The transmission is the problem that caused the vehicle to downshift while driving and resulted is a sudden jerk and slowdown in speed. My safety was at risk as the car slowed down suddenly and almost caused the vehicle behind me to rear end my vehicle. But luckily the other driver was able to stop. I previously brought the vehicle to Hyundai service (12/12/24) and they indicated that they…
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe powertrain problems
severe 33 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
33
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
2crashes
1injury
What stands out
Owners have filed 33 powertrain complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Powertrain accounts for 27% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 9 categories tracked.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: 2024 Santa Fe powertrains are experiencing multiple critical failures—transmission loss, erratic shifting, dashboard blackouts, and overheating—often within weeks of purchase and at very low mileage. Owners report dealers unable to replicate or fix these issues, extended service waits with unavailable parts, and some vehicles failing a second time even after transmission replacement, making this a serious safety and reliability risk.
Owners of 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles report frequent and serious powertrain failures within the first months of ownership—often at very low mileage. The most severe issue is abrupt transmission failure: vehicles lose motive power while driving, display "Transmission System Error" warnings, or stall altogether. Several owners report their vehicles failed to accelerate at highway speeds, forcing them to coast to the shoulder. One owner experienced two complete transmission failures within 500 miles and 27 days.
Transmission behavior is unpredictable. Cars refuse to shift into park, suddenly downshift with violent jerks, get stuck in neutral, slip out of gear while moving, or revert to limp mode with zero acceleration then sudden acceleration surges. Some vehicles won't move in reverse or display erratic gear cycling before defaulting to neutral. One vehicle rolled forward after being parked, and owners are unsure whether the transmission or parking system failed.
Dashboard blackouts occur without warning—the entire infotainment and instrument cluster go dark, the vehicle reboots while moving, and acceleration becomes unavailable. One vehicle experienced this twice in traffic.
Other reported symptoms: loud knocking or clicking noises under the hood when shifting, transmission popping and hopping in reverse, engine overheating with persistent fan operation afterward, water leaking inside the vehicle, engine dying during backing, violent shaking on startup, and hesitation during right-turn launches.
Dealers struggle to replicate the faults during test drives, leaving many vehicles unrepaired. Multiple owners report being in service limbo for weeks or months waiting for parts, and some have had transmissions replaced only for the same failure to recur.
Same Hyundai Santa Fe powertrain reports on nearby years: 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2025
Failure modes owners describe
Transmission failure with loss of motive power
Complete transmission failure resulting in sudden loss of acceleration, stalling, or inability to move. Vehicle may display 'Transmission System Error' or 'Transmission system error! Check transmission oil immediately' warning.
When: Within first weeks to 34 days of ownership; as early as 1500–3800 miles; recurrences at 24,370–24,878 miles within 500-mile span
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle will not accelerate despite pressed accelerator pedal; Vehicle stalls at highway speed, requiring coasting to shoulder; Check engine light and transmission warning messages; Vehicle refuses to move or responds with hesitation
Codes mentioned: U110387, U110382
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission replacement required; one owner had transmission replaced twice within 27 and 50 days; parts often unavailable, delaying repairs for weeks or months
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Safety recall 24V529000 (Power Train) issued; parts distribution delays reported; some owners given loaner vehicles during repair; buyback requests filed by multiple owners
Erratic transmission shifting and gear selection malfunction
Transmission loses proper gear engagement, cycles erratically between gears, refuses to shift into park or reverse, or gets stuck in neutral despite shift commands.
When: Within first month of ownership; 10–99 miles; recurring intermittently
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle will not reverse despite shift command; moves forward instead; Cannot shift into park; shifts erratically between gears before settling on neutral; Vehicle in reverse pops and hops before locking; Park function unavailable, forcing use of parking brake; Abnormal knocking sound under hood during shifting; Unable to turn off vehicle, stays in accessory mode
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission replaced; hole found in transmission in one case; software updates applied alongside hardware replacement
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Safety recall 24V529000 referenced; loaner vehicles provided after extended delays (one owner waited 7 weeks); buyback claims initiated; some vehicles waiting for parts availability
Transmission limp mode and restricted acceleration
Vehicle enters limp mode during driving, losing all or most acceleration capability, then surging with uncontrolled acceleration. May refuse to exceed 10 mph or remain stuck in first gear.
When: First startup of day or intermittently during operation; recurring at least 10 times over several months in one case
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of acceleration while driving, then sudden uncontrolled acceleration surge; Vehicle revs to 5000 RPM but remains stuck in first gear; Unable to accelerate beyond 10 mph despite depressed accelerator; Vehicle downshifts suddenly while driving, causing violent jerk and speed loss; Limp mode triggered at random with no warning; Hesitation during right-turn launches from complete stop
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers report no diagnostic codes or unable to replicate; multiple service visits without resolution; one owner reports dragging service delays even after transmission replacement
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recalls or TSBs mentioned for this specific mode; dealers unable or unwilling to pursue diagnosis beyond stated inability to replicate
Dashboard blackout and system reboot while driving
Complete infotainment and instrument cluster blackout occurring without warning while vehicle is moving. Vehicle reboots with startup logo visible. Acceleration becomes unavailable during or immediately after reboot.
When: Intermittently; second instance at highway speed (65–70 mph); first instance prior to December 23, 2025; second after
Symptoms owners cite: Dashboard goes completely black as if vehicle shut off; Vehicle cannot accelerate or move when accelerator pressed; Loss of critical dashboard information; Hyundai startup logo reappears on screen; Vehicle requires manual restart to regain acceleration
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership identified 'system/infotainment glitch'; replacement part ordered but never installed; dealer stated issue could not be duplicated during 85-mile test drive
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Hyundai acknowledged issue; part replacement authorized by dealership but not completed; no field service bulletin or recall referenced
Engine overheating and cooling system issues
Vehicle overheats within 30 minutes of driving. Hood becomes too hot to touch. Persistent fan operation for 35 minutes after engine shutdown. Water leaks from under dashboard.
When: Within first week of ownership; after 30 minutes of driving
Symptoms owners cite: Hood scorching hot to touch; Heat emanating from vehicle exterior; Engine making loud noise while running hot; Fan continues blowing 35 minutes after shutdown; Water leaking under dashboard near accelerator pedal
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple service visits (June 14, July 12, August 21, 2024) without documented resolution; issue described as persistent across visits
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall or TSB mentioned; dealership unable to resolve across multiple visits
Vehicle movement when parked and parking system malfunction
Vehicle rolls forward or moves unexpectedly when parked or placed in park. May occur during engine-off periods or when driver is outside vehicle.
When: Within 99 miles of ownership; parking lot and residential settings
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle rolls forward into barrier post while parked with engine running; Car starts moving forward on its own while in park, with auto-start feature activated; Vehicle shakes vigorously when trying to back up out of driveway; Car stops automatically while backing up despite clear space behind vehicle; Vehicle rolls backward when shut off
Codes mentioned: U110387, U110382
Repairs/costs cited: Incidents occurred at low mileage; owner repeated tests at work with stay-in-car precaution; no repairs documented
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Safety recall 24V529000 and 24V246000 noted by owner but relationship to issue unclear
Transmission shuddering, jerking, and abnormal noise
Transmission exhibits shuddering or violent jerking during operation, produces abnormal clicking or knocking noises, or fails to smoothly engage gears.
When: At 1800 miles and beyond; after recent transmission replacement in one case; recurring weekly
Symptoms owners cite: Violent jerk and slowdown when downshifting; Shuddering and shaking while driving; Vehicle jolts and dies on startup but restarts after minutes; Transmission slips out of gear twice during driving; Loud clicking noise during shifting; Abnormal knocking under hood; Revs to 2.3 RPM without gear engagement before jerking into gear
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reports transmission replaced but same jerking and slipping continues weekly; dealership dragging feet on follow-up inspection
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No TSBs or warranty extensions mentioned; recalls 24V529000 and 24V246000 referenced but relationship unclear
Synthesized from 33 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
On December4th 2024 my car rolled forward into a barrier post. I stopped to get air in my tires and the Parking Allert went off as I got near the barrier post. I then parked my car. I left my car running and driver door partially opened. I dropped the valve cap between the spokes of the last tire being filled. So, I got into the car and backed up about three feet to get the cap. Parked the…
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V529000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not…
My vehicle was in for repairs at both a collision shop and a dealership following a minor accident. When I got the vehicle back, I found that the seat controls were not working, preventing me from moving the seat backward or forward. During a test drive, the car lost power despite the gas pedal being fully pressed; it wouldn't accelerate and then suddenly jerked forward. This could have caused an…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2024 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 powertrain problem on the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe?
It's a meaningful issue. 33 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $2,500.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Based on the 33 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 14,680 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 $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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/2024/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.