Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
190–25K
1425–50K
1650–75K
1175–100K
13100–150K
12150K+
85 reports with mileage · 21 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 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Suspension. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports3 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
106 reports
Mileage unknown · Feb 5, 2014
Service Brakes
I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN SEPTEMBER 2012. HAD TO BRING THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE. THEY FINALLY GOT THE BRAKES TO FEEL OK IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, BUT EVERY TIME IT SNOWS, SNOW AND ICE GET STUCK IN MY BRAKES AND I CAN NOT STOP. I ALMOST CRASHED 4 TIMES ON MY WAY TO WORK THIS MOR…
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I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN SEPTEMBER 2012. HAD TO BRING THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE. THEY FINALLY GOT THE BRAKES TO FEEL OK IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, BUT EVERY TIME IT SNOWS, SNOW AND ICE GET STUCK IN MY BRAKES AND I CAN NOT STOP. I ALMOST CRASHED 4 TIMES ON MY WAY TO WORK THIS MORNING, AND HAS HAPPENED EVERY TIME IT SNOWS. THEY WILL NOT FIX WITHOUT A CHARGE BECAUSE IT'S PAST THE WARRANTY. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10563000
145,000 miles · Jan 30, 2014
Air Bags
AIR BAGS LIGHT IS ALWAYS LIT ON THE DASH. THE SENSOR IN MIDDLE OF DASH RECOGNIZES SOMEONE GETTING IN THE PASSENGERS SIDE BUT PER LOCAL SHOP THERE IS A SHORT IN THE SRS SYSTEM UNDER THE PASSENGERS SEAT. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED ON PASSENGERS SIDE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10562255
420,000 miles · Jan 23, 2014
Air Bags
2006 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG IS ON-OFF WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE TRACKING POSITION SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE…
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2006 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG IS ON-OFF WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE TRACKING POSITION SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000. I TOOK THE CAR AGAIN TO THE DEALER AND GIVE THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE RECALLS OF THE AIRBAGS (OCS). AND THE DEALER SAID THAT I HAVE TO REPLACE THE SEAT COMPLETELY AND HAVE TO PAID BY MY OWN. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10561147
40,000 miles · Dec 3, 2013
Air Bags
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG ON-OFF WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE TRACKING POSITION SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG ON-OFF WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE TRACKING POSITION SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
NHTSA ODI #10554650
96,315 miles · Sep 26, 2013
Exterior Lighting
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHILE DECELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,315. UPDATED 11/19/13*LJ THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 11/20/13
NHTSA ODI #10545487
98,000 miles · Aug 23, 2013
Air Bags
LIKE MANY OTHERS THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON FOR NO REASON JUST AS MILLIONS OF OTHERS HAVE STATED. THIS IS A DEFECT ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO AIR BAGS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10537006
78,000 miles · Aug 22, 2013
Exterior LightingService Brakes
DRIVING BACK HOME FROM WORK AND DRIVER BEHIND NOTIFIED ME THAT BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T WORK. I CHECKED ALL FUSES, BULBS AND SEEMS OKAY. I FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH IS DEFECTIVE. I SAW RECALL ON 2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE BUT NOT 2006. WILL THE DEALER WILL REPLACE MY DEFECTIVE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH? *TR
NHTSA ODI #10536622
Mileage unknown · Jun 5, 2013
Air Bags
FOR THE PAST YEAR MY AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN TURNING ON AND OFF IN MY SANTA FE. I NOTICED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A MASSIVE RECALL ON THE AIR BAG LIGHT. I CONTACTED THE HYUNDAI DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD MY CAR WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST AND IF I NEEDED TO HAVE THE AIR BAG LIGHT CHECKED OUT, THAT I WOULD HAVE T…
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FOR THE PAST YEAR MY AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN TURNING ON AND OFF IN MY SANTA FE. I NOTICED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A MASSIVE RECALL ON THE AIR BAG LIGHT. I CONTACTED THE HYUNDAI DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD MY CAR WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST AND IF I NEEDED TO HAVE THE AIR BAG LIGHT CHECKED OUT, THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10515164
58,000 miles · May 21, 2013
Seat Belts
SEATBELT WOULD NOT LATCH. THE BUCKLE WOULD NOT CLICK. SOMETHING IS BROKEN INSIDE THE FEMALE END. THE PART IS OVER $400! WITH THE LABOR, THIS IS $565.00 FOR A SEAT BELT BUCKLE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10512988
Mileage unknown · Apr 11, 2013
Suspension
2006 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BROKEN SPRINGS PUNCTURED TIRES ON VEHICLE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED AS HE WAS BACKING UP FROM A PARKING SPACE, HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE STARTED TO GO DOWN. WHEN THE CONSUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE, HE DISCOVERED THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY F…
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2006 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BROKEN SPRINGS PUNCTURED TIRES ON VEHICLE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED AS HE WAS BACKING UP FROM A PARKING SPACE, HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE STARTED TO GO DOWN. WHEN THE CONSUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE, HE DISCOVERED THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY FLAT. THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME, THE SPRING BROKE AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE.
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.
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.
2006 Hyundai Santa Fe Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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