It's been almost a decade since Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 111 began a phased-in compliance schedule that mandated rearview cameras for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less, but in 2025, several automakers have been struggling with the law. Among those that have issued recalls for faulty backup cameras has been Hyundai, and now the problem is affecting 2024 and 2025 Santa Fe models (including the hybrid version), with some 143,472 vehicles potentially at risk of failing to meet FMVSS 111. Unlike Toyota's recall for a million vehicles, which was down to software issues, the problem here is down to poor installation.
Santa Fe SUVs May Have Damaged Wiring
Hyundai
According to the recall submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "the rearview camera may not have been installed properly, which can damage the wiring harness and cause the rearview camera image not to display." The recall report states that 106,049 combustion-only Santa Fes are impacted, and 37,423 hybrids. Interestingly, although an installation problem suggests an issue at the factory, the report says that the camera's main wire harness was improperly assembled by the supplier, causing increased tension and wear in the cable's shield line. This causes bad contact between the terminal and the camera.
Related: Hyundai and Kia Beat Toyota and Honda in Toughest Safety Tests Yet
Fortunately, it's a relatively simple fix: a new harness felt material that provides increased flexibility will be used to replace the faulty wiring, which will also be repositioned. Unfortunately, that means a trip to the dealer, and although customers can already use their VINs to see if their vehicle is among those recalled, dealer and owner notifications will only go out on January 19, 2026. Until that no-charge fix is provided, these vehicles face an increased risk of a crash.
Rearview Cameras Have Been A Thorn In OEMs' Sides
Kristen Brown/Autoblog
As we alluded to at the outset, rearview camera recalls aplenty have afflicted all sorts of automakers. Ford recalled over 1.9 million vehicles over the issue in September and another 1.5 million in October. For the Blue Oval, the problem has been so prevalent that it felt the need to offer a new warranty to cover owners whose vehicles may be as much as 15 years old. Stellantis has also suffered this year, with 219,000 vehicles recalled nearly three months ago, and Alfa Romeo alone recalling 62,000 cars last month. Even Volvo, which prides itself on safety, recalled over 430,000 cars in May. Still, at least it's a problem that there's an infallible redundancy in place for - the rearview mirror.
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