Most common 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe problems
Share of the 684 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 →
2007 Hyundai Santa Fe recalls (7)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Elantra and 2009-2011 Elantra Touring vehicles. On February 21, 2020 Hyundai expanded the recall to include 46,425 model year 2007-2008 Entourage and 2007 Santa Fe vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the vehicle's main junction box to prevent the risk of an ABS short-circuit while the car is turned off, free of charge. The recall began April 2, 2020.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2007 through 2009 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured from April 19, 2006, through July 7, 2008. The occupant classification system (OCS) may need recalibration to accurately detect small statured adults.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the classification software free of charge. The safety recall began on September 7, 2012. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Air bags › Frontal
Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Hyundai veracruz vehicles manufactured from December 26, 2006, through March 21, 2008, and model year 2007-2008 Hyundai santa fe vehicles manufactured from April 19, 2006 through March 20, 2008.
Remedy: Hyundai dealers will replace the vehicle's driver's air bag clock spring contact assembly free of charge. The safety recall began in November 2011. Owners May contact Hyundai customer connect center at 1-800-633-5151.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
Hyundai is recalling 532,633 my 2006-2007 accent, entourage, sonata, my 2007 azera, elantra and santa fe, my 2005-2007 tucson and my 2007-2008 veracruz vehicles. The stop lamp switch in the affected vehicles May malfunction.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch free of charge. The recall began on June 29, 2009. Owners May contact the Hyundai customer assistance center at 1-800-633-5151.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Hyundai is recalling 88,943 my 2007-2008 Hyundai santa fe vehicles equipped with p235/60r18 tires. These vehicles fail to comply with the labeling requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no.
Remedy: Hyundai will mail corrected certification labels along with the instructions to the affected owners. The customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The recall began on August 5, 2008.
Show 1 more recall
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage
On certain sport utility vehicles, the wall thickness of the right forward baffle of the fuel tank May be below specifications.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the fuel tanks and, if necessary, replace them. All vehicles are either still at the manufacturing plant or in dealerships. No vehicles have been sold to consumers.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe:
Stop lamp switch failure
By letter dated April 15, 2009, Hyundai notified the agency that it will conduct a safety recall (NHTSA recall number 09V122) to replace the stop lamp switches on many of its model year 2005-2008 vehicles.see recall 09V122 for a complete list. The agency opened its investigation based on five complaints of stop lamp failure across several 2007 Hyundai models.
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a petition letter dated October 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (ETC) system on certain Kia vehicles resulting in the opening of DP21-003.
What 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 157 →
The contact owns a 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the vehicle was "running lean on bank 1" and determined that the Engine Control Module needed to be reset. The vehicle had been repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated whenever gasoline gauge was below 1/2 tank full. The contact stated that the check engine warning was light illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed by the dealer, and it was determined that the timing belt, spark plugs, and fuel injectors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred, and the vehicle was taken back to the same dealer. …
When I bought this vehicle they were in cahoots with the nearby dealership, so no issues like this recall were found. I was NEVER TOLD ABOUT THE RECALLS because they trying to CHARGE ME!!!! This HAS always HAD this PROBLEM AND AT ONE TIME HAD A FUEL SENSOR problem.....I was told it was no problem to make the appointment at one Hyundai dealership and they had the VIN & NOW .....Now, that I had made an appt. with another dealership this is an issue and ALL of the factory recall issues were fixed, except for the hitch. IT NEVER was. I called the Hyundai Recall customer service # number and of course, they say there are no issues...The recall # is 077.
Air bags all 102 →
The vehicle, (2007 Hyundai Santa Fe in excellent condition) struck a cow head on at 60 miles per hour and the airbags failed to deploy. It is available on request for a few months. The three occupants of the vehicle suffered from banging around inside. Concussion and sore muscles a few minor cuts but were otherwise very lucky. There was no prior indication of a problem with the airbags.
The contact owns a 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 212,000.
Electrical system all 97 →
The contact owns a 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the battery exploded leaving a hole in the hood of the vehicle. No warning light illuminated. The contact referenced Hyundai Campaign Number: 976. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.
I am writing to formally report an incident involving the service department at Lakeland Hyundai (1500 W Memorial Blvd, Lakeland, FL 33815). My 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe was brought in on 12/31/25 for an active engine recall involving the Cylinder Head Cover Oil Leak Repair (Recall Code 976 / Campaign 24-01-026H). The vehicle was driven into the dealership in proper working condition. I was later informed that allegedly stripped bolts for the cover would require an out-of-pocket cost of $483.36, despite this being a recall repair. There was also a required Upper Timing Chain Guide repair quoted at $58.38 to complete the recall work. When I was called in on 01/12/26 to pick up the vehicle for completed work, I was charged $29.99 for a Multi-Point Inspection related to the recall, yet no documentation or billing was provided for the timing chain guide repair I was told was completed. …
2007 Hyundai Santa Fe engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.7L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 24 / 21 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 18 / 23 / 20 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 24 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe a good car?
Based on 684 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2007 Santa Fe rates avoid: 2.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Santa Fe at the same age. It is one of the Santa Fe years we suggest avoiding. 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 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe?
The fuel & propulsion system — 157 complaints, 23% of all complaints for this model year, most often about storage › fuel gauge system. Next are the air bags (102) and electrical system (97).
How many recalls does the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe have?
There are 7 recalls for the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe, the most recent from February 4, 2020 (control unit/module). 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 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 74,000 miles; 30% 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.