Hyundai Santa Fe 2001–2006
1st generation (SM)
NHTSA data through 13 August 20261,731 complaints, 1,328 with mileageMethod
- Reports with mileage
- 1,328
- Median of reported failures
- 86,000 mi
- Most-reported system
- Suspension (17.6%)
- Recalls
- 1
Before-you-buy checklist ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 45,000 and 126,000 miles.
Figure 1 · Hyundai Santa Fe 2001–2006 · 1,328 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 5,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 105 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 34 complaints (2.6%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 8,019
- 25%
- 45,000
- Median
- 86,000
- 75%
- 126,000
- 90%
- 161,516
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 105 | 7.9% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 39 | 2.9% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 37 | 2.8% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 30 | 2.3% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 28 | 2.1% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 21 | 1.6% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 21 | 1.6% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 22 | 1.7% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 29 | 2.2% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 24 | 1.8% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 34 | 2.6% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 35 | 2.6% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 51 | 3.8% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 38 | 2.9% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 58 | 4.4% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 34 | 2.6% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 39 | 2.9% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 46 | 3.5% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 45 | 3.4% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 51 | 3.8% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 56 | 4.2% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 35 | 2.6% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 30 | 2.3% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 32 | 2.4% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 34 | 2.6% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 34 | 2.6% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 27 | 2.0% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 27 | 2.0% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 34 | 2.6% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 21 | 1.6% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 40 | 3.0% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 20 | 1.5% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 30 | 2.3% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 12 | 0.9% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 21 | 1.6% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 8 | 0.6% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 14 | 1.1% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 9 | 0.7% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 12 | 0.9% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 11 | 0.8% |
| 200,000+ | 34 | 2.6% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 1,731 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001–2006 Hyundai Santa Fe, and 1,328 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 45,000 and 126,000 miles. The median is 86,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the suspension (17.6% of complaints, typically around 109,000 miles), the airbag system (11.4% of complaints, typically around 88,000 miles), throttle and speed control (9.0% of complaints, typically around 60,000 miles).
1 recall campaign cover this generation.
If you arrived asking “is it reliable?” — this page answers the version of that question the data can support: which problems owners reported, and at what mileage.
How many miles does a 2001–2006 Hyundai Santa Fe last?
Half of the failure reports on the 2001–2006 Hyundai Santa Fe were filed by 86,000 miles and 90% by 162,000 miles — figures drawn from 1,328 NHTSA complaints that record an odometer reading, so they time reported failures, not the cars whose owners never filed one.
34 reports (2.6%) came in past 200,000 miles — each one proof a Santa Fe reached that mileage, not that it died there.
Before you buy a 2001–2006 Santa Fe: the 3-minute check
Generated from 1,328 mileage-tagged complaints, 1 recall campaign, 1 documented problem area. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 1 campaign cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check automatic transmission on 2001–2006 cars. Automatic transmission failure is the dominant durability complaint for this generation; no manufacturer recall campaign, so it appears in complaint data rather than recall data.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 45,000 and 126,000 miles, with a median of 86,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the suspension and the airbag system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The airbag system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 88,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
What fails, and when
Figure 2 · Hyundai Santa Fe 2001–2006
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Hydraulic brake circuit96 reports35,0007,500–61,000Hydraulic brake circuit: 96 reports, median 35,000 miles, middle half 7,500 to 61,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline111 reports58,00023,000–97,000Transmission and driveline: 111 reports, median 58,000 miles, middle half 23,000 to 97,000 miles.
- Electrical system118 reports60,00024,000–110,000Electrical system: 118 reports, median 60,000 miles, middle half 24,000 to 110,000 miles.
- Engine and its cooling system108 reports60,00022,000–83,000Engine and its cooling system: 108 reports, median 60,000 miles, middle half 22,000 to 83,000 miles.
- Throttle and speed control156 reports60,00010,000–107,000Throttle and speed control: 156 reports, median 60,000 miles, middle half 10,000 to 107,000 miles.
- Airbag system197 reports88,00053,000–120,000Airbag system: 197 reports, median 88,000 miles, middle half 53,000 to 120,000 miles.
- Suspension305 reports109,00084,000–147,000Suspension: 305 reports, median 109,000 miles, middle half 84,000 to 147,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 305 | 17.6% | 109,000 | 84,000–147,000 |
| Airbag system | 197 | 11.4% | 88,000 | 53,000–120,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 156 | 9.0% | 60,000 | 10,000–107,000 |
| Electrical system | 118 | 6.8% | 60,000 | 24,000–110,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 111 | 6.4% | 58,000 | 23,000–97,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 108 | 6.2% | 60,000 | 22,000–83,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 96 | 5.5% | 35,000 | 7,500–61,000 |
| Body structure | 89 | 5.1% | 106,000 | 74,000–150,000 |
| Steering | 69 | 4.0% | 90,000 | 60,000–148,000 |
| Brakes | 66 | 3.8% | 100,000 | 70,000–148,000 |
Where your car sits
Failure reports by the odometer reading they were filed at. Pick the anchor nearest your car — or type the exact mileage: your marker lands on this curve and on the timing chart above.
Figure 3 · Hyundai Santa Fe 2001–2006 · 1,328 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 32% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 52% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 71% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it below
The staircase tops out at 97%: the remaining 2.6% of reports (34) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
At 60,000 miles
32% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
In the reporting window
- Airbag system — middle half 53,000–120,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control — middle half 10,000–107,000 mi
- Electrical system — middle half 24,000–110,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 23,000–97,000 mi
- Engine and its cooling system — middle half 22,000–83,000 mi
- Hydraulic brake circuit — middle half 7,500–61,000 mi
Mostly reported later
- Suspension — middle half 84,000–147,000 mi
At 90,000 miles
52% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Engine and its cooling system — median 60,000 mi
- Hydraulic brake circuit — median 35,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Suspension — middle half 84,000–147,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 53,000–120,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control — middle half 10,000–107,000 mi
- Electrical system — middle half 24,000–110,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 23,000–97,000 mi
At 120,000 miles
71% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Airbag system — median 88,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control — median 60,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 60,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — median 58,000 mi
- Engine and its cooling system — median 60,000 mi
- Hydraulic brake circuit — median 35,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Suspension — middle half 84,000–147,000 mi
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 86,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The suspension accounts for 17.6% of complaints (305 reports, 245 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 109,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 84,000 and 147,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 11.4% of complaints (197 reports, 156 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 88,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 53,000 and 120,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 9.0% of complaints (156 reports, 128 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 10,000 and 107,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 6.8% of complaints (118 reports, 75 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 24,000 and 110,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 6.4% of complaints (111 reports, 83 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 58,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 23,000 and 97,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 6.2% of complaints (108 reports, 73 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 22,000 and 83,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2003 model year drew the most — 390 complaints — while 2006 drew the fewest at 143. The median year sits at 296.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 1 recall campaign covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 1,731 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 136 (7.9%)
- Fires
- 30
- Injury reports
- 101
- Fatality reports
- 3
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Documented problems
Automatic Transmission 2001–2006
Automatic transmission failure is the dominant durability complaint for this generation; no manufacturer recall campaign, so it appears in complaint data rather than recall data.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 293 | 175 |
| 2002 | 219 | 173 |
| 2003 | 390 | 308 |
| 2004 | 386 | 316 |
| 2005 | 300 | 242 |
| 2006 | 143 | 114 |
Recalls (1) — is your car included?
Oct 2014 · 2001–2006 · SuspensionIf the front coil spring fractures due to corrosion it could cause the coil spring to make contact with the…
The 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
What can happen. 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.
The free 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.
What owners reported
the contact owns 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the front passenger side air bag sensor would not detect a passenger in the seat and activate the air bag. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent and would activate only when certain persons were seated in the passenger seat. The vehicle was…
2001 · 10,000 miles · Airbag system
the contact owns a 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe. While driving 65 MPH, the contact heard a loud cracking sound coming from the passenger side rear wheel. The contact lost control of the vehicle and became worse when he depressed the brake pedal. The vehicle began to fishtail, but gradually decelerated to a complete stop. The…
2001 · 13,000 miles · Suspension
There's a reall on this vehicle that i just purchased the description says: front coil spring protector installation how can this issue be resolved? This issue should been taking care of and reported to you guys but obviously it hasn't. So i need to know is it still available to be free of charge or do i have to come…
2001 · 15,000 miles · Transmission and driveline
the contact owns a 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the driver's side rear wheel tilted leaving the vehicle impaired. The vehicle was towed to a near by firestone where the failure was assessed by the technician. The failure was diagnosed as a fractured rear axel. The contact…
2001 · 17,000 miles · Suspension
Built from 1,328 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-18 · open data · reproduce this page