2003 Hyundai Santa FE structure problems
30 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the structure on the 2003 Hyundai Santa FE — 10% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Brought my vehicle in for a alignment and they discovered the rusted and corradiated rear left trailing control arm on my 2003 hyundai santa fe, I brought to dealership after that to get a recall and the told me that since the vehicle was bought in nd and that state is not included in the recall…”
filed Dec 17, 2020
“Sub frame was replaced due to hidden rotting of internal mounting structure separation of suspension components, causing poor control of vehicle and tire wear in aug. 2013. Under body was exposed to corrosive water in july, 2017 about three years ago and has turned the steel to " crackers " rust…”
filed Jul 1, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
Hyundai 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 rain, and industrial fallout. In rare…
23-BD-007H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2023
Structure problems in other Santa FE years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Santa FE | 3 | 2% |
| 2024 Santa FE | 5 | 4% |
| 2023 Santa FE | 6 | 3% |
| 2022 Santa FE | 5 | 3% |
| 2021 Santa FE | 3 | 2% |
| 2020 Santa FE | 8 | 4% |
| 2019 Santa FE | 14 | 7% |
| 2018 Santa FE | 1 | 1% |
| 2017 Santa FE | 7 | 1% |
| 2016 Santa FE | 6 | 3% |
| 2015 Santa FE | 9 | 4% |
| 2014 Santa FE | 20 | 4% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2003 Hyundai Santa FE
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.