IllustrationVEHICLE 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
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Santa Fe years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
550–25K
2825–50K
4550–75K
3875–100K
50100–150K
34150K+
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
Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints
3 reportsCATALYST CONVERTER CALIFORNIA
ON 9/13/2011, IN SAN JUAN, PR, AT APPROXIMATELY 4:00 P.M., MY MOTHER (74 YEARS OLD) WAS DRIVING HER 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE AT A VERY SLOW RATE OF SPEED ON A WET CONCRETE ROAD. WHILE APPROACHING A RED LIGHT, AND WHILE STILL FAR AWAY FROM IT, SHE APPLIED HER VEHICLE'S BRAKES WITH NO AVAIL. THE VEHICLE CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD AND …
Read full complaint
ON 9/13/2011, IN SAN JUAN, PR, AT APPROXIMATELY 4:00 P.M., MY MOTHER (74 YEARS OLD) WAS DRIVING HER 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE AT A VERY SLOW RATE OF SPEED ON A WET CONCRETE ROAD. WHILE APPROACHING A RED LIGHT, AND WHILE STILL FAR AWAY FROM IT, SHE APPLIED HER VEHICLE'S BRAKES WITH NO AVAIL. THE VEHICLE CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD AND STOP ONLY AFTER HITTING A CAR WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGE GREEN. THAT IMPACT CAUSED THIS VEHICLE (V-1) TO MOVE FORWARD AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE (V-2) WHICH WAS ALSO WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGED. MY MOTHER RECEIVED A HEAVY IMPACT FORCE TO HER CHEST, SHOULDERS, AND NECK AREA PRODUCED NOT ONLY BY IMPACTING THE VEHICLES IN FRONT OF HER BUT ALSO BECAUSE HER VEHICLE'S AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED. HER SANTA FE WAS ALSO BADLY DAMAGED. *TR
Official recalls
314V435000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.