IllustrationCamshaft actuator first thst costed over $4200 to fix and now engine needing to be rebuilt with an estimated cost of over $17 000
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Santa Fe years
Owner complaints for the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe are substantially higher than the model-year median of 212.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Santa Fe years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
1470–25K
3625–50K
2450–75K
2675–100K
32100–150K
3150K+
268 reports with mileage · 694 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine. Review the 643 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 161 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
14 crash reports23 fire reports11 injury reports
Power Train complaints
161 reportsThe crankshaft broke due to abnormal wear the cars mileage is 102000 the check engine light never cam on it died in the middle of the freeway with no warning at all
Without any notification from a malfunction indicator light, there was a sudden knock followed by loss of power. Luckily I was on a country road and not on the highway 99 where congested traffic could have been a hazard. My mechanic said it was a rod bearing code causing catastrophic failure of the motor.
Rod bearing failure causing rod knocking. Engine needs rebuilt or replaced!
My 2017 Sante Fe had an engine seizure on April 28th and Thank God nobody was injured. Allowing people to drive around in this ticking time bombs, without any notification of a potential issue, is very concerning. Especially for someone who owns 2 Hyundai vehicles that are driven on dangerous highways in PA. My car is not o…
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My 2017 Sante Fe had an engine seizure on April 28th and Thank God nobody was injured. Allowing people to drive around in this ticking time bombs, without any notification of a potential issue, is very concerning. Especially for someone who owns 2 Hyundai vehicles that are driven on dangerous highways in PA. My car is not only serviced on a regular basis, but I am exception who actually checks his oil in between oil-changes. Little did i know or suspect what was happening under my hood. I had AAA tow my car to Freysinger Hyundai on Friday 4/29/23 for what was diagnosed by a trained mechanic to be Engine Seizure. Since that time, I have been very patient as I know I didn't have an appointment but i do own two vehicles from the dealership and expect some decent level of service. Three calls last week to the service department and all I was told was it was in line to be diagnosed. My car has about 88k miles on it currently and I am the original owner and therefore the 100k Mile Powertrain warranty is in effect. I just finished talking to the service manager, [XXX], and he informed me that my car is still waiting in line to be diagnosed as they are backed up with vehicles having similar issues. I asked if the dealership should contact me and give me updates and inquired about a loaner car to utilize while my current $45k car is in the shop. He informed me to rent a car from Enterprise and if approved, would be reimbursed. If my car is under warranty what question is there, other than the question of another recall. The folks at Enterprise told me they are getting a ton of Hyundai owners with engine seizure issues, which is what the AAA driver told me, and the service department at Freysinger keeps telling me. Engine Seizure in an acceleration lane could kill someone and this issues needs to be made public: check your oil outside normal service levels, and have all vehicles brought in and examined for signs of overheating/seizure. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
1. Over several documented and undocumented times since July 2021, this vehicle has consistently lost >1 quart of oil every 1k miles. 2. This issue has been confirmed by the dealerships involved several times. 3. It is identified as the Theta engine failure. It began in 2012-13 and has been a constant for Hyundai and Kia models …
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1. Over several documented and undocumented times since July 2021, this vehicle has consistently lost >1 quart of oil every 1k miles. 2. This issue has been confirmed by the dealerships involved several times. 3. It is identified as the Theta engine failure. It began in 2012-13 and has been a constant for Hyundai and Kia models for 7 years. 4. There were no warnings from the initial ignition vehicles system check or at any time while operating this vehicle. Even when the engine loss was measured at about 4 qts. 5. This vehicle has been through 2 complete "oil consumption" programs that measure the oil loss during three consecutive 1K mile periods. Also it has had 2 "combustion cleanings" after which a follow up 1k mile oil check found that it still lost >1 qt of oil. 6. The failure of this engine is always a concern. I have personal and anecdotal testimony of what can happen with the failure of this engine. My wife and I are both in our 70's. We are also helping our 26 year old grandson with various transportation requirements. He has spastic dysplasia cerebral palsy and is unable to walk without a cane or walker. Longer distances require a wheelchair. We cannot push that wheelchair, we cannot carry him. We are in trouble if this engine fails and we are miles from home. Also, the vehicle under went the required ECM UPDATE as required by the NHTSA at 39843 miles on January 11, 2019. This update required the installation of a module that would decrease the RPM'S of the engine if there was a failure. There are horror stories on various FB Group pages about the terror of being on a 70 mph road, in the middle lane, when the engine fails and goes immediately to 35 mph. I have a personal friend who experienced that on I-95 in Maryland and was petrified. 6. Finally, after speaking with various Hyundai Service employees, I feel that I was mistreated after the first process. When my SUV lost >1 qt after 1K miles after the cleaning, I should have gotten a new engine.
We were traveling down the road 12/08/22 and a clanging noise started. we were only a few miles from the Hyundai place in Orlando so we drove there. They put us in a rental and said most likely it threw a rod and would need the Engine replaced. It had about 95500 miles on it. Universal Hyundai called and said Hyuandi would rep…
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We were traveling down the road 12/08/22 and a clanging noise started. we were only a few miles from the Hyundai place in Orlando so we drove there. They put us in a rental and said most likely it threw a rod and would need the Engine replaced. It had about 95500 miles on it. Universal Hyundai called and said Hyuandi would replace the engine as goodwill with a rebuilt engine and It will cost me 1300.00. after 65 days in the shop they said I can pick it up. Drove it 11 miles and it broke down again. got it towed back to Universal Hyundai. They said it was the start and alternator and it will cost me 2000.00. My car is 4.5 hours away from where I live. The month before I had to have both sensor assy- oxygen replaced, they changed me for that also. In February of 2022 the Catiliyst Convertor was replaced, which was covered under warranty. I maintained my oil changes.
I had been driving my 2017 Santa Fe SE (6cyl, 3.3L engine) for approximately three hours when the battery, oil, and engine lights all lit up and the engine shut down immediately. I'd had no prior warning of an issue and lost power/control of the vehicle in less than a minute. My vehicle was towed to my mechanic who determined …
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I had been driving my 2017 Santa Fe SE (6cyl, 3.3L engine) for approximately three hours when the battery, oil, and engine lights all lit up and the engine shut down immediately. I'd had no prior warning of an issue and lost power/control of the vehicle in less than a minute. My vehicle was towed to my mechanic who determined a complete engine failure. Tranfer of vehicle to Hyundai dealership for evaluation for work under warranty confirmed the engine failure.
Passenger airbag constantly coming on when there is a passenger, and when no one is on the passenger seat. Oil light has been flashing/ lighting up and going off. I told several service members about this problem, they all shrug it off. One said I could pay $150 for diagnostic test, but why should I pay when they know what’s g…
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Passenger airbag constantly coming on when there is a passenger, and when no one is on the passenger seat. Oil light has been flashing/ lighting up and going off. I told several service members about this problem, they all shrug it off. One said I could pay $150 for diagnostic test, but why should I pay when they know what’s going on with it? This seems to be a common issue with this vehicle, so why can’t I just get my car repaired and the company do right by consumers who have trusted them?! I thought the oil light coming on meant time for an oil change- even though it’s only been 2-3 weeks -because no one at my dealership where I get my car serviced mentioned it meant something more serious, like I’m LOW on oil... CONSTANTLY! This has been happening and my records at the dealership show I’ve been coming almost every two months for an oil change. I recently spoke with someone from the dealership in Daphne, Al and they told me they couldn’t help me AT ALL, not even the oil consumption tests because I’m not the original owner. Basically denied me of a service! How rude and inconsiderate, especially when I’m still paying for a car that potentially has engine problems. I paid for the extended warranty as well. Now all of a sudden, yesterday morning, on my way to work, my car was jerking/ missing like it doesn’t want to accelerate… and also when I was reversing! This is my only means of transportation to and from work. Thanks for reviewing my complaint and I hate I have to complain bc I love my little car. Just wish the dealership/ Hyundai would understand this isn’t right and might need to take these cars off the market or recall and fix! Please help!
***(NW Indiana)*** 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Ultimate FWD 3.3L - 64,000mi. Driven to and from work and around town. Purchased used with 31,000mi in July 2020 from Knauz Hyundai. On the afternoon of December 22nd, 2022 I went to accelerate from 35 mph at which point I heard "tick-tick-tick-tick-tick". I had never heard that sound be…
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***(NW Indiana)*** 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Ultimate FWD 3.3L - 64,000mi. Driven to and from work and around town. Purchased used with 31,000mi in July 2020 from Knauz Hyundai. On the afternoon of December 22nd, 2022 I went to accelerate from 35 mph at which point I heard "tick-tick-tick-tick-tick". I had never heard that sound before. I tried the accelerator again and the same "ticking" sound was there. It became progressively louder on the 15 minute ride home but only while accelerating. During this whole episode not once did any warning light come on. I got home and popped the hood to listen to it(I did video record the sound) and to check the oil. The oil was a bit low but I topped it off and then put a code reader on the vehicle. The only thing that came back was a low voltage on the battery. The next morning I started it up and the noise was even louder. After a few minutes the sound subsided a bit, albeit still loud. I was able to drive it to work so that our mechanics could hear it and all three said it sounded like a bearing went bad and that the engine might be a loss. I spoke to another friend that is a mechanic that hosts a local radio show and he said that he had a show recently about how he is seeing A LOT of Hyundai's coming in with the exact same problem. He told me about a recall from 9/19/2017 with the #17V578000. While I am not certain that this pertains to my vehicle, everyone that has read the recall says that can absolutely be the issue. I have tried calling Hyundai Consumer Affairs but sit on hold forever only to be finally disconnected from the call. I am taking it in to Hyundai on January 6th, 2023 for the ABS recall and they said they would charge me $199 to look at this issue. After reading through all of the complaints regarding this problem Hyundai needs to make it right for their "valued" customers.
Official recalls
622V056000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module
Feb 3, 2022
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Santa Fe, 2017-2018 Santa Fe Sport, 2019 Santa Fe XL, and 2014-2015 Tucson vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 31, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 218.
17V578000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine
Sep 20, 2017
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Santa Fe vehicles equipped with 3.3L engines. The crankshaft assemblies may have been produced with surface irregularities in the crankshaft pin, causing engine bearing wear.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: The engine bearing wear may cause the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify all owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the engine, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 168.
17V358000 · Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch
Jun 5, 2017
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch actuating cable may corrode and bind, causing the secondary hood latch to remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the hood is not securely closed or the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary latch cable, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owner's may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for the recall is 163.
17V142000 · Tires:pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems
Mar 6, 2017
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The affected vehicles have a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that may not have been set in the correct mode during vehicle assembly, and therefore will not provide an appropriate warning in the event of an underinflated tire. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An underinflated inflated tire can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the TPMS sensors, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for the recall is 159.
16V842000 · Electrical System:wiring; Trailer Hitches
Nov 21, 2016
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Tucson vehicles manufactured May 19, 2015, to November 14, 2016, and 2017 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured November 28, 2015, to November 14, 2016. The affected vehicles may be equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result, in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected accessory trailer hitch wiring harnesses, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 13, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 153.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Trailer Hitches
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Tucson vehicles manufactured May 19, 2015, to November 14, 2016, and 2017 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured November 28, 2015, to November 14, 2016. The affected vehicles may be equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result, in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected accessory trailer hitch wiring harnesses, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 13, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 153.
Electrical System:wiring
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Tucson vehicles manufactured May 19, 2015, to November 14, 2016, and 2017 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured November 28, 2015, to November 14, 2016. The affected vehicles may be equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result, in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected accessory trailer hitch wiring harnesses, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 13, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 153.
16V145000 · Seat Belts:front:warning Light/devices
Mar 10, 2016
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured September 1, 2015 to February 12, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the wires in the front seat belt buckle harnesses may be damaged by the seat's height adjuster mechanism, resulting in a failure to provide an audible warning when front seat occupants do not fasten their seat belts. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Without a warning to remind the front seat occupants that their seat belts are not buckled, they may forget to buckle their seat belt, increasing their risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and reroute the wires in the front seat belt buckle harnesses to their proper locations, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 27, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 141.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
3DP24001 · 3.3L Engine Loss Of Motive Power (lomp)
Opened Feb 8, 2024 · Closed May 16, 2024
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition on February 2, 2024, requesting a defect investigation into an alleged defect of the "engine" on the following vehicle model: 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles equipped with the 3.3L V-Shaped GDI Lambda-II engines. The petition cites allegations of a loss of motive power, often resulting in an engine seizure. The stall is preceded by a knocking sound, decreased performance and no warning lights. An analysis of the subject vehicle population was undertaken using complaints submitted to ODI along with manufacturer data. It was determined that the frequency of events is low for the subject population, while those that specifically report a loss of motive power event have a high mileage at the time of incident. The 2017 Santa Fe is equipped with a service interval reminder for the consumer that must be set by the consumer themselves or at a dealership. A Technical Service Bulletin (19-EM-002H) instructs the dealership to set the maintenance reminder at the completion of routine maintenance service or anytime a repair is performed that requires new engine oil. This maintenance reminder will help reinforce the need for proper oil maintenance intervals. Additionally, the Santa Fe vehicles with 3.3L V-shaped Lambda-II engines will be added to Hyundai’s existing Technical Service Bulletin (23-EM-007H) related to combustion chamber cleaning. These actions will help limit negative consumer incidents related to loss of motive power. Lastly, Hyundai has extended the limited engine warranty for MY 2013-2019 Santa Fe vehicles equipped with 3.3L V-shaped Lambda-II engines included in the Petition. The updated coverage is 15 years, or 150,000 miles and details are contained in Technical Service Bulletin 24-EM-003H. In view of the service interval reminder, combustion chamber cleaning, and extended warranty actions being taken by Hyundai, ODI is denying this Defect Petition. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the report cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
AQ23002 · Hyundai And Kia Abs Module Fires
Opened Nov 17, 2023 · No close date supplied
Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by Mando. Safety recalls included in this Audit Query (AQ) review include: Hyundai recalls 20V-520, 20V-543, 21V-161, 21V-160, 21V-303, 22V-056, 22V-810, and 23V-651. Kia recalls 16V-815, 20V-518, 20V-519, 21V-137, 21V-331, 22V-051, 22V-800, and 23V-652 The purpose of this AQ is to evaluate the timeliness and scoping of Hyundai and Kia’s defect decision making and adherence with reporting requirements; and understand the varying defect descriptions and remedies between these recalls.
DP22003 · Loss Of Motive Power
Opened Sep 12, 2022 · Closed Dec 12, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are susceptible to cracking. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11481745. On September 12, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Defect Petition (DP22-003) to evaluate the Petitioners’ request. The Petitioners have provided additional complaints within four supplemental letters dated January 31, 2023, March 21, 2023, May 23, 2023, and August 4, 2023. ODI’s evaluation included the review and analysis of the complaints and supporting information submitted by the Petitioners, as well as additional complaints submitted directly to NHTSA which referenced either the oil drain plug or a crack in the oil pan. After reviewing the available data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support opening a defect investigation into the oil drain pan assemblies of the subject vehicles. Based on a review of the available information, a loss of motive power resulting from an oil drain plug back out has not occurred between the initial sale of a vehicle and the completion of its first oil change. If during an oil change service, a technician fails to remove the existing drain plug gasket before installing a new gasket, it is likely that a proper seal between the drain plug and the oil pan will not be made. An improper seal between the drain plug and oil pan could lead to the backing out on the drain plug, resulting in the sudden loss of oil while driving. Additionally, the provided examples of oil pan cracks were localized to the immediate vicinity of the oil drain plug and/or appeared to be the result of direct-contact with a tool during servicing. There is no information to support that a vehicle-based defect exists relating to the oil pan assembly, and instead the documented incidents are related to the failure to follow the proper maintenance procedures during oil change service. In October 2023, Hyundai published a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that provided detailed instructions for oil change service on its gasoline powered vehicles, specifically highlighting the need to remove and replace the existing drain plug gasket prior to reinstalling the drain plug. After a thorough review of the material submitted by the petitioner, the information already in NHTSA's possession, and the potential risks to motor vehicle safety implicated by the petitioners' allegations, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. Therefore, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA’s reasons for denial of the petition will be published. The reference numbers for the complaints to NHTSA cited by the petitioner can be found in the petition submission documents in the public file for DP22-003. To review those complaints and the additional complaints ODI added to its evaluation which are cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.