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2011 Hyundai Santa FE Transmission & Power Train Problems

NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN · data through 07/12/2026

20Power Train complaints
11%Of all 181 complaints
#4Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How power train ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE64 · 35.4%
POWER TRAIN20 · 11%
STEERING19 · 10.5%

Share of the 181 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2011 Hyundai Santa FE overview page.

What owners report

“THE CAR STALLS COMPLETELY FOR SECONDS WHILE DOING SLOW SPEED TURNS, PARTICULARLY DURING RIGHT HAND TURNS. AND WHEN THE GAS PADDLE IS PRESSED IT REGAINS…”NHTSA complaint 10968339 — filed 03/24/2017
“2011 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE VIBRATION ISSUES. *SMD THE DEALER DETERMINED THE REAR COUPLER WAS BROKEN. IT WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER…”NHTSA complaint 10672107 — filed 03/09/2015
“WHIRRING SOUND FROM DRIVE SHAFT/TRANSMISSION NOTE THERE ARE SIMILAR REPORTS ON INTERNET.”NHTSA complaint 10679869 — filed 01/30/2015

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Power Train complaints by year filed

52012920131201422015120171201912026

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2011 Hyundai Santa FE have transmission & power train problems?

Power Train is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 2011 Hyundai Santa FE: 20 of 181 complaints on file (11%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2011 Hyundai Santa FE have in total?

181 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 12 involved a crash, 8 involved a fire, 9 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's power train category include?

NHTSA groups complaints about the transmission (automatic or manual), driveline, axles, transfer case and related parts under a single component category called POWER TRAIN. This page reports that category as NHTSA defines it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.