2008 Hyundai Santa Fe recalls and problems

The 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe has 4 recalls and 541 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is fuel system.

How the 2008 compares

Highest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 26 Santa Fe model years — 4th most.

4recalls

541complaints

17crashes

7fires

12injuries

74,000median 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.

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4 recalls

Exterior Lighting

Apr 1, 2013 · NHTSA campaign 13V113000 · 1,712,336 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy & notes

Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.

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.

Air Bags

Jul 25, 2012 · NHTSA campaign 12V354000 · 199,118 vehicles

Problem: Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2007 through 2009 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured from April 19, 2006, through July 7, 2008. The occupant classification system (OCS) may need recalibration to accurately detect small statured adults.

Risk: Improper classification or detection may cause the front passenger airbag not to deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger.

Remedy & notes

Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the classification software free of charge. The safety recall began on September 7, 2012. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.

Hyundai's recall campaign number is 105.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.

Air Bags

Sep 9, 2011 · NHTSA campaign 11V472000 · 205,233 vehicles

Problem: Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Hyundai veracruz vehicles manufactured from December 26, 2006, through March 21, 2008, and model year 2007-2008 Hyundai santa fe vehicles manufactured from April 19, 2006 through March 20, 2008. The clock spring contact assembly for the driver's air bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) May become damaged through usage over time. The driver's air bag electrical circuit will experience a high resistance condition, potentially causing the driver's air bag to not deploy.

Original NHTSA wording

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2008 HYUNDAI VERACRUZ VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 26, 2006, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2008, AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 19, 2006 THROUGH MARCH 20, 2008. THE CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY FOR THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) MAY BECOME DAMAGED THROUGH USAGE OVER TIME. THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT WILL EXPERIENCE A HIGH RESISTANCE CONDITION, POTENTIALLY CAUSING THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG TO NOT DEPLOY.

Risk: If the clock spring develops high resistance, in the event of a crash, the drivers air bag will not deploy and will not be able to properly protect the driver, increasing the risk of injuries.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THE CLOCK SPRING DEVELOPS HIGH RESISTANCE, IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE DRIVERS AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY PROTECT THE DRIVER, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURIES.

Remedy & notes

Hyundai dealers will replace the vehicle's driver's air bag clock spring contact assembly free of charge. The safety recall began in November 2011. Owners May contact Hyundai customer connect center at 1-800-633-5151.

Hyundai's safety recall campaign number is 103,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> .

Equipment

Jun 19, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V272000 · 88,943 vehicles

Problem: Hyundai is recalling 88,943 my 2007-2008 Hyundai santa fe vehicles equipped with P235/60R18 tires. These vehicles fail to comply with the labeling requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110 "tire selection and rims for motor vehicles." the black certification label affixed to the driver's side center pillar, incorrectly lists the gross axle weight ratings (gawr).

Original NHTSA wording

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 88,943 MY 2007-2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH P235/60R18 TIRES. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE LABELING REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110 "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES." THE BLACK CERTIFICATION LABEL AFFIXED TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE CENTER PILLAR, INCORRECTLY LISTS THE GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATINGS (GAWR).

Risk: Overloading your vehicle May adversely affect handling and braking and May cause tire damage, resulting in tire failure and a crash without warning.

Original NHTSA wording

OVERLOADING YOUR VEHICLE MAY ADVERSELY AFFECT HANDLING AND BRAKING AND MAY CAUSE TIRE DAMAGE, RESULTING IN TIRE FAILURE AND A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy & notes

Hyundai will mail corrected certification labels along with the instructions to the affected owners. The customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The recall began on August 5, 2008. Owners May contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.

Hyundai recall no. 084.customers 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 http://www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Fuel System273

Electrical System74

Air Bags70

Engine70

Vehicle Speed Control52

Service Brakes29

Power Train24

Structure20

Unknown or other19

Electronic Stability Control16

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

Throttle control system vulnerabilities

DP21003 · opened Nov 12, 2021 · closed Jun 20, 2023

Summary

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a petition letter dated October 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (ETC) system on certain Kia vehicles resulting in the opening of DP21-003. Accordingly, Model Year (MY) 2005-2016 Kia Optima/K5, MY 2006-2015 Kia Sorento, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Elantra, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Santa Fe, MY 2006-2015 Hyundai Sonatas are all part of the subject population. The petition was originally filed as a Vehicle Owner Questionnaire that can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under reference (ODI) number 11439675.On November 12, 2021, ODI opened Defect Petition DP21-003 to evaluate the petitioner?s request. ODI performed trend analyses of the VOQs related to vehicle speed control issues for all the subject vehicles and found that none of the 52 Model/Model Year Hyundai/Kia vehicles demonstrated any actionable trend that warranted an investigation.Petitioners submitted 1119 VOQs and non-VOQ cases in which sudden uncommanded acceleration (SUA) or loss of motive power (LOMP) incidents were alleged.For the 1119 reports, 220 were incidents involving crashes, from which 69 subject Hyundai-Kia vehicles were inspected by Hyundai/Kia dealer technicians, Hyundai/Kia engineers, and/or third-party representatives.ODI found the inspections identified no vehicle defects related to the ETC system.Of the 220 crash-involved reports, 13 Event Data Recor…

2008 vs. other Hyundai Santa Fe years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2008. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe, the latest from Apr 1, 2013 (exterior lighting). 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 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention fuel system (273), electrical system (74), air bags (70). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.