2020 Hyundai Santa Fe problems, complaints & recalls
FewerRising
NHTSA has received 206 owner complaints about the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe, or 30.9 per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.73, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 82 model-year 2020 vehicles we track, it ranks #49 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Hyundai models its rate is 44% lower; against other Midsize SUVs it is 42% lower.
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
Complaints filed between 2020-01-03 and 2026-09-02. Median delay from incident to filing: 11 days.
206Complaints
30.9Complaints per year on the road
0.73Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
2Recalls · ⚠ 1
10.2%Share involving a crash or fire
72Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2019) drew 28.7 complaints per year, fewer than this one. The following model year (2021) drew 32.6 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2020 model collected 31 complaints, 46% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Engine (37.9% of complaints), followed by Body & structure (13.1%) and Interior & equipment (11.7%). Engine complaints are 1.7 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Engine reports, owners most often mention “oil”, “engine”, “consumption”, “theta” and “plug”. 21 reports (10.2%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 15 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 53 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was after five years (44% of incidents). In the last 12 months 72 new complaints were filed, versus 32 in the 12 months before — the pace is rising.
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls for this model year, 1 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 15% of the complaints fall in component areas that a recall addresses. 1 NHTSA defect investigation covers this model year; the most recent is “Loss of Motive Power” (opened 2022-09-12, closed 2023-12-12).
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles0.73
vs. other Hyundai models0.56
vs. other 2020 models0.82
vs. other Midsize SUVs0.58
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (31)0.54
I went to the store, came home , parked and turned off the car. Went to go outside about 10 minutes ,maybe. Black smoke coming from right front. By the time i grabbed the keys and fire extinguisher there were flames coming from the engine compartment
Engine · 2026-08-12 · ODI 11756416 · Fire
We were driving on interstate 49 going south near Chester Arkansas when traffic came to a stop. I was rear ended by a vehicle driving 75 mph. My car hit the car in front of me where there was damage to both the passenger and driver side front area of the car.
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…
Engine · 2026-09-02 · ODI 11761774
The multifunction/turn signal switch in my Hyundai has failed and causes the left turn signal to operate intermittently. While driving, I am unable to reliably activate the left turn signal when making a left turn or changing lanes.
Electrical · 2026-08-14 · ODI 11756946
Vehicle began running sluggish, gas smell noticed. Vehicle was due for oil change, took car in for oil change to AAA and mentioned gas smell. AAA identified gas leaking from fuel pump posing immediate safety issue that needed to be resolved.
Fuel system · 2026-08-13 · ODI 11756767
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Summary: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Santa Fe, 2021-2023 Santa Fe HEV, 2022-2023 Santa Fe Plug-in HEV and Santa Cruz vehicles potentially equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Hyundai dealership. Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Risk: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is completed. Dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed starting May 16, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 244. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-633.
Summary: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Santa Fe, 2021 Sonata, and Elantra vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.
Risk: A windshield that detaches from a vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will remove and reinstall the front windshield panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 216.
DP22003 · ENGINE · Opened 2022-09-12 · Closed 2023-12-12 · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
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
How many complaints were filed for the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe?
206 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe, or about 30.9 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe?
The most common category is Engine, accounting for 37.9% of complaints.
Does the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 2 safety recall(s) for this model year. 1 NHTSA defect investigation covers this model year; the most recent is “Loss of Motive Power” (opened 2022-09-12, closed 2023-12-12).
Is the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe still generating complaints?
In the last 12 months 72 new complaints were filed, versus 32 in the 12 months before — the pace is rising.
How does the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 206 owner complaints about the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe, or 30.9 per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.73, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 82 model-year 2020 vehicles we track, it ranks #49 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Hyundai models its rate is 44% lower; against other Midsize SUVs it is 42% lower.