Worst 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Fuel System
Electrical Faults
Engine Problems
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System | 215 | — | — | 84,212 mi | |
| Electrical Faults | 70 | — | 4 | 86,724 mi | |
| Engine Problems | 60 | 2 | 1 | 91,500 mi | |
| Gasoline Fuel System | 57 | 1 | — | 81,884 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 50 | 7 | — | 59,095 mi | |
| Airbags | 49 | 4 | — | 75,008 mi | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 22 | — | 1 | 91,760 mi | |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 19 | 1 | — | 2,703 mi | |
| Electronic Stability Control | 16 | 1 | — | 102,981 mi | |
| Brakes | 16 | 3 | 1 | 151,740 mi | |
| Body Structure | 15 | 2 | — | 82,955 mi | |
| Hydraulic Brakes | 13 | 1 | 1 | 34,315 mi | |
| Steering Defects | 13 | 2 | — | 91,044 mi | |
| Engine & Cooling | 10 | — | 1 | 44,471 mi | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 10 | — | — | 103,368 mi | |
| Suspension Failures | 10 | 1 | — | 79,341 mi | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 6 | 2 | — | 64,911 mi | |
| Wipers & Visibility | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 3 | 1 | — | — | |
| Tire Defects | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment Adaptive/Mobility | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Automatic Transmission | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Structure:Frame And Members | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Visibility | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 2 | — | — | — |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe
3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~2,116,687 vehicles.
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2007 through 2009 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured from April 19, 2006, through July 7, 2008. The occupant classification system (OCS) may need recalibration to accurately detect small statured adults.
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2008 HYUNDAI VERACRUZ VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 26, 2006, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2008, AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 19, 2006 THROUGH MARCH 20, 2008. THE CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY FOR THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) MAY BECOME DAMAGED THROUGH USAGE OVER TIME. THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT WILL EXPERIENCE A HIGH RESISTANCE CONDITION, POTENTIALLY CAUSING THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG TO NOT DEPLOY.
Other Hyundai Santa Fe Years
2008 Hyundai Santa Fe — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
What are common problems with the 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe?
At what mileage do problems start on the 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe?
How safe is the 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Does the 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe have any recalls?
Should I buy a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Hyundai Santa Fe reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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