The 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 630,080 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 293 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the suspension. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SUSPENSION14V4350002014-07-18271,773 affected
Defect
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model Year 2001-2006 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured from March 31, 2000, through February 15, 2006, that are registered and operated, or which were originally sold and registered, in the following 20 “salt belt" states and the District of Columbia: Connecticut,…
Consequence
If the front coil spring fractures due to corrosion it could cause the coil spring to make contact with the tire, possibly puncturing the tire and increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the coil spring, free of charge. The recall began on October 24, 2014. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 124.
SUSPENSION09V1230002009-04-1683,355 affected
Defect
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 83,355 MY 2001-2003 SANTA FE VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST…
Consequence
IF THE CORROSION IS ALLOWED TO PROGRESS, THE REAR TRAILING ARM MAY FRACTURE WHILE DRIVING, THEREBY INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR TRAILING ARMS FOR INTERNAL CORROSION DAMAGE. IF SPECIFIED LEVELS OF CORROSION DAMAGE ARE FOUND, THE REAR TRAILING ARMS WILL BE REPLACED. REAR TRAILING ARMS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE REPLACEMENT WILL HAVE DRAINAGE HOLES ADDED AND WILL BE TREATED WITH RUST-PROOFING MATERIAL TO ARREST THE…
EQUIPMENT03V5200002003-12-18249,309 affected
Defect
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."
Consequence
THE TIRE PRESSURE LABELS DO NOT CONTAIN THE INFORMATION REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD.
Remedy
OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A CORRECT LABEL AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON OCTOBER 29, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.7 LITER V-6 ENGINES, IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSORS (CPS) WERE INSTALLED. THE CPS CASES WERE IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED AND DID NOT MEET DIMENSIONAL SPECIFICATIONS. INTERNAL GAPS WITHIN THE CASES ALLOWED EPOXY TO CONTACT THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD,…
Consequence
A DAMAGED CPS CAPACITOR COULD RESULT IN ENGINE STALLING.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CPS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MARCH 10, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-829-9956.
Complaints by component
SUSPENSION
38
1crashes
SUSPENSION:REAR
29
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
11
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
11
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
11
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
10
STEERING
10
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
9
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
8
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
8
Total complaints293
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“The contact owns a 2001 hyundai santa fe. The contact stated that on separate occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was towed to marco’s body shop where it was diagnosed that both struts, new tires, front passenger side wheel…”
“The contact owns a 2001 hyundai santa fe. The contact stated that on separate occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was towed to marco’s body shop where it was diagnosed that both struts, new tires, front passenger side wheel…”
“The contact owns a 2001 hyundai santa fe. The contact stated that on separate occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was towed to marco’s body shop where it was diagnosed that both struts, new tires, front passenger side wheel…”
“I live in roy city utah and I drive a santa fe 2001 and my trailing arm in the rear driver side snaped while I was going 45 mph. When I took it in to a shop to have it looked at they said that my trailing arm had snaped do to the rust corrision under the car. I know that there are recalls on the…”
“I live in roy city utah and I drive a santa fe 2001 and my trailing arm in the rear driver side snaped while I was going 45 mph. When I took it in to a shop to have it looked at they said that my trailing arm had snaped do to the rust corrision under the car. I know that there are recalls on the…”
“I live in roy city utah and I drive a santa fe 2001 and my trailing arm in the rear driver side snaped while I was going 45 mph. When I took it in to a shop to have it looked at they said that my trailing arm had snaped do to the rust corrision under the car. I know that there are recalls on the…”
“The suv stalls while driving. This has happened multiple time. While driving, driving slow, taking a u turn. The battery, alternator, starter, power steering pump, water pump, rack and pinion, timing belt, serpentine belt, idler pulley, harmonic balancer, front axles, shocks, struts, some sensors,…”
“The suv stalls while driving. This has happened multiple time. While driving, driving slow, taking a u turn. The battery, alternator, starter, power steering pump, water pump, rack and pinion, timing belt, serpentine belt, idler pulley, harmonic balancer, front axles, shocks, struts, some sensors,…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA08023 Opened 2008-10-28 · closed 2009-04-17
REAR TRAILING ARM CORROSION FAILURE
IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 14, 2009, HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER, INC (HYUNDAI) NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL OF APPROXIMATELY 85,000 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2001 THROUGH 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO JANUARY 27, 2003, THAT ARE REGISTERED AND OPERATED IN THE FOLLOWING SALT…
InvestigationEA08023 Opened 2008-10-28 · closed 2009-04-17
REAR TRAILING ARM CORROSION FAILURE
IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 14, 2009, HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER, INC (HYUNDAI) NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL OF APPROXIMATELY 85,000 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2001 THROUGH 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO JANUARY 27, 2003, THAT ARE REGISTERED AND OPERATED IN THE FOLLOWING SALT…
InvestigationPE02012 Opened 2002-01-31 · closed 2002-08-12
ENGINE SEIZURE
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationPE08040 Opened 2008-07-02 · closed 2008-10-29
REAR SUSPENSION TRAILING ARM FAILURE
IN RESPONSE TO AN INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER SENT BY THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) DURING THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION, HYUNDAI PROVIDED ODI WITH 15 ALLEGATIONS OF CORROSION FAILURE OF THE LEFT- AND/OR RIGHT-REAR SUSPENSION TRAILING ARM.THREE OF THE 15 CONSUMERS ALLEGED A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AS A…
InvestigationPE08040 Opened 2008-07-02 · closed 2008-10-29
REAR SUSPENSION TRAILING ARM FAILURE
IN RESPONSE TO AN INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER SENT BY THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) DURING THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION, HYUNDAI PROVIDED ODI WITH 15 ALLEGATIONS OF CORROSION FAILURE OF THE LEFT- AND/OR RIGHT-REAR SUSPENSION TRAILING ARM.THREE OF THE 15 CONSUMERS ALLEGED A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AS A…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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