Data: NHTSA recall and complaint filesUpdated Sep 27, 2026
Recalled components: brakes, steering, air bags, and suspension. Most-reported area: engine (250 complaints, 58%; median mileage when it happened: 63,000). Includes the two-row Santa Fe Sport (2016 to 2018), the three-row Santa Fe XL (2019), and the Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid.
5 safety recalls for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe
Do-not-drive and park-outside recalls first, then newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.
Brakes
Oct 27, 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 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.
What owners report
The areas named in the 429 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Santa Fe. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Engine250 · 58%
Median 63,000 miles at failure (66 reports)
Brakes68 · 16%
Fuel and propulsion system38 · 9%
Electrical system29 · 7%
Powertrain28 · 7%
Engine and cooling16 · 4%
Speed control15 · 3%
Unknown or other50 · 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: 429 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Hyundai Santa Fe
Model year
Complaints
2016
305
2017
1,316
2018
429
2019
225
2020
213
2021
186
2022
263
2023
287
2024
184
2025
223
2026
49
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
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.
Tested version
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Hyundai Santa Fe SUV AWD
Rollover risk 15.7%
Hyundai Santa Fe SUV FWD
Rollover risk 15.0%
Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUV AWD
Rollover risk 14.3%
Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUV FWD
Rollover risk 15.1%
Questions
What are the most common 2018 Santa Fe problems?
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: engine (250), brakes (68), fuel and propulsion system (38). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
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.
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 Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
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.