Is the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe a bad year?
157 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 45, 2.1× a quiet Santa Fe year.
Keep it, but watch the transmission
The transmission draws 2.1× the complaints of a quiet Santa Fe year.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2024 Santa Fe owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 80,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 45 (29%) | too few with a mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Electrical system | 31 (20%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Collision avoidance | 16 (10%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Engine | 14 (9%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Brakes | 13 (8%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 10 (6%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seats | 9 (6%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Speed control | 8 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 8 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Backup camera | 7 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Tires | 6 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 5 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 80,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 157 complaints: 12 mention a crash · 1 mentions a fire · 7 report an injury · 4 say the car was towed.
89 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
Recalls for the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe: 7
The driver and passenger seat belt anchors may detach. A detached seat belt anchor will not adequately restrain the seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The rearview camera may not have been installed properly, which can damage the wiring harness and cause the rearview camera image not to display. A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The B+ positive terminal cover on the starter motor assembly may be improperly installed, which can cause an electrical short during a crash. An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
The overhead console rear sunshade switch knob may not be fully recessed, which can result in unintentional closing of the sunshade. A sunshade that closes unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury.
The main floor wiring harness may chafe against the passenger-side second-row bench seat assembly and become damaged, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally or prevent the air bags from deploying in a crash. An air bag that deploys unintentionally can increase the risk of an injury. An air bag that does not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
A software error in the transmission control unit may result in a vehicle roll away when the vehicle is in PARK. A vehicle roll away increases the risk of a crash or injury.
The rearview camera image may be obstructed by a trailer parking assist message. An obstructed rearview camera image reduces rearward visibility and increases the risk of a crash or injury.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Hyundai: 42
Repair instructions Hyundai sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Some vehicles may require replacement of the 8-speed wet dual clutch transmission (8WDCT) when the vehicle sets one of the high pressure electric oil pump…
Some vehicles may set one of the high pressure electric oil pump (HP EOP) DTCs listed
The subject vehicles may incorrectly illuminate the malfunction indicator lamp, caused by errors in the oil level calculation process
Some vehicles may be equipped with a parking distance warning (PDW) sensor(s) that may trigger various DTCs and display warning messages on the instrument…
Neighbouring years
2023 Santa Fe: 215 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission · 2025 Santa Fe: 143 complaints, keep it.
Every Hyundai Santa Fe year
2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Santa Fe years side by side
Other Hyundai models: Hyundai Accent · Hyundai Azera · Hyundai Elantra · Hyundai Elantra Touring · Hyundai Entourage · Hyundai Genesis · Hyundai Genesis Coupe · Hyundai Ioniq 5 · Hyundai Kona · Hyundai Kona Electric · Hyundai Palisade · Hyundai Santa Cruz · Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid · Hyundai Santa Fe Sport · Hyundai Sonata · Hyundai Sonata Hybrid · Hyundai Tiburon · Hyundai Tucson · Hyundai Tucson Hybrid · Hyundai Veloster · Hyundai Veracruz · Hyundai XG350. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe a bad year?
157 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 45, 2.1× a quiet Santa Fe year. At 80,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the transmission. The transmission draws 2.1× the complaints of a quiet Santa Fe year.
What are the most common problems with the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (45), electrical system (31), collision avoidance (16), engine (14), brakes (13).
How many recalls does the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe have?
7 recall campaigns list this model year: Seat belts (NHTSA 26V-218), Backup camera (NHTSA 25V-808), Electrical system (NHTSA 25V-659), Visibility and wipers (NHTSA 24V-843) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.