There are 20 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2003 Hyundai Santa Fein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINS ON SO THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. WILL I HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS? I REALLY DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY OF THIS VEHICLE I NEVER RECEIVED A CAR FAX ON IT. THAT IS WHY I NEED TO KNOW IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THE AIRBAG WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINS ON. I KNOW THIS MIGHT BE BECAUSE OF THE MODULE HAVING TO BE REPLACED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED IN ADDITION, THE CHILD SAFETY LOCKS FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT NOTIFIED, BUT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V435000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATED 03/16/17*LJ *CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO ROLL UP THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW, THE WINDOW FAILED TO ROLL UP AND CURVED. THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE FROM THE WINDOW. IN ADDITION, THE DOOR OPENED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE THE DOOR. THE CONTACT HAD TO HOLD ONTO THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE IN ORDER TO KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ACTUATOR IN THE DOOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD GOING ABOUT 40 TO 45 MILES AN HOUR ON A BUSY ROAD. I HAD MY GRANDCHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH ME. THE CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN SHUT OFF ON ME. THANK GOD I HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I COULDN'T GET THE CAR TO START SO I SAT THERE WITH THEM PRAYING I WOULDN'T GET HIT. AFTER A WHILE IT STARTED UP AGAIN AND I WENT MAYBE TWO FEET AND IT DIED AGAIN. I WAS ABLE TO ROLL INTO AN EMPTY GARAGE AND I CALLED MY HUSBAND. THERE WAS AN AUTO ZONE NEAR BY SO HE GOT A MACHINE WHICH SAID WHAT WAS WRONG. IT SAID IT WAS THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. MY CAR IS NOW BEING FIXED AT A HYUNDAI DEALER. I WENT ON LINE FOR RECALLS AND I FOUND ONE THAT SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON THEM BUT NOT FOR MY VEHICLE. IF IT WAS ON ONE VEHICLE YEAR WHY WOULDN'T MY YEAR BE COVERED. MY FAMILY COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLE STOPPING ALL OF A SUDDEN ON A MAIN RD. LIKE I WAS ON. WE HAVE KEPT UP WITH ALL THE RECALLS THAT THEY SEND US. *TR
THE CAR LOOSES POWER BUT COMES RITE BACK ..SOMETIMES STALLS WHILE IN TRAFFIC BUT STARTS RITE UP..GOING ON INTERSTATE LOST POWER TACT DROPPED TO O ALL POWER LOST CAME BACK ON ITS OWN ALSO CD PLAYER WILL COME ON BY ITSELF I THINK IT MAY BE SOMETHING ELECTRICAL I HAVE READ ONLINE MANY OF THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE SANTE FE OF THAT YEAR ..NO FIX WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH THAT NO FIX SOMETHING IS UP WITH THAT LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE THAT I HAVE READ TO MANY OF THE SAME PROBLEM HYUNDAI MUST KNOW WHAT IS WRONG BUT DON'T WANT TO FIX IT TO COSTLY FOR THE COMPANY...TO BAD FOR THE CONSUMER!!! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER. THE CONTACT COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK. THE CONTACT THEN DECIDED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND IT BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE HAD ONLY OCCURRED ONE TIME. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 118,002.
OUR 2003 HYUNDAI SANTE FE WILL SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING WITH NO WARNING AT ALL. THE TACHOMETER DROPS TO ZERO THEN THE VEHICLE WILL RESTART AND CONTINUE GOING. SOMETIMES IT WILL COMPLETELY SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING OR AT A STOPLIGHT AND HAS TO BE PUT AND PARK AND CRANKED. THE VEHICLE ALSO BUCKS WHILE DRIVING AT TIMES AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT HARD WHEN PUTTING IN REVERSE AT TIMES. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SENT TO DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND SAYS THEY CANNOT FIX IT WITHOUT SEEING IT HAPPEN WITH THEIR COMPUTER CONNECTED TO IT. OF COURSE, IT NEVER OCCURS FOR THEM. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. THIS HAPPENS NEARLY DAILY OVER THE LAST YEAR. THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO BE DRIVEN. *TR
I TOOK MY 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE IN TO THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR. I WAS TOLD THAT THEIR IS A RUST HOLE A LITTLE LARGER THAN A GOLF BALL IN THE CRADLE WHERE THE RIGHT FRONT CONTROL ARM BOLTS INTO THE CRADLE. THEY TOLD ME IT COULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD! AND I SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER REPLACING THE CRADLE TO THE TUNE OF 1700 DOLLARS! *TR
I OWN 2003 HYUNDAI SANTE FE ON JUNE 2008 IT STARTED STALLING,HESTITATING ON THE HIGHWAY IT STARTED JERKING AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON PULLED TO SIDE IT SHUT OFF WOULD NOT START UNTIL HOURS LATER, TOOK TO DEALER DIAGNOSTIC SHOWED CRANKSHAFT ,BELT TIMING PLUGS, TOTAL COST WAS $1219.84 STATED WAS NOT WARRANTY, I HAD THEM REPAIR , LAST COUPLE MONTHS ,SAME THING AGAIN, BUT I NOTICE THAT THE JERKING AND STALLING HAPPENS AFTER A RAINY/HUMID DAY THE JERKING AND STALLING HAPPEN MORE, WAS TOLD SPARK PLUGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACE AGAIN,STILL THE SAME PROBLEM. I WILL CONTACT HYUNDAI AMERICA AND ALSO THE BBB ABOUT THIS, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AND TAKEN CARE OF, THE STALLING WHILE DRIVING CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WHICH 2 TIMES IT ALMOST HAPPEN WITH ME. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY THIS AGAIN. DOING RESEARCH THIS IS HAPPENING TO LOTS OF 2003 , BUT THIS HAS HAPPEN PRIOR TO 2001 & 2002. I HOPE TO GET SOMETHING RESOLVED. *TR
I OWNED A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE AND THE HEATED SEAT ELECTRICAL UNIT FAILED TO SHUT OFF AND THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE (LEATHER SEATS, DASHBOARD, ROOF OF THE CAR, ETC). THE CAR HAD TO BE TOTALED WITH ONLY 50,000 MILES ON IT AND HYUNDAI SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. I WENT THROUGH MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND FILED A TOTAL LOSS AND MY $25,000 CAR WAS SETTLED FOR $11,000. *TR
OUR 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HAS HAD OVER 25 INSTANCES OF ENGINE STALLING AND POWER LOSS. WE HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION THAT IT WAS BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTENTION OF A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES AND OVER A 50,000 MILES AND A 2-1/2 YEAR SPAN. EACH TIME IT IS TAKEN IN, THE DEALER CANNOT RESOLVE IT AS THEY STATE THEY REQUIRE AN ERROR CODE OR FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE TO BEGIN TO TROUBLESHOOT. I HAVE CONTACTED HUNDAI AMERICA AND AM IN THE PROCESS OF FAXING OVER ALL DOCUMENTATION AND NHTSA COMPLAINTS THAT MIRROR THE PROBLEM WE ARE HAVING. THIS IS BECOMING AN ENORMOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE HYUNDAI ON THIS ISSUE. *JB
OUR 2003 SANTE FE WILL SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE WITH NO WARNING AT ALL. THE TACH DROPS TO ZERO THEN THE VEHICLE WILL RESTART AND CONTINUE GOING. THE VEHICLE ALSO BUCKS WHILE DRIVING AT TIMES AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT HARD WHEN PUTTING IN REVERSE AT TIMES. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SENT TO DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES WITH MULTIPLE ISSUES. DEALERSHIP THINKS ITS A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM BUT STATES VEHICLE WILL HAVE TO BE TAKEN TO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP AND WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A RENTAL CAR AND THE REPAIR BILL. WE PURCHASED THE CAR IN NOVEMBER OF 2006 AND WITHIN 45 DAYS OF THE PURCHASE WE STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. SANTE FE HAD 54,000 MILES WHEN THE FIRST PROBLEM STARTED AND NOW HAS 64,000 WHICH THEY STATE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY BECAUSE WE ARE THE SECOND OWNERS. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO BE DRIVEN ON HIGHWAYS BECAUSE OF THE SHUTTING OFF AND BUCKING INCIDENT'S. *TR
I OWN A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE AND HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE INSTANCES WHERE THE ENGINE STALLS WHILE I AM DRIVING, BUT WILL COME BACK ON AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. WE HAVE RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND NOTHING WRONG, AND WOULD HAVE TO SEE THE INCIDENT IN THE PROCESS OF HAPPENING BEFORE THEY COULD MAKE A DEFINITE DIAGNOSIS. TODAY WHILE DRIVING TO WORK MY HUSBAND HEARD ON THE RADIO THAT CHRYSLER AND JEEP VEHICLES WERE JUST RECALLED FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM! I REALLY WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP IN GETTING MY HYUNDAI DEALER TO SEE THAT THIS SAME PROBLEM IS HAPPENING TO MY VEHICLE. *AK
DT: CONTACT STATES VEHICLE QUIT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH. IT RESTARTED. . IN 6-05-05 THE DEALER CHANGED THE COMPUTER ASSEMBLY , AND ADDED SCAN TOOL OPERATION AND CHANGED THE RELAY ASSEMBLY. THE PROBLEM RECURRED. HE NOTICED THIS HAPPENING AT APPROXIMATELY. 25,000 MILES. AT ONE TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, BUT IT WENT OUT THE NEXT DAY. THE DEALER TALKED TO THE MANUFACTURER. *AK
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT 2 YEARS AGO HE STARTED HAVING STALLING PROBLEMS WITH THE 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE .S WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH OR ABOUT 15-25 MPH THE VEHICLE WILL STALL. HE STATED THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAD THE VEHICLE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED HIM THAT UNLESS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ONTHEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO DIAGNOSTIC TESTING TO SEE WHAT COULD BE WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED HIM THAT HE MAY HAVE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE HE PURCHASED IT. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS GIVEN A CASE#, WILL SUBMIT WITH THE HARD COPY. ALSO, HE HAS CONTACTED THE BBB AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE USUAL DRIVER WAS TOO AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE NOW BECAUSE OF THE STALLING PROBLEMS. HE STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE LOST POWER EVERYTHING IN THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND THE STEERING LOCKED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19999, AND THE CURRENT WAS 61480. THE VEHICLE STALLED 101 TIMES AZS OF 02/23/2007. *AK
THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR DOES NOT ALWAYS UNLOCK WITH THE REMOTE. THE DEALER AND HYUNDAI REFUSE TO GIVE ME A LOANER SO I CAN BRING THE VEHICLE BACK A NINTH (9TH) TIME TO HAVE IT INSPECTED FOR THIS AND MANY OTHER CONCERNS SO I AM UNABLE TO HAVE THE CONCERN ADDRESSED.*AK
RIGHT AFTER I PURCHASED MY SANTA FE IN MARCH OF 2003, AT RANDOM TIMES MY CAR BUCKED WHEN THE CAR WENT OVER 40 AND THEN WHEN IT WENT OVER 60. THE JERK IS STRONG ENOUGH TO THROW THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS FORWARD AND BACKWARD. WHEN I INFORMED THE DEALER, THEY SAID THE COMPUTER SYSTEM JUST NEEDED TO GET USE TO THE WAY I DRIVE. AS THE PROBLEM BECAME MORE FREQUENT AND I BECAME MORE WORRIED, I CONTINUED TO INFORM THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD THAT HYUNDAI WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM;HOWEVER, THE TECHS HAD NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IN EARLY JUNE OF 2004, I FINALLY WAS LISTENED TO BY THE MANAGER OF THE DEALERSHIP AND KOREAN TECHS HAD JUST BEEN IN REFLASHING COMPUTERS ON OTHER SANTE FE VEHICLES, TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS THE ANSWER. THE COMPUTER SYSTEM IN MY CAR WAS REPLACED WITH A REFLASHED COMPUTER, AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS FOR TWO WEEKS. ON JULY 9TH, THE PROBLEM BEGAN AGAIN. *LA
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK
ONE DAY IN 2003 WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE, MY 2003 SANTA FE DIED AND THEN IMMEDIATELY STARTED AGAIN, ALL BY ITSELF. IT WOULD HAPPEN ABOUT ONCE A MONTH, SUDDENLY WITH NO WARNING. NOW IT OCCURS ALMOST EVERY TIME I DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY. IT ALSO HAS OCCURRED AT SLOWER SPEEDS. ONCE AT A STOPLIGHT, IT DIED BUT DID NOT START AGAIN. EVERYTHING SHUTS DOWN, EVEN STEERING. DEALER SAYS THEY CAN NOT FIX IT WITHOUT SEEING IT HAPPEN. OF COURSE, IT NEVER OCCURS FOR THEM. *TR
VEHICLE READS DIFFERENT MILEAGE THAN WHAT ITS SUPPOSE TO BE. *PH THE VEHICLE LOCKS ITSELF. (KEYS ON PEG IN THE HOUSE AND IT LOCKS. PER CONSUMER) *SC
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026