2004 Hyundai Santa FE Body and structure Problems
- Complaints
- 12about this part
- Share
- 4%of 303 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 72,125miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 12 complaints about the body and structure of the 2004 Hyundai Santa FE, 4% of the 303 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 72,125 miles. 2 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“The chrome plate on the drivers door handle on my 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe has cracked and split. Everytime I open the door to leave the car the handle slices my hand. It's as sharp as a razor blade. I have put tape around it but this is just a temporary fix. My warranty has run out so I don't know what options I may have.”
NHTSA complaint #10273961, filed 2009-06, 31,000 miles“For a long time I kept hearing this clunking type noise but we couldn't figure out what it was. Then on sun. Sept. 21, 2014 I noticed some extra play in the wheel. When I made a turn I had to turn the wheel twice as much as normal and then it locked and I had to really pull hard to get it back straight. We very carefully drove it to the auto shop only a mile away. They said my power steering line was ripped open. They said the bolt that attaches to the power steering gear rack sheared off of the subframe. I have pictures. …”
NHTSA complaint #10641129, filed 2014-10, 136,000 miles“I was in a serious car accident back in december 7, 2005 with my 2004 hyundia sante fe. The car was totaled and scrapped thus I do not have the VIN number handy. I do still have the paperwork from the hospital and the personal injury lawyer. The airbags did not deploy. I was the only person in the vehicle. I was driving home from work on my usual route on easton avenue. I'm told (reports from witnessess) a young girl came out of a side street and hit me in the rear drivers side which in turn spun my car into 2 other vehichles on the opposite side of the road I was travelling down. …”
NHTSA complaint #11046247, filed 2017-11, 20,000 miles“I was in tn when I heard a slight thunk and then a continuous rattle under the vehicle. I assumed a broken exhaust bracket and left tn on 8/17/2014 to return to my home in saint louis mo. I traveled i55 in speeds in excess of 75 MPH and listened to the rattle for about 100 miles. And then the rattle stopped and I assumed that the broken bracket had finally come loose and is now located somewhere on i55. I took my car to firestone and was stunned to learn that my right front suspension coil spring was missing and my right front strut was broken. …”
NHTSA complaint #10629350, filed 2014-08, 80,250 miles“One month ago,with 40,600 miles on my Hyundai Santa Fe the right front spring broke and shredded my tire which the Hyundai dealer replaced under warranty. Three weeks later the left front spring broke and shredded that tire also. If I had been on the express way, I probably wouldn't be here to tell about it. In the past fifty years I have owned 15 cars and never had a front spring break down much less two in three weeks. Even though the Hyundai dealer,patrick of schaumburg, replaced these springs under warranty, I still incurred a $200.00 car rental bill. …”
NHTSA complaint #10226314, filed 2008-04, 40,600 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10235566Apr 24, 2023Hyundai applies a Paint Protection Film (PPF) on new vehicles before delivery to dealerships. It provides a barrier between the paint and contaminants, such as rail dust, acid…
- 10022202Jun 1, 2007Tailgate garnish contacts the tailgate. Procedures to repair if contact has occured.
Body and structure: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | 2% |
| 2024 | 5 | 3% |
| 2023 | 6 | 3% |
| 2022 | 6 | 3% |
| 2021 | 3 | 2% |
| 2020 | 9 | 4% |
| 2019 | 14 | 7% |
| 2018 | 1 | 1% |
| 2017 | 7 | 1% |
| 2016 | 6 | 3% |
| 2015 | 9 | 4% |
| 2014 | 20 | 4% |
| 2013 | 23 | 4% |
| 2012 | 8 | 2% |
| 2011 | 10 | 6% |
| 2010 | 12 | 5% |
| 2009 | 14 | 4% |
| 2008 | 20 | 4% |
| 2007 | 18 | 3% |
| 2006 | 3 | 3% |
| 2005 | 6 | 3% |
| 2004 | 12 | 4% |
| 2003 | 30 | 10% |
| 2002 | 17 | 10% |
| 2001 | 19 | 9% |
Other parts of the 2004 Hyundai Santa FE
69 complaintsAir bags
43 complaintsBrakes
43 complaintsFuel system
40 complaintsVehicle speed control
39 complaintsEngine cooling
22 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
21 complaintsElectrical system
18 complaintsEngine
16 complaintsSteering
11 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
9 complaintsSeat belts
8 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2004 Hyundai Santa FE
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology