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3h ago

Hyundai Recalls 135,000 Santa Fe SUVs Over Starter Cover Fire Risk

Testing tied the issue to a mis-seated starter terminal cover that can short after crash deformation, prompting free dealer inspections starting with owner notices in December.

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Hyundai
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Overview

  • The action covers 135,386 2024–2025 Hyundai Santa Fe SUVs with the 2.5-liter turbo engine built from December 28, 2023 through July 7, 2025.
  • NHTSA’s NCAP frontal crash test of a 2024 Santa Fe revealed smoke in the engine bay, and Hyundai later replicated the condition under controlled tests.
  • A B+ terminal cover on the starter may be improperly installed, allowing contact with the cooling fan after certain crash deformations and creating an electrical short that could lead to a fire.
  • Dealers will inspect the starter assembly and reinstall the cover if needed at no cost to owners, with notification letters scheduled to begin December 1, 2025.
  • Hyundai estimates roughly 1% of vehicles may have the defect and reports one November 2024 thermal event, with no U.S. crashes, injuries, or fatalities linked to the issue.