2003 Hyundai Santa FE Power Train:automatic Transmission Problems
NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · data through 07/14/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How power train:automatic transmission ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 308 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2003 Hyundai Santa FE overview page.
What owners report
“MY HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2003, 4 CYLINDER, 2.4 LITER ENGINE STALLED 4 TIMES. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO SERVICE DIAGNOSED WITH CRANK…”NHTSA complaint 10257415 — filed 02/04/2009
“MY 2003 HYUANDAI SANTE FE STALLS ANYTIME THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR GETS HOT (AT LEAST THIS IS WHAT THE SERVICE MANAGER [MR. LABESE] AT JOHN…”NHTSA complaint 10238818 — filed 08/19/2008
“I BOUGHT A USED 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. THE VEHICLE JERKS WHEN CHANGING GEARS, ACTUALLY LURCHES FORWARD. I LOOKED ONLINE TO…”NHTSA complaint 10215560 — filed 01/21/2008
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2003 Hyundai Santa FE have power train:automatic transmission problems?
Power Train:automatic Transmission is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 2003 Hyundai Santa FE: 20 of 308 complaints on file (6.5%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2003 Hyundai Santa FE have in total?
308 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 26 involved a crash, 5 involved a fire, 20 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's power train:automatic transmission category include?
NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.
