Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 215 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 74 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 70 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

17 crash reports7 fire reports11 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

70 reports

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1,756 miles · Mar 17, 2009

Air Bags

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIR BAG DOES NOT DETECT HER WEIGHT. SHE WEIGHS ROUGHLY 102 LBS. SECONDLY, SHE NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, WHICH SIGNIFIED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS INOPERATIVE. THE FAILURE COULD CAUSE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG NOT TO DEPLOY AND INJURE THE OCCUPANT. THE TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE A REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V161000 (AIR BAGS); THEREFORE, THEY COULD NOT OFFER ANY RECOURSE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 1,756. UPDATED 4/14/09 *CN UPDATED 04/17/09.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10262111

2,800 miles · Feb 28, 2009

Air Bags

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AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHTS COME ON TO SHOW AIRBAGS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING. 2008 SANTA FE WAS RETURNED TO DEALER TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. DEALER RESET COMPUTER CODE FOR AIRBAG SENSORS. WORKED FOR A COUPLE WEEKS , THEN LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. RETURNED TO DEALER TO CHECK AGAIN. DEALER SAID THE AIRBAG SENSOR BUILT INTO THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE DEALER SUBSTITUTED A SEAT FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE PROBLEM DISAPPEARED. THE DEALER CALLED A HYUNDAI ENGINEER IN CALIFORNIA AND WAS TOLD ALL AIRBAGS WERE NOT OPERABLE WHEN LIGHT WAS ON. DEALER NOW HAS CAR WAITING FOR DELIVERY OF A REPLACEMENT PASSENGER SEAT. DEALER CLAIMS HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM ONCE BEFORE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10260333

50 miles · Feb 20, 2009

Air Bags

2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE PASSENGER AIRBAG WORKS SPORADICALLY AT BEST. PASSENGER WEIGHS AROUND 120 POUNDS AND THE LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF LEADING ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT WORK EFFECTIVELY IN AN ACCIDENT. HAVE TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE NOW AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. IT APPEARS THAT THE SONOTA HAS BEEN…

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NHTSA ODI #10259476

Mileage unknown · Feb 4, 2009

Air Bags

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PURCHASED 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. AIR BAG SENOR LIGHT WOULD COME ON. WHEN EVER A PASSENGER WOULD SHIFT THEIR WEIGHT IN THE SEAT, THE SENOR LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND STAY ON. TOOK INTO DEALER TWO TIMES WITH NO PROBLEM FOUND. THIRD TIME FACTORY REP WAS PRESENT, PROBLEM FOUND BUT COULD NOT BE FIXED. WAS OFFERED A DIFFERENT CAR WITH ME PAYING THE DIFFERENCE IN STICKER PRICE OR THEY WOULD BUY BACK MY CAR WITH A FEE. THE LEMON LAW IN REVERSE. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN TO FIX PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10257500

Mileage unknown · Feb 3, 2009

Air Bags

PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DISENGAGES FREQUENTLY WITH ADULT IN SEAT. DEALERSHIP SAYS IT IS FUNCTIONING AS IT IS SUPPOSED TO ...... NOT ACCEPTABLE. THIS IS NOT A SAFE SITUATION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10257373

300 miles · Feb 3, 2009

Air Bags

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR WOULD NOT STOP ILLUMINATING WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NO DEFECT. THE AIR BAG INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED EVEN WHEN SOMEONE OCCUPIED THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS LATER AND WAS LEFT FOR REPAIRS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300.

NHTSA ODI #10257348

1,700 miles · Dec 30, 2008

Air BagsCrashInjury

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THE LAST WEEK FOR NOV. 2008 I PURCHASED A NEW SANTA FE FOR MY WIFE. ON 12/26/2008 SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON WRECK. MY 25 YR. OLD DAUGHTER WHO IS VERY PETTY ABOUT 110 LBS. WAS RIDING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DUE TO THE AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOYING SHE WAS INJURED VERY SERIOUSLY. I HAD NO IDEA THAT THERE WERE PRIOR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE AIR BAGS IT APPEARS THAT THERE HAS BEEN QUITE A FEW COMPLAINTS I HOPE SOMETHING IS DONE BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. THE MANUFACTURE NEEDS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10253316

300 miles · Dec 8, 2008

Air BagsElectrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR TWO MONTHS BECAUSE THE AIR BAG LIGHT AND DOOR LOCKS WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE DEALER IS CURRENTLY STATING THAT THEY HAVE TO REWIRE THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN TO THE REPAIR SHOP FOR THE AIR BAG LIGHT TO BE REPAIRED. THE PART WAS ORDERED, BUT IT DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE DOORS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED UNSUCCESSFULLY APPROXIMATELY SIX TIMES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

NHTSA ODI #10251083

10 miles · Nov 6, 2008

Air Bags

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THE AIR BAG SUPPRESSION SYSTEM OF MY 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE SE IS SUPPRESSING THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAGS WHEN MY WIFE, WHO WEIGHTS BETWEEN 110 AND 115 POUNDS, OCCUPIES THE SEAT. THIS HAS HAPPEN EVER TIME MY WIFE HAS SAT IN THE VEHICLE SINCE WE TOOK DELIVERY ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT ADVANTAGE HYUNDAI IN HICKSVILLE, NEW YORK WERE THEY USED A MALE TECHNICIAN WHOM I WAS TOLD WEIGHTS 130 POUNDS TO SHOW ME THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM WAS WORKING TO SPECS AND INDICATED THERE WAS NOTHING FURTHER THAT COULD BE DONE. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY SERVICE THAT THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM WOULD SUPPRESS THE AIR BAGS FOR ANY WEIGHT UNDER 120 POUNDS. FOLLOWING THIS SERVICE APPOINTMENT, I SPOKE WITH CHARLIE CASE FOR THE NHTSA WHO SUGGESTED I FILE THIS COMPLAINT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10247851

400 miles · Nov 4, 2008

Air Bags

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MY 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE SEEMS TO HAVE A FAULTY PASSENGER OCCUPANT SENSOR. MY WIFE WEIGHS ABOUT 105 LBS. AND THE SENSOR INTERMITTENTLY RECOGNIZES THE PASSENGER SEAT AS BEING OCCUPIED. WHEN I SIT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT WILL TURN OFF. I WEIGH 198 LBS. MY WIFE CAN USUALLY POSITION THE SEAT TO MAKE THE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT TURN OFF BUT THEN THE SENSOR LIGHT WILL COME BACK ON AGAIN AFTER APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS OF DRIVING. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD SINCE THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR SHOULD REGISTER ANYTHING OVER 100 LBS. AS AN ADULT AND THEREFORE THE SENSOR SHOULD REMAIN OFF INDICATING THAT THE AIR BAG IS ACTIVATED. THE HYUNDAI DEALER CHECKED OUT THE SENSOR AND STATED THAT IT WAS WORKING NORMALLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10247710

Official recalls

13V113000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Apr 1, 2013

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. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

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.

12V354000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

Jul 25, 2012

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Improper classification or detection may cause the front passenger airbag not to deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger.

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.

11V472000 · Air Bags:frontal

Sep 9, 2011

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. THE CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY FOR THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) MAY BECOME DAMAGED THROUGH USAGE OVER TIME. THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT WILL EXPERIENCE A HIGH RESISTANCE CONDITION, POTENTIALLY CAUSING THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG TO NOT DEPLOY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE CLOCK SPRING DEVELOPS HIGH RESISTANCE, IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE DRIVERS AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY PROTECT THE DRIVER, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURIES.

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.

08V272000 · Equipment:other:labels

Jun 19, 2008

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. 110 "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES." THE BLACK CERTIFICATION LABEL AFFIXED TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE CENTER PILLAR, INCORRECTLY LISTS THE GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATINGS (GAWR).

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: OVERLOADING YOUR VEHICLE MAY ADVERSELY AFFECT HANDLING AND BRAKING AND MAY CAUSE TIRE DAMAGE, RESULTING IN TIRE FAILURE AND A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

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. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

DP21003 · Throttle Control System Vulnerabilities

Opened Nov 12, 2021 · Closed Jun 20, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:throttle

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. Accordingly, Model Year (MY) 2005-2016 Kia Optima/K5, MY 2006-2015 Kia Sorento, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Elantra, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Santa Fe, MY 2006-2015 Hyundai Sonatas are all part of the subject population. The petition was originally filed as a Vehicle Owner Questionnaire that can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under reference (ODI) number 11439675.On November 12, 2021, ODI opened Defect Petition DP21-003 to evaluate the petitioner?s request. ODI performed trend analyses of the VOQs related to vehicle speed control issues for all the subject vehicles and found that none of the 52 Model/Model Year Hyundai/Kia vehicles demonstrated any actionable trend that warranted an investigation.Petitioners submitted 1119 VOQs and non-VOQ cases in which sudden uncommanded acceleration (SUA) or loss of motive power (LOMP) incidents were alleged.For the 1119 reports, 220 were incidents involving crashes, from which 69 subject Hyundai-Kia vehicles were inspected by Hyundai/Kia dealer technicians, Hyundai/Kia engineers, and/or third-party representatives.ODI found the inspections identified no vehicle defects related to the ETC system.Of the 220 crash-involved reports, 13 Event Data Recorder (EDR) records were downloaded successfully and 11 of those indicated driver error: (i.e.) pedal misapplication.A condition where the accelerator pedal is mistakenly applied instead of the brake pedal when the driver wants to stop the vehicle.In addition, ODI reviewed a scientific journal paper published in Forensic Science International in 2016 by Mr. Park et al ., as well as related test videos. ODI does not believe there is any evidence of uncontrollable SUA occurrences in any of the tests reviewed. NHTSA's Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (OVSC) reviewed the allegations regarding the potential noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 124.Based on the information provided, the Agency concludes there is insufficient information for us to determine if a possible non-compliance exists.Finally, both Hyundai and Kia informed ODI that all their vehicles manufactured after 2012 were equipped with an ETC management system, in which the engine speed will go to idle when the system sees signals from both the brake pedal and accelerator pedal at the same time; this is commonly known as the brake-throttle override system.After thoroughly assessing the material submitted by the petitioner, information already in NHTSA's possession, information submitted by Hyundai and Kia in response to an Information Request letter, and the potential risks to safety implicated by the petitioner's allegation, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. After full consideration of appropriate factors, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA?s reasons for denial of the petition will be published.