Car Defect Radar
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Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated October 26, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.
Urgent recall on this model.

At least one recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. Confirm by VIN that the repair was completed before driving or buying this car. The fix is free at a dealer.

Recalls

3 total · 3 to confirm

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

Safety recall

Park outsideRecall 23V181000 · Mar 2023

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.
Status
Park outside and away from buildings until repaired. Dealer fixes it free.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Safety recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 24V879000 · Nov 2024

A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 271.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Seat belts recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 22V816000 · Oct 2022

An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.

Remedy
Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioners with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 14, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 238/011G. This recall is an expansion of recall numbers 22V-354 and 22V-458.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Owner complaints by system

20 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Minor
11

Most reports here involve sudden stalling.

sudden stalling 6fluid leaks 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle failed to respond while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer…
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The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle failed to respond while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the camshaft sensor needed to be replaced. In addition, the vehicle was repaired several times however, the failure persisted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11600067 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
6

Most reports here involve sudden stalling.

sudden stalling 3software faults 2electrical shorts 1
A recent report: From what I have been told there is no recall on this issue. Purchased a Hyundai Sante Fe Hybrid 2021 brand new in 2021. I live in La Quinta California summers are especially hot. Temps can be…
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From what I have been told there is no recall on this issue. Purchased a Hyundai Sante Fe Hybrid 2021 brand new in 2021. I live in La Quinta California summers are especially hot. Temps can be anywhere from 105 to 120 . Only had the car for 6months when in light came on saying Inverter needs coolant this has been a problem for the past 2yrs. Checked with Hyundai Service department my coolant is fine air conditioning works well. This not a safety issue but should be fixed and Hyundai is doing nothing about it. Many complaints have been ignored.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11521248 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
1

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 1
A recent report: I purchased my car in May 2021. Shortly after purchase, I noticed a "clicking" sound under the car when the car was operating between 15 and 20 MPH. I took the car to the dealer, who couldn't…
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I purchased my car in May 2021. Shortly after purchase, I noticed a "clicking" sound under the car when the car was operating between 15 and 20 MPH. I took the car to the dealer, who couldn't identify what was causing the sound. The dealer subsequently replaced the front axle, but the clicking sound continued, only audible when the car was moving at between 15 and 20 MPH. On June 9, I was driving at about 40 MPH on an interstate that had only a few cars on it. I didn't notice any debris or objects in the road, nor did I feel the car hit any debris or objects. Suddenly, I heard a loud "crunching" sound that I mistook for interference from the radio. I turned the radio off and realized the sound was coming from the rear passenger side of the car. I looked at the dashboard and saw the tire pressure light had illuminated. A few seconds later, the triangular danger sign also illuminated. I got off the highway at the next exit and stopped the car as soon as it was safe. The car made a lot of noise as I drove down the exit ramp, and it was difficult to steer, so I knew that the rear tire was flat. I got out of the car and found, to my surprise, that both tires on the passenger side were flat. The rear tire was cracked and ripped apart. The front tire was intact, but completely flat. The car has not been inspected yet, so I don't know what caused both tires to flatten at the same time. If I'd hit something hard enough to flatten both tires, I'd think I would have seen or felt it. My concern is that a defect in the tires related to the mysterious clicking sound that the mechanics could not diagnose caused the tires to blow out without warning at the same time.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11468519 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Minor
1

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V816000 (Seat Belts) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact…
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The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V816000 (Seat Belts) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The driver's side seat belt failed to extend smoothly. The contact stated that occasionally the seat belt became stuck and excessive force was needed to operate the seat belt. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 26,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11499412 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
1

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 1
A recent report: Visual Red Triangle code illuminated on the instrument cluster with the number 1 on the side of it. I used my OBD2 reader (Blue Driver) to retrieve the 8 AIR BAG codes. They were B1511 ,B1513, B1378…
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Visual Red Triangle code illuminated on the instrument cluster with the number 1 on the side of it. I used my OBD2 reader (Blue Driver) to retrieve the 8 AIR BAG codes. They were B1511 ,B1513, B1378, B1382, B1346, B1481, B14AE, B2618. Problem resulted after the Cowl Cross Bar Assembly (Unpainted), also known as a CRASH BAR, was replaced because of broken welds. It was replaced with a Painted Assembly that prevents access to secure ground for the Air Bags and Seat Belts. The Assembly is used to provide support in case of a crash and also serves as a grounding bus bar for multiple devices, such as; Air bags, seatbelts, Instrument cluster, on board safety cameras, lane, backup warnings, etc...

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11447353 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 20 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2022 and 2024, roughly 8 a year, which is about the same as the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.

How does it compare with other years? The 2021 has 20 complaints on file, fewer than the 2022 (37). Of the 6 model years of the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid we cover, the 2025 has the most (88). Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.