20 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
On certain Hyundai Ioniq 6, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid and Genesis G90 vehicles, the anchor that holds the driver's or front passenger's seat belt to the car can come loose and detach. If that happens, the seat belt cannot hold the person in place during a crash, so it will not protect them the way it should. Dealers will inspect the anchors and either reinforce or replace them at no charge.
On these Santa Fe and Santa Fe Hybrid SUVs, the backup camera may not have been put in correctly at the factory. The bad fit can damage the wiring behind it, and then the camera picture does not show up on your dashboard screen when you shift into reverse. Without that view you cannot see people, pets, or objects directly behind the SUV. Dealers will replace the camera wiring at no charge to you.
On certain 2025 Hyundai Tucson, 2025-2026 Santa Cruz, Santa Fe and Santa Fe Hybrid, and 2026 Genesis GV70 vehicles, the side curtain airbags may not have been installed properly. These are the airbags that drop down from above the side windows to protect people's heads in a crash. If they were put in wrong, they may not open the way they are supposed to. That means you could be hurt more seriously if you are in a crash.
On some Santa Fe SUVs, the protective cover over the positive battery terminal on the starter motor may not have been installed correctly at the factory. That cover keeps the live terminal from touching other metal parts. If the cover is not on properly and the vehicle is in a crash, the wiring can short out, and a short can start a fire. A dealer will inspect the cover and reinstall it if needed, free of charge.
Bolts that hold the connecting rods inside the engine may not have been tightened enough at the factory. That can damage the engine and make the vehicle lose power while you are driving — possibly in traffic, with no warning. The damage can also let oil leak out onto hot engine parts, which can start a fire under the hood. Because the engine itself can be ruined, the dealer replaces the whole engine at no cost.
A circuit board inside the backup camera on these Hyundai vehicles can be damaged, and when that happens the camera picture may not appear on the screen as you back up. You could be looking at a blank display instead of the area behind the car. Federal rules require a working rear view, so these vehicles fall short of the standard. The fix is a brand-new rearview camera, installed by the dealer at no cost to you.
On some 2024 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Hybrid SUVs, the button that runs the rear sunshade in the overhead console does not sit deep enough in its housing. Because it sticks out, it can get pressed by accident, and the sunshade can close when nobody meant to close it. That also means these vehicles do not meet the federal safety rule for power-operated windows, partitions and roof panels. Dealers will replace the button knobs.
A bundle of wires that runs along the floor of the SUV can rub against the second-row bench seat on the passenger side and wear through. Damaged wiring can make an airbag go off when it should not, or it can keep the airbags from going off in a real crash. Either problem can injure someone in the vehicle. Dealers will look at the wiring and repair or replace it free of charge.
Some 2024 Santa Fe vehicles have a software error in the computer that controls the transmission. Because of it, the vehicle may roll away even when the shifter is in Park. Hyundai says owners should use the emergency parking brake every time they park. Hyundai will send a software update over the air, and dealers will inspect the transmission and replace it if needed. All work is free.
On certain 2024 Santa Fe vehicles, a message about trailer parking assist can pop up over the backup camera picture and block part of your view of what's behind you. Because the camera image gets covered, the vehicle doesn't meet the federal rear-visibility rule. Hyundai is fixing this with a software update sent to the vehicle over the air, so most owners won't need to visit a dealer at all. There's no charge either way.
Water can get into the small electrical box that controls the trailer hitch wiring. If water sits on the circuit board inside, it can short out and start a fire — while you are driving or while the vehicle is parked and turned off. Affected vehicles have tow hitch wiring that was fitted at the factory or added later by a Hyundai dealer. A dealer will install a new fuse and a wiring extension kit at no cost.
⚠ NHTSA advises: park outside and away from structures (fire risk).
Certain Hyundai Santa Fe, Sonata, Veloster N, Santa Cruz, Elantra N and Kona N vehicles have a problem with the transmission's oil pump. Normally, if the pump fails, the car drops into a backup mode that still lets you limp along. On these vehicles that backup mode may not work properly, and the car can lose drive power completely — meaning it stops pulling and you can no longer accelerate. Dealers will inspect and, if needed, replace the transmission and update its software free of charge.
A small pipe feeds oil to the turbocharger, the part that helps the engine make more power. On these vehicles that pipe can crack and let oil leak out into the engine bay. Engine and exhaust parts get very hot, and oil dripping onto them can catch fire. Signs to watch for are a burning smell, smoke, or oil spots under the front of the car. The dealer will replace the oil pipe at no cost.
The control box for the anti-lock brakes can fail and cause an electrical short. That short can start a fire under the hood — and it can happen while the car is parked, not just while you are driving. The fix is to replace a fuse for that brake system, and it costs you nothing. Because a parked car can catch fire, Hyundai asks owners to park outside and away from houses, garages and other buildings until the work is done.
⚠ NHTSA advises: park outside and away from structures (fire risk).
When these Hyundais were built, the windshield may not have been glued to the body properly. The glass is supposed to stay bonded in place, including during a crash. If the bond is weak, the windshield can come loose and fall out in a collision, so people inside are more likely to be hurt. The dealer will remove the front windshield and reinstall it properly, at no cost to you.
These Santa Fe and Sonata models with the 2.5-liter turbocharged engine can leak gasoline at the joint where the pipe from the high-pressure fuel pump meets the fuel rail on the engine. Leaking fuel in the engine bay raises the risk of a fire. Dealers will inspect that fuel pipe and either tighten the connection or replace the pipe, free of charge. Hyundai mailed owner notification letters on September 3, 2021.
On certain Santa Fe SUVs with the 2.5-liter turbo engine, the fuel pipe that runs from the high-pressure fuel pump to the fuel rail may not have been tightened enough at the factory. A loose connection can let gasoline seep out while the engine is running. Leaking fuel near a hot engine can catch fire. Hyundai says dealers already inspected and tightened this connection on every affected vehicle, so no owner letters are being mailed for this recall.
Some 2021 Hyundai Santa Fes have a faulty sensor system in the front passenger seat. That system is supposed to notice when a child safety seat is in that spot and shut the front passenger airbag off. On these vehicles it may leave the airbag switched on. An airbag going off in a crash can seriously hurt a child sitting there. Hyundai says every affected vehicle was already repaired as of May 2021, with the sensor replaced free.
Certain 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles have side curtain airbags, the ones that drop down along the windows to protect your head in a crash. The bolts that hold those airbags in place can get in the way as the airbag opens and tear or damage it. A damaged airbag may not fill with air properly, so it would not cushion you the way it should, and someone in the vehicle could be hurt worse in a crash.
On some 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles, the steering wheel assembly can break. If that happens, the steering wheel can come off the column while you are driving, leaving you unable to steer. Hyundai dealers will check the production lot number of your steering wheel assembly and replace it if it came from an affected batch. The check and any replacement are free. This recall started in March 2018; check whether yours was ever repaired.
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the Hyundai Santa FE. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 108 | 6 | 4 | 6 |
| 2019 | 197 | 16 | 12 | 10 |
| 2020 | 209 | 13 | 9 | 15 |
| 2021 | 166 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 2022 | 198 | 8 | 1 | 3 |
| 2023 | 207 | 11 | 3 | 15 |
| 2024 | 145 | 11 | 1 | 9 |
| 2025 | 131 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: