2006 Hyundai Santa Fe Problems, Recalls & Reliability
143 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe, alongside 1 recall campaign and 0 defect investigations. It scores 11/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Airbags leads the reports, typically around 78,316 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2006 sits among all Santa Fe years
What owners report
“Air bag light is on continuously after starting (light goes out for 6" at ignition to on). It throws the code b1448. I can reset it with my scanner, but it returns after a week.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Santa Fe
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 111 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 65,700 miles. Half of those reports fall between 28,770 and 104,860 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
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…
Technical service bulletins
48 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2006 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 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
The 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe drew 143 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 11/100, scored against the model's worst year (2017).
What are the most common 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe problems?
The top reported problems for the 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe are airbags (28 complaints), electrical (20), and speed control (20).
At what mileage do 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe problems show up?
Owners most often report 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe problems around 65,700 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 28,770 and 104,860 miles.
Does the 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2006 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.