2001 Hyundai Santa Fe recalls and problems

The 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe has 4 safety recalls and 209 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Hyundai dealer.

Recalls
4
Complaints
209
Crashes / fires
4 / 4
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2001 Hyundai Santa Fe recalls

Recall 14V-435: Suspension

Reported Jul 18, 2014 · 271,773 vehicles affected · Hyundai Motor Company

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 “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.

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.

Fix: 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.

Recall 09V-123: Suspension

Reported Apr 16, 2009 · 83,355 vehicles affected · Hyundai Motor Company

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.

Risk: If the corrosion is allowed to progress, the rear trailing arm may fracture while driving, thereby increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Fix: 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.

Recall 03V-520: Equipment

Reported Dec 18, 2003 · 249,309 vehicles affected · HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY

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."

Risk: The tire pressure labels do not contain the information required by the standard.

Fix: 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.

Recall 03V-030: Electrical System

Reported Jan 2, 2003 · 25,643 vehicles affected · HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY

Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with 2.7 liter V-6 engines, improperly manufactured crankshaft position sensors (Cps) were installed. The cps cases were improperly manufactured and did not meet dimensional specifications. Internal gaps within the cases allowed epoxy to contact the printed circuit board, which resulted in cracking of the printed circuit board capacitor.

Risk: A damaged cps capacitor could result in engine stalling.

Fix: Dealers will replace the cps. Owner notification began on march 10, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact hyundai at 1-800-829-9956.

2001 Hyundai Santa Fe problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Suspension78
Electrical System41
Engine and Engine Cooling39
Power Train24
Structure19
Vehicle Speed Control14
Steering13
Service Brakes, Hydraulic10
Fuel/Propulsion System8
Unknown or Other7
Engine7
Equipment6

Most reported parts

  • Suspension › Rear — 29
  • Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline — 11
  • Power Train › Automatic Transmission — 11
  • Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine — 11
  • Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery — 8
  • Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator — 8
  • Structure › Body — 6
  • Structure › Frame and Members — 6

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 104,785 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Suspension · reported Mar 26, 2023
I live in Roy city utah and i drive a santa fe 2001 and my trailing arm in the rear driver side snaped while i was going 45 mph. when i took it in to a shop to have it looked at they said that my trailing arm had snaped do to the rust corrision under the car. I know that there are recalls on the santa fe for the rear suspention trailing arms but only if you live in a salt belt state and utah is not one of those states and i think it should be because of the salt we use on our roads as well as i live 20 mins from the great salt lake . i have bearly had my car 5 months befor it broke i paid…
Steering · at 140,000 miles · reported Jan 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that on separate occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was towed to Marco’s body shop where it was diagnosed that both struts, new tires, front passenger side wheel cylinder, wheel mount, tie rod, and wheel bearings needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the mechanic noticed that the driver’s side cross member had fractured and needed to be replaced. Additionally, the contact stated that the subframe was corroded. The vehicle was not repaired. The…
Electrical System · reported Jul 17, 2022
The suv stalls while driving. This has happened multiple time. While driving, driving slow, taking a u turn. The battery, alternator, starter, power steering pump, water pump, rack and pinion, timing belt, serpentine belt, idler pulley, harmonic balancer, front axles, shocks, struts, some sensors, spark plugs/wires, gaskets, and many other parts are replaced in the last year. Don't know what is wrong but it is scary when it stalls suddenly.
Suspension · reported Aug 24, 2021
The contact's friend owns a 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while a friend was driving at approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle began to veer off to the right without warning and the driver began losing control of the vehicle. Despite the failure, the contact's friend was able to drive the vehicle to her home at slow speeds. Another friend was able to inspect the vehicle and discovered that the rear passenger’s side trailing arm had fractured due to severe corrosion. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V123000 (Suspension) which he linked to the…
Suspension · at 185,000 miles · reported Jan 10, 2021
My wife was accelerating to 45 MPH, the vehicle began to swerve left to right rapidly. There was no warning indicator illuminated. She coasted the vehicle to the side of the road and powered off the engine. The vehicle was restarted, but the failure recurred. She noticed that the rear passenger side wheel was almost touching the inside of the rear fender. She was able to limp it about a mile home to driveway. She contacted hyundai & they told her to tow it to closest hyundai dealership & reap suspension problem will be fixed under recall. After we paid to have it towed to dealership it was…

Other Hyundai Santa Fe years

Compare all Hyundai Santa Fe years · All Hyundai models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe: 14V-435 (suspension), 09V-123 (suspension), 03V-520 (equipment), 03V-030 (electrical system). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe?

Owners report suspension problems most often (78 reports), followed by electrical system (41). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 104,785 miles.

Are Hyundai recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Hyundai dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.