2023 HYUNDAI SANTA FE SEL Premium

This 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe is listed with a salvage certificate of title, with the auction’s primary-damage classification recorded as “REAR END.” Stage 1 reports that the visible evidence supports this unverified auction claim, citing substantial deformation at the rear liftgate, rear quarter panels, rear bumper corners, and both rear lamp areas. The rear-end damage is extensive. Both the right and left rear quarter panels are severely crushed and folded around the tail-lamp openings, with distorted panel edges and gaps extending toward the liftgate. The rear liftgate is heavily buckled and creased across the lower and side sections, particularly on the right side and lower central area. The rear bumper has an uneven, distorted contour, with separation and damage at both rear corners. Both rear tail-lamp assemblies are missing, leaving exposed and damaged mounting openings. The outer trim around the right rear wheel arch is also missing, with mounting holes exposed. A side-curtain airbag is visibly deployed along the rear passenger-side roof and side area, and deployed airbag fabric is also present around the side roof and rear passenger compartment. The restraint system, roof structure, rear body structure, wiring, sensors, and related safety systems require a thorough inspection and possible replacement. Hidden structural, suspension, electrical, and mechanical damage cannot be determined from the supplied findings. According to the NHTSA VIN decode, this is a U.S.-built 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL Premium SUV with 4WD, a 2.5-liter gasoline four-cylinder GDI Theta III engine, and an automatic transmission. The decoded safety equipment includes curtain airbags for the first and second rows, front airbags, front side airbags, ABS, electronic stability control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assistance, forward-collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a rear visibility system. One NHTSA recall is listed for this make, model, and year: campaign 23V181000, concerning a potentially equipped trailer-hitch harness. Water accumulation on the harness module’s circuit board may cause an electrical short and fire. The remedy involves installation of a fuse and wire-extension kit as necessary. The vehicle should be checked with Hyundai to confirm whether the recall applies and whether the remedy has been completed.