What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2005 Hyundai Santa FE

Typical pattern

4% of complaints about the 2005 Hyundai Santa FE came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2005 vehicle — around the middle of the 245 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 9.2 yr in service. The most-reported system is air bags (76 complaints), typically at 10.0 yr or about 93,000 miles.

Complaints
300
Median age at failure
9.2 yr
Median mileage
79,500 n=242
Crash / fire / tow
11.3% of reports
Safety recalls
3

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Air bags
76 reports · 93,000 mi
10.0 yr
13.2%
Speed control
44 reports · 22,400 mi
3.6 yr
18.2%
Suspension
22 reports · 77,000 mi
8.8 yr
0%
Seat belts
18 reports · 94,000 mi
9.6 yr
5.6%
Service brakes
18 reports · 87,500 mi
10.5 yr
16.7%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

14V435000 2014-07-18
Suspension:front:springs:coil springs

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 s

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.

05V527000 2005-11-17
Air bags:frontal

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.

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.

05V450000 2005-10-04
Air bags

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.

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.

In owners’ own words

Speed control mileage not reported 7 mo in service
MY 2005 SANTA FE 3.5L ENGINE HAS A COMPUTER OPERATED GAS PEDAL THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE A SMOOTH LINEAR ACCELERATION. I FEEL THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE CORRECTED BEFORE AND ACCIDENT OR INJURY OCCURS. *AK THERE WAS A DELAY IN ACCELERATION THAT OCCURRED BETWEEN THE GAS PEDAL AND THE TRANSMISSION. THIS SITUATION WAS ESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED ON WET, SNOWY OR ICY ROADS. *SC THE MANUFACTURER CHANGED THE CABLE SYSTEM GAS PEDAL TO A COMPUTER OPERATED GAS PEDAL. *JB
Speed control mileage not reported 7 mo in service
DT: THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED DELAYED ACCELERATION. CONTACTED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. THEY SAID IT WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. IF AT A COMPLETE STOP AND CONSUMER PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL IT TOOK A FEW SECONDS BEFORE VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE. *AK
Speed control 6 mi 11 mo in service
ACCELERATOR PEDAL. VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP,THEN SUDDENLY ACCELERATES SOMETIMES MUCH TO QUICKLY CAUSING SOME LOSS OF CONTROL. MECHANIC AT HYUNDAI TRIED TO RESET COMPUTER BUT INFORMED US THAT IT IS SET TO MANUFACTURERS STANDARDS PROBLEM HAS SO FAR BEEN UN-FIXABLE AND THE VEHICLE REMAINS UNSAFE. *JB
Air bags 900 mi 1.2 yr in service
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

Other Santa FE model years

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