2020 Hyundai Santa FE Transmission & Power Train Problems

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

22Power Train complaints

11.3%Of all 194 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

ENGINE69 · 35.6%

Unspecified / other37 · 19.1%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM23 · 11.9%

POWER TRAIN22 · 11.3%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM11 · 5.7%

Share of the 194 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2020 Hyundai Santa FE overview page.

What owners report

“High utilization of motor oil. Using 1 quart of oil every 300miles. Hyundai dealership (Gurnee Hyundai-Illinois) completed a "combustion system cleaning" but oil consumption continues…”NHTSA complaint 11647003 — filed 03/07/2025

“La guagua a tenido problemas con el tren delantero. ComenzÃ³ con un sonido en el GuÃa. La Hyundai le reparo esa pieza y luego continuÃ³…”NHTSA complaint 11559501 — filed 12/11/2023

“The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while attempting to drive from a complete stop, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but…”NHTSA complaint 11557881 — filed 12/01/2023

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

Power Train complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2020 Hyundai Santa FE have transmission & power train problems?

Power Train is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 2020 Hyundai Santa FE: 22 of 194 complaints on file (11.3%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2020 Hyundai Santa FE have in total?

194 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 13 involved a crash, 7 involved a fire, 15 reported injuries, and none 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.