Hyundai Motor America is recalling more than 135,000 U.S. Santa Fe crossovers because the positive terminal cover on the starter motor may not be fully seated. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published the campaign as recall 25V659 in early October 2025. The failure mode is tied to crash energy in the engine bay, not everyday commuting, but the fix is still worth scheduling before your next long trip or loaner handoff.
How regulators caught it
According to Hyundai’s Part 573 report filed with NHTSA, engineers first saw smoke after a frontal crash test performed under the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Follow-up lab work showed that when the B+ terminal cover is misinstalled, severe deformation in a collision can let the exposed terminal contact the cooling fan assembly and short. Hyundai states it is not aware of field fires, injuries, or deaths linked to the condition, but NHTSA treats an crash-related fire path as a safety defect that must be corrected fleet-wide.
Which Santa Fe models are included
The recall covers certain model year 2024 and 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles built with the 2.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine. Manufacturing dates run from December 28, 2023, through July 7, 2025, at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. Other Santa Fe powertrains and model years are outside this specific campaign. Hyundai’s internal recall code is 285; use that number if you call the brand helpline.
What the defect looks like under the hood
The starter motor carries a plastic cover over the B+ positive terminal. On affected vehicles, that cover may have been installed without fully locking over the terminal during assembly. Hyundai’s testing indicates a correctly seated cover stays in place through normal vibration and temperature cycles. The concern appears only when crash forces reshape the front structure enough for the terminal and fan shroud to meet.
Step-by-step for U.S. owners
- Confirm your VIN. NHTSA made affected VINs searchable on October 4, 2025. Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls or call the agency’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.
- Cross-check before you buy used. If you are shopping for a late-model Santa Fe, run the VIN before you sign paperwork so a open recall does not become your surprise repair bill.
- Watch for Hyundai’s letter. Owner notification mailings were expected to begin around December 1, 2025. Do not wait for paper if your VIN already shows an open recall.
- Book a dealer visit. Authorized Hyundai dealers will inspect the starter terminal cover and reinstall it correctly at no charge. The remedy is mechanical, not a software flash, so plan for a service bay slot rather than a quick key-drop update.
- Keep proof. Save the repair order once the cover is corrected. That document helps at trade-in time and satisfies lender or fleet audit questions about recall completion.
When you are juggling multiple family vehicles, logging the recall number and dealer appointment date in CarDiary keeps the Santa Fe fix from getting lost among registration renewals and oil changes.
What Hyundai will do at the dealership
Technicians verify whether the B+ cover is fully seated. If it is not, they reinstall the cover to the assembly standard Hyundai validated after the NCAP finding. The work should take far less time than a major powertrain repair, but parts availability and Saturday backlog vary by store, so morning weekday appointments often move faster in busy markets.
Questions owners commonly ask
Do I need to park outside like a battery-fire recall?
NHTSA’s description for 25V659 focuses on an electrical short during a crash, not unattended spontaneous fires in driveways. Hyundai has not instructed owners to avoid parking in garages for this campaign. Still, if you smell electrical burning or see smoke while driving, pull over safely, shut off the ignition, exit the vehicle, and call emergency services—the same response you would use in any modern vehicle.
Does my hybrid or non-turbo Santa Fe need the fix?
This recall targets turbocharged 2024–2025 units within the build window above. Always verify with a VIN lookup rather than assuming from trim badges or window stickers.
Can I keep driving until December?
Hyundai has not issued a stop-drive order. If your VIN is flagged, schedule the inspection promptly, especially if the SUV is your primary kid-dropoff or road-trip vehicle. A confirmed open recall can also block registration renewal in some states until the repair is documented.
Contacts and reference numbers
- NHTSA campaign: 25V659 (component: electrical system, starter assembly)
- Hyundai customer care: 1-855-371-9460
- Hyundai manufacturer recall number: 285
- Units affected in the U.S.: about 135,386
Recalls move quickly in the news cycle, yet the repair queue moves at dealership speed. A five-minute VIN check this week beats discovering an open 25V659 flag when you are already at the DMV or handing keys to a buyer.