Your vehicle report
2020 Hyundai Santa FE
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 218
- Received Jan 2020 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine burns excessive oil between changes25 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Glass shatters or cracks without impact24 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine stalls and loses power while driving15 complaints · 6.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #23V181000Park outsideHyundai 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 dealership. Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
- Recall #21V00M000Hyundai 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Engine burns excessive oil between changesFirst signal: Mar 2025
- Glass shatters or cracks without impactFirst signal: Sep 2021
- Engine stalls and loses power while drivingFirst signal: Aug 2022
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 14 crashes, 9 fires, 15 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 19 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
Other
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 18 |
| 2022 | 24 |
| 2023 | 37 |
| 2024 | 17 |
| 2025 | 51 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 58 |
| Total | 218 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 25 | 11% | 13.3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Mar 2025 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 4.0% |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 24 | 11% | 2.5× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Sep 2021 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.3% |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 15 | 6.9% | 5× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Aug 2022 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.8% |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 10 | 4.6% | 3.6× | NHTSA recall #23V181000 |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 7 | 3.2% | 1.6× | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 7 | 3.2% | 2.5× | |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 7 | 3.2% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 6 | 2.8% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 5 | 2.3% | 1.8× | |
| Rearview backup camera fails or goes black | 5 | 2.3% | 1× | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 5 | 2.3% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 4 | 1.8% | 5.3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Oct 2026 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.5% |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 4 | 1.8% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 3 | 1.4% | 1.6× | |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 3 | 1.4% | 0.9× | |
| Turn signals work intermittently or fail | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Vehicle rolls backward out of park | 3 | 1.4% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #23V181000March 17, 2023584,784 vehicles affected
Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.
trailer hitches
Hyundai 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 dealership. Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is completed. Dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed starting May 16, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 244. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-633.
NHTSA recall #21V00M000December 28, 202126,413 vehicles affected
visibility: windshield
Hyundai 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.
A windshield that detaches from a vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will remove and reinstall the front windshield panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 216.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2020 Hyundai Santa FE.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN