2020 Hyundai Santa Fe problems and recalls

Owners filed 105 complaints on the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe in the last three full years, out of 206 on record. The most cited component is the Engine.

206
Complaints
2
Recalls
13
Crash reports
8
Fire reports
15
Injuries
91.8
Severity index

Severity index 91.8 High. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 91.8p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 14 of 103 by severity index among 2020 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 86% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2020 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

EngineEngine: 74 complaints (35.9%)74 36%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 40 complaints (19.4%)40 19%Power TrainPower Train: 26 complaints (12.6%)26 13%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 25 complaints (12.1%)25 12%VisibilityVisibility: 14 complaints (6.8%)14 7%Forward Collision Avoid…Forward Collision Avoidance: 14 complaints (6.8%)14 7%Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 12 complaints (5.8%)12 6%Service BrakesService Brakes: 10 complaints (4.9%)10 5%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
ENGINE7435.9%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER4019.4%
POWER TRAIN2612.6%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2512.1%
VISIBILITY146.8%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE146.8%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM125.8%
SERVICE BRAKES104.9%

Complaints filed per year

026512020: 132021: 182022: 242023: 372024: 172025: 512026: 46 (partial year)2021222324255126
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
202013
202118
202224
202337
202417
202551
2026 (year to date)46
Filings in 2023 to 2025 ran 1.9x those in 2020 to 2022 (105 against 55).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
21V00M00028/12/2021VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELDHyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Santa Fe, 2021 Sonata, and Elantra vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.
23V18100017/03/2023TRAILER HITCHESHyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Santa Fe, 2021-2023 Santa Fe HEV, 2022-2023 Santa Fe Plug-in HEV and Santa Cruz vehicles potentially equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Hyundai de

Other Hyundai Santa Fe model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 15 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-09-07. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.