Hyundai Recalls More Than 226,000 Santa Fe, Elantra Vehicles Due To Problems With Rearview Camera Images

Vehicles may fail to display the rearview camera image, increasing the risk of a crash or injury to bystanders.

Federal highway safety officials have announced a recall impacting 226,118 Hyundai Elantra and Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles, which may have a damaged circuit board that causes images from the rearview camera to not be displayed, increasing the risk of an auto accident.

A rearview camera, or backup camera, is an important safety feature that allows the driver to see behind themselves while in reverse. Since at least May 2018, federal regulations have required that all new motor vehicles under 10,000 pounds feature a rearview camera, and if the image is not displayed it may lead to a crash with another vehicle, object or bystanders.

The Hyundai rearview camera recall was announced by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on November 21, warning that certain 2021-2022 model year Hyundai Elantra and Santa Fe vehicles may have been built with insufficient soldering joints on the camera’s circuit board. Over time, this issue could cause the rearview camera to fail completely, reducing rear visibility.

While the NHTSA report does not indicate that any accidents or injuries have resulted from this defect, the recalled Hyundai vehicles do not comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 111, which mandates “Rear Visibility” in vehicles.

Hyundai Motor Company first became aware of the issue on September 5, 2023, after the company’s North American Safety Office identified a number of claims involving problems with rearview camera images on certain vehicles.

From January to November 2024, tests were conducted on the affected vehicles, and Hyundai eventually identified a potential issue with the solder joints on the camera’s circuit board, indicating that the joints which secure the integrated signal processor show signs of damage from the manufacturing process. It was also determined that temperature and humidity could worsen this condition, affecting the performance of the cameras.

The issue was eventually determined to be a safety defect and a voluntary safety recall was initiated by the manufacturer, impacting the following vehicles:

• 2021-2022 Hyundai Elantra
• 2021-2022 Hyundai Elantra HEV
• 2021-2022 Hyundai Santa Fe
• 2021-2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid
• 2022 Hyundai Elantra N
• 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid

Customers will begin receiving notification letters on January 19, 2025, with instructions on how to schedule a free repair at their local dealers. Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera with an updated version.

Any vehicle owners who have already had this service performed at their own expense may be eligible for reimbursement, in accordance with Hyundai’s reimbursement plan.

Customers can also contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460 or the company’s contact for this recall, Emily C. Smith, via email at emily.c.smith@dot.gov.

Owners with any additional questions can 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.nhtsa.gov.