2011 Hyundai Santa FE Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Santa FE years
- About as many complaints as other years 19th of 26 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 181 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Hyundai Santa FE. That ranks 19th out of 26 Santa FE model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (64 complaints, 35%), typically at around 47,506 miles. Complaints mention 12 crashes, 8 fires, 9 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 5 defect investigations involving it.
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- 181owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 5NHTSA investigations
- 12complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2011 Hyundai Santa FE problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 64 | 35% | 47,506 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 25 | 14% | 80,050 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 24 | 13% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 21 | 12% | 22,701 | — | — |
| Steering | 20 | 11% | 44,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 17 | 9% | 56,128 | — | — |
| Suspension | 16 | 9% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 14 | 8% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 10 | 6% | 61,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 4% | 16,800 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 7 | 4% | 31,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 7 | 4% | 64,200 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 7 | 4% | 58,188 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 3% | 35,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 3% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 2% | 15,850 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 2% | 36,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 2% | 1,200 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 1% | 84,673 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 1,375 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 43,342 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2011 Hyundai Santa FE recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper
Problem: Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2011 santa fe vehicles manufactured from september 28, 2010, through november 25, 2010. Some of the rear brake calipers may not have been properly machined.
Risk: As a result, brake fluid will leak, followed by illumination of the malfunction indicator light indicating the brake fluid level is low and should be checked, then a soft or spongy brake pedal feel, and if not serviced, reduced braking power which could increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rear calipers and replace it if necessary free of charge. The safety recall began on december 17, 2010. Owners may contact hyundai roadside assistance at 1-800-243-7766.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Loss of Motive Power (DP22003) — opened Sep 12, 2022, closed Dec 12, 2023.
- Throttle control system vulnerabilities (DP21003) — opened Nov 12, 2021, closed Jun 20, 2023.
- Non-crash Vehicle Fires (PE19003) — opened Mar 29, 2019, closed Dec 22, 2021, led to recall 20V061000.
- Non-crash Vehicle Fires (DP18003) — opened Aug 21, 2018, closed May 10, 2019, led to recall 18V907000.
- Steering Shaft Universal Joint Failure (PE12029) — opened Oct 9, 2012, closed Jun 26, 2013.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe (approx. 153,000 miles) developed a new stalling and engine-dying-at-idle condition immediately following a knock sensor replacement performed by a Hyundai dealership. Prior to this repair, the vehicle ran normally with no stalling or idle issues. The vehicle was originally…
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal banging sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the rear chassis was rusted. The vehicle was not…
CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. With no prior indications, the engine seized while driving on side street at 25mph. Engine blew hole in block and dumped engine parts, including piston rod, piston and engine block remnants, and oil on street. Very dangerous as power steering stopped and was unable to…
The undercarriage is completed rusted and is not drivable, I had the treatment done by the dealer to have it coated to protect it from rust. well, its rusted.
The contact owned a 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed a burning odor and the vehicle stalled. The contact idled the vehicle to the shoulder of the road and exited the vehicle. The vehicle burst into flames…
Other Hyundai Santa FE years
← 2010 Santa FE · 2012 Santa FE →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Santa FE | 37 | 4 |
| 2025 Santa FE | 135 | 5 |
| 2024 Santa FE | 155 | 7 |
| 2023 Santa FE | 211 | 1 |
| 2022 Santa FE | 201 | 5 |
| 2021 Santa FE | 167 | 7 |
| 2020 Santa FE | 216 | 2 |
| 2019 Santa FE | 202 | 2 |
| 2018 Santa FE | 109 | 2 |
| 2017 Santa FE | 970 | 6 |
| 2016 Santa FE | 236 | 3 |
| 2015 Santa FE | 254 | 2 |
| 2014 Santa FE | 493 | 3 |
| 2013 Santa FE | 605 | 3 |
| 2012 Santa FE | 353 | 1 |
| 2011 | 181 | 2 |
| 2010 Santa FE | 259 | 2 |
| 2009 Santa FE | 358 | 2 |
| 2008 Santa FE | 541 | 4 |
| 2007 Santa FE | 684 | 7 |
| 2006 Santa FE | 106 | 1 |
| 2005 Santa FE | 216 | 3 |
| 2004 Santa FE | 303 | 3 |
| 2003 Santa FE | 308 | 4 |
| 2002 Santa FE | 165 | 4 |
| 2001 Santa FE | 209 | 4 |
See all Hyundai Santa FE problems by year, every Hyundai model, or the Hyundai VIN decoder.
Similar Hyundai models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Hyundai Santa FE?
Owners most often report engine, electrical system, vehicle speed control problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 64 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Hyundai Santa FE?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2011 Hyundai Santa FE a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Santa FE model years, the 2011 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.