Hyundai Santa Fe 2001–2006 problems by year and mileage
1st generation (SM)
NHTSA data through 24 September 20261,307 complaints, 1,007 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe
Close- Median failure report
- 103,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 209
- Recalls naming this year
- 4
Most reported on the 2001
- Suspension76 reports · median 120,000 mi
- Electrical system35 reports
- Engine and its cooling system33 reports
4 recall campaigns name the 2001: Suspension — front; Suspension — rear; Equipment — other. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe
Close- Median failure report
- 104,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 165
- Recalls naming this year
- 4
Most reported on the 2002
- Suspension59 reports · median 134,000 mi
- Body structure17 reports
- Steering16 reports
4 recall campaigns name the 2002: Suspension — front; Suspension — rear; Equipment — other. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe
Close- Median failure report
- 80,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 308
- Recalls naming this year
- 4
Most reported on the 2003
- Suspension56 reports · median 120,000 mi
- Airbag system42 reports · median 66,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline35 reports
4 recall campaigns name the 2003: Suspension — front; Suspension — rear; Service brakes, hydraulic — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
Close- Median failure report
- 72,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 303
- Recalls naming this year
- 3
Most reported on the 2004
- Suspension69 reports · median 91,000 mi
- Airbag system43 reports · median 90,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control39 reports · median 70,000 mi
3 recall campaigns name the 2004: Suspension — front; Service brakes, hydraulic — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip; Equipment — other. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe
Close- Median failure report
- 80,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 216
- Recalls naming this year
- 3
Most reported on the 2005
- Airbag system74 reports · median 94,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control44 reports · median 22,000 mi
- Suspension21 reports
3 recall campaigns name the 2005: Suspension — front; Air bags — frontal; Air bags. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe
Close- Median failure report
- 62,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 106
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 2006
- Airbag system28 reports
- Throttle and speed control20 reports
- Suspension13 reports
1 recall campaign names the 2006: Suspension — front. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 2002 reports latest and the 2006 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2002 has had 4 more years on the road to accumulate mileage.
The short answer
“Is the 2001–2006 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 84,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 155,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 1,007
- Recalls
- 7
Most reported
- Suspension22.5% of complaints · median 108,000 mi
- Airbag system14.9% of complaints · median 88,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control11.9% of complaints · median 60,000 mi
Owners filed 1,307 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001–2006 Hyundai Santa Fe; the suspension leads with 22.5% of them, and half of the 1,007 that record an odometer reading came by 84,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 41,000 and 121,000 miles.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 2001–2006 Hyundai Santa Fe last?
Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2001–2006 Hyundai Santa Fe, half of the 1,007 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 84,000 miles and 90% by 155,000 miles.
136 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 22 past 200,000 — each one proof that a Santa Fe reached that mileage, not that it failed there.
Figure 1 · Hyundai Santa Fe 2001–2006 · 1,007 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 111 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 22 complaints (2.2%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 7,000
- 25%
- 41,000
- Median
- 84,100
- 75%
- 121,000
- 90%
- 155,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 111 | 11.0% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 47 | 4.7% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 43 | 4.3% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 39 | 3.9% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 43 | 4.3% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 57 | 5.7% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 63 | 6.3% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 72 | 7.1% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 67 | 6.7% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 76 | 7.5% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 72 | 7.1% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 48 | 4.8% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 50 | 5.0% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 40 | 4.0% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 43 | 4.3% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 41 | 4.1% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 22 | 2.2% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 20 | 2.0% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 17 | 1.7% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 14 | 1.4% |
| 200,000+ | 22 | 2.2% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Common Santa Fe problems, and when they happen
Figure 2 · Hyundai Santa Fe 2001–2006
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Hydraulic brake circuit92 reports35,0007,500–65,000Hydraulic brake circuit: 92 reports, median 35,000 miles, middle half 7,500 to 65,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline108 reports58,00023,000–97,000Transmission and driveline: 108 reports, median 58,000 miles, middle half 23,000 to 97,000 miles.
- Electrical system112 reports60,00025,000–110,000Electrical system: 112 reports, median 60,000 miles, middle half 25,000 to 110,000 miles.
- Engine and its cooling system102 reports60,00022,000–83,000Engine and its cooling system: 102 reports, median 60,000 miles, middle half 22,000 to 83,000 miles.
- Throttle and speed control156 reports60,00010,000–107,000Throttle and speed control: 156 reports, median 60,000 miles, middle half 10,000 to 107,000 miles.
- Airbag system195 reports88,00053,000–120,000Airbag system: 195 reports, median 88,000 miles, middle half 53,000 to 120,000 miles.
- Suspension294 reports108,00085,000–149,000Suspension: 294 reports, median 108,000 miles, middle half 85,000 to 149,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
All systems in a table
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 294 | 22.5% | 108,000 | 85,000–149,000 |
| Airbag system | 195 | 14.9% | 88,000 | 53,000–120,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 156 | 11.9% | 60,000 | 10,000–107,000 |
| Electrical system | 112 | 8.6% | 60,000 | 25,000–110,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 108 | 8.3% | 58,000 | 23,000–97,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 102 | 7.8% | 60,000 | 22,000–83,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 92 | 7.0% | 35,000 | 7,500–65,000 |
| Body structure | 87 | 6.7% | 113,000 | 74,000–150,000 |
| Steering | 68 | 5.2% | 90,000 | 58,000–148,000 |
| Brakes | 66 | 5.0% | 100,000 | 70,000–148,000 |
System by system, in words
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 84,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The suspension accounts for 22.5% of complaints (294 reports, 237 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 108,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 85,000 and 149,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 14.9% of complaints (195 reports, 155 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 88,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 53,000 and 120,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 11.9% of complaints (156 reports, 128 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 10,000 and 107,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 8.6% of complaints (112 reports, 74 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 25,000 and 110,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 8.3% of complaints (108 reports, 81 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 58,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 23,000 and 97,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 7.8% of complaints (102 reports, 73 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 22,000 and 83,000 miles.
Known problems with the 2001–2006 Santa Fe
Automatic Transmission 2001–2006
Automatic transmission failure is the dominant durability complaint for this generation; no manufacturer recall campaign, so it appears in complaint data rather than recall data.
Before you buy a 2001–2006 Santa Fe: the 3-minute check
Generated from 1,007 mileage-tagged complaints, 7 recall campaigns, 1 documented problem area. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 7 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check automatic transmission on 2001–2006 cars. Automatic transmission failure is the dominant durability complaint for this generation; no manufacturer recall campaign, so it appears in complaint data rather than recall data.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 41,000 and 121,000 miles, with a median of 84,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the suspension and the airbag system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The airbag system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 88,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Santa Fe problems by mileage: where your car sits
Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.
| System | Middle half of reports, mi | At 60k mi34% below | At 90k mi54% below | At 120k mi73% below | At 150k mi86% below | At 200k mi98% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 85,000–149,000 | later | in window | in window | earlier | earlier |
| Airbag system | 53,000–120,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Throttle and speed control | 10,000–107,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Electrical system | 25,000–110,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Transmission and driveline | 23,000–97,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Engine and its cooling system | 22,000–83,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 7,500–65,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
Figure 3 · Hyundai Santa Fe 2001–2006 · 1,007 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 34% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 54% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 73% of reports below
- 150,000 mi — 86% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 98% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it above
The staircase tops out at 98%: the remaining 2.2% of reports (22) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
2001–2006 Hyundai Santa Fe recalls (7)
NHTSA records 7 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the suspension (2), the airbag system (2), the hydraulic brake circuit (1). Several campaigns against one area can mean a remedy that did not hold, or separate defects in parts filed under the same heading; the summaries below name each defect.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Jul 2014 · 2001–2006 · SuspensionIf the front coil spring fractures due to corrosion it could cause the coil spring to make contact with the…
The defect. 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…
What can happen. 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.
The free fix. 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…
Apr 2009 · 2001–2003 · SuspensionIf the corrosion is allowed to progress, the rear trailing arm may fracture while driving, thereby increasing…
The defect. Hyundai is recalling 83,355 my 2001-2003 Santa Fe vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey…
What can happen. If the corrosion is allowed to progress, the rear trailing arm may fracture while driving, thereby increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect the rear trailing arms for internal corrosion damage. If specified levels of corrosion damage are found, the rear trailing arms will be replaced. Rear trailing arms that do not…
Nov 2005 · 2005 · Air BagsThe possibility of misclassification of certain small children as an adult may allow the right front airbag…
The defect. 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.
What can happen. 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…
The free fix. 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…
Oct 2005 · 2005 · Air BagsThe possibility of misclassification of certain small children as an adult may allow the right front airbag…
The defect. 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.
What can happen. 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…
The free fix. 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…
Mar 2004 · 2003–2004 · Service Brakes, HydraulicIf an extended stopping distance occurs, it could result in a crash.
The defect. 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…
What can happen. If an extended stopping distance occurs, it could result in a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will reprogram the ABS ECU. Owner notification began on march 24, 2004. Owners should contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Dec 2003 · 2001–2004 · EquipmentThe tire pressure labels do not contain the information required by the standard.
The defect. 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."
What can happen. The tire pressure labels do not contain the information required by the standard.
The free fix. 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.
Jan 2003 · 2001–2002 · Electrical SystemA damaged cps capacitor could result in engine stalling.
The defect. On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with 2.7 Liter v-6 engines, improperly manufactured crankshaft position sensors (cps) were installed. The cps cases were improperly manufactured and did not meet dimensional specifications. Internal gaps within the…
What can happen. A damaged cps capacitor could result in engine stalling.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the cps. Owner notification began on march 10, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy…
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 1,307 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 100 (7.7%)
- Fires
- 21
- Injury reports
- 68
- Fatality reports
- 2
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Santa Fe problems by model year
The 2003 drew the most complaints of this generation, 308, most of them about the suspension, and the 2006 the fewest, 106. A typical year drew about 212.
| Year | Complaints | With mileage | Median miles | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 209 | 130 | 103,000 | Suspension (76) | 4 |
| 2002 | 165 | 126 | 104,000 | Suspension (59) | 4 |
| 2003 | 308 | 245 | 80,000 | Suspension (56) | 4 |
| 2004 | 303 | 248 | 72,000 | Suspension (69) | 3 |
| 2005 | 216 | 175 | 80,000 | Airbag system (74) | 3 |
| 2006 | 106 | 83 | 62,000 | Airbag system (28) | 1 |
What Santa Fe owners reported
The contact owns a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that on six separate occasions, the vehicle had independently accelerated without warning. On one occasion, the vehicle had accelerated through a red light with the brake pedal depressed to the floorboard. On a separate occasion, the vehicle accelerated…
2004 · 37,000 miles · Transmission and driveline
The contact owned a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while the son was driving approximately 25 MPH the braking system malfunctioned and when depressing the brake pedal the vehicle did not reduce speed or stop causing the vehicle to crash into the rear of a second vehicle. During the crash, the rear…
2004 · 150,000 miles · Brakes
The contact owns a 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that on separate occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was towed to Marco’s body shop where it was diagnosed that both struts, new tires, front passenger side wheel cylinder, wheel mount…
2001 · 140,000 miles · Steering
The contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH when the vehicle began to accelerate without the accelerator pedal being depressed. The contact was able to pull over and noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated no warning lights were…
2006 · 143,000 miles · Throttle and speed control
Built from 1,007 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built
Other Santa Fe generations
- Santa Fe 2007–2012 1,939 reports with mileage, most about the engine
- Santa Fe 2013–2018 1,610 reports with mileage, most about the engine
- Santa Fe 2019–2023 197 reports with mileage, most about the engine