2021-2023 Hyundai Santa FE Trailer Hitch Recall (23V181)
Hyundai Motor America · 584,784 vehicles · Reported March 17, 2023
Hyundai Motor America is recalling 584,784 2022-2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz; 2021-2023 Hyundai Santa FE; 2021-2023 Hyundai Santa FE Hybrid; 2022-2023 Hyundai Santa FE Plug-IN Hybrid vehicles. Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire. A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury. Park outside and away from buildings until it is repaired.
Recall 23V181 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 23V181000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | 244 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | March 17, 2023 |
| Manufacturer | Hyundai Motor America |
| Vehicles | 2022-2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz; 2021-2023 Hyundai Santa FE; 2021-2023 Hyundai Santa FE Hybrid; 2022-2023 Hyundai Santa FE Plug-IN Hybrid |
| Units affected | 584,784 |
| Component | Trailer Hitches |
| Safety risk | A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2021-2023 Hyundai Santa FE in recall 23V181?
Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Santa Fe, 2021-2023 Santa Fe HEV, 2022-2023 Santa Fe Plug-in HEV and Santa Cruz vehicles potentially equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Hyundai dealership. Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Is it safe to drive a 2021-2023 Santa FE with recall 23V181?
Park it outside. NHTSA lists a fire risk for recall 23V181, so keep the vehicle away from buildings until it is repaired.
NHTSA lists this as a Park Outside recall because of a fire risk. Park the vehicle outside and away from buildings until the repair is done, even if you have not noticed any problem.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Which vehicles are included in recall 23V181?
Recall 23V181 covers 584,784 vehicles: 2022-2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz; 2021-2023 Hyundai Santa FE; 2021-2023 Hyundai Santa FE Hybrid; 2022-2023 Hyundai Santa FE Plug-IN Hybrid.
NHTSA lists 584,784 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | Hyundai | Santa Cruz |
| 2021-2023 | Hyundai | Santa FE |
| 2021-2023 | Hyundai | Santa FE Hybrid |
| 2022-2023 | Hyundai | Santa FE Plug-IN Hybrid |
What is the fix for the Santa FE trailer hitch recall?
Yes. Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is completed.
Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is completed. Dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed starting May 16, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 244. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-633.
When was recall 23V181 announced?
Hyundai Motor America reported recall 23V181 to NHTSA on March 17, 2023.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| March 17, 2023 | Hyundai Motor America filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 23V181000. |
| May 16, 2023 | Owner notification letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 43 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 23V181?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 23V181 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 23V181000. 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 23V181?
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 23V181000 applies to your Santa FE.
- Park outside and away from buildings until the repair is done.
- Book the recall appointment with any authorized Hyundai dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
- 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.
- Keep a simple log of any trailer hitches symptoms with dates and mileage. Video of a warning light or the problem happening is strong evidence.
- 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 1,000 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 222 of them about the other equipment.
Since recall 23V181 was reported on March 17, 2023, owners have filed 179 complaints with NHTSA about the other equipment on these vehicles. 34 of them (19%) 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 other equipment and were received on or after March 17, 2023, 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 other equipment issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 1,000 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 222 of them involve the other equipment. 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.
- 2023 Hyundai Santa FE: 210 complaints in total, 61 about the other equipment
- 2022 Hyundai Santa FE: 199 complaints in total, 45 about the other equipment
- 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz: 185 complaints in total, 36 about the other equipment
- 2021 Hyundai Santa FE: 166 complaints in total, 41 about the other equipment
- 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz: 79 complaints in total, 10 about the other equipment
- 2023 Hyundai Santa FE Hybrid: 57 complaints in total, 10 about the other equipment
- 2022 Hyundai Santa FE Hybrid: 37 complaints in total, 6 about the other equipment
- 2022 Hyundai Santa FE Plug-IN Hybrid: 27 complaints in total, 5 about the other equipment
Here is what some owners told NHTSA, in their own words (excerpts, unverified):
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware that the driver's side floor mat was the incorrect fit for the year, make, and model vehicle.
2023 Hyundai Santa FE Plug-IN Hybrid owner, MD, NHTSA complaint 11542947, filed September 6, 2023
The fuel range calculation is often very wrong in our plug in hybrid. This issue has been brought to the attention of the manufacturer and dealer with no results but pointing at the other organizations. With a full fuel tank the gasoline range should be about 387 miles.
2023 Hyundai Santa FE Plug-IN Hybrid owner, WA, NHTSA complaint 11757840, filed August 19, 2026
The rear section of panoramic sunroof exploded. We were traveling approximately 60 MPH on HWY 395 crossing the bridge on the Columbia River between WA and OR. Suddenly we heard a very loud explosion. When we stopped to investigate we found a hole in the sunroof. It exploded up and outward.
2023 Hyundai Santa FE Plug-IN Hybrid owner, WA, NHTSA complaint 11625631, filed November 15, 2024
Can recall 23V181 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.
A recall by itself does not make a car a lemon. Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, what matters is whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety, and whether the manufacturer or its dealers fixed it within a reasonable number of attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).
What matters for a lemon law claim is not the recall label but whether the defect substantially impairs the 2021-2023 Hyundai Santa FE and whether the dealer can fix it in a reasonable number of tries.
This campaign follows an earlier recall for the same issue. A second recall can mean the first remedy failed, and repeated repair attempts on the same defect are the core of most lemon law claims.
Earlier campaigns on these vehicles involving the same component: 22V633000.
For the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, California presumes the manufacturer had enough chances if the Santa FE went in two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for the same defect, or spent more than 30 days in the shop (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Direct notice to the manufacturer is required for some of these. The presumption is a shortcut, not the only path to 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 23V181
Did the recall 23V181 fix work?
Since recall 23V181 was reported on March 17, 2023, owners have filed 179 complaints with NHTSA about the other equipment on these vehicles. 34 of them (19%) 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 23V181000 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 23V181000?
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 23V181000 (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.