Certain Tucson (NX4A), Santa Cruz (NXT), Santa Fe (TMA), and Santa Fe Hybrid (TMA HEV) vehicles may exhibit a brake judder condition. This bulletin describes the procedure to inspect the brakes, resurface or replace and perform a brake burnishing procedure.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2023 Hyundai Santa Fe brakes problems
severe Owners of the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe have filed 16 NHTSA complaints about the brakes at roughly $450 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See brakes across all vehicles →
Complaints
16
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$450
| Model year | brakes complaints |
|---|---|
| 2019 Santa Fe | 7 |
| 2020 Santa Fe | 6 |
| 2021 Santa Fe | 4 |
| 2022 Santa Fe | 5 |
| 2023 Santa Fe (this page) | 16 |
| 2024 Santa Fe | 8 |
1crash
4injuries
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering brakes on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe report multiple brake-system problems occurring early in ownership. The most prevalent complaint is premature rotor warping and burn spots, causing shuddering vibrations during braking at highway speeds and downhill. Several owners have needed rotor resurfacing or replacement between 5,000 and 32,000 miles; one owner had rotors machined twice. A Hyundai Technical Service Bulletin (23-BR-004H) exists for this defect, though dealers were slow to reference it without prompting.
A second cluster involves ABS and sensor failures. Owners report the antilock brake system grabbing or grinding during hard stops, mysterious warning-light combinations (ABS, traction control, collision avoidance, downhill assist), and in one case, complete temporary brake failure at highway speed where the pedal went to the floor before re-engaging. A rear wheel speed sensor replacement resolved one owner's loss of braking. Others describe difficulty getting dealers to diagnose intermittent ABS behavior despite repeated visits.
A third group reports brake-pedal stiffness on cold starts, attributed to a malfunctioning brake booster or vacuum leak, though dealer testing has not confirmed the fault. Additionally, some owners document phantom or unintended emergency-brake engagement at highway speed with no external trigger, and one reports simultaneous lockup of both pedal and wheels during a parking-lot braking incident that caused a collision.
Failure modes owners describe
Rotor warping and burn spots
Front brake rotors develop heat-related distortion and burn spots within the first 32,000 miles, causing steering and brake shuddering.
When: 5,000 to 32,000 miles; one owner at 5 months (approximately 18,756 miles)
Symptoms owners cite: Shuddering or vibration in steering wheel and front end during braking; Excessive vibrations especially at highway speeds and when braking downhill; Vibrations during stop-and-go traffic; Visible burn spots on rotor surface
Repairs/costs cited: Rotor resurfacing ($249 to higher estimates); full rotor and front pad replacement. One owner's warranty-replaced rotors developed the same problem at 10 months post-replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Hyundai Technical Service Bulletin 23-BR-004H covers this defect. Dealers initially recommended rotor resurfacing; some covered replacement under warranty after TSB was presented. Warranty coverage dispute: dealer claimed warranty applied only to original parts, not warranty-replacement rotors.
ABS grab, grind, or scrape sensation
Antilock brake system does not engage smoothly; owners report grabbing, grinding, or scraping sensations during hard braking or normal stops.
When: Within 2 months and 2,000 miles; recurring over 7 months of ownership; once at low speed (25–30 mph)
Symptoms owners cite: Brake system grabs, grinds, or scrapes during hard stops; Sensation does not release until brake pedal is released; ABS does not perform expected pulsing action; Isolated to one wheel (front passenger) in at least one instance
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer inspections have not identified defects or reproduced the issue.
Rear wheel speed sensor (ABS) failure
ABS rear wheel speed sensor malfunction causes loss of braking and multiple warning lights.
When: Early in ownership (approximately 2,000 miles reported)
Symptoms owners cite: Downhill assist, traction control, auto stop, blind spot, and ABS warning lights illuminate; Brakes become temporarily inoperable; brake pedal unresponsive; Brake re-engagement after pumping pedal or waiting; Independent brake activation in some cases
Codes mentioned: Rear wheel speed sensor (ABS) fault
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement of rear wheel speed sensor resolved the issue in at least one case.
Hard brake pedal on cold start
Brake pedal becomes stiff and difficult to depress on the first application after overnight or extended parked periods, requiring excessive force to activate brake lights.
When: Almost every morning on first start; resolved after initial use
Symptoms owners cite: Pedal is very hard to deflect; Insufficient pedal travel to activate brake lights unless pedal is overpowered; Problem does not recur after first successful brake application of the day
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer tested vacuum lines and found no leaks; claimed vehicle is performing as designed. Problem may be related to brake booster malfunction or vacuum leak.
Unintended emergency brake deployment
Emergency brake system activates without driver input while driving at highway speeds.
When: Occurred at least twice at highway speed (65+ mph) with no external trigger
Symptoms owners cite: Emergency brake deploys spontaneously for 6 seconds; Entire vehicle shakes during deployment; No warning lights or adverse road conditions present; Phantom emergency braking with no objects or vehicles nearby
Unintended automatic emergency braking (AEB)
Collision avoidance or automatic emergency braking system activates without obstacles, objects, or vehicles in proximity.
When: Twice at 65 mph on interstate; once at 50 mph during hard braking scenario
Symptoms owners cite: Auto-brake activates with no vehicles or objects present; ABS and sensor warnings activate; Event resolves within 60 seconds; Can be triggered by unrelated hard braking
Complete brake pedal failure or unresponsiveness
Brake pedal loses hydraulic pressure or fails to engage braking; pedal goes to the floor or locks up without corresponding wheel response.
When: At 50 mph hard braking; at low speed during parking; within first 24,200 miles of service
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal goes to the floor and does not slow vehicle; Pedal re-engages after a few seconds without driver intervention; Pedal locks or freezes in position but wheels do not lock; No pulsing action typical of ABS; Collision avoidance system may activate to prevent crash
Repairs/costs cited: One case caused vehicle to strike building and injure passengers.
Multiple warning lights and system fault cascade
Clusters of warning lights illuminate (ABS, traction control, forward collision, blind spot, downhill assist, stability control) without obvious trigger, sometimes accompanied by audible electrical anomalies.
When: At 35 mph; during normal freeway driving; sometimes at 25–30 mph with clear road conditions
Symptoms owners cite: Multiple warning lights illuminate simultaneously; Dashboard may emit sizzling or electrical noise; Stability control light flickers; No correlation to road conditions, debris, or moisture; Lights persist and then clear
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer visual wiring inspection and system code scans have not identified faults.
Synthesized from 16 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
This hard brake peddle pressure issue started out immediately on an occasional basis but now occurs almost every morning on first start of the day. Press on the brake pedal - it's very hard to deflect - and if you don't overpower it to deflect the pedal enough to activate the brake lights, it won't start. Once you get it started the first time, brake operation will be normal for the rest of the…
While parking, the brakes failed. Although the brake pedal was correctly and completely depressed the car failed to stop until it hit the building causing damage to structure and injuries occurred to passengers. The brake pedal pulsated but the car did not stop. Prior to this, the brakes would sporadically pulsate while braking. There were vehicle health issues that were reported.
Had brakes trouble with your 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the brakes problem on the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe?
It's a meaningful issue. 16 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $450.
At what mileage does the brakes typically fail?
Based on the 16 complaints filed, brakes issues most often appear around 10,378 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $450 for brakes repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to brakes?
No active recalls currently cover brakes issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2023/Hyundai/Santa Fe.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.