2010 Hyundai Santa FE Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 109 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2010 Hyundai Santa FE, 42% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 10,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “2nd 3rd” (8% of reports).
- 109power train complaints
- 10,500median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 7%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- 2ND 3RD: mentioned in 9 of 109 complaints (8%)
- Loud bang: mentioned in 8 of 109 complaints (7%)
- Rear ended: mentioned in 8 of 109 complaints (7%)
- Feels like: mentioned in 7 of 109 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 94 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 109 complaints, 1 an injury.
Hyundai Santa FE power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Santa FE | 3 | 8% | 5,100 |
| 2025 Santa FE | 22 | 16% | — |
| 2024 Santa FE | 45 | 29% | 15,000 |
| 2023 Santa FE | 45 | 21% | 9,500 |
| 2022 Santa FE | 57 | 28% | 35,000 |
| 2021 Santa FE | 51 | 31% | 17,050 |
| 2020 Santa FE | 26 | 12% | 27,823 |
| 2019 Santa FE | 36 | 18% | 13,739 |
| 2018 Santa FE | 10 | 9% | 3,008 |
| 2017 Santa FE | 166 | 17% | 5,350 |
| 2016 Santa FE | 21 | 9% | 50,109 |
| 2015 Santa FE | 22 | 9% | 106,000 |
| 2014 Santa FE | 36 | 7% | 40,000 |
| 2013 Santa FE | 52 | 9% | 48,427 |
| 2012 Santa FE | 24 | 7% | 21,825 |
| 2011 Santa FE | 21 | 12% | 22,701 |
| 2010 Santa FE | 109 | 42% | 10,500 |
| 2009 Santa FE | 24 | 7% | 84,000 |
| 2008 Santa FE | 24 | 4% | 65,000 |
| 2007 Santa FE | 31 | 5% | 80,000 |
| 2006 Santa FE | 5 | 5% | 83,801 |
| 2005 Santa FE | 11 | 5% | 107,592 |
| 2004 Santa FE | 21 | 7% | 37,000 |
| 2003 Santa FE | 35 | 11% | 52,448 |
| 2002 Santa FE | 13 | 8% | 76,650 |
| 2001 Santa FE | 23 | 11% | 58,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Power train:driveline:driveshaft
Problem: Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2010 santa fe 2wd vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and 2.4l engines manufactured from october 15, 2009 through march 5, 2010. The intermediate shaft may suffer from noise and excessive wear due to a misalignment of the intermediate shaft with the right side output gear. Continuing to drive the vehicle in this condition leads to the development of a whirring/whining noise and can eventually cause damage to the automatic transmission.
Risk: Damage to the transmission may cause loss of motive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the right side output gear and intermediate shaft free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during june 2011. Owners may contact hyundai's customer assistance center at 1-800-633-5151.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The vehicleâs transmission slips while driving on the highway at approximately 65â75 mph. The slipping occurs at highway speeds and appears to affect the vehicleâs ability to maintain consistent power and acceleration. Problem The vehicleâs transmission slips while driving on the highway at…
Brakes locked
The battery warning light illuminated. The alternator was not holding power. I was on the freeway and the vehicle lost total power. After seeing a certified mechanic I was made aware of a oil leak from the valve gasket that was leaking on to the alternator wires and caused it to loose power. There…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2010 Hyundai Santa FEs have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 109 owner complaints about power train for the 2010 Hyundai Santa FE (42% of the 259 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2010 Hyundai Santa FE power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 10,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2010 Hyundai Santa FE?
The most frequent phrase is “2nd 3rd”, in 9 of 109 complaints, followed by “loud bang” (8).
See all 2010 Hyundai Santa FE problems or power train problems across all Santa FE years.