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2004 Hyundai Santa Fe

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 212.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

250 reports with mileage · 53 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Suspension. Review the 69 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

32 crash reports7 fire reports27 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

43 reports
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51,000 miles · Jun 28, 2005
Air Bags

DT: WITHOUT WARNING THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER DID NOT HIT ANYTHING OR RUN INTO A HOLE. CONSUMER HAD NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG. INSURANCE ADJUSTER SAID NO SIGN OF PHYSICAL IMPACT, APPEARS TO BE MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. RIGHT SIDE AIR BAG APPEARS TO HAVE DEPLOYED PREMATURELY. DEALE…

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DT: WITHOUT WARNING THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER DID NOT HIT ANYTHING OR RUN INTO A HOLE. CONSUMER HAD NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG. INSURANCE ADJUSTER SAID NO SIGN OF PHYSICAL IMPACT, APPEARS TO BE MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. RIGHT SIDE AIR BAG APPEARS TO HAVE DEPLOYED PREMATURELY. DEALER LOOKED AT IT AND TOLD THE CONSUMER THEY COULD NOT TOUCH IT BECAUSE OF THE MANUFACTURER. MANUFACTURER SAID IT WAS TURNED OVER TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT. CONSUMER HAS NOT HEARD BACK FROM MANUFACTURER. *TT *NM

NHTSA ODI #10122305

6,000 miles · Feb 4, 2005
Air BagsCrashInjury

WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AT WHICH I HAD THE GREEN LIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE, TRAVELING PERPENDICULARLY, RAN THE RED LIGHT AND MY HYUNDAI SANTA FE SMASHED RIGHT INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THAT VEHICLE. MY SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, YET THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE ENTIRE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE IS SMASHED AND TH…

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WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AT WHICH I HAD THE GREEN LIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE, TRAVELING PERPENDICULARLY, RAN THE RED LIGHT AND MY HYUNDAI SANTA FE SMASHED RIGHT INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THAT VEHICLE. MY SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, YET THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE ENTIRE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE IS SMASHED AND THE CAR MAY POSSIBLY BE TOTALED (WE ARE WAITING FOR INSURANCE CLAIMS ADJUSTERS TO EXAMINE). OUR CONCERN IS THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ON IMPACT, AS THEY SHOULD HAVE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10109833

900 miles · Sep 21, 2004
Air Bags

I PURCHASED A 2004 SANTA FE HYUNDAI 8-25-04. ON 9-3-04 I WENT OUT OF TOWN. ABOUT 75 MI FROM MYHOME,I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON I-35 AND THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG EXPLODED IN THE CAR. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS IN THE SEAT. I DID NOT GET HIT BY ANY CAR, I DID NOT HIT A CHUCK HOLE OR ANY DEBRIE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SEEN ON THE HWY. I IM…

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I PURCHASED A 2004 SANTA FE HYUNDAI 8-25-04. ON 9-3-04 I WENT OUT OF TOWN. ABOUT 75 MI FROM MYHOME,I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON I-35 AND THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG EXPLODED IN THE CAR. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS IN THE SEAT. I DID NOT GET HIT BY ANY CAR, I DID NOT HIT A CHUCK HOLE OR ANY DEBRIE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SEEN ON THE HWY. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED ALLEN SAMUELS SERVICE DEPT, TALKED TO PHIL AND HE SAID HE NEVER HEARD OF THAT HAPPENING AND TO BRING IT INTO THE SERVICE DEPT ON 9-7-04 WHICH I DID. THEY GAVE ME A RENTAL CAR; THEY SAID THE SEAT AIR BAG WAS ON BACK ORDER AND THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN IT WOULD BE AVAILABE. I HAD MY CAR THERE FOR 2 WEEKS. THEY CALLED ME ON 9-20 AND SAID THIS WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND TO TURN MY RENTAL IN. I PICKED UP MY CAR AT THIS TIME. THE TECH TOLD ME I MUST HAVE HIT A SMALL OBJECT LIKE A PIECE OF WOOD AND IT HIT THE SENSOR.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10091405

Official recalls

3

14V435000 · Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs

Jul 18, 2014

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.

Consequence & remedy

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.

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.

04V131000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module

Mar 16, 2004

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.5 LITER V-6 ENGINES, 4-WHEEL DRIVE AND ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEMS (ABS), IF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 3 AND 12 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE PAD FRICTION SURFACES ARE WET, A VIBRATION MAY OCCUR BETWEEN THE BRAKE DISCS AND PADS CAUSING ABS SENSOR ELECTRONIC SIGNAL NOISE TO DEVELOP. AT SPEEDS BELOW 5 MPH, THE ABS SENSOR SIGNAL NOISE MAY CAUSE THE ABS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) TO ACTIVATE THE ABS, EXTENDING THE STOPPING DISTANCE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF AN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURS, IT COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ABS ECU. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MARCH 24, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

03V520000 · Equipment:other:labels

Dec 18, 2003

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE TIRE PRESSURE LABELS DO NOT CONTAIN THE INFORMATION REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A CORRECT LABEL AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON OCTOBER 29, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.