Driving the news: Hyundai is recalling 143,472 Santa Fe SUVs from model years 2024-2025 after discovering that rearview cameras were improperly installed during assembly, potentially causing them to malfunction or fail completely—a violation of federal rear visibility standards.
The details: The recall covers 106,049 gasoline-powered Santa Fes and 37,423 Santa Fe Hybrids built at Hyundai's Alabama plant between December 2023 and January 2025, though Hyundai estimates only about 1% actually have the defect.
The root cause traces to a Tier 2 supplier, Seoyon E-Hwa Alabama, which assembled camera wire harnesses without standardized procedures. This allowed variation in how cables were routed and positioned during assembly.
Certain wire harnesses were packaged in a "twisted" configuration that created excessive tension when connected to the camera. The tension caused wear and damage to the cable's shield line, resulting in poor terminal contact and unstable connections.
When the shield line becomes damaged, the camera can display a degraded image or stop working entirely, reducing rearward visibility while reversing and increasing the risk of backing into pedestrians or objects.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the rearview camera and properly reposition the wire harness. The updated harness uses shorter felt material for increased flexibility and less tension. Owner notification letters go out January 19, 2026, and owners can check if their VINs are affected here.
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