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2004 Hyundai Santa FE Recalls, Complaints & Specs

3 safety recalls list the 2004 Hyundai Santa FE, and owners have filed 303 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

3
safety recalls
303
owner complaints to NHTSA
32 / 7
complaints citing a crash / fire
17–20
MPG combined (EPA)

3 safety recalls for the 2004 Hyundai Santa FE

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Coil springs (suspension)

    NHTSA 14V435000 Reported 271,773 vehicles potentially affected Hyundai Motor Company

    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 “salt belt" states and the District of Columbia: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois,…

    Remedy: 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.…

  2. Service brakes, hydraulic: control unit/module

    NHTSA 04V131000 Reported 17,401 vehicles potentially affected HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY

    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…

    Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the ABS ECU. Owner notification began on march 24, 2004. Owners should contact hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.

  3. Labels (equipment)

    NHTSA 03V520000 Reported 249,309 vehicles potentially affected HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY

    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."

    Remedy: 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.

303 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2004 Hyundai Santa FE have filed 303 complaints with NHTSA; 32 describe a crash and 7 describe a fire. Reports cite 35 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 77,410 miles. Complaints peaked in 2014 with 37 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“The contact owns a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that on six separate occasions, the vehicle had independently accelerated without warning. On one occasion, the vehicle had accelerated thr”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, December 6, 2023 · Power train

“In transit, it began smoking and the engine light came on. After pulling to the side, flames erupted and it became fully engulfed, followed by a small explosion. The vehicle and it’s contents were a t”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 9, 2023 · Engine

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe (Santa Fe 2WD, Santa Fe 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined17–20 mpg
City / Highway15–18 / 19–25
FuelRegular
EPA classSport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Engine4/6 cyl, 2.4/2.7/3.5 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Automatic 5-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Hyundai Santa FE model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Hyundai Santa FE model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
2001 Hyundai Santa FE4209
2002 Hyundai Santa FE4165
2003 Hyundai Santa FE4308
2004 Hyundai Santa FE3303
2005 Hyundai Santa FE3216
2006 Hyundai Santa FE1106
2007 Hyundai Santa FE7684
2008 Hyundai Santa FE4541
2009 Hyundai Santa FE2358
2010 Hyundai Santa FE2259
2011 Hyundai Santa FE2181
2012 Hyundai Santa FE1353
2013 Hyundai Santa FE3605
2014 Hyundai Santa FE3493
2015 Hyundai Santa FE2254
2016 Hyundai Santa FE3236
2017 Hyundai Santa FE6968
2018 Hyundai Santa FE2109
2019 Hyundai Santa FE2202
2020 Hyundai Santa FE2214
2021 Hyundai Santa FE7166
2022 Hyundai Santa FE5200
2023 Hyundai Santa FE1211
2024 Hyundai Santa FE7152
2025 Hyundai Santa FE5134
2026 Hyundai Santa FE436

Checking a specific 2004 Hyundai Santa FE

How do I know if my 2004 Hyundai Santa FE has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 2004 Hyundai Santa FE; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Hyundai dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 03V520000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Hyundai models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.