2021 Hyundai Santa FE Fuel Line Recall (21V308)
Hyundai Motor America · 2 vehicles · Reported May 3, 2021
Hyundai Motor America is recalling 2 2021 Hyundai Santa FE vehicles. 5-litre Turbo engines. The fuel pipe connecting the high pressure fuel pump to the fuel rail may not have been tightened properly. An insufficiently tightened fuel pipe may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 21V308 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 21V308000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | 206 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | May 3, 2021 |
| Manufacturer | Hyundai Motor America |
| Vehicles | 2021 Hyundai Santa FE |
| Units affected | 2 |
| Component | Fuel System, Gasoline > Delivery > Hoses, Lines / Piping, And Fittings |
| Safety risk | An insufficiently tightened fuel pipe may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2021 Hyundai Santa FE in recall 21V308?
5-litre Turbo engines.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Santa Fe vehicles equipped with 2.5-litre Turbo engines. The fuel pipe connecting the high pressure fuel pump to the fuel rail may not have been tightened properly.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Is it safe to drive a 2021 Santa FE with recall 21V308?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: An insufficiently tightened fuel pipe may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: An insufficiently tightened fuel pipe may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. Still, get the repair done as soon as it is available, and stop driving if you notice symptoms related to the hoses, lines and piping, and fittings.
Which vehicles are included in recall 21V308?
Recall 21V308 covers 2 vehicles: 2021 Hyundai Santa FE.
NHTSA lists 2 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Hyundai | Santa FE |
What is the fix for the Santa FE fuel line recall?
Yes. Dealers inspected and tightened the fuel pipe connection, free of charge.
Dealers inspected and tightened the fuel pipe connection, free of charge. The affected vehicles have been repaired and therefore no owner notification letters will be sent. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 206.
When was recall 21V308 announced?
Hyundai Motor America reported recall 21V308 to NHTSA on May 3, 2021.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| May 3, 2021 | Hyundai Motor America filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 21V308000. |
This recall was filed 65 months ago. If your Santa FE was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Santa FE is part of recall 21V308?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 21V308 is open on your Santa FE, it will be listed there.
Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. It shows any open safety recall on your vehicle, including 21V308000. Your VIN is on the registration card, the insurance card, and the driver side of the dashboard where it meets the windshield. Recent recalls can take a few days to appear in the lookup.
What should Santa FE owners do about recall 21V308?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 21V308000 applies to your Santa FE.
- Call a Hyundai dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
- Get a repair order for every visit, even if the dealer only inspects the vehicle. Read it before you leave and make sure your complaint is written the way you described it.
- Write down when symptoms involving the hoses, lines and piping, and fittings happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.
What are Santa FE owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 166 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 10 of them about the fuel system.
Since recall 21V308 was reported on May 3, 2021, owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA about the fuel system on these vehicles. 1 of them (10%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt.
How we counted: we matched NHTSA owner complaints for the model years in this recall that list the fuel system and were received on or after May 3, 2021, then flagged narratives that describe a repeat failure or a problem returning after a dealer repair, recall service or software update. Data from NHTSA, accessed October 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports and may involve a related fuel system issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 166 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 10 of them involve the fuel system. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2021 Hyundai Santa FE: 166 complaints in total, 10 about the fuel system
A few excerpts from owner complaints filed with NHTSA (unverified, lightly trimmed):
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V524000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available and would not be available for another three months.
2021 Hyundai Santa FE owner, AZ, NHTSA complaint 11433639, filed September 20, 2021
I am writing to formally report an issue with my vehicle that I believe may warrant a recall investigation. The issue involves the fuel door, which is failing to open after the car has been turned off.
2021 Hyundai Santa FE owner, MD, NHTSA complaint 11668144, filed June 20, 2025
When I try to open the fuel cover it wont' open. I have to lock and unlock my car, sometimes up to 10 times, to get the fuel fill door to open. This eventually is going to leave me stranded somewhere stranded.
2021 Hyundai Santa FE owner, CO, NHTSA complaint 11722432, filed March 6, 2026
Can recall 21V308 make my Santa FE a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
Recall 21V308000 does not automatically make your Santa FE a lemon. California's Song-Beverly Act asks two questions: does a warranty defect substantially impair the vehicle's use, value or safety, and did the manufacturer fail to fix it in a reasonable number of tries (Civ. Code 1793.2(d))?
Fuel pump and fuel line defects can cause the 2021 Hyundai Santa FE to stall without warning. If it happens again after the recall repair, document it and return to the dealer.
The recall repair is available at dealers. If it works, great. If the same symptom comes back, the recall visit is one repair attempt and the next visit is another.
Civil Code 1793.22(b) sets out a presumption that applies in the first 18 months or 18,000 miles: two or more repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four or more attempts for the same defect, or more than 30 total days out of service for repairs. Written notice to the manufacturer is required in some cases. Owners outside that window can still have a claim.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Santa FE been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Hyundai Santa FE recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 21V308
Did the recall 21V308 fix work?
Since recall 21V308 was reported on May 3, 2021, owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA about the fuel system on these vehicles. 1 of them (10%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt. If your vehicle still has the problem after the recall repair, go back to the dealer, get a repair order, and talk to a lemon law attorney.
Is the 21V308000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Santa FE is part of recall 21V308000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
What should I keep for a possible lemon law claim?
Keep every repair order, the recall owner letter, your purchase or lease contract, and notes on dates, mileage and symptoms. Make sure each dealer visit is written up, even when the dealer says it cannot find a problem.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 21V308000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Hyundai. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.