IllustrationDRIVING ON A DIRT ROAD, VEHICLE STARTED TO WOBBLE, VEHICLE SWERVED TO THE LEFT AND WENT OVER DITCH, ROLLED AND HIT TREE. PASSENGER WAS THROWN FROM VEHICLE. DRIVER SUSTAINED SPINAL CORD INJURY. VEHICLE HAD FRONT END, RIGHT SIDE, AND TOP DAMAGE. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *JB
2005 Hyundai Santa Fe
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2005 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
410–25K
1825–50K
2450–75K
3875–100K
38100–150K
16150K+
175 reports with mileage · 41 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 74 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
18 crash reports0 fire reports10 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
74 reports2005 HYUNDAI SANTE FE INVOLVED IN A SEVERE ROLLOVER AND ALL AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER 6X WITH 3 PASSENGERS IN IT. ONE WAS EJECTED FROM THE BACK AND THE FRONT TWO SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF THE AIR BAGS HAD DEPLOYED. *NM
PASSENGER AIR BAG SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK AS PER DASH LIGHT. DEALER STATES THE SENSOR INDICATES THE SYSTEM IS WORKING PROPERLY. *JB
PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK AS PER DASH LIGHT, DEALER CAN' T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH SYSTEM SUGGEST TURNING OFF ENGINE AND RESTARTING TO RESET COMPUTER. I TRIED THIS WHILE DRIVING IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AND LOST POWER TO MY BRAKES AND STEERING , MY WIFE WEIGHS 135 POUNDS THIS SHOULD WORK THE SENSORS. *JB
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.
05V527000 · Air Bags:frontal
Nov 17, 2005
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.
Consequence & remedy
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.
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.
05V450000 · Air Bags
Oct 4, 2005
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.
Consequence & remedy
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.
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.
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.