2001 Hyundai Santa FE Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 76 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 2001 Hyundai Santa FE, 36% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 120,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “trailing arm” (28% of reports).
- 76suspension complaints
- 120,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $1,300typical repair cost reported by owners
- 24%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Trailing arm: mentioned in 21 of 76 complaints (28%)
- Side rear: mentioned in 10 of 76 complaints (13%)
- Rusted through: mentioned in 8 of 76 complaints (11%)
- Lower control: mentioned in 8 of 76 complaints (11%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical suspension repair on the 2001 Hyundai Santa FE at $1,300, and half of them between $980 and $1,950.
Based on 7 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2007–2015), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 66 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 76 complaints, 1 mention a crash.
Hyundai Santa FE suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Santa FE | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2025 Santa FE | 3 | 2% | 11,000 |
| 2022 Santa FE | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2020 Santa FE | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2019 Santa FE | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2017 Santa FE | 10 | 1% | 20,000 |
| 2016 Santa FE | 2 | 1% | 30,700 |
| 2015 Santa FE | 2 | 1% | 25 |
| 2014 Santa FE | 6 | 1% | 17,900 |
| 2013 Santa FE | 23 | 4% | 11,100 |
| 2012 Santa FE | 14 | 4% | 99,694 |
| 2011 Santa FE | 16 | 9% | 53,000 |
| 2010 Santa FE | 14 | 5% | 76,000 |
| 2009 Santa FE | 7 | 2% | 88,703 |
| 2008 Santa FE | 11 | 2% | 80,000 |
| 2007 Santa FE | 30 | 4% | 78,838 |
| 2006 Santa FE | 13 | 12% | 83,801 |
| 2005 Santa FE | 21 | 10% | 85,650 |
| 2004 Santa FE | 69 | 23% | 91,315 |
| 2003 Santa FE | 56 | 18% | 120,000 |
| 2002 Santa FE | 59 | 36% | 133,500 |
| 2001 Santa FE | 76 | 36% | 120,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Suspension:front:springs:coil springs
Problem: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model Year 2001-2006 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured from March 31, 2000, through February 15, 2006, that are registered and operated, or which were originally sold and registered, in the following 20 Âsalt belt" states and the District of Columbia: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The affected vehicles may experience front coil spring corrosion from road salt, causing the coil spring to fracture and make contact with the tire.
Risk: If the front coil spring fractures due to corrosion it could cause the coil spring to make contact with the tire, possibly puncturing the tire and increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the coil spring, free of charge. The recall began on October 24, 2014. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 124.
Suspension:rear
Problem: Hyundai is recalling 83,355 my 2001-2003 santa fe vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. Road salt applied in these jurisdictions during the winter months may result in progressive, internal corrosion of the rear trailing arms, which could lead to thinning or perforation of the rear trailing arm steel. Owners may see or feel slight to moderate changes in vehicle operation which will increase if the vehicle is not repaired. These changes include a lowering of vehicle height that can lead to tire misalignment and steering pull. Owners may also notice a creaking sound.
Risk: If the corrosion is allowed to progress, the rear trailing arm may fracture while driving, thereby increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rear trailing arms for internal corrosion damage. If specified levels of corrosion damage are found, the rear trailing arms will be replaced. Rear trailing arms that do not require replacement will have drainage holes added and will be treated with rust-proofing material to arrest the corrosion process. Inspection, treatment and replacement procedures will be conducted at no cost to owners. The recall is expected to begin during may 2009. Owners may contact the hyundai customer assistance center at 1-800-633-5151.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I live in Roy city utah and i drive a santa fe 2001 and my trailing arm in the rear driver side snaped while i was going 45 mph. when i took it in to a shop to have it looked at they said that my trailing arm had snaped do to the rust corrision under the car. I know that there are recalls on the…
The contact owns a 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that on separate occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was towed to Marcoâs body shop where it was diagnosed that both struts, new tires, front passenger side wheel…
The rear trailing arm cracked in half causing my wife to run off the road11
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2001 Hyundai Santa FEs have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 76 owner complaints about suspension for the 2001 Hyundai Santa FE (36% of the 209 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Hyundai Santa FE suspension?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 120,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix suspension problems on the 2001 Hyundai Santa FE?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,300 (half paid between $980 and $1,950), from 7 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 2001 Hyundai Santa FE?
The most frequent phrase is “trailing arm”, in 21 of 76 complaints, followed by “side rear” (10).
See all 2001 Hyundai Santa FE problems or suspension problems across all Santa FE years.