Decode Your VIN
Enter your vehicle's VIN code to discover all technical specifications. The VIN consists of 17 alphanumeric characters.
Hyundai Santa Fe VIN Decoder
Decode any Hyundai Santa Fe VIN free in under three seconds. Type the 17-character number into the decoder above and pull the generation, model year, engine, trim, plant of origin, and open NHTSA recalls. No account, no credit card, no email gate.
This page is the dedicated Hyundai Santa Fe hub: chassis codes by generation, the plants that have built it for the US, engine codes (gasoline, turbo, hybrid, plug-in hybrid), a position-by-position guide, and where the VIN is physically stamped.
About the Hyundai Santa Fe
Launched in June 2000 for the 2001 model year, the Santa Fe was Hyundai’s first SUV sold in the United States and is now its longest-running crossover nameplate. It has gone through five generations, verified below against real, checksum-valid VINs decoded through NHTSA vPIC:
| Generation | Years | Chassis code | Body | Built at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (SM) | 2001-2006 | SM | 5-door compact/midsize crossover | Ulsan, South Korea |
| 2nd (CM) | 2007-2012 | CM | 5-door midsize crossover (repositioned larger) | Ulsan, South Korea; Montgomery, Alabama (from 2007) |
| 3rd (DM/NC) | 2013-2018 | DM (short-wheelbase), NC (long-wheelbase) | SWB sold as Santa Fe Sport; LWB sold as Santa Fe, later Santa Fe XL | Ulsan, South Korea; West Point, Georgia (Kia Georgia, SWB only) |
| 4th (TM) | 2019-2023 | TM | 5-door crossover, two-row standard | Ulsan, South Korea; Montgomery, Alabama |
| 5th (MX5) | 2024-present | MX5 | Boxier full redesign, hybrid and plug-in hybrid added | Montgomery, Alabama (gas/hybrid); Ulsan, South Korea (plug-in hybrid) |
The third generation carries a naming quirk worth flagging up front: the short-wheelbase DM-code Santa Fe was badged “Santa Fe Sport” from 2013 to 2018, while the longer, three-row version rode on a related but distinct NC platform, sold as just “Santa Fe” through 2016, then renamed “Santa Fe XL” for 2017-2019. Two different vehicles, sold at the same dealership at the same time, both called Santa Fe. Decoding the VIN is the fastest way to tell which one you’re looking at.
Hyundai never renumbered the model in its marketing, but the 2024 redesign runs on a genuinely new platform with its own internal code, MX5, distinct from the outgoing TM, and its VINs decode differently at positions 4 through 8 as a result.
Hyundai Santa Fe WMI codes (positions 1 to 3)
The first three characters of a VIN form the World Manufacturer Identifier. These are the WMIs a genuine Santa Fe carries, each confirmed by decoding real VINs:
| WMI | Country | Plant | Santa Fe generations built here |
|---|---|---|---|
| KM8 | South Korea | Ulsan (Hyundai MPV) | SM, CM, DM/NC, TM, MX5 plug-in hybrid |
| 5NM | USA | Montgomery, Alabama | CM, TM, MX5 (gas and hybrid) |
| 5XY | USA | West Point, Georgia (Kia Georgia) | DM short-wheelbase (Santa Fe Sport) only, 2013-2018 |
The 5XY prefix surprises people: for six model years, the Santa Fe Sport was assembled at Kia’s Georgia plant, not a Hyundai factory, sharing a WMI family with Kia products built there. That’s not a data error; it’s an accurate record of where the car was built.
How to decode a Hyundai Santa Fe VIN, position by position
Every Santa Fe built since 2001 uses the 17-character ISO 3779 standard.
Positions 1 to 3: World Manufacturer Identifier
See the WMI table above; it identifies the factory, not the marketing brand, which is why 5XY still means Hyundai.
Positions 4 to 8: Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)
Position 4 generally marks the model line (S covers most Santa Fe variants; Z marks the 2013-2018 Santa Fe Sport; P appears on current Alabama-built cars). Positions 5 to 7 encode body, restraint, and drivetrain. Position 8 is the engine code, confirmed here against real NHTSA vPIC decodes, generation by generation:
SM (2001-2006)
| Char | Engine |
|---|---|
| D | 2.7L Delta V6 |
| E | 3.5L Duratec V6 |
CM (2007-2012)
| Char | Engine |
|---|---|
| D | 2.7L Delta V6 |
| E | 3.3L Lambda V6 |
DM/NC (2013-2018)
| Char | Engine |
|---|---|
| A | 2.0L Theta II turbo (Santa Fe Sport 2.0T) |
| B | 2.4L Theta II GDI (Santa Fe Sport base) |
| F | 3.3L Lambda II GDI V6 (Santa Fe LWB / Santa Fe XL) |
TM (2019-2023)
| Char | Engine |
|---|---|
| J | 2.5L Smartstream naturally aspirated I4 |
| L | 2.5L Smartstream turbo I4 |
| 1 | 1.6L Smartstream turbo hybrid |
MX5 (2024-present)
| Char | Engine |
|---|---|
| L | 2.5L Smartstream turbo I4 |
| 1 | 1.6L Smartstream turbo hybrid |
| 2 | 1.6L Smartstream turbo plug-in hybrid |
A caveat: unlike some competing models, Santa Fe VINs occasionally reuse a position-8 letter across engine families between generations, so pair it with the model year. The tool above reads all of that together automatically.
Position 9: Check digit
The check digit catches typos, calculated from the other 16 characters using a fixed weighting table and modulo-11 math. Every VIN used to build the tables above passed this check; mistype one character and the math breaks, and any compliant decoder will flag it.
Position 10: Model year
The 10th character maps to model year on a repeating cycle, verified against decoded Santa Fe VINs from 2003 through 2024:
| Char | Year | Char | Year | Char | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2001 | A | 2010 | K | 2019 |
| 2 | 2002 | B | 2011 | L | 2020 |
| 3 | 2003 | C | 2012 | M | 2021 |
| 4 | 2004 | D | 2013 | N | 2022 |
| 5 | 2005 | E | 2014 | P | 2023 |
| 6 | 2006 | F | 2015 | R | 2024 |
| 7 | 2007 | G | 2016 | S | 2025 |
| 8 | 2008 | H | 2017 | T | 2026 |
| 9 | 2009 | J | 2018 |
I, O, and Q are skipped, since they look like 1 and 0. The Santa Fe has run continuously since 2001, and the cycle only repeats after 30 years, so position 10 alone reliably tells you the model year for now.
Position 11: Assembly plant
| Char | Plant | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| U | Ulsan, South Korea | SM through MX5 plug-in hybrid |
| H | Montgomery, Alabama (HMMA) | CM through MX5 gas and hybrid |
| G | West Point, Georgia (Kia Georgia) | DM Santa Fe Sport only, 2013-2018 |
Positions 12 to 17: Serial number
The final six characters are the production sequence stamped on your Santa Fe as it left the line, making every VIN globally unique even between two cars built the same day at the same plant.
Santa Fe trim levels and how they appear in the VIN
Trim isn’t spelled out in the VIN directly; it’s reconstructed from the VDS plus the equipment group on the build sheet. Common North American trims by generation:
- SM (2001-2006): GL, GLS, LX
- CM (2007-2012): GLS, SE, Limited
- DM Santa Fe Sport (2013-2018): Sport, Sport 2.0T, Sport Ultimate
- NC Santa Fe / Santa Fe XL (2013-2019): GLS, SE, Limited, Limited Ultimate
- TM (2019-2023): SE, SEL, SEL Premium, Limited, Calligraphy (added 2021)
- MX5 (2024-present): SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, Calligraphy, plus Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid variants of SEL, Limited, and Calligraphy
The tool above returns drivetrain (FWD or AWD/HTRAC) and powertrain to match a build sheet or window sticker.
Where to find the VIN on a Hyundai Santa Fe
- Lower-left corner of the windshield, visible from outside the car
- Driver’s side B-pillar label (door jamb sticker)
- Stamped on the engine block near the firewall
- Stamped on the chassis under the front passenger floor mat
- Vehicle title, registration, insurance card, Hyundai Bluelink app
The windshield and door jamb are easiest to check on a used-car lot. The block and chassis stamps are harder to fake, so check those if the paperwork looks off.
Hyundai Santa Fe recalls and safety
The Santa Fe has been part of several notable NHTSA recalls:
- Theta II engine failure (2013-2018, mainly Santa Fe Sport 2.4L): manufacturing debris in the connecting-rod bearings could cause stalling or fire risk. Hyundai’s fix included a Knock Sensor Detection System update and extended engine warranty coverage to 15 years/150,000 miles.
- ABS module electrical short (2016-2018 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport): an internal short could cause an engine-bay fire, parked or driving. Hyundai recalled roughly 357,000 vehicles, then extended it to another 44,000 2018 Santa Fe Sport units after further fire reports.
- Seat belt pretensioner deployment (2021-2023 Santa Fe Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid): the front pretensioner could deploy abnormally.
To check your specific Santa Fe, decode the VIN above, then cross-reference it with Hyundai’s US recall lookup or NHTSA’s recall database, and contact your nearest Hyundai dealer for any open repair. Recall repairs are free regardless of vehicle age, mileage, or ownership history.
Frequently asked questions
How do I decode a Hyundai Santa Fe VIN?
Type the 17-character VIN from the windshield, door jamb, or title into the decoder at the top of this page. Results return in under three seconds: generation (SM, CM, DM/NC, TM, or MX5), model year, engine, trim, plant, and any open NHTSA recalls. No sign-up.
What’s the difference between a Santa Fe, a Santa Fe Sport, and a Santa Fe XL?
They’re related but distinct vehicles sold in the same 2013-2018 window. Santa Fe Sport is the short-wheelbase, five-seat DM-chassis model. Santa Fe (2013-2016) and Santa Fe XL (2017-2019) are the longer, three-row NC-chassis model. Their VINs decode differently at position 4 (Z for Sport, S for the long-wheelbase version).
Where is the VIN on a Hyundai Santa Fe?
The two easiest spots are the lower-left windshield corner, read from outside the car, and the driver-side B-pillar label inside the door frame. The engine block and chassis under the front passenger floor mat carry physical stamps that should match.
What does a Santa Fe VIN starting with 5XY mean?
5XY is the WMI for Kia’s West Point, Georgia plant. Only the 2013-2018 Santa Fe Sport was ever built there; every other generation, including the long-wheelbase NC/XL, came from Hyundai’s own Ulsan or Montgomery plants.
How do I tell the generation of my Santa Fe from the VIN?
The chassis code isn’t spelled out letter-for-letter, so use the model year at position 10: 2001-2006 is SM, 2007-2012 is CM, 2013-2018 is DM (Sport) or NC (Santa Fe/XL), 2019-2023 is TM, 2024 onward is MX5. The tool above does this automatically.
Is the Hyundai Santa Fe VIN decoder really free?
Yes. VinDecoderPlus decodes every Hyundai Santa Fe VIN free with no sign-up, covering everything the factory stamped into it. A full vehicle history report (accidents, odometer history, prior ownership, salvage status) is available as a paid upgrade if you need it.
Decode any Hyundai Santa Fe VIN free
Type your 17-character Santa Fe VIN into the decoder at the top of this page for an instant breakdown. To go deeper:
- Hyundai VIN decoder hub for the brand-wide guide
- How to read a VIN number for the general standard
- What every character in a VIN means for a position-by-position reference
- VIN decoder vs. vehicle history report for what a decode covers vs. what it doesn’t
- How to check if a car is stolen by VIN for verifying a used Santa Fe before you buy
