10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 12
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
9,115 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2017 Hyundai Santa Fe engine problems

engine problem

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2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Owner Comments (Page 2 of 26)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #494

Mar 022024

Santa Fe

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Excessive oil consumption greater that 1 quart per 1000 miles.

- Cape Girardeau , MO, USA

problem #493

Jun 282023

Santa Fe

  • miles
After a perfect dealership maintenance history and being babied since bought new, the 3.3L V6 engine in our 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe seized at 101,800 miles without any warning other than a slight knock on startup the day this occurred. The engine seized while being driven on a side road without any warning lights, causing loss of steering and braking power. Hyundai has extended the warranty on the 4 cyl engines for this model year vehicle, but based on online forums there is clearly a manufacturing defect with the V6 engines as well. We were forced to pay ($1,541) for 20% of the cost to repair the engine with rebuilt components after Hyundai kept the car for nearly four months. I feel this payment should be reimbursed given the warranty on the V6 engines also needs to be extended.

- Middletown, CT, USA

problem #492

Sep 242024

Santa Fe

  • miles
While driving on rural side road, two lanes, my check engine light (yellow, steady) came on. I pulled into a safe spot and did a quick survey, checked the owner manual, but could not identify any problem, and continued on my way. The check engine light was still on. About 15 minutes later the car would not accelerate past 25 mph (limp mode?). I was on a two-lane mountain road, speed limit 45 (but most cars were faster), visibility limited by terrain, trees, etc. Again, there was little traffic around me and I found a safe place to pull over. in neutral the engine revved normally. I turned the ignition off, checked oil level, (normal), turned the engine back on and started driving to find a safe place to pull over and summon help, but the car drove normally. I drove directly to my repair shop and had the codes pulled, (0436, 0021) which indicate a problem with timing. When a qualified tech examined it he recommended taking to the dealer. Unwilling to drive in traffic, I had it towed to the dealership. Their inspection revealed damage to CVVT components and the timing chain, and recommend an (expensive) engine rebuild.

- Penn Vlley, CA, USA

problem #491

Nov 082024

Santa Fe

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Engine blew due to excessive oil consumption (at time of incident I had not a drop of oil left) with no warning. My safety was put at risk by my car stalling in the middle of driving with my kids in the car. My vehicle is now at a service shop, mechanic informing me I need a whole new engine. My dashboard never showed low oil light or service engine light, I never had black smoke or smell.

- Elgin, IL, USA

problem #490

Oct 262024

Santa Fe

  • miles
I went for an oil engine and they told me that my engine didn't have any oil. I checked for oil leaks and the vehicle does not have any oil leaks. My car has 100,480 mileage and have never been in any sort of accident.

- Wellington, FL, USA

problem #489

Feb 022019

Santa Fe

  • miles
My car has 81,000 miles on it, I have had regular oil changes and after reading many recalls on here I see I am definitely not alone. My check engine light stays on, after paying $100. for dealer to check the codes I was told nothing in particular showed a problem even though I have to put oil in my car between oil changes and there are no leaks on drive. Apparently the 100K mile warranty is not being honored from the other reports I have read on here. Why "?" The price of new cars is beyond reach and if dealer is claiming there is a warranty there be should be way to make them honor it!!!

- Sulphur Springs, AR, USA

problem #488

Oct 172024

Santa Fe

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The engine seized. Driving at 55 mph on a 4 lane highway outside of city limits, the vehicle went into limp mode. Luckily, it was later in the evening with less traffic and I was fortunate enough to be able to turn into a left turn lane and coast into an office building parking lot. There was no shoulder available if I had been in the right lane and somewhat of a rural area. There were no sensors that alerted me prior to this happening. But, when it did happen the dash board lit up like a Christmas tree! It was 6:30 pm, I coasted into a parking spot in the lot and turned the car off. It would not start and I contacted a tow service. I had it towed to an automotive shop near my home. They confirmed the next morning, that there was no oil on the dip stick and the engine seized. They alerted me to the fact that this has become a common problem with this Hyundai engine. I then had the vehicle towed the Hyundai dealership where we purchased the vehicle. We are the original owner. The vehicle is sitting at Rosen Hyundai in Algonquin, IL and should be available for inspection. Monica at the dealership called me after the inspection and confirmed that this is a common issue with this vehicle. She at first used the word recall...and when I asked if there was a recall, she said not a recall, but Hyundai has issued a BULLETIN about this problem. At first, she stated that my maintenance records were in order and being the original owner I qualified to file a claim with Hyundai for engine replacement. 3 days later, she called and stated that Hyundai needed more proof of maintenance than what they could pull off Carfax or my claim was going to be denied. She sent me a picture of the engine and stated that the valves show neglect. I replied of course they do....the engine seized! There was never ever any low oil warning light, check engine or or any warning lights what so ever prior to the event! Hyundai admitted that there is no low oil sensor warning.

- Fox River Grove, IL, USA

problem #487

Oct 112024

Santa Fe

  • miles
While driving a 1/2 second squeal came from engine compartment. Motor immediately stopped. No power steering or brakes. Vehicle is available for inspection. We were on an interstate We coasted to shoulder. There issue is frequent on Internet forums. A trusted mechanic old us the engine was totally seized. Could be turned manually. No oil in crankcase. At this time only aforementioned mechanic has inspected the vehicle. No warning sounds or performance changes prior to incident. No warning lights or notice warnings were seen prior coincident.

- Mill Creek, WA, USA

problem #486

Aug 012020

Santa Fe

  • miles
Since this vehicle reached about 75,000 miles, it has been burning oil like crazy. We have to add a quart every 7-10 days. It drives fine, there-??s no oil leaks, no smoke from the tailpipe. We took the car to Hyundai and they did their oil consumption tests. They came to the conclusion that this was within the normal range and would do nothing for us. This needs to be fixed, Hyundai!

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #485

Oct 152024

Santa Fe

  • miles
The engine consumed all of the oil and now has to be replaced

- Ashburnham, MA, USA

problem #484

Oct 012024

Santa Fe

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Like many others, car consumed a quart of oil each 500-1,000 miles driven. Car received synthetic oil changes every other month along with additional quarts of oil in between oil changes. All service records maintained with receipts of additional oil quarts purchased. Car NEVER displayed any warning lights for low oil pressure or check engine lights. While driving on the highway at 65 MPH, engine seized. Was able to pull over safely and had car towed to the dealership. Service manager at dealer claims it will be over $20k to fix but Hyundai is only willing to cover 70% because it-??s no longer covered under warranty and isn-??t backed by their extended warranty offer. What a way to admit fault but gaslighting the consumer into believing it-??s the consumer-??s fault for a faulty product. Hyundai does not allow outside mechanics to look at vehicle or make repairs if you want them to take responsibility. So stuck with paying inflated dealer fees for repair and labor.

- Whitsett, NC, USA

problem #483

Sep 122024

Santa Fe

  • 142,500 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine was making an abnormal sound and the RPM increased. In addition, the contact stated that every 2,000 miles engine oil needed to be added to the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a cracked valve cover and excessive oil consumption. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact was informed that the repair was not covered under warranty due to the codes received per the diagnostic test. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 142,500.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #482

Dec 232022

Santa Fe

  • miles
We purchased a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe SE ULTIMATE from Hampton Hyundai in December of 2019. The vehicle has the V6 3.3 Liter Lambda II motor. At the time of purchase it had 44,969 miles on it and we paid roughly $27,000 for the vehicle and associated service package. We routinely had the vehicle serviced according to the recommended service schedule. In early 2022 we realized that the engine began burning oil at an alarming rate. We were adding roughly 1.5 quarts every 1,000 miles to maintain a safe level. This was done at a certified mechanic. After inquiring with Hampton Hyundai we were informed that this is considered normal operation and to be expected. Based on that information, we proceeded to routinely check oil levels and maintain them accordingly. On December 23rd, 2022, with roughly 81,000 miles on the vehicle, we experienced a knocking noise coming from the engine. I immediately pulled the vehicle to the side of the road to investigate the possible cause. I checked the oil and inspected the engine for anything that seemed to be out of place. There was nothing that seemed uncommon to the layman eye, with this, we immediately returned home with the vehicle. From here we had it towed to Certified Automotive Repairs and Service (C.A.R.S) and then to Hampton Hyundai. Both locations told us we needed a full engine replacement. We have requested assistance from Hampton Hyundai and Hyundai Motor America to assist with the cost of replacement and have been denied. The quote for a new motor and labor to install is nearly $20,000 and we were told that the cost is so high because Hyundai does not make the motor anymore and each individual part would need to be ordered and assembled. Our vehicle is currently at Hampton Hyundai and we are planning on having it towed back to our home.

- Niceville, FL, USA

problem #481

Oct 062024

Santa Fe

  • miles
* Engine seized. No warning. No check engine light until i pulled over on the highway. safety, my child's safety and everyone behind me on the interstate had to avoid my rapid deceleration/ * vehicle has not been towed in yet, it will be as soon as the dealer lets me know they will see it lamps or bulbs. car seized and lost power

- Columbia , MD, USA

problem #480

Sep 272024

Santa Fe

  • miles
Engine suddenly stopped working on the highway, we towed the car to the garage and they mentioned that the crankshaft was misaligned and that the engine must be replaced. We were good with our oil changes over the life of our ownership of the car. It only has 119K miles.

- Londonderry, NH, USA

problem #479

Sep 172024

Santa Fe

  • 95,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000. The VIN was not available.

- Warren, NJ, USA

problem #478

Jun 272024

Santa Fe

  • miles
The engine in my 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe malfunctioned due to issues with the connecting rod bearings, a known defect for this model. While driving on the highway, the engine began to slow down and fail, creating a hazardous situation that jeopardized my safety and that of other road users. A diagnostic performed at World Car Hyundai South confirmed that the problem was with the connecting rod bearings. Despite the severity of the issue and the fact that it is a documented problem with this model, Hyundai's Goodwill Program and warranty did not cover the engine replacement. The manufacturer cited missing maintenance records from previous owners as the reason for denial. I provided comprehensive service records for the vehicle from the time it was in my possession. The refusal to cover the repair based on the absence of previous records on Carfax overlooks that previous owners may have used service providers not reporting to Carfax. Additionally, there were no warning lamps or messages before the engine failure. Hyundai's decision to deny coverage, given the known defect in this model, suggests an attempt to avoid responsibility.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #477

May 062024

Santa Fe

  • miles
The engine is suffering from excessive oil consumption that might result in the engine blowing up. Hyundai is aware of the issue with many reports filed but has refused to address the issue.

- Chatsworth, CA, USA

problem #476

May 202024

Santa Fe

  • 114,000 miles
I was driving along 55mph on a 2 lane road when suddenly the car shut off. I was fortunate that it died at the top of a hill and I was able to coast to the safety of a side street. I was in a remote part of michigan and 20 miles from any service stations with my 3 children. The car would not restart. I was able to contact a tow truck who took it to my mechanic who said the engine had failed and I would need a new engine.

- Ludington, MI, USA

problem #475

Aug 302024

Santa Fe

  • miles
3.3l engine with 120k miles began making a noise and suddenly failed while driving at interstate speeds. No warning lights or messages appeared prior to this incident. All occupants, two adults and child, were placed in danger while attempting to exit the highway and were left stranded with an inoperable vehicle.

- Smyrna, GA, USA

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