repaired · 2016 Q1
Springs: coil springs
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…
2005 Hyundai Santa FEProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 216 owner complaints about the 2005 Hyundai Santa FE, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-435 the manufacturer reports only 28% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 16, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2005 Hyundai Santa FE has problems
216 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
74Air bags9 crash/fire/injury
44Vehicle speed control8 crash/fire/injury
21Suspension
18Seat belts1 crash/fire/injury
18Service brakes3 crash/fire/injury
14Fuel/propulsion system
13Service brakes, hydraulic
11Power train
11Engine
6317 other systems8 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 74 | 9 |
| Vehicle speed control | 44 | 8 |
| Suspension | 21 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 18 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 18 | 3 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 14 | 1 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 13 | 0 |
| Power train | 11 | 1 |
| Engine | 11 | 1 |
| 17 other systems | 63 | 8 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
2005 Hyundai Santa FE recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Air bags: frontal
Risk. 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…
no report yet
Air bags
Risk. 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…
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Hyundai.
Mileage at failure
When do air bags problems start?
93kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 60 air bags complaints. 55% were reported before 100,000 miles.
9under 30k miles33under 100k miles27100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Air bags
8 owners mentioned a cost$540median
Middle half: $500 – $836
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2005 vs. every other Santa FE year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Santa FE median. How we score
'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2005 Hyundai Santa FE safety ratings
2005 Hyundai Santa Fe 4-DR w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 3 stars (20.3% risk)
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Santa FE owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The airbag light stays on constantly - mechanic says it's the switch in the passenger seat belt and they encounter this problem with this vehicle all the time. Prevents the airbag from deploying if not repaired.
The contact owns a 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 155,000.
Airbag light is constantly on from the time I start the car, until I turn it off, mechanic stated it was the passenger seatbelt buckle switch. I've seen many posts online about the same exact thing happening to them. It poses a safety threat, as the airbags are not going to go off.
Own a 2005 Santa FE?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.