Most common 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe problems
Share of the 106 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Hyundai Santa Fe complaints by model year
Best Santa Fe years: 2018, 2011. Years to avoid: 2017, 2025, 2023, 2013, 2024. Compare all years →
2006 Hyundai Santa Fe recalls (1)
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,…
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.
What 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe owners say
Air bags all 28 →
The contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the air bags warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but it was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer stated the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The failure mileage was 264,000.
got in a roll over accident where the air bags did not deploy and caused serious injuries.
Speed control & acceleration all 20 →
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 illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe. When the contact shifted the gear in reverse, the vehicle accelerated backwards on its own. As a result, the vehicle crashed into a brick wall. The driver then shifted into the drive position and the failure recurred. As a result, the vehicle drove forward through the neighbor's fence before crashing into a parked vehicle. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The driver stated that the brakes were inoperable during the failures. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 155,000.
Brakes
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe. When the contact shifted the gear in reverse, the vehicle accelerated backwards on its own. As a result, the vehicle crashed into a brick wall. The driver then shifted into the drive position and the failure recurred. As a result, the vehicle drove forward through the neighbor's fence before crashing into a parked vehicle. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The driver stated that the brakes were inoperable during the failures. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 155,000.
On or about July 1st 2015 I was about to change the brake pads on my Hyundai Santa Fe. Upon removal of the tire I notice that the brake backing plate was rusted through and was hanging by a sliver of rusty metal. This auto uses a miniature drum brake affair on the rear wheels to actuate the parking brake. In my opinion, if the center of the backing plate rusts away and causes the brake shoe retaining pins to come out the brake shoe could contact the metal drum area which would cause the auto to have it's parking brake engage without warning, locking up the rear drive wheels, which could result in an serious accident. This auto was into the dealer for an oil change in June of 2015 and at that time the service writer informed me that the brake pads needed changing but no mention was made of the rusted out backing plate even though it was obvious that it needed replacement. …
2006 Hyundai Santa Fe engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 24 / 20 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 21 / 18 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe a good car?
Based on 106 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Santa Fe rates better than average: 66% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Santa Fe at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe?
The air bags — 28 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the speed control & acceleration (20) and brakes (17).
How many recalls does the 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe have?
There is 1 recall for the 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe, the most recent from July 18, 2014 (coil springs). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Hyundai Santa Fe?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2018 and 2011. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2017, 2025, 2023, 2013 and 2024. See the full Hyundai Santa Fe years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 62,000 miles; 40% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.