2004 Hyundai Santa Fe Problems, Recalls & Reliability
386 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 32/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Suspension leads the reports, typically around 91,000 miles.
Typical
Where 2004 sits among all Santa Fe years
What owners report
“I just got it a few months ago and happened to look up recalls,and seen 3 i took it to a hyundai dealership and they said there were just 2 but one was suspension and they haven't called me about it in around a month nowb”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Santa Fe
“Usually when there are rainy conditons when i am attempting to inititate driving my vehicle, i have a problem with braking, the brakes will sound very loudly and experience excessive vibration and have extended stopping distance. In a few instances i almost hit other cars and the curb because the…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Santa Fe
“Air bag light stay on constantly, and don't go off. I was riding and light pop on and stay on.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Santa Fe
“Recently the engine throttle started to rev up and wanting to acceleratewhen i am goin very very slow stuck in traffic or just deiving under 30 mph. I would have to apply the brakes very hard and that wouldn't work so i would have to put it into neutral and wait for the throttle to calm down. I…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Santa Fe
“In transit, it began smoking and the engine light came on. After pulling to the side, flames erupted and it became fully engulfed, followed by a small explosion. The vehicle and it’s contents were a total loss.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Santa Fe
“Vehicle fuel tank is rotted and leaking fuel. Call hyundai and they say its covered under extended warranty for 15 years or 150000 miles. I am over on mileage. They say not covered. What does mileage have to do with corrosion?”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Santa Fe
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 301 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 80,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 40,600 and 125,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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…
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…
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.5 LITER V-6 ENGINES, 4-WHEEL DRIVE AND ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEMS (ABS), IF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 3 AND 12 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE PAD FRICTION SURFACES ARE WET, A VIBRATION MAY OCCUR…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ABS ECU. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MARCH 24, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.
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."
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.
Technical service bulletins
75 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and engine — are on file for the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2004 Santa Fe TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
The 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe drew 386 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 32/100, scored against the model's worst year (2017).
What are the most common 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe problems?
The top reported problems for the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe are suspension (71 complaints), brakes & stability (45), and airbags (43).
At what mileage do 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe problems show up?
Owners most often report 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe problems around 80,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 40,600 and 125,000 miles.
Does the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.