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2019 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD

The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD has 2 NHTSA safety recalls on file, 190 owner complaints, and gets about 23 mpg combined. Here's the full free record from NHTSA and the EPA.

SPECS

2019 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD at a glance

Engine
4-cyl 2.4L
Cylinders
4
Displacement
2.4 L
Drivetrain
All-Wheel Drive
Transmission
Automatic (S8)
Body
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Fuel
Regular

Source: EPA / NHTSA vPIC, as of July 9, 2026.

SAFETY RECALLS · NHTSA

2 open

Air Bags

11/10/2018

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles. The Side Curtain Air Bag (SCAB) mounting bolts may interfere with and damage the air bags during deployment.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the SCAB installation bolts, free of charge. The recall began December 3, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 177.

Trailer Hitches

17/03/2023

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Santa Fe, 2021-2023 Santa Fe HEV, 2022-2023 Santa Fe Plug-in HEV and Santa Cruz vehicles potentially equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Hyundai dealership. Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is completed. Dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed starting May 16, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 244. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-633.

NHTSA has opened one or more investigations covering this model. Recalls can follow an investigation, so check NHTSA for the latest before you buy.

Open safety recalls are free to fix at any franchised dealer. What recalls mean → Source: NHTSA recalls, as of July 9, 2026. Recalls can be issued any time, confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.

OWNER COMPLAINTS · NHTSA

190 filed
16 crashes 11 fires 10 injuries
  • ENGINE

    Engine continuously burns oil excessively and the dealership is falsifying the oil consumption test. At my local oil change shop, there is no oil left on dipstick at 3,000 mile interval. When I took it to dealer for consumption test, they c

    40
  • UNKNOWN OR OTHER

    Vehicle: 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe, VIN [XXX] , exterior Quartz White Pearl. Component: Exterior factory paint (paint/trim). Complaint: This vehicle exhibits a systemic, progressive factory paint defect — excessive peeling and bubbling of the

    36
  • POWER TRAIN

    My 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.4L (VIN: [XXX]) is experiencing a severe safety defect involving rapid engine oil starvation. The vehicle recently failed an official oil consumption test conducted by Fred Beans Hyundai of Abington, where it was

    28
  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

    This car has been cutting off for a month and no type of codes popping up alternator has been replaced two brand new batteries has been replaced which is dangers car cutting off while I am driving this vehicle is not safe at all needs to be

    18
  • STRUCTURE

    The door was completely shut - I was driving on the highway - no alarm on the instrument panel, fully stage 2 latched ( even if it is just stage 1 latched - the instrument panel gives an alarm - there was no alarms about door not fully clos

    14
  • STEERING

    internal mechanical failure of the piston rings and cylinder walls. Misfire on Cylinder #2. Further testing revealed that Cylinder #2 is at 80 PSI, which is significantly below the manufacturer's specification. A subsequent leak-down test s

    12

Problems owners reported to the government, useful for spotting patterns, not proof any one car has them. What complaints mean → Source: NHTSA complaints, as of July 9, 2026. Owner-submitted reports, not verified diagnoses.

CRASH-TEST RATINGS · NHTSA NCAP

Overall
★★★★★
Frontal
★★★★☆
Side
★★★★★
Rollover
★★★★☆

Government crash tests of this model; not every trim or year is tested. Source: NHTSA NCAP, as of July 9, 2026.

FUEL & RUNNING COST · U.S. EPA

Combined
23 mpg
City / Hwy
21 / 27
Est. fuel / yr
$2,700
CO₂ / mi
380 g

EPA lab estimates; real mpg varies by how you drive. Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov, as of July 9, 2026. Annual cost assumes 15,000 mi/yr at EPA's reference price.

All figures above come from free U.S. government sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, investigations, crash tests) and the EPA (fuel economy and specs). We don't show market price, insurance cost, or proprietary reliability scores, because there's no free, reliable public source for them. For a verdict on a specific listing, with a fair-offer number and what to ask the seller, that's the VINly app.

BEFORE YOU BUY

What to check on this car

Confirm the recalls were fixed

This model has 2 open NHTSA recalls (including the air bags). Recall repairs are free at the dealer, so ask the seller for proof the remedy was performed, or verify by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.

Watch for a pending investigation

NHTSA has an open investigation covering this model. A recall can follow an investigation, so check nhtsa.gov for the latest before you commit.

  • Test-drive the basics

    Cold start, full-lock steering both ways, firm brakes with no pulsing, smooth shifts, and every electronic feature. Warning lights should come on at key-on, then go out.

  • Check the title and the VIN

    Confirm the title status in hand matches the listing, and that the VIN matches across the dash, door jamb, and title. VINly does not show ownership or accident history, for that, run a paid report like Carfax.

  • Ask the seller the right questions

    Why they are selling, any service records, accident or panel-repaint history, how many owners, and whether any open recalls were completed.

See the full used-car inspection checklist. None of this replaces a hands-on inspection by a mechanic.

Quick answers

What is recalled on the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD? +

NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls for the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD, including the air bags. See the full list above, and confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov.

What gas mileage does the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD get? +

The EPA rates the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD at 23 mpg combined (21 city / 27 highway), about $2,700 a year in fuel.

How safe is the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD? +

NHTSA's NCAP program gives the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 stars for rollover resistance.

What do owners complain about on the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD? +

Owners have filed 190 complaints with NHTSA for the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD, including 16 involving a crash. The most-reported area is engine.

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