The 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe has 4 recalls and 308 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is suspension.
Pictured: a 2004 model; the 2003 may differ in details. Photo: 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe by Deloreanman14 at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
How the 2003 compares
High
Fewest complaintsMost complaints
High complaint count among 26 Santa Fe model years — 8th most.
4recalls
308complaints
26crashes
5fires
20injuries
80,000median miles
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.
Does your car have an open recall? Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.
Problem: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model Year 2001-2006 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured from March 31, 2000, through February 15, 2006, that are registered and operated, or which were originally sold and registered, in the following 20 Âsalt belt" states and the District of Columbia: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The affected vehicles may experience front coil spring corrosion from road salt, causing the coil spring to fracture and make contact with the tire.
Risk: If the front coil spring fractures due to corrosion it could cause the coil spring to make contact with the tire, possibly puncturing the tire and increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy & notes
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the coil spring, free of charge. The recall began on October 24, 2014. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 124.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Problem: Hyundai is recalling 83,355 my 2001-2003 santa fe vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Road salt applied in these jurisdictions during the winter months May result in progressive, internal corrosion of the rear trailing arms, which could lead to thinning or perforation of the rear trailing arm steel. Owners May see or feel slight to moderate changes in vehicle operation which will increase if the vehicle is not repaired. These changes include a lowering of vehicle height that can lead to tire misalignment and steering pull. Owners May also notice a creaking sound.
Original NHTSA wording
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 83,355 MY 2001-2003 SANTA FE VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ROAD SALT APPLIED IN THESE JURISDICTIONS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS MAY RESULT IN PROGRESSIVE, INTERNAL CORROSION OF THE REAR TRAILING ARMS, WHICH COULD LEAD TO THINNING OR PERFORATION OF THE REAR TRAILING ARM STEEL. OWNERS MAY SEE OR FEEL SLIGHT TO MODERATE CHANGES IN VEHICLE OPERATION WHICH WILL INCREASE IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT REPAIRED. THESE CHANGES INCLUDE A LOWERING OF VEHICLE HEIGHT THAT CAN LEAD TO TIRE MISALIGNMENT AND STEERING PULL. OWNERS MAY ALSO NOTICE A CREAKING SOUND.
Risk: If the corrosion is allowed to progress, the rear trailing arm May fracture while driving, thereby increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Original NHTSA wording
IF THE CORROSION IS ALLOWED TO PROGRESS, THE REAR TRAILING ARM MAY FRACTURE WHILE DRIVING, THEREBY INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy & notes
Dealers will inspect the rear trailing arms for internal corrosion damage. If specified levels of corrosion damage are found, the rear trailing arms will be replaced. Rear trailing arms that do not require replacement will have drainage holes added and will be treated with rust-proofing material to arrest the corrosion process. Inspection, treatment and replacement procedures will be conducted at no cost to owners. The recall is expected to begin during May 2009. Owners May contact the Hyundai customer assistance center at 1-800-633-5151.
Hyundai recall no. 090.owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .
Service Brakes
Mar 16, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V131000 · 17,401 vehicles
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with 3.5 liter v-6 engines, 4-WHEEL drive and antilock braking systems (ABS), if the brake pedal is depressed at speeds between 3 and 12 MPH when the brake pad friction surfaces are wet, a vibration May occur between the brake discs and pads causing ABS sensor electronic signal noise to develop. At speeds below 5 MPH, the ABS sensor signal noise May cause the ABS electronic control unit (ECU) to activate the ABS, extending the stopping distance.
Original NHTSA wording
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.5 LITER V-6 ENGINES, 4-WHEEL DRIVE AND ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEMS (ABS), IF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 3 AND 12 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE PAD FRICTION SURFACES ARE WET, A VIBRATION MAY OCCUR BETWEEN THE BRAKE DISCS AND PADS CAUSING ABS SENSOR ELECTRONIC SIGNAL NOISE TO DEVELOP. AT SPEEDS BELOW 5 MPH, THE ABS SENSOR SIGNAL NOISE MAY CAUSE THE ABS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) TO ACTIVATE THE ABS, EXTENDING THE STOPPING DISTANCE.
Risk: If an extended stopping distance occurs, it could result in a crash.
Original NHTSA wording
IF AN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURS, IT COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy & notes
Dealers will reprogram the ABS ECU. Owner notification began on March 24, 2004. Owners should contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Hyundai recall no. 065. Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
Equipment
Dec 18, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V520000 · 249,309 vehicles
Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 120, "tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars."
Original NHTSA wording
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."
Risk: The tire pressure labels do not contain the information required by the standard.
Original NHTSA wording
THE TIRE PRESSURE LABELS DO NOT CONTAIN THE INFORMATION REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD.
Remedy & notes
Owners will be provided with a correct label and installation instructions. Owner notification began on October 29, 2003. Owners should contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Hyundai recall no. 064.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.
Complaints by year filed
NHTSA investigations
REAR TRAILING ARM CORROSION FAILURE
EA08023 · opened Oct 28, 2008 · closed Apr 17, 2009 · led to recall 09V123000
Summary
IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 14, 2009, HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER, INC (HYUNDAI) NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL OF APPROXIMATELY 85,000 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2001 THROUGH 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO JANUARY 27, 2003, THAT ARE REGISTERED AND OPERATED IN THE FOLLOWING SALT BELT STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA:CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN.HYUNDAI IS RECALLING THE VEHICLES TO REMEDY A CONDITION WHERE INTERNAL CORROSION OF EITHER THE RIGHT OR LEFT REAR TRAILING ARMS MAY RESULT IN FRACTURE OF THE AFFECTED ARM WHILE DRIVING, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A CRASH.THE REAR TRAILING ARMS WILL BE INSPECTED IN THE RECALLED VEHICLES USING A PROCEDURE DEVELOPED BY HYUNDAI TO MEASURE METAL THICKNESS.PARTS WITH PERFORATIONS FROM CORROSION OR WITH METAL BELOW THE SPECIFIED THICKNESS WILL BE REPLACED WITH REDESIGNED TRAILING ARMS.IF THE MINIMUM METAL THICKNESS IS MET, DRAINAGE HOLES AND AND RUST PROOFING MATERIAL WILL BE ADDED TO THE EXISTING REAR TRAILING ARMS.ALTHOUGH NOT SUBJECT COMPONENTS OF THIS INVESTIGATION, HYUNDAI NOTED IT WOULD PERFORM A SIMILAR PROCEDURE FOR THE FRONT SUBFRAMES OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT DATA REVEALED THAT 99% OF ALL CONSUMER COMPLAINTS RELATED TO TRAILING ARM CORROSION WERE FROM VEHIC…
2003 vs. other Hyundai Santa Fe years
Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2003. Click a bar to switch year.
Questions
Does the 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe, the latest from Jul 18, 2014 (suspension). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention suspension (56), air bags (42), service brakes (42). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.
Recalls by Model
