A Crash Test Led to the Recall of More Than 135,000 Hyundai SUVs | Carscoops

      The 2024 and 2025 Santa Fe may have an exposed terminal that could lead to a short circuit.

      Hyundai is recalling thousands of Santa Fe crossovers due to a potential fire hazard.

      These vehicles may feature a starter harness boot cover that is not fully secured over the starter motor's “B+” terminal. This situation could allow the exposed terminal to come into contact with the cooling fan assembly in “certain crash scenarios that involve varying levels of deformation in the engine compartment.”

      As a result, an electrical short may occur, increasing the risk of fire, particularly after an accident when the vehicle could be leaking fuel.

      The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration discovered this issue last year when conducting a front barrier crash test on a 2024 Santa Fe as part of its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). During the inspection, smoke was observed emanating from the engine compartment.

      After months of investigation and attempts to replicate the issue, Hyundai found a number of vehicles had improperly fitted starter motor terminal covers. Though a factory inspection did not uncover any issues, testing showed that a correctly installed terminal cover should stay secure over time.

      This indicates that an exposed terminal is a rare problem, with estimates suggesting only 1% of the recalled vehicles may be affected. Consequently, it’s not surprising that the NHTSA test is the only known incident.

      While this is reassuring, vehicle owners will need to visit a dealership for an inspection and possible reinstallation of the starter motor terminal cover.

      Notification letters are expected to be sent out in December, and the repair process should be quick, taking less than half an hour according to dealer notifications.