Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Power train109
- Engine37
- Electrical system28
- Unknown or other23
- Vehicle speed control21
- Suspension14
- Structure12
- Fuel/propulsion system10
- Air bags9
- Engine and engine cooling9
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 7 injuries and 1 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 27 2010 Santa Fe vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 10 people died inside them, and 4 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe failed the safety check 3.00% of the time — 20% more often than the average 2010 passenger car (2.50%). Median odometer at inspection: 127,903 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2010
12,532 new Hyundai Santa Fe cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2010; the largest markets were the United Kingdom (4,189), Germany (2,113), Sweden (1,120).
- Average mass
- 2,054 kg
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 96% · Petrol 3.6%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Engines
The most common engines in 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe cars on Dutch roads are the 2.4 petrol (128 kW, 172 hp) and 2.7 petrol (139 kW, 186 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.4 petrol | 128 kW 172 hp | 85 |
| 2.7 petrol | 139 kW 186 hp | 37 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
148 first registered in 2010 are on Dutch roads; 9% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €38,675.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde76
- Stofhoes aandrijfas beschadigd en dicht niet af76
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt69
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)60
- Band onvoldoende profiel59
- Richtingaanwijzers kleur wijkt af/niet toegestaan38
- Fusee(kogel) te veel speling34
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm33
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
2,649 cars built in 2010 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 343 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 3,344 of these cars first registered in 2010 took their annual MOT test. 53% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2010 the figure was 60%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 25.3% | 17.8% |
| Suspension | 20.8% | 15.5% |
| Brakes | 15.1% | 9.6% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 10.0% | 5.2% |
| Tyres | 7.7% | 7.4% |
| Visibility | 6.1% | 6.0% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
31 of these cars first registered in 2010 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 303,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
819 2010 cars are on the New Zealand register; 2% arrived as used imports, 97% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 10.2–10.7 L/100 km (about 22–23 mpg US), CO₂ 235–246 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 11.6 | 8.6 | 10.2 |
| Santa Fe · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 11.5 | 9.0 | 10.4 |
| Santa Fe · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 12.1 | 8.9 | 10.7 |
| Santa Fe 4WD · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 11.9 | 9.1 | 10.7 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
6 Transport Canada recalls for the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe.
| 2024552 23 Sept 2024 | Label Issue: On certain vehicles, the compliance label may be missing information in French. The words listed on the label for "Tires", "Rims", "Front" and "Rear" a… |
| 2021674 4 Nov 2021 | Engine Issue: Hyundai Auto Canada is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign that provides an update to the engine control module to detect potential problems befo… |
| 2020233 27 May 2020 | Electrical Issue: Certain vehicles may be equipped with an accessory trailer wiring harness kit that could fail. Over time, this could result in a short circuit that can… |
| 2016311 16 Jun 2016 | Suspension On certain vehicles, the front suspension coil springs may be susceptible to corrosion. Over time, corrosion could cause the springs to fail, potentially damagi… |
| 2013099 3 Apr 2013 | Electrical On certain vehicles, the stop lamp switch may fail and cause intermittent operation of the brake lights. Failure of the brake lights to illuminate when the brak… |
| 2011178 28 Apr 2011 | Powertrain On certain vehicles equipped with the 2.4L engine and automatic transmission, the right axle intermediate shaft may suffer excessive wear due to a misalignment … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 SANTA FE 2WD VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS AND 2.4L ENGINES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 15, 2009 THROUGH MARCH 5, 2010. THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT MAY SUFFER FROM NOISE AND EXCESSIVE WEAR DUE TO A MISALIGNMENT OF THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WITH THE RIGHT SIDE OUTPUT GEAR. CONTINUING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION LEADS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A WHIRRING/WHINING NOISE AND CAN EVENTUALLY CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Hyundai told its dealers about the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11006829 | Hyundai is conducting a campaign to enhance the knock sensor software to detect abnormal engine bearing noise before potentially severe engine damage occurs. If abnormal engine bearing noise is detected, the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) will blink continuously, and the vehicle will be placed in Engine Protection Mode allowing the customer to drive to the nearest Hyundai dealer for diagnosis and repair. In addition, DTC P132600 will be recorded in the ECM. The vehicle can continue to be operated for a limited time in Engine Protection Mode, but it will accelerate slower and have a reduced m |
| 10251285 | This bulletin contains information about the proper removal of the windshield wiper blade protective cover on all models. If the protective cover is not removed correctly, there is a possibility of the rubber insert and rail spring becoming partially separated on the inner side of the wiper blade, which could lead to poor wiping performance and/or possible scratching of the windshield glass. Follow the procedure in this bulletin to properly remove the windshield wiper blade protective cover on all new wiper blades. |
| 10247189 | This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services. |
| 10240082 | A class action lawsuit against Hyundai Motor America (HMA) alleges that certain Hyundai vehicles (Class Vehicles) were manufactured, marketed, sold, and/or leased with an engine defect that can result in sudden engine seizure, stalling, engine failure, and in some circumstances, engine fire, and that some owners and lessees of Class Vehicles have been improperly denied repairs under warranty. Neither HMA nor Hyundai Motor Company have been found liable for any of the claims alleged in the lawsuit. The parties have instead reached a voluntary settlement (the Settlement) to avoid lengthy li |
| 10235566 | Hyundai applies a Paint Protection Film (PPF) on new vehicles before delivery to dealerships. It provides a barrier between the paint and contaminants, such as rail dust, acid rain, and industrial fallout. In rare cases, the paint can become clouded under the PPF. These spots are the result of moisture trapped between the PPF and the paint. |
| 10230904 | This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of condensation inside the lamp assembly. Lamp assembly replacement is NOT necessary in most cases. This condition can be eliminated by turning on the lamps with the engine running for several minutes or during normal driving operation. |
| 10227320 | Certain vehicles may experience the Check Engine warning lamp illuminated with DTC P1326 and/or engine may exhibit abnormal noise, or no crank/no start condition related to connecting rod bearing wear or damage. This Dealer Best Practice outlines the service process to inspect the vehicle and replace the engine or update the engine ECU software based on the inspection results, as well as related warranty coverage for the conditions outlined above. |
| 10227317 | Certain vehicles listed below may experience the Check Engine warning lamp illuminated with DTC P1326 and/or an engine concern/noise related to connecting rod bearing wear or damage. Follow the procedure to inspect the vehicle and replace the engine and/or update the engine ECU software (if new ROM is available) based on the inspection results. |
| 10227316 | The warranty coverage for engine repair or replacement regarding engine damage or malfunction from connecting rod bearing wear has been extended to 15 years or 150,000 miles from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use, whichever occurs first, and is valid for original and subsequent owners. Commercial entities and individuals engaged in the buying, selling, leasing, or renting of motor vehicles, as well as salvaged vehicles, are ineligible for the extended warranty. |
| 10227313 | OP CODE/PART NUMBER (REFERENCE GUIDE FOR SERVICE CAMPAIGN T6G) |
| 10217258 | Effective June 2, 2008, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 110 (FMVSS 110) established a threshold for correcting load carrying capacity information indicated on tire placards when vehicle weight has been increased before retail sale. This limit is the lesser of 1.5% of GVWR or 100 pounds. If the total added weight exceeds the lesser of the limit, a label must be added to the driver-side B-pillar within 25mm (1 inch) of the original tire placard. |
| 10217251 | Follow the guidelines outlined in this bulletin to inspect and clean or replace certain components of the engine intake system accordingly during engine short block or sub-assembly replacement. |
| 10211675 | The Powertrain warranty coverage for certain engine repairs and/or replacement where the engine damage or malfunction is related to connecting rod bearing wear, has been extended to 15 years or 150,000 miles from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use, whichever occurs first, and is valid for original and subsequent owners. |
| 10211667 | Hyundai is conducting a campaign to enhance the knock sensor software to detect abnormal engine bearing noise before potentially severe engine damage occurs. If abnormal engine bearing noise is detected, the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) will blink continuously, and the vehicle will be placed in Engine Protection Mode allowing the customer to drive to the nearest Hyundai dealer for diagnosis and repair. In addition, DTC P132600 will be recorded in the ECM. The vehicle can continue to be operated for a limited time in Engine Protection Mode, but it will accelerate slower and have a reduced m |
| 10211666 | Certain vehicles listed below may experience the Check Engine warning lamp illuminated with DTC P1326 and/or an engine concern/noise related to connecting rod bearing wear or damage. Follow the procedure to inspect the vehicle and replace the engine and/or update the engine ECU software (if new ROM is available) based on the inspection results. |
| 10211664 | Hyundai is conducting a service campaign to enhance the knock sensor software to detect abnormal engine bearing noise before potentially severe engine damage occurs. If abnormal engine bearing noise is detected, the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) will blink continuously, and the vehicle will be placed in Engine Protection Mode allowing the customer to drive to the nearest Hyundai dealer for diagnosis and repair. In addition, DTC P132600 will be recorded in the ECM. The vehicle can continue to be operated for a limited time in Engine Protection Mode, but it will accelerate slower and have a r |
| 10211662 | Certain vehicles that have completed Service Campaign 966 may experience the Check Engine warning lamp illuminated with DTC P1326 and/or an engine concern/noise related to connecting rod bearing wear or damage. Follow the procedure to inspect the vehicle and replace the engine and/or update the engine ECU software (if new ROM is available) based on the inspection results. |
| 10210206 | Certain vehicles listed below may experience the Check Engine warning lamp illuminated with DTC P1326 and/or an engine concern/noise related to connecting rod bearing wear or damage. Follow the procedure to inspect the vehicle and replace the engine and/or update the engine ECU software (if new ROM is available) based on the inspection results. |
| 10210205 | Hyundai is conducting a campaign to enhance the knock sensor software to detect abnormal engine bearing noise before potentially severe engine damage occurs. If abnormal engine bearing noise is detected, the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) will blink continuously, and the vehicle will be placed in Engine Protection Mode allowing the customer to drive to the nearest Hyundai dealer for diagnosis and repair. In addition, DTC P132600 will be recorded in the ECM. The vehicle can continue to be operated for a limited time in Engine Protection Mode, but it will accelerate slower and have a red |
| 10207803 | Hyundai is conducting a campaign to enhance the knock sensor software to detect abnormal engine bearing noise before potentially severe engine damage occurs. If abnormal engine bearing noise is detected, the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) will blink continuously, and the vehicle will be placed in Engine Protection Mode allowing the customer to drive to the nearest Hyundai dealer for diagnosis and repair. In addition, DTC P132600 will be recorded in the ECM. The vehicle can continue to be operated for a limited time in Engine Protection Mode, but it will accelerate slower and have a reduced m |
| 10206366 | Hyundai is conducting a service campaign to enhance the knock sensor software to detect abnormal engine bearing noise before potentially severe engine damage occurs. If abnormal engine bearing noise is detected, the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) will blink continuously, and the vehicle will be placed in Engine Protection Mode allowing the customer to drive to the nearest Hyundai dealer for diagnosis and repair. In addition, DTC P132600 will be recorded in the ECM. The vehicle can continue to be operated for a limited time in Engine Protection Mode, but it will accelerate slower and have a r |
| 10203282 | Hyundai is conducting a service campaign to enhance the knock sensor software to detect abnormal engine bearing noise before potentially severe engine damage occurs. If abnormal engine bearing noise is detected, the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) will blink continuously, and the vehicle will be placed in Engine Protection Mode allowing the customer to drive to the nearest Hyundai dealer for diagnosis and repair. In addition, DTC P132600 will be recorded in the ECM. The vehicle can continue to be operated for a limited time in Engine Protection Mode, but it will accelerate slower and have |
| 10203280 | Hyundai is conducting a campaign to enhance the knock sensor software to detect abnormal engine bearing noise before potentially severe engine damage occurs. If abnormal engine bearing noise is detected, the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) will blink continuously, and the vehicle will be placed in Engine Protection Mode allowing the customer to drive to the nearest Hyundai dealer for diagnosis and repair. In addition, DTC P132600 will be recorded in the ECM. The vehicle can continue to be operated for a limited time in Engine Protection Mode, but it will accelerate slower and have a red |
| 10203277 | The Powertrain warranty coverage for certain engine repairs and/or replacement where the engine damage or malfunction is related to connecting rod bearing wear, has been extended to 15 years or 150,000 miles from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use, whichever occurs first, and is valid for original and subsequent owners. |
| 10196577 | The warranty coverage for the clock spring has been extended to 15 years with unlimited mileage from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use, whichever occurs first. This warranty coverage applies to both the original and subsequent owners. Refer to the warranty and service parts information outlined in this bulletin whenever clock spring replacement is required. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Loss of Motive Power
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
Transmission Intermediate Driveshaft
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation