Problems · NHTSA complaints
2004 Hyundai Santa Fe problems
Owners filed 303 complaints about the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe with NHTSA between Jan 2004 and Dec 2023. The most-cited component is suspension (69).
Complaints
303
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
32
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
35
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Suspension69
- Air bags43
- Vehicle speed control39
- Fuel/propulsion system25
- Service brakes, hydraulic24
- Engine and engine cooling22
- Power train21
- Electrical system18
- Engine16
- Service brakes16
- Fuel system, gasoline13
- Structure12
- Steering11
- Seat belts8
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
24
25
14
11
11
12
17
30
20
21
37
23
23
7
10
9
3
3
0
3
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 24 |
| 2005 | 25 |
| 2006 | 14 |
| 2007 | 11 |
| 2008 | 11 |
| 2009 | 12 |
| 2010 | 17 |
| 2011 | 30 |
| 2012 | 20 |
| 2013 | 21 |
| 2014 | 37 |
| 2015 | 23 |
| 2016 | 23 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 10 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Suspension
69 reports1 related recall
“IT HAD 124 RECALL NHTSA 14V43500 I CALL HYUNDAI OFF GOVERNMENT SITE TOLD THEM ABOUT 124 AND BROKEN SPRING THEY SET UP APPOINTMENT SO THEY ONLY PUT ON BRACKETS BUT NO SPRING WANTED $1004 FOR THE STRUT SPRING ON THEY TOLD ME ON CALL CENTER THEY REPLACE SPRING AS IT SAID ON NHTSA SITE THEY WOULD NOT DO IT CALL BACK TO HYUNDIA AS NUMBER ON GOVERNMENT SITE THEY MADE A CASE NUMBER 16604156 AMBER AT 714 594 1764 SHE SAID SPRING WAS NOT IN RECALL I SEND PICTURE OF IT BEFORE UP THERE TO DEALER SHE HAD NO CLUE WHAT WAS SO I DONT WHO RIGHT ON RECALL SHE SAID GOVERNMENT NHTSA SITE ARE NOT CORRECT BROWN LEESBURG HYUNDAI LEESBURG VA 20176”
Air bags
43 reports11 crashes
“MY AIR SBAG LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON. IT WON'T TURN OFF.I DON'T IF IT IS A PROBLEM WITH MY AIR BAGS OR JUST THE LIGHT.IT HAS BEEN THIS WAY FOR YEARS.THERE WAS NOT REASON FOR IT TO TURN ON. I'VE NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT,SO I DON'T IF IT WILL WORK WHEN NEEDED. I DON'T THINK I SHOULD FOR IT. I THINK THIS A MALFUNCTION AND SHOULD CHECKED BY A DEALER AT NO COST.”
Vehicle speed control
39 reports5 crashes
“VEHICLE WAS SOLD WITHOUT TITLE OR DISCLOSURE DEALERSHIP TOOK MONEY REFUSE TO HEAR COMPLAINTS. CONTACT ME AS I AM HANDICAPPED AND HAVE NO TITTLE TRYING TO RETURN VEHICLE IT VEERED TOWARD DITCH AS THE VEHICLE IS INOPERABLE AND DANGEROUS PER DMV”
Fuel/propulsion system
25 reports
“This was a recall for hundai santa fe vehicles from 2001-2006. For unknown reasons I was not aware of recall. It was for 15 years or 150 miles. It is a danger as my car leaks gas. I am at 135,000 miles. But my car is a 2004. I purchased the vehicle in the last 2 years. I believe the recall should extend till the repair is complete for the reasons as follows. 1. it can explode. 2. it is a polluter 3. Hyundai acknowledges it as faulty equipment. 4. Corporations must be resonsible or they are irresponsible. 5. Cars are expensive they must maintain as least minimum safety requirements.”
Service brakes, hydraulic
24 reports11 crashes1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DECELERATE WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000. ..UPDATED 09-21-12*BF”
Engine and engine cooling
22 reports2 fires
“MY AIR BAGS LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON AND WILL NOT TURN OFF. THE SUSPENSION IS HORRIBLE, I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAID" THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO. AND SOMETIMES WHEN I TURN MY VEHICLE ON THE ENGINE REVELS UP AND SOUNDS AS IF THE ACCELERATION IS STUCK. SCARES ME TO DEATH. *TR”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.