Hyundai Recalls Over 143,000 Santa Fe Models Due to Rearview Camera Malfunction

Hyundai Motor America has announced a recall affecting over 143,000 model year 2024 and 2025 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Hybrid vehicles. The recall, submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), addresses a defect in the rearview camera system that could impair rearward visibility and potentially increase the risk of injury.

The issue stems from the rearview camera potentially being improperly installed during vehicle assembly. This improper installation may lead to a damaged wire harness, causing the rearview camera to malfunction or cease working altogether. Such a condition means the affected vehicles do not comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 111, which mandates specific rear visibility requirements. The safety risk associated with this defect is a reduced ability to see behind the vehicle while reversing, thereby increasing the likelihood of striking a pedestrian or other object. The root cause has been identified as an issue during the assembly process by the supplier, where the camera’s main wire harness was not correctly routed, leading to excessive tension and wear on the cable’s shield line. This can result in poor terminal contact when connected to the camera. No specific warning lights or indicators are expected to alert drivers to this defect.

This recall specifically impacts 44,763 units of the 2024-2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid and 98,709 units of the 2024-2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. These vehicles were produced by Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) between December 28, 2023, and January 29, 2025. The supplier of the affected component is Seoyon E-Hwa Alabama.

Hyundai plans to notify owners of affected vehicles via first-class mail. Owners will be instructed to bring their vehicles to a Hyundai dealership, where technicians will replace the rearview camera and ensure the wire harness is correctly positioned. This repair will be provided free of charge to owners, irrespective of whether their vehicle is still under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. Hyundai will also reimburse owners for any out-of-pocket expenses they may have incurred to obtain a remedy for this recall condition, following a plan submitted to NHTSA. The remedy component features a shorter wire harness with increased flexibility, designed to reduce the likelihood of tension-related damage. The production line was updated with the corrected wire harness on September 2, 2025, to prevent further occurrences of the defect.

Dealers are scheduled to be notified electronically of this recall on January 19, 2026. Owners will begin receiving their official notification by certified mail starting on January 19, 2026, with a phased rollout for the remedy. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) will be searchable on November 22, 2025, allowing owners to check if their specific vehicle is part of this recall.

Owners are advised not to drive the affected vehicles if possible and to park them outside until the remedy is performed. This action is a precautionary measure recommended by Hyundai.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from Hyundai Motor America.

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