Hyundai Santa Fe 2019–2023

4th generation (TM) · TM · 1,402 complaints, 249 with mileage

When failures happen

What fails, and when

By model year

Which systems, and when

Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 11,300 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The engine accounts for 18.5% of complaints (259 reports, 40 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 16,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,700 and 41,000 miles.

Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 16.3% of complaints (229 reports, 31 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 6,900 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 309 and 17,902 miles.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 14.3% of complaints (201 reports, 42 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 15,888 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 8,000 and 55,917 miles.

The electrical system accounts for 10.2% of complaints (143 reports, 27 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 5,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,000 and 39,800 miles.

The brakes account for 4.1% of complaints (57 reports, 11 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 9,612 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,500 and 33,000 miles.

Visibility equipment accounts for 2.4% of complaints (34 reports, 13 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 29,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 9,100 and 43,000 miles.

Differences between model years

Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2023 model year drew the most — 315 complaints — while 2021 drew the fewest at 239. The median year sits at 279.

One caveat on the year figures: in 2019, the manufacturer sold both this generation and the previous one at the same time, and NHTSA records do not distinguish between them. Complaints filed under that year may describe either vehicle.

Recalls and what they cover

NHTSA records 9 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

The campaigns cluster around the fuel system (2), the airbag system (2), the reversing camera and sensors (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Reported severity

Of the 1,402 complaints filed against this generation, 81 reported a crash; 32 reported a fire; 60 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 5.8% of the total.

These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.

What this means if you are buying one

For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 52% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.

On inspection, the engine and problems owners could not categorise are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Problems owners could not categorise in particular shows a median failure mileage of 6,900, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.

None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.

Documented problems

Recalls (9)

What owners reported

Other generations

• Hyundai Santa Fe 2001–2006
• Hyundai Santa Fe 2007–2012
• Hyundai Santa Fe 2013–2018
• Hyundai Santa Fe 2024–2025