Owner report · 2005 model year

2005 Hyundai Santa Fe

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Crash-test image: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S. Department of Transportation.

The Verdict

Worst problem area

Airbags & Restraints

Airbags & Restraints leads by volume: 78 of 216 complaints (36%) mention it.

Complaints filed fell from 303 in 2004 to 216 in 2005.

Data last changed Nov 7, 2026. Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology

At a glance

NHTSA complaints: 216
Recall campaigns: 3
EPA fuel cost per year: $3,100–$3,650
Combined MPG: 17–20

Complaints by model year

3082003
3032004
2162005
1062006
6842007

Where owners report problems

Airbags & Restraints78 (36%)
Driver Assistance & Speed Control44 (20%)
Brakes36 (17%)
Suspension, Wheels & Tires24 (11%)
Fuel System22 (10%)
Engine18 (8%)

Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History

Fuel cost, fuel economy, and complaint history by model-yearScroll sideways to see all 5 years. Fuel figures show the range across trims for years with more than one EPA-rated configuration.Also cataloged for 2005: 2 configuration(s) of a different vehicle class, excluded from the comparison bar only (but included in the figures above).
Category	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	vs. 2005 Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD
Annual fuel cost ($)	3,100–3,650	3,100–3,650	3,100–3,650	3,100–3,650	2,950–3,300
Combined MPG	17–20	17–20	17–20	17–20	19–21
City / Highway MPG	15–18 / 19–25	15–18 / 19–25	15–18 / 21–25	15–18 / 21–25	17–18 / 23–24
CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi)	444–523	444–523	444–523	444–523	423–468
Complaints filed	308	303	216	106	684	Not compared
Recalls issued	4	3	3	1	9	Not compared
Crash-involved complaints	26	32	18	11	30	Not compared
Fire-involved complaints	5	7	0	3	8	Not compared
Injuries reported	20	35	14	8	32	Not compared
Deaths reported	0	0	2	0	2	Not compared
Configurations compared	4	4	4	4	4

Common questions

How many recalls does the 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe have?

3 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Nov 7, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.

What is the most common complaint about the 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe?

Airbags & Restraints: 78 of 216 NHTSA complaints (36%) mention it.

What gas mileage does the 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe get?

EPA rates it 17–20 MPG combined.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe?

EPA estimates $3,100–$3,650 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.

Similar Vehicles

EPA-Rated Configurations (6)

Every EPA-rated configuration on this page, one row each.A number tagged (low) or (high) is this page’s own cost-table figure of that name, above.
Configuration	Transmission	Cylinders	Displacement	Drivetrain	Fuel Type	Vehicle Class	City	Highway	Combined	Annual Fuel Cost	CO₂
Configuration 1	Automatic 4-spd	4	2.4L	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD	18 mpg (high)	24 mpg	20 mpg (high)	$3,100 (low)	444 g/mi (low)
Configuration 2	Manual 5-spd	4	2.4L	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD	18 mpg (high)	25 mpg (high)	20 mpg (high)	$3,100 (low)	444 g/mi (low)
Configuration 3	Automatic 4-spd	6	2.7L	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD	17 mpg	23 mpg	19 mpg	$3,300	468 g/mi
Configuration 4	Automatic 5-spd	6	3.5L	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD	16 mpg	22 mpg	18 mpg	$3,450	494 g/mi
Configuration 5	Automatic 4-spd	6	2.7L	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive	Regular	Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD	16 mpg	21 mpg (low)	18 mpg	$3,450	494 g/mi
Configuration 6	Automatic 5-spd	6	3.5L	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive	Regular	Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD	15 mpg (low)	21 mpg (low)	17 mpg (low)	$3,650 (high)	523 g/mi (high)

Complaints by Category

Complaints by category, in the same fixed order on every page
Category	Complaints	Crash-Involved	Injuries	Deaths
Engine	18	2	1	0
Transmission & Drivetrain	11	1	0	0
Fuel System	22	0	2	0
Electrical	10	0	1	0
Brakes	36	3	1	0
Steering	7	1	1	0
Suspension, Wheels & Tires	24	0	0	0
Airbags & Restraints	78	7	10	2
Driver Assistance & Speed Control	44	8	2	1
Body, Seats & Latches	10	1	1	0
Visibility & Lighting	6	0	0	0
Other	12	3	3	0

A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.

Recalls (3)

SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS
Campaign 14V435000 · Jul 18, 2014
Defect
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, 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.
Consequence
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
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.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Campaign 05V527000 · Nov 17, 2005
Defect
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN SEATED ON THE FRONT EDGE OF THE SEAT AS AN ADULT.
Consequence
THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A FRONTAL COLLISION CRASH OR THE SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A SIDE COLLISION CRASH; SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL ENSURE THAT THE VEHICLE'S OCS WILL PROPERLY CLASSIFY CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN WHEN SEATED ON THE FRONT EDGE OF THE SEAT AND WILL DISABLE THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAGS. DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE'S OCS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT TO PROVIDE AN INCREASED MARGIN FOR RECOGNITION OF CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 6, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO AT 1-800-981-0188.
AIR BAGS
Campaign 05V450000 · Oct 4, 2005
Defect
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN SEATED ON THE FRONT EDGE OF THE SEAT AS AN ADULT.
Consequence
THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A FRONTAL COLLISION CRASH OR THE SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A SIDE COLLISION CRASH; SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL ENSURE THAT THE VEHICLE'S OCS WILL PROPERLY CLASSIFY CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN WHEN SEATED ON THE FRONT EDGE OF THE SEAT AND WILL DISABLE THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAGS. DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE'S OCS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT TO PROVIDE AN INCREASED MARGIN FOR RECOGNITION OF CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 21, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.