2010 Hyundai Santa Fe reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 331
- 53 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- POWER TRAIN
- 65 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 2
- see below
- Reported harm
- 14 reported crashes · 13 injuries · 2 deaths · 12 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#1,589
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Hyundai median
+63
median 268 across 168 Hyundai records
Vs 2008-2012
+68
median 263 complaints in 666 records
Top component share
33%
Power Train: 109 complaints
What owners report fails — 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe
- POWER TRAIN 65
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 44
- ENGINE 36
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 26
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 22
2 recalls on record for the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe
- NHTSA 13V113000 · 2013 · EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk
- NHTSA 11V261000 · 2011 · POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION MAY CAUSE LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
NHTSA has 331 consumer complaints on record for the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe and 2 recalls. The most-reported problem area is power train (65 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Owners most often report problems with: power train (65), power train:automatic transmission (44), engine (36), electrical system (26). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.