2025 Hyundai Santa Fe: Problems & Reliability
CAUTION2025 Hyundai Santa Fe: CAUTION — 143 owner complaints, rated on its recalls: 5 campaigns, 3 for fire or crash risk; top issue: electrical system (33 complaints).
CarWhere's verdict score for the 2025 is 1.35, where 1.00 is a typical Santa Fe year once complaints are weighted for severity and spread over time on the road; caution starts at 1.25 and avoid at 1.60. Most complaints are about non-critical systems; only 27% are severe (crash, fire, injury or a safety-critical system). Its raw count is below the median year, but it has been on the road only about 1 year, so complaints are arriving faster than for older Santa Fe years.
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints (ODI), recall campaigns and manufacturer service bulletins, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Model years 2015–2026 compared · Updated 2026-11-07 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology
143
NHTSA complaints
1.35
Verdict score (1.00 = typical Santa Fe year)
35
Service bulletins
5
Recall campaigns
Most-reported 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe problems
Electrical system leads a spread-out record, named in 23% of complaints.
| Component | Complaints | Share of 2025 complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 33 | 23% |
| Unknown or other | 30 | 21% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 24 | 17% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 21 | 15% |
| Tires | 17 | 12% |
A complaint can name more than one component, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
2025 Hyundai Santa Fe recalls
5 recall campaigns on federal record for the 2025, reported between Aug 26, 2025 and Apr 7, 2026.
| NHTSA campaign | Reported | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 26V218000 | Apr 7, 2026 | Seat belts › Front › Anchorage |
| 25V808000 | Nov 21, 2025 | Backup camera / back-over prevention › Display function |
| 25V809000 | Nov 21, 2025 | Air bags › Side/window › Curtain |
| 25V659000 | Oct 3, 2025 | Electrical system › Starter assembly |
| 25V549000 | Aug 26, 2025 | Engine & cooling › Critical fasteners |
2025 Hyundai Santa Fe service bulletins
The manufacturer has filed 35 technical service bulletins with NHTSA for the 2025 — fewer than the 104 of the median Santa Fe year from 2015 to 2026. Coded bulletins most often cover electrical system (15), engine (6), seats (4). Bulletins are repair instructions for dealer technicians, not recalls.
The 2025 vs. the year before and after
From the 2024 to the 2025, owner complaints held roughly level (157 → 143). The 2026 that followed fell by more than half (143 → 38), so the 2026 has the lighter record so far. The 2026 is still new, so its count will keep growing.
| Model year | Verdict | Complaints | Bulletins | Recalls | Avg. buyer-paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Santa Fe | AVOID | 157 | 36 | 7 | — |
| 2025 (this page) | CAUTION | 143 | 35 | 5 | — |
| 2026 Santa Fe | — | 38 | 7 | 4 | — |
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 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe
Electrical system (33 complaints on the 2025): test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system, and have the car scanned for stored fault codes.
Powertrain / transmission (24 complaints on the 2025): 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.
Forward collision avoidance (21 complaints on the 2025): ask about false automatic-braking events and look for driver-assist warning messages.
Tires (17 complaints on the 2025): check tread depth and date codes, and look for uneven wear that points to alignment problems.
Engine (14 complaints on the 2025): 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.
Recalls: confirm all 5 campaigns above were completed on this VIN.
Know what to pay for the right 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe — then negotiate it
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FAQ
Is the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
2025 Hyundai Santa Fe: CAUTION — 143 owner complaints, rated on its recalls: 5 campaigns, 3 for fire or crash risk; top issue: electrical system (33 complaints). CarWhere's verdict score for the 2025 is 1.35, where 1.00 is a typical Santa Fe year once complaints are weighted for severity and spread over time on the road; caution starts at 1.25 and avoid at 1.60.
What are the most common 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe problems?
By NHTSA owner complaints, the most-reported areas on the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe are electrical system (33, 23%), unknown or other (30, 21%), powertrain / transmission (24, 17%). The manufacturer has 35 service bulletins on file for this model year.
How many recalls does the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe have?
5 recall campaigns on federal record for the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, most recently 26V218000 (Apr 7, 2026, seat belts); 25V808000 (Nov 21, 2025, backup camera / back-over prevention); 25V809000 (Nov 21, 2025, air bags). Recall completion is VIN-specific, so check the exact car.
How do I check a specific 2025 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 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe come from NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation; 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.