2020 HYUNDAI SANTA FE SEL

The auction record lists a salvage certificate of title and classifies the primary damage as SIDE. Stage 1 reports that the visible extensive deformation and scuffing on the vehicle’s left side supports the auction’s SIDE damage code; however, the salvage-certificate status cannot be confirmed from exterior photographs. The main visible damage is concentrated along the left side. The left front door has severe inward deformation, deep creases, scraped paint, and distortion along its front and lower edges. The left rear door has broad dents, horizontal creases, and scuffing across the middle and lower sections. The lower rocker trim beneath both doors is displaced or missing in substantial areas, leaving mounting points and fasteners exposed. The rear portion of the left front fender is also creased and deformed. In addition, the hood has an uneven raised gap along its left rear edge where it meets the left front fender, indicating deformation in that area. The vehicle is identified by VIN 5NMS33AD5LH178073 as a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL SUV with front-wheel drive (4x2), a 2.4-liter gasoline four-cylinder engine, and an eight-speed automatic transmission. It was manufactured by Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama in the United States. Factory-listed safety equipment includes front, side, and curtain airbags, electronic stability control, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring, and rear visibility equipment. Two NHTSA recalls are listed for this model and year. Recall 21V00M000 concerns improper windshield bonding, which could allow the windshield to detach in a crash. Recall 23V181000 concerns a potentially equipped tow-hitch harness, where water accumulation can cause an electrical short and fire; the recall advises parking affected vehicles outside until the remedy is completed. The available information does not confirm whether either recall has been completed on this vehicle. A physical inspection should assess the door structures, hinges and latches, rocker panel and lower-body structure, fender and hood alignment, paint and trim damage, and the operation of related safety systems before purchase.