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Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Cruz Tow Hitch Fire Risk

NHTSA campaign 23V181000 · Reported 2023-03-17 · Hyundai Motor America

critical How serious is it? About this label

Serious — a fire can start even while the vehicle sits parked, so Hyundai says to park outside and away from buildings until it is fixed, though it does not tell owners to stop driving.

⚠ Park outside, away from buildings — fire risk. See all such recalls.

What's wrong, in plain English

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.

What you should do

1. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm your vehicle is included in campaign 23V181000.
2. Until the repair is done, park outside and away from houses, garages, and other structures.
3. Call your Hyundai dealer or Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460 (recall 244) to book the repair — it is free.

Affected vehicles (10)

Who to contact

Hyundai — official Hyundai recall lookup

Customer service: 1-855-371-9460

Any franchised dealer for the brand can do the repair. Phone numbers are taken from manufacturer sites and recent NHTSA notices; if one has changed, the number in your own recall letter is the one to use.

The bigger picture

Official notice

Component
TRAILER HITCHES
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.
Safety 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.

Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.