2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe has a complaint index of 75, ranking 6th worst among 21 model years, and carries an Avoid verdict. It has 133 complaints, 5 recalls, and its leading problem area is the electrical system at 21% of complaints.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 75/100
- #6 of 21 Santa Fe years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 133
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 5
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 5
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 4
- Top issue
- Electrical System
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 23
- 20 city / 28 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 4 / 0
Top 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Other29 (22%)
- Electrical System28 (21%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras21 (16%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires21 (16%)
- Transmission & Powertrain21 (16%)
- Engine20 (15%)
- Visibility & Wipers13 (10%)
- Structure & Body9 (7%)
- Seat Belts8 (6%)
- Lane Departure6 (5%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Rearview camera can fail or show a blank image due to a wiring harness installed incorrectly under the rearview camera recall, leading to loss of rear visibility while driving.
- Driver attention monitoring falsely flags drivers as distracted when wearing sunglasses, disabling smart cruise control and, in some cases, triggering unwanted automatic braking.
- Seat belts have detached or become inoperable after low-speed rear-end collisions, with airbags failing to deploy in some of those same crashes.
- The vehicle sometimes fails to recognize it has been shifted into Park, producing a continuous beeping alert and a dash message telling the driver to shift to Park or Neutral even though Park is already selected.
- Airbags did not deploy in at least one collision with an animal, despite the vehicle coming to a stop after impact.
2025 Hyundai Santa Fe recalls
5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 26V218000Apr 6, 2026Seat Belts294,448 vehicles
Seat belts:front:anchorage
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6, 2023-2026 Genesis G90, 2024-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe, and Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid vehicles. The driver and passenger seat belt anchors may detach.
Risk: A detached seat belt anchor will not adequately restrain the seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and reinforce or replace the seat belt anchors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning May 29, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460 and Genesis customer service at 844-340-9741. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 298 and 032G. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov April 8, 2026.
- NHTSA 25V809000Nov 20, 2025Airbags258 vehicles
Air bags:side/window:curtain
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025 Tucson, 2025-2026 Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, and 2026 Genesis GV70 vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not have been installed properly, which can cause the air bags not to deploy as intended.
Risk: Side curtain air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will reinstall the side curtain air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning December 29, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 289 and 029G. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 22, 2025.
- NHTSA 25V808000Nov 20, 2025Collision Avoidance & Cameras143,472 vehicles
Back over prevention:display function
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Hybrid vehicles. The rearview camera may not have been installed properly, which can damage the wiring harness and cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the camera wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning January 15, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 288. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 22, 2025.
2025 Hyundai Santa Fe fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 20 MPG
- Highway
- 28 MPG
- Combined
- 23 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,800
- 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.
2025 compared with other Santa Fe years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
- Compared with other Santa Fe model years, 2025 ranks 6th worst out of 21 years tracked, with a complaint index of 75 and an Avoid verdict based on NHTSA complaints and recalls.
- What problems does the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe have?
- NHTSA complaints point mostly to the electrical system (21% of complaints), collision avoidance and camera issues (16%), suspension (16%), and transmission/powertrain (16%). The median mileage at failure across the model year is 10,024 miles.
- Does the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2025 Santa Fe covering seat belt anchors, improperly installed side curtain airbags, a rearview camera wiring harness, a starter motor terminal cover short risk, and improperly tightened engine connecting rod bolts.
- How does the 2025 Santa Fe compare to other years?
- Its complaint index of 75 is worse than most other Santa Fe years except 2017 (100), 2009 (95), 2023 (90), 2013 (80), and 2007 (85), placing it 6th worst overall.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe?
- EPA rates the 2025 Santa Fe at 23 mpg combined (20 city / 28 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,800.