Body complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | 2% | 40,000 miles |
| 2024 | 5 | 3% | 10,000 miles |
| 2023 | 6 | 3% | 12,000 miles |
| 2022 | 6 | 3% | — |
| 2021 | 3 | 2% | 35,000 miles |
| 2020 | 9 | 4% | 1,000 miles |
| 2019 | 14 | 7% | 2,000 miles |
| 2018 | 1 | 1% | 60,000 miles |
| 2017 | 7 | 1% | 37,000 miles |
| 2016 | 6 | 3% | 40,000 miles |
| 2015 | 9 | 4% | 92,000 miles |
| 2014 | 20 | 4% | 59,000 miles |
| 2013 | 23 | 4% | 25,000 miles |
| 2012 | 8 | 2% | 15,000 miles |
| 2011 | 10 | 6% | 92,000 miles |
| 2010 | 12 | 5% | 70,000 miles |
| 2009 | 13 | 4% | 58,000 miles |
| 2008 | 20 | 4% | 72,000 miles |
| 2007 | 18 | 3% | 89,000 miles |
| 2006 | 3 | 3% | 27,000 miles |
| 2005 | 6 | 3% | 66,000 miles |
| 2004 | 12 | 4% | 80,000 miles |
| 2003 | 30 | 10% | 140,000 miles |
| 2002 | 17 | 10% | 157,000 miles |
| 2001 | 19 | 9% | 130,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owned a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the driver's front door was making an abnormal creaking sound. The contact stated that while driving, but at a standstill, a 2008 Toyota Camry rear-ended the vehicle. There was significant damage on the driver's side of the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The alert was making the normal dinging sound for the approaching vehicle. The driver sustained a concussion. The passenger sustained injuries to her hip, back, pelvis, and orthopedic system, and medical attention was provided. The contact's daughter was occupying the passenger-side seat, and the seat belt dislodged near her waist from the outside near the door (the seat belt retractor connected to the vehicle's structure). A police report was filed. There was no fire or airbag deployment. …
The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that after purchasing the vehicle new, it was discovered that all four doors had structural deformities that appeared as dents. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who indicated that the deformities were caused by improper stamping of the doors during the manufacturing process. The contact was concerned that the structural integrity of the vehicle was compromised during the manufacturing process and was concerned about the safety of the vehicle if the vehicle was in a crash. The contact stated that the front passenger's side door failed to properly open and close due to structural deformities. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 4,000.
The contact's girlfriend owns a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently swerved from side to side. The message "Consider Taking A Break" was displayed and the Driver Attention Warning (DAW) warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the Automatic Emergency Braking activated while driving near a vehicle or object, slamming the vehicle to a stop and causing the cruise control to deactivate. The message "Keep Hands On Steering Wheel" was displayed even though the contact's hands were on the steering wheel. The contact also stated that the front and rear driver's side doors were vertically bent from a manufacturing defect. The contact stated that his girlfriend feared for her safety while driving the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. …
I was riding on a suburban street and ran over a branch I did not see due to rain and darkness. I went back and looked at the incident and the branch did not seem like it was that big but I quickly lost power and my car stalled and I could not get it restarted. I later found out that that branch took out my hybrid battery connection under the car which rendered the car useless. It is a 5000 fix. I don't know why such an important part is exposed under the undercarriage of an AWD SUV. I was traveling at 27 MPH. If I had been on a highway it would have been very dangerous to have stalled out so fast. Once it was stalled the battery drained very fast from me running my hazards so that the tow truck driver had to jump it to get it to go from neutral to park and my parking brake is electric so I couldn't activate the parking brake either. …
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the vehicle was overheating while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that upon noticing that coolant was leaking onto the ground, he opened the hood and discovered that coolant was leaking from the radiator. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that a foreign object had struck the radiator, causing coolant to leak into the engine compartment. The dealer informed the contact that a failure caused by a foreign object was not covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that upon examining pictures of the failure provided by the dealer, he noticed that there were rocks stuck in and near the radiator. The contact determined that the large gaps of the front grill were allowing foreign objects to strike the radiator. …
My wife was parking the car at carport, all of sudden unintended acceleration happened and hit through the wall. The damage on the car was $12478.57 and damaged the wall and storage on both sides of carport. My wife is scared to drive this car.
On May 31, 2025, I suffered a severe facial injury causing trigeminal neuralgia and concussion when the Smart Power Liftgate on my 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT failed to stop or reverse upon encountering obstruction. While unloading the trunk, I went to close the liftgate, lost my balance falling forward prior to it beginning to close. It struck my face and upper body with full mechanical force, failing to trigger the automatic safety reverse/anti-pinch strip sensors. The component suffered a total safety failure, bypassing the safety mechanisms intended to prevent bodily entrapment and crushing injuries. I was forced to seek emergency medical treatment. Official Emergency Room medical records from May 2025 explicitly document the facial injuries sustained directly from this automotive component failure. …
On FRI 30JUN23 while driving across country in out 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe with a panoramic sun roof with our daughter, who was on her first trip after battling brain cancer, experienced the unthinkable. Wile driving down the highway states away from home we heard a deafening explosion with glass raining inside the vehicle almost causing us to veer off the road. Upon expecting the source of the glass in was discovered that the sunroof had exploded. Were lucky to have had the shade closed at the time of the incident preventing glass to fly in the face of my daughter who was sitting in the back seat. The incident left us stranded at a Hyundai dealer in Fayetteville Arkansas forcing us to rent a vehicle to complete our tip while waiting for repairs. We were informed by the dealer that this is a known issue and to keep a window cracked to prevent pressure from building up in the vehicle. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Hyundai Santa Fe years have body problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2003 (30), 2013 (23), 2008 (20), 2014 (20) and 2001 (19) model years. Body complaints make up 10% of all complaints for the 2003.
Is there a recall for Hyundai Santa Fe body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for any Hyundai Santa Fe model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Hyundai Santa Fe body problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles; 32% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the body (193 mentions), followed by the frame and members (19).
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.