Hyundai Santa Fe problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 8 model years (2018–2025), NHTSA has logged 1,968 owner complaints and 26 safety recalls for the Hyundai Santa Fe. That averages 58.3 complaints per year on the road — more complaints than typical (index 1.38 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Midsize SUVs segment it ranks #8 of 14 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 53.1.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
Across eight model years from 2018 to 2025, NHTSA has logged 1,968 owner complaints and 26 safety recalls for the Hyundai Santa Fe, with a worsening trend where the 2025 model year shows the highest rate at 126.7 complaints per year. The most common problem area is Engine, accounting for 33.4% of complaints, which are 1.5 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles, while recurring terms in owner reports include "oil", "sport", "consumption", "horn" and "accelerate". Owners report 82 injuries and 0 deaths across all model years, with 124 complaints describing a crash or fire, and the latest open investigation covers "Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires" opened on 2023-11-17. In the last 12 months alone, owners filed 614 complaints versus 413 in the previous year, indicating a rising pace of issues.
Summary drafted by an AI model running on our own server from the figures on this page, and checked number by number against the data before publishing. The statistics and the analysis above come from our fixed methodology, not from the model.The trend is worsening. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 156% above the 2018 and 2019 models (126 early complaints per model year versus 54).
The 2025 model year has the highest rate (126.7 complaints per year) and the 2019 model year the lowest (28.7). The 2025 model year runs at least 50% above the model's own average — the one to research most carefully. Model years 2019, 2020 and 2021 sit well below the model's average.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Engine (33.4% of complaints), followed by Interior & equipment (12.0%) and Transmission / powertrain (11.8%). Engine complaints are 1.5 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Recurring terms in owner reports: “oil”, “sport”, “consumption”, “horn” and “accelerate”. 124 complaints (6.3%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 82 injuries and 0 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 614 complaints versus 413 in the previous 12 months — the pace is rising. The 2025 model year generated the most recent reports (168). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 29 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 26 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2021 (5), 3 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning, 1 fixable over the air. 3 NHTSA defect investigations have covered this model, 1 still open; the latest is “Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires” (opened 2023-11-17, still open).
Segment peers with fewer complaints per year include Dodge Durango, Honda Passport, Nissan Pathfinder and Kia Sorento; Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Kia Telluride and Subaru Outback have more.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Complaints in first 2 years on the road | vs. same-year average | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 427 | 49.2 | 1.17 | 56 | 0.63 | 64 | 5 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2019 Fewest complaints | 220 | 28.7 | 0.68 | 52 | 0.64 | 42 | 3 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2020 | 206 | 30.9 | 0.73 | 31 | 0.54 | 72 | 2 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2021 | 185 | 32.6 | 0.77 | 72 | 1.18 | 35 | 8 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2022 | 261 | 55.8 | 1.33 | 107 | 1.45 | 62 | 8 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2023 | 282 | 76.8 | 1.83 | 152 | 1.83 | 77 | 1 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2024 | 175 | 65.4 | 1.55 | 100 | 1.42 | 94 | 7 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2025 Years to research carefully | 212 | 126.7 | 3.01 | — | — | 168 | 5 | Engine | View › |
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 614 · Previous 12 months: 413 Rising
Problem areas
Interior & equipment ›
236 · 12.0% · 1.34 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- horn35
- sunroof33
- glass32
- shattered23
Transmission / powertrain ›
233 · 11.8% · 1.02 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- transmission109
- accelerate50
- dct15
- power74
Body & structure ›
140 · 7.1% · 0.78 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- glass52
- sunroof40
- windshield49
- exploded31
Brakes ›
116 · 5.9% · 0.97 vs. all vehicles · Steady
- notification brakes45
- hydraulic recall42
- brakes hydraulic45
- sport36
Driver-assist systems ›
114 · 5.8% · 1.01 vs. all vehicles · Steady
- cruise47
- sunglasses17
- control57
- attention warning15
Wheels, tires & suspension ›
50 · 2.5% · 1.02 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- tire37
- pirelli11
- scorpion10
- bubble11
Other
47 · 2.4% · 1.32 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- folding5
- notification trailer5
- button11
- seat13
Steering
29 · 1.5% · 0.23 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- steering25
- wheel17
- column7
- lane10
Lighting
15 · 0.8% · 0.49 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- headlights8
- night7
- shadow3
- low beam3
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Common terms in reports
- oil314
- sport140
- consumption99
- horn75
- accelerate163
- check260
- notification brakes46
- hybrid106
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 29 months
What owners report
Our vehicle has twice gone from parking to drive and moved on its own! Both times almost running over my wife
On 08/22/26 at approximately 11:45 AM I was stopped at a traffic light and struck by a Ford Pickup truck whose approximate speed was 45 mph as described in the police officer who witness the accident totaling my Hyundai 2025 Santa Fe. No airbags were deployed.
Update Re: ODI Complaint Number: 11759237 Subsequent Actions and Manufacturer Refusal to Remediate Safety Defect: Following the [XXX], acute safety incident—where the vehicle lost motive power and entered severe limp mode on [XXX] immediately upon release…
Hyundai Motor America & Wallace Hyundai of StuartVEHICLE: 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe (2.4L Theta II GDI Engine)VIN: 5NMS23AD5LH181669INCIDENT MILEAGE: 181,000 MiHYUNDAI CASE NUMBER: 42981944SECTION 1: CATASTROPHIC INTERSTATE SAFETY INCIDENTOn July 16, 2026, while…
Occasionally the cruise control will go off. Sometimes it will reset itself & other times, the driver has to initiate. I reported to the Hyundai Manuf. last yr. & also had 2 separate dealers take a look & problem has not been resolved.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Midsize SUVs
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dodge Durango | 752 | 15.2 | 0.36 | Improving | Steady | 18 | Lighting |
| 2 | Honda Passport | 652 | 17.6 | 0.42 | Improving | Rising | 16 | Engine |
| 3 | Nissan Pathfinder | 566 | 20.1 | 0.48 | Worsening | Rising | 12 | Engine |
| 4 | Kia Sorento | 1,382 | 36.2 | 0.86 | Stable | Rising | 17 | Engine |
| 5 | Ford Edge | 2,164 | 43.6 | 1.04 | Improving | Steady | 20 | Engine |
| 6 | Chevrolet Traverse | 1,657 | 43.8 | 1.04 | Stable | Steady | 13 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 7 | Toyota Highlander | 2,062 | 44.5 | 1.06 | Improving | Rising | 21 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 8 | Hyundai Santa Fe | 1,968 | 58.3 | 1.38 | Worsening | Rising | 26 | Engine |
| 9 | Ford Explorer | 3,122 | 65.6 | 1.56 | Improving | Steady | 70 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 10 | Honda Pilot | 2,824 | 67.4 | 1.6 | Stable | Steady | 26 | Engine |
| 11 | Kia Telluride | 1,945 | 73.6 | 1.75 | Improving | Rising | 17 | Body & structure |
| 12 | Subaru Outback | 3,749 | 77.0 | 1.83 | Improving | Steady | 15 | Body & structure |
| 13 | Jeep Grand Cherokee | 3,335 | 85.9 | 2.04 | Worsening | Rising | 49 | Electrical |
| 14 | Hyundai Palisade | 2,277 | 102.2 | 2.43 | Worsening | Steady | 13 | Airbags & seat belts |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 26
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 3
- Over-the-air fix: 1
Safety recalls: 2018 (5) · 2019 (3) · 2020 (2) · 2021 (8) · 2022 (8) · 2023 (1) · 2024 (7) · 2025 (5)
Investigations
- Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires Open
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect…
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…
- Loss of Motive Power Closed
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints i…
Frequently asked questions
Which Hyundai Santa Fe model year has the most complaints?
The 2025 model year has the highest rate (126.7 complaints per year) and the 2019 model year the lowest (28.7).
Is the Hyundai Santa Fe getting better or worse?
The trend is worsening. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 156% above the 2018 and 2019 models (126 early complaints per model year versus 54). In the last 12 months owners filed 614 complaints versus 413 in the previous 12 months — the pace is rising.
What are the most common Hyundai Santa Fe problems?
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Engine (33.4% of complaints), followed by Interior & equipment (12.0%) and Transmission / powertrain (11.8%). Recurring terms in owner reports: “oil”, “sport”, “consumption”, “horn” and “accelerate”.
How does the Hyundai Santa Fe compare with other Midsize SUVs?
Within the Midsize SUVs segment it ranks #8 of 14 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 53.1. Segment peers with fewer complaints per year include Dodge Durango, Honda Passport, Nissan Pathfinder and Kia Sorento; Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Kia Telluride and Subaru Outback have more.
Does the Hyundai Santa Fe have recalls or open investigations?
Recalls: 26 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2021 (5), 3 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning, 1 fixable over the air. 3 NHTSA defect investigations have covered this model, 1 still open; the latest is “Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires” (opened 2023-11-17, still open).