Car · Hyundai problems

2010 Hyundai Santa Fe problems

260 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe. The most reported area is power train (transmission and drive) (42% of them). NHTSA also lists 73 service bulletins and 2 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 7. Deaths: 1.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 260 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Power train (transmission and drive)109 · 42%
• Engine and engine cooling46 · 18%
• Electrical system28 · 11%
• Other or unknown23 · 9%
• Speed control and throttle21 · 8%
• Fuel system19 · 7%
• Suspension14 · 5%
• Body and structure12 · 5%

14 smaller areas not shown (60 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 73 repair bulletins from Hyundai for the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. 26-GI-004HReceived October 28, 2026

   Backup camera and sensors

   Some Hyundai vehicles may be equipped with a parking distance warning (PDW) sensor(s) that may trigger various DTCs and display warning messages on the instrument cluster, resulting in the PDW...

2. 26-EM-016HReceived October 14, 2026

   Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption.

3. 26-01-033HReceived March 31, 2026

   This TSB references the Op codes to use for claim submission and the Parts required based on the vehicle's inspection results from TSB 22-01-023H-2 (DTC P1326 - Engine Bearing Inspection/Engine...

4. 25-BD-012HReceived November 12, 2025

   Information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp.

5. 24-01-068HReceived September 3, 2024

   Engine and engine cooling

   Hyundai is conducting a campaign to enhance the knock sensor software to detect abnormal engine bearing noise before potentially severe engine damage occurs.

6. 23-EM-005HReceived December 15, 2023

   Engine and engine cooling

   Important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services.

7. 22-01-023H-2Received December 7, 2022

   Engine and engine cooling

   Certain vehicles listed below may experience the Check Engine warning lamp illuminated with DTC P1326 and/or an engine concern/noise related to connecting rod bearing wear or damage.

8. 22-01-024H-2Received December 7, 2022

   Engine and engine cooling

   Op code/part number (reference guide for service campaign T6G).

Recalls

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe. Recall repairs are free at a Hyundai dealer.

1. 11V261000April 28, 2011

   Power train

   The intermediate shaft may suffer from noise and excessive wear due to a misalignment of the intermediate shaft with the right side output gear.

2. 13V113000April 1, 2013

   Exterior lighting

   In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction.

See all 2 recalls for the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Santa Fe will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Power train (transmission and drive) 109 complaints · 42%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Engine and engine cooling 46 complaints · 18%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 28 complaints · 11%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Speed control and throttle 21 complaints · 8%

• Throttle body cleaning$75 to $180
• Throttle body replacement$290 to $900

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2010 Hyundai Santa Fe: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe?

Of the 260 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe, 109 (42%) name power train (transmission and drive), and 46 (18%) name engine and engine cooling. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 8 of the 260 complaints as involving a crash and 6 as involving a fire. They also reported 7 injuries and 1 death. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe have?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe. Recall repairs are free at a Hyundai dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 73 repair bulletins for the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe.

More

• 2023 Santa Fe problems
• 2022 Santa Fe problems
• 2020 Santa Fe problems
• 2019 Santa Fe problems
• 2017 Santa Fe problems
• 2016 Santa Fe problems
• 2015 Santa Fe problems
• 2014 Santa Fe problems
• 2013 Santa Fe problems
• 2012 Santa Fe problems
• 2010 recalls
• All Hyundai recalls
• Hyundai problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.