YearToAvoid

2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 44 transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, 21% of its 210 total complaints. Owners report rollaway after shifting to Park, sudden loss of acceleration, and transmission slipping or failure, with a median failure mileage of 9,500 miles. No related recall is listed for this component.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
44
21% of 210
Crashes reported
3
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
3
Median mileage
9,500 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Vehicles reportedly rolled forward or backward after being shifted into Park, in some cases crashing into buildings, garages, or trailers after the driver exited.
  • Owners describe pressing the gas pedal and having engine RPMs rise while the vehicle fails to accelerate, sometimes stalling in intersections or while merging.
  • Some drivers report the transmission shifting into Neutral on its own while in Drive, with the engine revving but no forward movement.
  • Several owners describe the transmission jerking, slipping, or losing power at low gears, in some cases leading to a dealer diagnosis that the transmission needed replacement.
  • One owner reported the vehicle stalling and decelerating from 75 MPH to 25 MPH on the highway with multiple warning lights flashing.

When 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Apr 18, 2023, latest Sep 6, 2026.

2023 Hyundai Santa Fe transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month4Apr 2023Sep 2023Feb 2024Sep 2024Apr 2025Dec 2025Jun 2026
44 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2023 to Sep 2026; peak Dec 2024 (4).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2023 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

Is the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe transmission reliable?
NHTSA lists 44 transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2023 Santa Fe, making up 21% of all complaints filed for the year. Owners describe rollaway incidents, loss of acceleration, and transmission slipping or failure.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe?
No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for the transmission & powertrain area on the 2023 Santa Fe.
At what mileage do 2023 Santa Fe transmission problems happen?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 9,500 miles.
Did the 2023 Santa Fe transmission issues cause any crashes?
NHTSA data links 3 crashes and 3 injuries to transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2023 Santa Fe, with no fires reported.
How does the 2023 Santa Fe compare to other model years for this issue?
The 2023 Santa Fe's 21% share of complaints in this area is lower than the 2010 (42%) and 2021 (30%) model years but higher than years like 2018 (9%) and 2025 (16%).

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.