YearToAvoid

2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

47/100

#9 most-complained of 16 Santa Fe years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe ranks 9th worst of 16 model years with a Complaint Index of 47, earning a "Good" verdict relative to other Santa Fe years. It has 199 NHTSA complaints, 5 recalls, and its top problem area is the Engine at 32% of complaints.

Complaints
199
Recalls
5
Crashes / fires
8 / 1
Injuries / deaths
4 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
25
22 city / 28 hwy

Top 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine64 (32%)
  2. Transmission & Powertrain57 (29%)
  3. Other45 (23%)
  4. Fuel System33 (17%)
  5. Electrical System31 (16%)
  6. Collision Avoidance & Cameras23 (12%)
  7. Brakes11 (6%)
  8. Visibility & Wipers11 (6%)
  9. Structure & Body8 (4%)
  10. Airbags5 (3%)

What owners report

  • Some owners report unintended acceleration when starting the vehicle at a stop, followed by sudden high-speed acceleration.
  • Brake pedals reportedly sank to the floor without fluid loss, sometimes causing the vehicle to roll forward into a collision.
  • Owners describe the rear collision sensor failing to detect obstacles, leading to low-speed backing incidents.
  • One owner reported the vehicle continued moving after being placed in park, rolling over a curb and into a wall, later diagnosed as a gear control issue.
  • A parked, powered-off vehicle reportedly caught fire near the driver-side dash and fuse/BCM wiring with no collision involved.
  • The check engine light reportedly stayed on from very low mileage despite repeated dealer visits.
2022 Hyundai Santa Fe complaints: complaints filed per quarter302021 Q32022 Q22023 Q12023 Q42024 Q32025 Q22026 Q1
298 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2021 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2022 Q4 (30).

2022 Hyundai Santa Fe recalls

5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 24V879000Nov 21, 2024Collision Avoidance & Cameras226,118 vehicles

    Back over prevention: sensing system: camera

    Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Santa Fe HEV, Elantra, Elantra HEV and 2022 Elantra N and Santa Fe PHEV vehicles. Due to a damaged printed circuit board, the rearview camera image may fail to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

    Risk: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 271.

  2. NHTSA 23V181000Mar 17, 2023Structure & Body584,784 vehiclesPark Outside

    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.

    Risk: 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.

  3. NHTSA 22V746000Oct 6, 2022Transmission & Powertrain56,148 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission

    Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Sonata, Veloster N, 2022 Santa Cruz, Elantra N, and Kona N vehicles. The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.

    Risk: Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 236.

See all 5 recalls for the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe →

2022 Hyundai Santa Fe fuel economy and fuel cost

City
22 MPG
Highway
28 MPG
Combined
25 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,600
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2022 compared with other Santa Fe years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2020Caution53213223.5
2021Best20166724.5
2022Good47199525
2023Avoid80210125
2024Caution73150723

All Hyundai Santa Fe years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
Compared with other Santa Fe model years, 2022 ranks 9th worst out of 16 years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 47 and a "Good" verdict. It has fewer complaints (199) than higher-index years like 2017 (966 complaints, index 100).
What problems does the 2022 Santa Fe have?
NHTSA complaints point to the Engine (32% of complaints, median mileage 10,000), Transmission & Powertrain (29%, median mileage 35,000), and Fuel System (17%, median mileage 30,000) as the top problem areas.
Does the 2022 Santa Fe have recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2022 Santa Fe, covering the rearview camera, tow hitch harness fire risk, transmission fail-safe drive mode, turbocharger oil supply pipe cracking, and a fuel pipe leak.
How many complaints and crashes are linked to the 2022 Santa Fe?
NHTSA lists 199 complaints for the 2022 Santa Fe, including 8 crashes, 1 fire, and 4 injuries, with no reported deaths.
What is the best Hyundai Santa Fe model year?
Among the years tracked, 2018 has the lowest Complaint Index at 0, followed by 2016 at 7 and 2011 at 13, all rated "Best" relative to other Santa Fe years.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.