IllustrationWHEN APPLYING BRAKES, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP ACCORDINGLY. WHEN TAKEN TO GET SERVICED, IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE DUE TO THE VACUUM HOSE AND DIRT ON THE ABS SENSOR.
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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
24 reportsI PURCHASED MY NEW CAR ON 02/09/04 AT BRONX HYUNDAI. IT IS A 4-WHEEL DRIVE 3.5 LTR ENGINE HYUNDAI SANTA FE. UPON DRIVING I FELT A HARD KNOCKING-VIBRATING SOUND WHEN I DRIVE ON LOCAL (DRY) STREETS AND THEN A FEELING THAT THE CAR JUMPS (LUNGE FORWARDS)AFTER I STOP. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I THOUGHT SOMEONE HIT ME FROM BEHIND. THI…
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I PURCHASED MY NEW CAR ON 02/09/04 AT BRONX HYUNDAI. IT IS A 4-WHEEL DRIVE 3.5 LTR ENGINE HYUNDAI SANTA FE. UPON DRIVING I FELT A HARD KNOCKING-VIBRATING SOUND WHEN I DRIVE ON LOCAL (DRY) STREETS AND THEN A FEELING THAT THE CAR JUMPS (LUNGE FORWARDS)AFTER I STOP. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I THOUGHT SOMEONE HIT ME FROM BEHIND. THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN ONLY WHEN I DRIVE LOCALLY. THE CAR HAS NEVER DONE THIS ON THE HIGHWAY, WHICH IS PART OF MY DAILY COMMUTE. I WASN'T SURE WHY AT FIRST, THE CAR DID THAT AND I THOUGHT IT WAS PART OF THE TRACKING CONTROL SYSTEM(4-WHEEL DRIVE EVEN THOUGH THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY. IN EVERY INCIDENT, THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS NOT GOING TO STOP, BUT IT DOES. I AM AFRAID BECAUSE WHEN THE CAR JUMPS AND IF I GET TOO CLOSE TO SOMEONE IT CAN HIT A CAR IN FRONT OF ME, OR EVEN A PERSON CROSSING. SO, I WAS HAPPY RECEIVE MY RECALL NOTICE STATING THE EXACT PROBLEM I WAS GOING THROUGH I THEN CALLED AND TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND TOLD THEM WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I HOPED THE PROGRAMMING WOULD WORK SINCE MY PROBLEM WAS SIMILAR TO THE RECALL SYMPTOMS. THAT IS WHEN THIS NIGHTMARE BEGAN AND IT WAS ON APRIL 9, 2004. SINCE THEN, THE DEALER HAS BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE BUT THEY SEEM AT A LOSS ALSO. MY CAR WAS PROGRAMMED TWICE AND THEN THE ABS SENSOR REPLACED AND A CHIP ALSO(THIS WAS DONE LAST MONDAY). I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR 5 TIMES AS OF TODAY. MY CAR CONTINUES TO DO THE KNOCKING/GRINDING SOUND AND ON 2 OCCASIONS THE LAST BEING ON MAY 29; THE ABS, TCS AND THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE LIGHTS ON THE INTERIOR CONTROL PANEL HAVE FLICKERED AND STAYED ON AS WELL. (WHEN THIS HAPPENED MY CAR DID THE KNOCKING/VIBRATING NOISE AS WELL.) IT HAS BECOME A DAILY OCCURANCE SO NOW I AM DOCUMENTING ALL OF MY INCIDENTS AND I AM GETTING AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR. SO TODAY I GAVE MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WILL CONTACT THE MAIN OFFICE AT HYUNDAI. ALL PARTS AND SERVICE WERE NOT CHARGED AND REPLACED WITH NEW HYUNDAI PARTS.*AK
MY WIFE HAD ENTERED A SMALL PARKING LOT AND WAS COMMING UP TO A CURB ABOUT 6" HIGH. WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE JUMPED OVER THE CURB AND INTO A TREE. SHE IS SURE THAT SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE AND NOT THE ACCELERATOR.*AK
BRAKE FAILURE OF MY 2004 HYUNDAI, SANTA FE. THE CAR HAD 1,940 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. I BRAKED, TO STOP BEHIND A CAR THAT WAS STOPPED FOR ANOTHER CAR TURNING LEFT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND MY CAR ROLLED INTO THE STOPPED CAR. HYUNDAI IS DENYING THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR! I HAVE BEEN WITH…
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BRAKE FAILURE OF MY 2004 HYUNDAI, SANTA FE. THE CAR HAD 1,940 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. I BRAKED, TO STOP BEHIND A CAR THAT WAS STOPPED FOR ANOTHER CAR TURNING LEFT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND MY CAR ROLLED INTO THE STOPPED CAR. HYUNDAI IS DENYING THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR! I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A CAR FOR A MONTH NOW (WITHOUT A RENTAL CAR DUE TO THE FACT THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG) AND THEY TELL ME, TO PURSUE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, WILL TAKE UP TO TWO MONTHS. ONE OF THE THREE DEALER MECHANICS THAT LOOKED AT THE CAR TOLD ME THEY HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE (BRAKE FAILURE, AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG THEN EITHER). AFTER CHECKING THE NHTSA WEBSITE, I FIND 4 OTHER BRAKE FAILURE COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO MINE SINCE OCTOBER 8TH OF 2003, WITH HYUNDAI DENYING THERE IS ANY PROBLEM WITH THE CARS. I BELIEVE THERE IS DEFINITELY A PROBLEM WITH THIS MANY INCIDENTS IN SUCH A SHORT TIME FRAME(HOW MANY HAVE NOT BEEN REPORTED TO YOUR WEBSITE?). *LA
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.