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NHTSA vehicle safety data

2005 Hyundai Santa FE Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2005 Hyundai Santa FE has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns and 216 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Hyundai dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2005 Hyundai Santa FE, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

2005 Hyundai Santa FE owner complaints

Owners have filed 216 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Hyundai Santa FE, describing incidents dated April 4, 2005 to April 12, 2025.

Most-cited components

  • Air Bags 74 complaints
  • Vehicle Speed Control 44 complaints
  • Service Brakes 33 complaints
  • Fuel/Propulsion System 22 complaints
  • Suspension 21 complaints
  • Engine 18 complaints

Of the 216 complaints on file, 18 report a crash; across all 216 complaints, owners report 14 injuries and 2 deaths (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11655016 · Filed

    While merging onto the freeway, the accelerator pedal got stuck to the floor with the throttle wide open. The brakes and emergency brake were ineffective. Measures had to be taken to drive off of the road into ice plant, we we were able to turn off the engine. Further inspection revealed a missing…

  • ODI #11616406 · Filed

    The contact owns a 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the tailgate failed to open while using the tailgate handle. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The…

  • ODI #11517629 · Filed

    Car all of a sudden stopped running like normal. Can't go above 20 mph without sounding like backfiring or dying

Read all 216 complaints

Owner-reported

2005 Hyundai Santa FE mileage at failure

171 of the 216 complaints on file for the 2005 Hyundai Santa FE give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Air BagsMedian 95,000 milesMiddle half 75,000–120,000 milesBased on 58 complaints
Vehicle Speed ControlMedian 20,000 milesMiddle half 2,000–65,000 milesBased on 34 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

Front Coil Spring Corrosion

NHTSA #14V435000 · Suspension — Front — Springs — Coil Springs · NHTSA notice

Reported July 18, 2014 · Hyundai Motor Company

Potentially affected: 271,773 vehicles

Repair completion: 28.35% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Hyundai campaign 124 · Owners notified October 24, 2014 · Vehicles built March 31, 2000 – July 14, 2005 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model Year 2001-2006 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured from March 31, 2000, through February 15, 2006, that are registered and operated, or which were originally sold and registered, in the following 20 “salt belt" states and the District of Columbia: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The affected vehicles may experience front coil spring corrosion from road salt, causing the coil spring to fracture and make contact with the tire.

Safety consequence

If the front coil spring fractures due to corrosion it could cause the coil spring to make contact with the tire, possibly puncturing the tire and increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the coil spring, free of charge. The recall began on October 24, 2014. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 124.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM/FMVSS 208

NHTSA #05V527000 · Air Bags — Frontal · NHTSA notice

Reported November 17, 2005 · HYUNDAI CARIBBEAN-PUERTO RICO

Potentially affected: 134 vehicles

Hyundai campaign 074 · Owners notified December 6, 2006 · Vehicles built August 10, 2004 – November 5, 2005 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN SEATED ON THE FRONT EDGE OF THE SEAT AS AN ADULT.

Safety consequence

THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A FRONTAL COLLISION CRASH OR THE SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A SIDE COLLISION CRASH; SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH COULD OCCUR.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL ENSURE THAT THE VEHICLE'S OCS WILL PROPERLY CLASSIFY CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN WHEN SEATED ON THE FRONT EDGE OF THE SEAT AND WILL DISABLE THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAGS. DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE'S OCS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT TO PROVIDE AN INCREASED MARGIN FOR RECOGNITION OF CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 6, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO AT 1-800-981-0188.

Notes

HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO RECALL NO. 074.CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM

NHTSA #05V450000 · Air Bags · NHTSA notice

Reported October 4, 2005 · HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY

Potentially affected: 12,000 vehicles

Hyundai campaign 074 · Owners notified December 21, 2005 · Vehicles built August 10, 2004 – November 5, 2004 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN SEATED ON THE FRONT EDGE OF THE SEAT AS AN ADULT.

Safety consequence

THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A FRONTAL COLLISION CRASH OR THE SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A SIDE COLLISION CRASH; SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH COULD OCCUR.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL ENSURE THAT THE VEHICLE'S OCS WILL PROPERLY CLASSIFY CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN WHEN SEATED ON THE FRONT EDGE OF THE SEAT AND WILL DISABLE THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAGS. DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE'S OCS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT TO PROVIDE AN INCREASED MARGIN FOR RECOGNITION OF CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 21, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

Notes

HYUNDAI RECALL NO. 074.CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Other Hyundai Santa FE model years

Check your 2005 Hyundai Santa FE VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Hyundai Santa FE at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Hyundai VIN