YearToAvoid

2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 26 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe, about 12% of all 213 complaints filed for the year. Median mileage at failure is 27,823 miles, and there are no related recalls filed for this problem area.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
26
12% of 213
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
27,823 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Owners report the transmission getting stuck or hanging in a gear, particularly gear 3 or 4, and refusing to shift up even as speed increases.
  • Some describe the transmission unexpectedly slipping into a higher gear (gear 5) with the engine revving hard but the tachometer not matching actual behavior.
  • Several owners report the vehicle failing to move or respond when the accelerator is pressed from a stop, sometimes requiring the vehicle to be shifted to park and restarted before it responds.
  • Owners report the vehicle slipping out of park unexpectedly while parked, in one case rolling backward and causing damage.
  • Some owners describe the transmission dropping into low gear during driving and refusing to exceed 40 mph.
  • One owner reported unintended acceleration while pulling out of a driveway, followed by stalling and a delayed response when attempting to shift into reverse.

When 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 15, 2021, latest Sep 2, 2026.

2020 Hyundai Santa Fe transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month3Feb 2021Sep 2022Apr 2023Dec 2023Jun 2025Dec 2025Jul 2026
26 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2021 to Sep 2026; peak Dec 2025 (3).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Santa Fe model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2010109 (42%)
  2. 201121 (12%)
  3. 201224 (7%)
  4. 201352 (9%)
  5. 201436 (7%)
  6. 201522 (9%)
  7. 201621 (9%)
  8. 2017163 (17%)
  9. 201810 (9%)
  10. 201935 (18%)
  11. 202026 (12%)
  12. 202150 (30%)
  13. 202257 (29%)
  14. 202344 (21%)
  15. 202442 (28%)
  16. 202521 (16%)

Frequently asked questions

How many transmission complaints does the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe have?
NHTSA lists 26 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2020 Santa Fe, which is about 12% of the 213 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe?
No. The data shows no related recalls tied to the Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2020 Santa Fe.
At what mileage do transmission problems typically show up on the 2020 Santa Fe?
The median mileage at failure for Transmission & Powertrain complaints on the 2020 Santa Fe is 27,823 miles.
What kind of transmission problems do owners report on the 2020 Santa Fe?
Owners describe the transmission hanging in a gear without shifting, slipping into an unexpected gear, failing to respond when accelerating from a stop, and in some cases slipping out of park while parked.
How does the 2020 Santa Fe compare to other years for transmission complaints?
The 2020 Santa Fe's transmission complaints are 12% of its total complaints, lower than the 2021 (30%), 2022 (29%), and 2017 (17%) model years, but higher than 2018 (9%).

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.