Hyundai Santa Fe Reliability
9,971 NHTSA complaints (2001–2026). Complaint rate: 4605.5 per 1,000 vehicles.
Hyundai Santa Fe Generations
Manufacturer redesigns the car every few years (a “generation”). Each generation has different engineering and common issues. Click a generation to see year-by-year breakdown.
| Generation | Years | Complaints | Crashes | Volume | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 1 | 2001–2006 | 1,731 | 136 | Show years | |||
| Gen 2 | 2007–2012 | 3,273 | 199 | Show years | |||
| Gen 3 | 2013–2018 | 3,419 | 100 | Hide years | |||
| 2013 | 806 | 25 | View 2013View→ | ||||
| 2014 | 675 | 27 | View 2014View→ | ||||
| 2015 | 325 | 13 | View 2015View→ | ||||
| 2016 | 284 | 7 | View 2016View→ | ||||
| 2017 | 1,191 | 20 | View 2017View→ | ||||
| 2018 | 138 | 8 | View 2018View→ | ||||
| Gen 4 | 2019–2023 | 1,263 | 73 | Show years | |||
| Gen 5 | 2024–present | 285 | 17 | Show years |
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2007–2009 Hyundai Santa Fe (118 crash-related complaints). The 2018 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: ENGINE.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
Too New
Need 3+ years on the road for reliable complaint data.
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Hyundai Santa Fe Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 2,305 | 1.0% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 726 | 3.2% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 724 | 1.7% |
| POWER TRAIN | 719 | 3.2% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 667 | 4.5% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 534 | 15.0% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 422 | 11.8% |
| AIR BAGS | 413 | 22.8% |
| STEERING | 390 | 3.6% |
| SUSPENSION | 332 | 3.3% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Gen 1 | 293 | 7 | 5 | View 2001View→ |
| 2002 | Gen 1 | 219 | 10 | 3 | View 2002View→ |
| 2003 | Gen 1 | 390 | 36 | 7 | View 2003View→ |
| 2004 | Gen 1 | 386 | 40 | 11 | View 2004View→ |
| 2005 | Gen 1 | 300 | 27 | — | View 2005View→ |
| 2006GOOD | Gen 1 | 143 | 16 | 4 | View 2006View→ |
| 2007AVOID | Gen 2 | 981 | 42 | 12 | View 2007View→ |
| 2008AVOID | Gen 2 | 718 | 32 | 11 | View 2008View→ |
| 2009AVOID | Gen 2 | 503 | 44 | 7 | View 2009View→ |
| 2010 | Gen 2 | 331 | 14 | 12 | View 2010View→ |
| 2011 | Gen 2 | 268 | 26 | 10 | View 2011View→ |
| 2012AVOID | Gen 2 | 472 | 41 | 19 | View 2012View→ |
| 2013AVOID | Gen 3 | 806 | 25 | 66 | View 2013View→ |
| 2014AVOID | Gen 3 | 675 | 27 | 43 | View 2014View→ |
| 2015 | Gen 3 | 325 | 13 | 17 | View 2015View→ |
| 2016 | Gen 3 | 284 | 7 | 3 | View 2016View→ |
| 2017AVOID | Gen 3 | 1,191 | 20 | 40 | View 2017View→ |
| 2018GOOD | Gen 3 | 138 | 8 | 7 | View 2018View→ |
| 2019 | Gen 4 | 254 | 20 | 14 | View 2019View→ |
| 2020 | Gen 4 | 243 | 14 | 9 | View 2020View→ |
| 2021 | Gen 4 | 225 | 4 | 1 | View 2021View→ |
| 2022 | Gen 4 | 262 | 13 | 1 | View 2022View→ |
| 2023 | Gen 4 | 279 | 22 | 7 | View 2023View→ |
| 2024TOO NEW | Gen 5 | 138 | 11 | — | View 2024View→ |
| 2025TOO NEW | Gen 5 | 128 | 6 | — | View 2025View→ |
| 2026TOO NEW | Gen 5 | 19 | 0 | — | View 2026View→ |
See also: Hyundai Santa Feaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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