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The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe has 163 NHTSA owner complaints and 7 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe has 163 NHTSA owner complaints and 7 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is powertrain at 50 complaints, typically surfacing around 32,962 miles (~$2,500 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 Santa Fe | 108 | 2 |
| 2019 Santa Fe | 192 | 2 |
| 2020 Santa Fe | 199 | 2 |
| 2021 Santa Fe (this page) | 163 | 7 |
| 2022 Santa Fe | 191 | 5 |
| 2023 Santa Fe | 200 | 1 |
| 2024 Santa Fe | 134 | 7 |
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: Standard
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV AWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: electrical is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 37,500 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 7 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 6.2/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
The contact owned a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated received notification of Hyundai Recall Campaign Number: 236, and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the 8-speed dual clutch transmissions (DCT) TCU software update was performed. The contact stated while…
This vehicle has to replace car horn 3 time unsafe to drive this vehicle have opened repair . Unable to get load . have to Walt for service day .this vehicle have only 14000 mile I am disable person.
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V746000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not yet available. The contact…
Vehicle warning alarm activated, car went into limp mode for about 20 seconds, and then lost all drive. Warning message for Transmission Control Unit problem. Several previous temporary failures with no stored codes over past two or three months, one previously reported to…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of a crash.
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.2 out of 10 based on 163 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 6.2/10 — around the segment average; 7 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the powertrain first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 50 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 32,962 miles. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 6.2 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 163 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is powertrain. Typical failure occurs around 32,962 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is powertrain, with 50 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 32,962 miles. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop.
The powertrain is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 32,962 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 163 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $2,500, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.