2022 Hyundai Santa Fe: Problems & Reliability
AVOID2022 Hyundai Santa Fe: AVOID — 204 owner complaints (1.77 per 1,000 sold), rated on its recalls: 5 campaigns, 3 for fire or crash risk; top issue: powertrain / transmission (57 complaints).
CarWhere's verdict score for the 2022 is 2.03, where 1.00 is a typical Santa Fe year once complaints are weighted for severity and spread over time on the road; the avoid line is 1.60, so this year clears it by 0.43. Severity drives it: 64% of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury or involve a safety-critical system (engine, powertrain, steering, brakes or fuel). Its raw count is below the median year, but it has been on the road only about 4 years, so complaints are arriving faster than for older Santa Fe years.
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints (ODI), recall campaigns and manufacturer service bulletins, published U.S. sales, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Model years 2015–2026 compared · Updated 2026-11-07 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology
204
NHTSA complaints
1.77
Complaints per 1,000 sold
91
Service bulletins
5
Recall campaigns
Most-reported 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe problems
Powertrain / transmission leads a spread-out record, named in 28% of complaints.
| Component | Complaints | Share of 2022 complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Powertrain / transmission | 57 | 28% |
| Engine | 54 | 26% |
| Unknown or other | 49 | 24% |
| Electrical system | 33 | 16% |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 28 | 14% |
A complaint can name more than one component, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
2022 Hyundai Santa Fe recalls
5 recall campaigns on federal record for the 2022, reported between Jul 9, 2021 and Nov 21, 2024.
| NHTSA campaign | Reported | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 24V879000 | Nov 21, 2024 | Backup camera / back-over prevention › Sensing system › Camera |
| 23V181000 | Mar 17, 2023 | Trailer hitches |
| 22V746000 | Oct 6, 2022 | Powertrain / transmission › Automatic transmission |
| 22V197000 | Mar 28, 2022 | Engine & cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Turbo/supercharger |
| 21V524000 | Jul 9, 2021 | Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings |
2022 Hyundai Santa Fe service bulletins
The manufacturer has filed 91 technical service bulletins with NHTSA for the 2022 — close to the 104 of the median Santa Fe year from 2015 to 2026. Coded bulletins most often cover electrical system (45), powertrain / transmission (30), engine & cooling (18). Bulletins are repair instructions for dealer technicians, not recalls.
The 2022 vs. the year before and after
From the 2021 to the 2022, owner complaints rose 20% (170 → 204) — a step backward. The 2023 that followed held roughly level (204 → 215).
| Model year | Verdict | Complaints | Bulletins | Recalls | Avg. buyer-paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Santa Fe | CAUTION | 170 | 97 | 7 | — |
| 2022 (this page) | AVOID | 204 | 91 | 5 | — |
| 2023 Santa Fe | AVOID | 215 | 44 | 1 | — |
Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year). Full year-by-year table: Hyundai Santa Fe years to avoid.
What to check on a used 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe
Powertrain / transmission (57 complaints on the 2022): test-drive from cold through every gear and feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder; ask whether the transmission fluid has been serviced.
Engine (54 complaints on the 2022): cold-start it yourself and listen for ticking or knocking; check for oil leaks, low coolant and a lit check-engine light, and ask for oil-change records.
Electrical system (33 complaints on the 2022): test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system, and have the car scanned for stored fault codes.
Fuel / propulsion system (28 complaints on the 2022): smell for fuel around the car, watch for hesitation or stalling, and check for a lit check-engine light.
Forward collision avoidance (16 complaints on the 2022): ask about false automatic-braking events and look for driver-assist warning messages.
Recalls: confirm all 5 campaigns above were completed on this VIN.
Nearby Santa Fe years with a better rating: 2019.
Know what to pay for the right 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe — then negotiate it
Years-to-avoid tells you which year. Search live listings to see the target price and what verified buyers actually paid for it.
- Verified buyer-paid target price for your exact make, model & trim
- DealDrive AI negotiator reads any dealer quote and writes your counteroffer
- Comparable real deals near you, from verified transactions
Found a 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe for sale? See what the seller isn't telling you.
The CarWhere Used Car Report checks salvage records, salvage-auction listings, stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail, and full market history for one VIN — $16.99, one time.
FAQ
Is the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
2022 Hyundai Santa Fe: AVOID — 204 owner complaints (1.77 per 1,000 sold), rated on its recalls: 5 campaigns, 3 for fire or crash risk; top issue: powertrain / transmission (57 complaints). CarWhere's verdict score for the 2022 is 2.03, where 1.00 is a typical Santa Fe year once complaints are weighted for severity and spread over time on the road; the avoid line is 1.60, so this year clears it by 0.43.
What are the most common 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe problems?
By NHTSA owner complaints, the most-reported areas on the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe are powertrain / transmission (57, 28%), engine (54, 26%), unknown or other (49, 24%). The manufacturer has 91 service bulletins on file for this model year.
How many recalls does the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe have?
5 recall campaigns on federal record for the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe, most recently 24V879000 (Nov 21, 2024, backup camera / back-over prevention); 23V181000 (Mar 17, 2023, trailer hitches); 22V746000 (Oct 6, 2022, powertrain / transmission). Recall completion is VIN-specific, so check the exact car.
How do I check a specific 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for the exact VIN — recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for this model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Sources & method
Complaint, recall and service-bulletin counts for the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe come from NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation; the per-1,000 rate divides complaints by published U.S. 2022 calendar-year sales; the verdict is CarWhere’s severity-weighted, time-on-road-adjusted score compared with the model’s own median year. Complaints are owner allegations, not verified defects. Full methodology.