2008 Hyundai Santa Fe problems and complaints
Owners have filed 541 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe. The most-reported areas: Fuel/Propulsion System (215), Electrical System (74), Air Bags (70).
Key takeaways
- 541 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 17 involve a crash, 7 a fire, 12 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 215 | 40% |
| Electrical System | 74 | 14% |
| Air Bags | 70 | 13% |
| Engine | 60 | 11% |
| Fuel System | 59 | 11% |
| Gasoline | 58 | 11% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 52 | 10% |
| Service Brakes | 29 | 5% |
| Power Train | 24 | 4% |
| Structure | 20 | 4% |
| Unknown Or Other | 19 | 4% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 16 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe 4-DR w/SAB | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Electrical System,exterior Lighting,engine - filed 2026-03-20
Engine rattles noise when starting the car after sitting for more than an hour it makes that sound another issue is that when i turn the headlights on all interior lights shuts off including the instrument cluster radio and ac climate control buttons
Electrical System,engine - filed 2026-02-27
I have taken my car to my local dealership for the Service Campaign 976 (Oil Gasket leak) back in Nov 2023. Ever since then my car has had starting issues until one day it needed a jump start in 2024 during the summer. Didn't think anything of it at the time, until the beginning of 2025. Car needed a jump start in the ...
Electrical System,engine - filed 2025-10-22
I took the car to get this recall done: Hyundai has decided to conduct a service campaign to inspect (and if necessary replace) the alternator and replace the front valve cover gasket on certain 2007-2009 model year Santa Fe vehicles. The recall was done, replacing the gasket and alternator. 2 years later the car star...
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More for the 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.