2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 7 NHTSA recalls and 167 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

46/100

High Reported Activity — 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe shows high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Review the issues below and have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done by an independent mechanic.

Own or buying a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe?

Check your specific VIN free for recalls and specs. Full vehicle history report: one-time $4.99, no subscription, no auto-renewal.

NHTSA Recalls

7 recalls on record

167

Owner Complaints

Filed with NHTSA

Crash Reports

2 fire reports

⚠️

NHTSA Recalls — 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe (7)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Hyundai dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Fuel System, Gasoline: Delivery: Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service…

NHTSA #21V524000

🔧 Visibility: Windshield

A windshield that detaches from a vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will remove and reinstall the front windshield panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number…

NHTSA #21V00M000

🔧 Air Bags: Air Bag/Restraint Control Module

In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ODS module, free of charge. All affected vehicles have been remedied as of May 12, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer…

NHTSA #21V185000

🔧 Fuel System, Gasoline: Delivery: Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

An insufficiently tightened fuel pipe may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers inspected and tightened the fuel pipe connection, free of charge. The affected vehicles have been repaired and therefore no owner notification letters will be sent. Owners may contact Hyundai…

NHTSA #21V308000

🔧 Power Train: Automatic Transmission

Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were…

NHTSA #22V746000

🔧 Trailer Hitches

A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is completed. Dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit as necessary, free…

NHTSA #23V181000

🔧 Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall…

NHTSA #24V879000

💬

Most Common Problems — 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe

Based on 167 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Power Train

Unknown Or Other

Electrical System

Engine

Visibility/wiper

Visibility

Forward Collision Avoidance

Back Over Prevention

📊

Hyundai Santa Fe — Complaints by Year

A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2021 model year is highlighted.

→ Recently checked Hyundai Santa Fe VINs — free recall, safety and specs report for any VIN.

→ Decode a Hyundai VIN — free Hyundai VIN decoder guide: where to find the VIN and what each part means.

⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2017 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.

✅ Best model years: 2018 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

❓

Frequently Asked Questions — 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe

Is the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?

Based on NHTSA data, the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe has 7 recall campaigns and 167 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How many recalls does the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe have?

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe has 7 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.

What are the most common problems with the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe?

The most commonly reported problems for the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe are: Power Train, Unknown Or Other, Electrical System, Engine. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.

Is the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe safe to buy?

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 7 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.

What year Hyundai Santa Fe should I buy?

Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Hyundai Santa Fe are: 2018. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2017.

How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.

Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.