2004 Hyundai Santa Fe: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 386 complaints
386
Total Complaints
73,768mi
Median Mileage
SUSPENSION
Top Issue
40
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

37,000 25th Percentile
73,768 Median Mileage
118,250 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

SUSPENSION
48
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
36
AIR BAGS
36
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
25
ENGINE
16
SERVICE BRAKES
16
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
16
SUSPENSION:FRONT
15
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
14
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
12

Severity Assessment

40
Crashes
11
Fires
61
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH STEERING WHEEL PULLED TO THE LEFT. THIS WAS CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC TRIED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE 3 TIMES, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. *AK *MR"
"CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE HEATER KNOB WAS LOOSE. WHILE TURNING HEAT ON HEATER IT DID NOT RESPOND. DEALERSHIP SERVICED VEHICLE.*AK"
"BRAKE FAILURE OF MY 2004 HYUNDAI, SANTA FE. THE CAR HAD 1,940 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. I BRAKED, TO STOP BEHIND A CAR THAT WAS STOPPED FOR ANOTHER CAR TURNING LEFT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND MY CAR ROLLED INTO THE STOPPED CAR. HYUNDAI IS DENYING THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG W..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28