2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Lemon Law Buyback in Florida
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
A 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe bought new in Florida got stuck in drive with every dash warning lit, then later could not be moved at all. This same problem kept sending it back to the dealership three times. Hyundai repurchased the SUV, and the total value of the buyback was $56,771.
The vehicle and its defects
The owner bought the Santa Fe new in December 2024 with 49 miles on it. Its reported mileage later stood at about 11,000.
The defects were transmission and electrical. In early January 2025 the SUV would not shift out of drive and all of the dashboard warning lights came on. Technicians blamed a loose connector. In February a driver warning message appeared and the vehicle could not be driven, and the codes led back to a wiring connector again.
| Vehicle | 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe |
|---|---|
| State | Florida |
| Purchase | Bought new, December 2024 |
| Repair visits | 3 |
| Days out of service | 20 |
| Resolution | Buyback, settled March 2026 |
| Total | $56,771 |
The repair record
The record shows 3 repair visits for the same recurring problem and 20 days out of service, starting in January 2025.
- January 4, 2025 (1 Day)
The Santa Fe would not shift out of drive, and every warning light on the dash was on. The technician found several active fault codes and a loose connector. The connector was secured and the codes were cleared.
- February 5–15, 2025 (11 Days)
A driver warning message showed on the dash, and the SUV could not be moved or driven. The technician found multiple codes again and traced them to a wiring connector.
- July 18, 2025
The SUV was towed to the dealer for the same recurring problem and stayed there 8 days or more. No repair order has been generated for this visit.
Florida Lemon Law - Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act and federal warranty law
Florida's Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act (Fla. Stat. §681.10 to §681.118) protects people who buy or lease a new or demonstrator vehicle in Florida mainly for personal, family or household use. Its rights period is the first 24 months after delivery. The law presumes the manufacturer had a fair chance to fix a defect after 3 repair attempts on the same problem, followed by written notice to the manufacturer and one final repair try. A vehicle out of service for 30 or more days in total also raises that presumption, and once it reaches 15 days the owner has to notify the manufacturer in writing. Florida sends these disputes to a state-run arbitration board before court. The claim must be filed within 60 days after the 24-month rights period ends. A prevailing owner can recover attorney fees, and the remedies are a replacement or a refund less a reasonable offset for use.
This Santa Fe had 3 repair visits for one recurring shifting and drivability problem, the kind of record Florida's 3-attempt test looks at, and all of them fell within its first year. Its 20 days out of service did not reach the 30-day figure, so the case leaned on the repeat repairs. An owner can also have a federal claim under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq.), which applies when a written warranty is not honored and may allow recovery of attorney fees.
- Statute
- Florida Lemon Law - Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act, Fla. Stat. §681.10 to §681.118
- Repair test
- 3 repair attempts for the same defect, plus a final repair attempt after written notice, or 30 cumulative calendar days (60 days for recreational vehicles) out of service
- Time limit
- Within 60 days after the end of the 24-month Lemon Law rights period
- Federal law
- Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq.
More on Florida: Florida lemon law attorney page and how to file a lemon law claim in Florida.
How RockPoint built the claim
This claim was about repetition. The same failure sent it back three times, and twice it left the SUV unable to drive normally, once stuck in drive and once unable to move at all. On the third visit, in July 2025, it was towed in with the same problem.
Two visits for repairs pointed to issues with connectors and the problem kept recurring. That pattern, all before the end of July 2025, carried the case more than the day count did.
The outcome
Hyundai agreed to repurchase the Santa Fe and the case settled in March 2026. The total amount from this buyback comes to $56,771 (exactly $56,771.65). The total covered the loan payoff, the amount paid to the owner and attorney fees.
Questions about this case
Florida looks for 3 repair attempts on the same defect. After that, the owner sends written notice and the manufacturer gets one final repair attempt.
A Florida claim must be filed within 60 days after the 24-month Lemon Law rights period ends. That period starts at delivery.
Yes. Florida claims go first to the Florida New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board, a state-run board rather than one run by the manufacturer.
Yes. It covers new and demonstrator vehicles bought or leased in Florida mainly for personal, family or household use.
Hyundai has bought back this SUV. The total value of the resolution was $56,771, which covered the loan payoff, the payment to the owner and attorney fees.
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