seriously hurt or killed. You have plenty of complaints of this problem and I feel I just wasted my money on this repair.

- Bath, NY, USA

problem #196

Mar 122019

Santa Fe

  • 135,000 miles
The fuel gauge fluctuates and is not accurate. After filling up the gas tank, the fuel gauge may show "empty", and it rises and falls very quickly. This can occur when driving straight, turning, or when parked while the vehicle is turned on. There is no way to accurately tell how much fuel is left in the tank. This faulty fuel gauge could leave any Santa Fe motorist and their passengers stranded in a dangerous area(e.g. busy highway) or condition(e.g. blizzard or heat wave in Arizona). Please initiate a recall to have this fixed. Per online sources, many Santa Fe owners in this year range have this same broken fuel gauge.

- Altamonte Springs, FL, USA

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