2018 Hyundai Santa Fe

My wife was driving the vehicle by the left lane on route 9A northbound on elmsford at a speed around 35 mph. The vehicle suddenly came to stop completely while driving. My wife tried to start it but it didn't start. We called the police to come help us due to the ongoing traffic while the towing was on its way. Our mechanic told us the engine was seized and needs a replacement. The vehicle is a 2018 and has only 118000 miles. We do oil changes periodically every 3000 miles.

Catastrophic Engine Failure - Cam phasers blew apart and severely cracked the valve covers. This occurred with no prior warning lights. Minutes before failure, there was engine hesitation and noise and then severely reduced power, causing a safety issue while driving. Vehicle was towed to local Hyundai dealer who identified the cam phaser failure ausing external engine damage of the valve covers and complete loss of oil. This occurred only 3,000 miles after an oil change.

Engine Issues: A week ago, on two separate occasions, my Santa Fe cutoff while driving suddenly. A day later, I noticed a rhythmic knocking upon starting my vehicle. The knocking would increase during acceleration and decrease when I let off. I am only at 83,000 miles on this 2018 vehicle. I took the vehicle in for an oil change and they didn't notice anything off about the oil. Afterwards it slightly improved; however, once I was able to get it to the shop they said there were metal shavings in the engine/oil and it was a complete engine failure costing $12,000 to replace. There were no indicators that there was an issue on the dash.

In September 2024, my 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe experienced an unexpected engine lock-up while driving, creating an immediate safety hazard. Vehicle lost power, began smoking, and posed a potential fire risk. Fire department responded to prevent the engine from catching fire and had to spray the engine compartment with high-pressure water. Following this incident, vehicle remained in Hyundai’s possession for ~9 months for engine-related repairs. When we picked up the vehicle after the prolonged repair period, front-facing camera had completely stopped functioning. This camera has always worked prior to the engine lock-up and was functioning the day of the incident. This was reported to the dealership, Hyundai Motor America. A case manager (Nemesh) took the case. Very supportive, helpful and provided a thorough process for investigating the situation. However, all the sudden case was assigned a new case manager (Bryan) and the process immediately changed and the claim was denied. Given the timing and circumstances, the camera failure appears to be the result of electrical or component damage caused during the engine failure/fire-prevention event. The dealership also confirmed that no independent inspector ever assessed the vehicle for secondary damage despite my repeated requests. Hyundai later denied responsibility without conducting any physical inspection of the damage. This sequence of events — sudden engine failure, required fire-response intervention, prolonged repair, and subsequent electrical component failure — raises significant concerns about safety and the potential for related electrical or wiring issues caused by the engine incident. I am reporting this because the underlying engine failure and fire-risk conditions represent a serious safety defect, and related component failures may indicate broader issues with damage resulting from these events. Also Hyundai not letting the independent inspector assess gives me great concern something was missed.

•Year/Make/Model: 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe •Mileage: ~91,502 •Date Purchased: April 2023 Description of Problem / Safety Concern: I am reporting a safety-related engine defect in my 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe. The vehicle has developed engine knocking, metal shavings in the oil, and potential timing chain/bearing failure, all of which create a serious risk of engine failure while driving. The vehicle was purchased at 50,855 miles and currently has 91,502 miles, demonstrating that these serious engine defects developed at relatively low mileage. I have attempted to have the issue addressed under Hyundai’s extended warranty, referencing the TXX8 Service Bulletin which provides specific instructions for inspecting, diagnosing, and submitting claims for this type of engine defect. Despite this, two Hyundai dealers have refused to inspect the vehicle or submit a warranty claim: •Hyundai of Trenton refused to inspect or submit any claim. •A second Hyundai dealer demanded nearly $2,000 in fees ($195 diagnostic, $550 additional, $1,200 bearing test) and then denied coverage citing “no codes,” even after acknowledging metal flakes in the oil filter and noisy valve train. I have also contacted Hyundai Corporate three times (two online complaints, one phone call), but the company continues to direct me back to the dealers without resolving the issue. Safety Risk: The ongoing engine defects jeopardize vehicle safety and could result in catastrophic engine failure while driving. Based on research and reports from other owners, these issues may affect other 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles with similar Theta II engines

I am writing to formally request your review and potential intervention regarding a serious and potentially widespread mechanical issue involving Hyundai vehicles, along with the manufacturer’s refusal to honor their well-advertised 100,000-mile powertrain warranty for subsequent (non-original) owners. I am the current owner of a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe (VIN: [XXX] ) that is experiencing a Continuous Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) system failure, which has led to a critical engine malfunction. The estimated cost of repairs exceeds $7,000, an unexpected and significant financial burden. Despite the vehicle being well within the 100,000-mile threshold, Hyundai has denied warranty coverage solely on the grounds that I am not the original owner. This policy effectively strips coverage from second-hand buyers and, in my view, is misleading given Hyundai’s extensive advertising of the 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. It creates a false sense of long-term reliability and warranty protection. This is not an isolated case. Numerous complaints have surfaced from Hyundai owners experiencing similar catastrophic engine and powertrain failures—including CVVT malfunctions, rod bearing issues, and engine seizure—raising serious questions about: The safety and reliability of Hyundai's engine systems; The fairness and transparency of Hyundai’s warranty terms and advertising; Potentially systemic manufacturing or design flaws impacting thousands of vehicles on U.S. roads. I respectfully urge the NTSB to review whether such defects present broader safety implications and to assess whether Hyundai’s current warranty practices reflect responsible corporate and consumer protection standards. Please let me know if additional information is required, including repair estimates, maintenance records, or correspondence with Hyundai representatives. I appreciate your time and attention to this matter that is affecting many vehicle owners beyond my individual case. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FO

The oil pressure switch has a faulty seal causing oil to leak out onto the engine block. This causes oil on the underbody and ground, smoke amd smell from oil on got surfaces, knocking noises from the engine, reduced power or hesitation, illumination or the check engine light and oil pressure light, high speed stall, and will also cause fire in the engine compartment resulting in death or sever injury. I have taken my car to the Red McCombs Hyundai dealership in San Antonio TX for repair and they have confirmed that it is the oil pressure switch seal that failed. The oil leak has also damaged electrical components causing a malfunction in the dash cluster and steering wheel control.