Hyundai is pulling back 143,472 units of its latest-generation Santa Fe after discovering that some rearview cameras were installed with improperly routed wiring, creating a risk of malfunction and violating federal rear-visibility rules. The recall spans both the gasoline and hybrid versions from the 2024 and 2025 model years.
What Triggered the Recall
The issue surfaced during internal checks when Hyundai identified camera failures that weren’t tied to software errors but to physical hardware stress. Digging deeper, engineers traced the problem to variations in how the rear camera wire harnesses were put together.
The affected vehicles include 106,049 gasoline Santa Fe models and 37,423 Santa Fe Hybrids manufactured at Hyundai’s Montgomery, Alabama plant. These vehicles rolled off the line between December 2023 and January 2025. Although the total recall population is large, Hyundai estimates that only about 1 per cent of vehicles actually contain the defect.
A Tier-Two Supplier at the Centre of the Issue
The wiring problem tracks back to Seoyon E-Hwa Alabama, a Tier 2 supplier responsible for assembling the camera harnesses. According to Hyundai’s report, the supplier did not follow standardised assembly procedures. That opened the door to inconsistencies in how the cables were routed, positioned, and packaged before installation.
In some cases, harnesses were packed in what Hyundai describes as a twisted configuration. Once installed, this twist created excessive tension in the cable. Over time, that tension contributed to wear on the shield line—the protective layer that ensures stable contact at the terminal.
The shield line’s degradation is the key failure point. When it’s compromised, the camera’s image becomes unreliable or vanishes entirely. That can leave drivers without proper visibility while reversing, heightening the risk of backing into pedestrians, objects, or oncoming traffic.
What Drivers Might Experience
Owners of affected vehicles may notice flickering or distorted camera feeds when shifting into reverse. In some cases, the screen may simply go blank. The issue can be intermittent at first, which makes it harder for drivers to recognise that the camera hardware, not the infotainment system, is the culprit.
Because rear visibility systems are mandated under federal safety rules, any failure automatically triggers regulatory action, which is why Hyundai moved ahead with a broad recall even though the actual defect rate is low.
Hyundai’s Fix and What Happens Next
Hyundai dealers will replace the rearview camera and reposition the wiring using an updated harness that incorporates shorter felt material. The redesigned component allows more flexibility and reduces tension, eliminating the conditions that caused the shield line to wear out.
Owner notification letters are scheduled to go out on January 19, 2026. In the meantime, Hyundai owners can check whether their Santa Fe is included by entering their vehicle identification number through the brand’s recall lookup tool or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s database.
Hyundai says it is tightening supplier oversight to prevent similar issues in future production runs.
