The engine problem is finally over and the gearbox problem is not. Two recalls, and one mechanic's advice: not the plug-in.

Worth stating plainly, because the Santa Fe's reputation is built on an engine this car does not have. The 2.5-litre Theta III, turbocharged or not, is unrelated to the old Theta II despite the family name, and there is no rod-bearing story, no oil-consumption cluster and no knock-sensor campaign on it. A mechanic who examined a 2023 in detail is enthusiastic: "this 2.5 litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine — I really like this engine." He explains why it should resist the carbon build-up that plagued the old direct-injection engines: "this engine has eight injectors even though it's a four cylinder — four port injectors and four direct injectors, so basically likely you should not have carbon buildup problems with this engine." He notes the turbocharger has its exhaust manifold integrated, which reduces what has to come off to service it, that it is oil and coolant cooled, and that its wastegate is vacuum controlled rather than electronic — which he prefers, because "electronic wastegates with all the heat from the exhaust are just a bad idea." The remaining engine item is small and documented: Hyundai ran a service campaign because certain 2023 Santa Fe vehicles "may have been produced with a damaged oil level sensor during assembly," replacing the sensor and gasket.

One of the largest complaint clusters on this model year and one of the few with a straightforwardly good answer. "The horn stops working which is a safety hazard in case someone is backing into you. This horn has stop[ped] working 4 times and had to be replac[ed]." "The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the horn was inoperable and inaudible when pressed." And one owner who found the answer himself: "Today, I received an extended warranty for my horn. There is a known issue with water getting into the horn and causing them to fail." He is right. Hyundai's bulletin states that "certain 2021 – 2023 model year Santa Fe, 2021 – 2023 model year Santa Fe Hybrid, and 2022 – 2023 model year Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid vehicles may experience an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances causing internal parts to oxidize," and that "Hyundai is extending the warranty coverage for the horn replacement under this condition to 10 years or 120,000 miles from the date of original ret[ail delivery]." Press the horn on the test drive; if it is silent, that is a covered repair.

A repeated and expensive annoyance on this model year. "The front rotors need machining every 10,000 to 15,000 miles. The rotors experience exceeding distortion due [to] heating by the brake pads." "My dealership has reground the rotors on my car twice. Now with less than 40,000 miles on the car the brakes need ground again." Hyundai treats this as a known condition: a bulletin covering "certain Tucson, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe and Santa Fe Hybrid vehicles" that "may exhibit a brake judder condition" describes the procedure to "inspect the brakes, resurface or replace and perform a brake burnishing pro[cedure]." Burnishing is the bedding-in process that seats new pads evenly against the disc, and skipping it is one reason rotors warp again after a repair. On a test drive, brake firmly from about 60 mph and feel for pulsing through the pedal.

The pattern that dominates the 2022 hybrid file continues into 2023 across both electrified versions. "Vehicle stalled while driving — unsafe loss of power. While driving at normal speed, the vehicle suddenly shut off without warning." "I was driving down the road and came to a stop at a stop light. After accelerating again my car lost the ability to increase speed above 20 miles [per hour]." "During driving, engine stopped 3 or 4 times since Jan/2025." On the plug-in, one owner reports the battery management system code P0AA600 with the car failing to deliver power for several seconds then surging, occurring "a total of 9 times during the 2,872 miles we have driven since we purchased it." Another had the throttle body freeze shut at highway speed, code P2118, with the dealer's fix being to wait for it to thaw and clear the code. As on the 2022, there is no recall and no Hyundai bulletin naming the loss-of-power symptom itself, and the dealer usually cannot reproduce it. Ask the seller directly whether they have ever seen it.

Across gas and plug-in versions, and now including a panel that does not even open. "Driving to work and a loud noise (pop) was heard and then I realized the sunroof had basically exploded. Glass was all over the car." "Driving on [a] sunny day, the fixed roof glass located between the windshield and sunroof exploded across the entire width of the glass insert." "The contact stated that while driving at 40-45 MPH, the sunroof exploded outward without warning or impact." A separate plug-in owner had a fixed front door vent window shatter at 15 mph on a mild morning, inspected it, and could find no sign of a stone or projectile. Hyundai's panoramic sunroof glass warranty extension is scoped to the 2013–2016 Santa Fe Sport and does not reach this car, so this is a comprehensive-insurance matter. Ask whether any glass has already been replaced and check that your policy covers it.

23V181 is the tow hitch harness fire recall that spans this whole generation: water accumulating on the harness module's printed circuit board can cause an electrical short and a fire, on vehicles where a hitch harness was fitted as original equipment or bought as a Hyundai dealer accessory. Hyundai advises parking outside and away from structures until it is repaired; dealers install a new fuse and wire extension kit free. 22V816 applies to the plug-in hybrid: the front seat belt pretensioners may explode on deployment and project metal fragments into the cabin. Dealers secure them with a cap, free. Two recalls on a car this complex is a genuinely good number, and both are the sort that get skipped in a private sale.

The driver-assistance complaints continue and one owner in this file offers the honest framing. "My vehicle activates the emergency braking system while driving. It has happened several times now, almost causing a collision." "While driving on the interstate, while using cruise control, my vehicle braked and decelerated uncontrollably." But another writes: "It is not just this vehicle; it is ALL vehicles with adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking. When sensors get snow or debris on [them]..." A third reports the cruise control disabling itself with "forward safety system disabled, radar blocked" on a clear, cold, wet road. Take a highway drive with the systems on rather than switched off. And on choosing between versions, the mechanic who reviewed this car ends with a recommendation rather than a hedge: buy it "if you are looking for a non-third row SUV in this price range that you're not going to keep until the wheels fall off, because again reliability is a question mark with that, especially with that DCT." His trim advice is blunt: "I highly recommend the calligraphy... and I recommend this specific one, not the plug-in hybrid, which is really not good." He calls the plug-in "the worst model of the Santa Fe."