Saturday, August 8, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

2009 Ford Escape vs 2009 Hyundai Santa FE

Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Metric2009 Ford Escape2009 Hyundai Santa FE
NHTSA complaints1,691357
Recall campaigns12
Service bulletins (TSBs)4562
Investigations31
Crash reports3427
Fire reports25
NCAP overall rating
EPA MPG (combined)20–3219–20
Median reported incident mileage91,000 mi77,900 mi

Reported problems side by side

ComponentFord EscapeHyundai Santa FE
Steering82717
Vehicle Speed Control27951
Power Train30124
Engine25460
Fuel/propulsion System115109
Electrical System14350
Service Brakes9440
Fuel System, Gasoline8817

Symptoms owners describe

Stalling19744
Loss of power19214
Steering problems1720
Vibration / shaking850
Check engine light8167
Hesitation / surging6511
Rust / corrosion3426
Clunking / rattling90

Compare all Ford Escape vs Hyundai Santa FE years →

Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.