The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 16, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 237. This recall is an expansion of recall 22V-056.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Santa Fe Sport vehicles.
NHTSA listing: SANTA FE SPORT. Hyundai campaign 237.
Brakes
Feb 3, 2022
antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip · control unit/module
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 31, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 218.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Santa Fe, 2017-2018 Santa Fe Sport, 2019 Santa Fe XL, and 2014-2015 Tucson vehicles.
NHTSA listings: SANTA FE, SANTA FE SPORT. Hyundai campaign 218.
The steering wheel assembly may break, possibly resulting in the steering wheel separating from the steering column while driving.
Risk: A steering wheel separation while driving can cause a loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will check the production lot number of the steering wheel assembly, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 26, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 173.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles.
The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.
Risk: If the component detaches during deployment, the curtain air bag may not inflate properly during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, if the detached component were to enter the vehicle occupant compartment, there could be an increased risk of occupant injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 171.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Santa Fe Sport vehicles.
NHTSA listing: SANTA FE SPORT. Hyundai campaign 171.
The front coil springs may have been improperly manufactured and, as a result, may fracture under certain loads while driving.
Risk: If the coil spring fractures, it can puncture the tire, causing a loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: All of the affected vehicles are currently unsold on dealer lots. Dealers will replace both front coil springs, free of charge prior to the vehicle's sale. The recall began November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 167.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Santa Fe Sport vehicles.
NHTSA listing: SANTA FE SPORT. Hyundai campaign 167.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe apart from an audit query, which reviews a company's recall and reporting duties rather than the vehicle.
What owners report
Owners have filed 436 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Santa Fe. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Excessive oil consumption109 · 25%
Median 86,900 miles at failure, from 16 reports with mileage
Engine failure or replacement99 · 23%
Median 97,000 miles at failure, from 35 reports with mileage
Check engine light68 · 16%
Median 97,000 miles at failure, from 21 reports with mileage
Loss of power or limp mode50 · 11%
Median 75,300 miles at failure, from 19 reports with mileage
Stalling or shutting off48 · 11%
Median 37,000 miles at failure, from 21 reports with mileage
Hesitation or slow acceleration40 · 9%
Median 29,000 miles at failure, from 23 reports with mileage
Median 63,000 miles at failure, from 66 reports with mileage
Brakes69 · 16%
Fuel and propulsion system38 · 9%
Electrical system31 · 7%
Powertrain28 · 6%
Engine and cooling16 · 4%
Speed control15 · 3%
Unknown or other51 · 12%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Hyundai Santa Fe recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2018 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2017 Santa Fe drew the most (260) and the 2018 drew 70.
Owner complaints
2018: 436 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Hyundai Santa Fe
Model year
Complaints
2010
260
2011
181
2012
355
2013
809
2014
657
2015
339
2016
310
2017
1,332
2018
436
2019
232
2020
218
2021
190
2022
268
2023
295
2024
202
2025
251
2026
60
Safety recalls
2018: 5 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Hyundai Santa Fe
Model year
Recalls
2010
2
2011
2
2012
1
2013
7
2014
7
2015
4
2016
3
2017
7
2018
5
2019
3
2020
2
2021
8
2022
8
2023
2
2024
7
2025
5
2026
4
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 436 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe, the problems described most are excessive oil consumption (109), engine failure or replacement (99), and the check engine light coming on (68). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe apart from an audit query, which reviews a company's recall and reporting duties rather than the vehicle.
How do I check if my Santa Fe has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Hyundai dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: SANTA FE, SANTA FE SPORT.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.