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 5 of 26)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #434

Apr 192024

Santa Fe

  • miles

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

Owned this vehicle for 4 years without any issues. Driving home on a friday, made a stop at a friends dance studio, and as I pulled into the parking lot my car just randomly died. I was able to restart the vehicle without any problems and there were no error messages on my car to indicate an issue. I drove the car home for it to die on me again as I was pulling onto my road. At first we thought maybe alternator. Still no messages are being indicated on my vehicle. My husand drove the car to the mechanic on Monday and as he drove it started making noises. He was able to get it to the mechanic. It was later that day that we were advised there was only a quart of oil left in my car (oil changes pretty regularly), per the mechanic the engine is toast. Still no error warnings etc. such as, oil low or change oil soon to advise me of any issues. I now have to completely replace my engine.

- Scottsville, KY, USA

problem #433

Apr 122024

Santa Fe

  • miles
Complete engine failure with vehicle excessively consuming oil with no warning indicators. Issue has been recognized by dealer as known issue. Safety risk with car complete shut down with no warnings.

- Cameron Park, CA, USA

problem #432

May 012024

Santa Fe

  • miles
Over the past 50,000 miles we have put on the car we have had major oil leaks and now the engine is burning oil. The engine has stalled multiple times and now sounds like a diesel. We have spent over $3000 in repairs and still will have to replace our car as it continues to worsen. Metal shavings have been found in the oil. No remedies have been found, aside from replacing the engine.

- Clermont, GA, USA

problem #431

Mar 282024

Santa Fe

  • miles

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

I was driving on the highway at 65 miles per hour and my 2017 Santa Fe began to decelerate. I tried pushing hard on my petal and it would not accelerate past 30 mph. I got off the highway as safely as I could. I heard a knocking sound while driving and the check engine light came on after my car experienced this problem.

- Melrose, MA, USA

problem #430

Apr 132024

Santa Fe

  • miles
Engine seizure happened while driving and the engine caught on fire. The car was well maintained and had been up-to-date on all recalls.

- Lexington, KY, USA

problem #429

Apr 122023

Santa Fe

  • miles
The car started making a very loud knocking noise while driving and became un-drivable due to the engine knocking and sputtering. Safety was compromised due to not being able to safely drive the vehicle the appropriate speed as this began suddenly. The car was taken to the dealership where the determined that it had rod bearing failure and the engine needed replaced. There is a recall for the same make, model, and year of the car, but the VIN number is different. The recall that is out for other VIN of the same car and engine states that there is rod bearing failure due to a faulty crankshaft. This has been confirmed by the dealership. There were no warning lights or indications that the car was not in proper mechanical shape prior to the issue. The dealership and corporate are unwilling to work with us to have this issue repaired under the recall, even though it is the same issue, since it is 17,000 miles over the warranty and that the recall -??does not affect our VIN number.-?? The engine that the car needs is not available unless it is a used engine as there are so many issues with said engine, which then makes the engine extremely expensive and difficult to locate.

- Wichita, KS, USA

problem #428

Dec 292023

Santa Fe

  • miles

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

My car was burning oil much faster than it should have been. On [XXX], my car started making a very loud knocking noise, and my engine blew out while on [XXX] in Nashville, TN. Thankfully I was able to pull over with friends trailing me. There was a burnt smell coming from under the hood. The problem has been confirmed by my local Hyundai dealer. The service department at the dealer attempted to get my car approved for an engine replacement, and Hyundai Motor America has denied the authorization. According to Hyundai, a recall from August 9, 2018 was not addressed on my vehicle. They have documentation that proves that I was not the owner of the vehicle when the recall was issued, therefore, I was not made aware of the recall. Because the recall was not addressed, they are refusing to fix my car for free OR offer any type of goodwill assistance. I would be solely responsible for repairing the faulty engine that they placed in my vehicle, due to a recall that was issued before I owned the car. I know several people that have had to have their Hyundai engines replaced. These cars are causing massive vehicular damage and financial burden on consumers. Based on dealership quotes, this repair will cost me anywhere between $8,000 - $14,000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Madison, TN, USA

problem #427

Feb 212024

Santa Fe

  • miles
Was going down the highway at 65 when my vehicle completely lost the accelerating component. Almost got rear ended so I pulled off. Then made it to work when it happened again. The engine light came on and gave 2 codes. Finally got it towed to the dealership where they have decided it-??s either a new timing chain or new engine due to mechanical loss. They discovered there was no oil in the car and they have also found metal shavings in my oil. Now they are telling me I need a whole new engine. I only have 135,644 miles on this car. The car was driving perfectly fine the day before and had just been to the dealer and looked over 1,500 miles before and I was told everything was perfect working condition.

- Ellijay, GA, USA

problem #426

Mar 252024

Santa Fe

  • 72,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The mechanic performed an oil change, and the contact was informed that metal shavings were found in the oil. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that there would be a fee required to diagnose the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

- Saint Petersburg, FL, USA

problem #425

Nov 222023

Santa Fe

  • miles
I was driving down a busy road when engine seized, no warnings on dash prior to failure. Luckily, I was able to catch a break in traffic and safely cruised into an open parking lot. Otherwise, it could have easily resulted in a collision. The incident occurred on Wednesday 11/22/2023. The 2017 Santa Fe had regular oil services and did not show or indicate any signs it required attention. No check engine light, no oil pressure, light, absolutely nothing. The car simply cut out while driving at around 35-40mph. Santa Fe was towed and the dealership mentioned rod bearing failure and engine knock. The estimate to fix it was 18k which was not feasible for me at the time. Additionally, the dealership claimed it was a common problem with the make, stating they had received multiple cars that Thanksgiving weekend. I worked with the dealership, but they did not seem to want to do the replacement, so I purchased a used rebuilt engine and paid the labor to change it for approximately 8,500 dollars. I opened a claim with Hyundai and it was denied because I was the a second owner and the warranty expired at 60k and I was at 66k. I went about a month and a half without a car and it created financial and emotional burdens.

- Lexington , KY, USA

problem #424

Mar 272024

Santa Fe

  • miles

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

Engine is overheating causing vehicle to burn through oil. I take the interstate every day, putting myself and others at risk if my vehicle breaks down. My oil sensors do not work, and do not display or illuminate. They flash on for a brief second and then disappear.

- Fort Myers, FL, USA

problem #423

Mar 152024

Santa Fe

  • miles
Engine seized up on the interstate with no warnings. Almost got hit by 2 semi's as I tried to get off the next exit. I had 3 small children riding with me and it was terrifying. Got it towed 100 miles to the nearest dealer and they said the engine was consuming oil and the engine seized up. They said they are "well aware" of this problem, but without any recall, the bill is entirely on me. The recall does cover most Hyundai models, but for some reason, it missed mine.. but clearly has the same issues.

- Elk Horn, IA, USA

problem #422

Mar 262024

Santa Fe

  • miles
I was driving down the highway and noticed a sudden loss of power and a knocking sound coming from the engine that made a sound that matched the rpm's. It is available for inspection upon request however the battery is currently dead and it obviously has a serve knock. The safety of not only myself but other bystanders driving around me were at risk by my car potentially catching fire while driving. I have had one certified dealership tell me my car isn't effected by any recalls so there isn't anything they can do. There have been no formal inspections done to the vehicle. There were no warning lights on when we purchased the vehicle and no lights came on before, during or after this problem started. We have changed the oil every 3k miles and took really well care of this vehicle as we only had it for 3mo before we were forced to park it due to the engine failure.

- Liberty , KY, USA

problem #421

Mar 222024

Santa Fe

  • miles
On Friday March 22 2024 I was attempting to merge onto the highway but an individual wouldn't let me in which forced me to have to slam on my breaks. After I was able merge, roughly 2 miles down the highway I started hearing what sounded like a belt flapping under the front of my car, the noise increased into a banging I noticed I was losing speed so I pressed on the gas petal and received no exeleration. I immediately pulled to the side of the highway. No lights came on to alert that there was an issue prior. I pressed on my brake and it was rock hard and my wheel seized. I turned off my vehicle to attempt to restart it when I turned the key there once one click sound and all the alerts lights came on. I was unable to turn the wheel or press down on the brake as it was locked up. I had my vehicle towed to a mechanic. I explained what happened the mechanic said it sounded like my engine. He checked the oil and said the stick was dry and when he drained the oil it was black and had a strong odor. I'm pondering of how that can be due to I had gotten an oil change 4 monthly ago and very rarely do I drive my vehicle. I then read the recalls and reviews on my vehicle. I found the same year and style just last month a similar occurrence like mine regarding the engine. This could have caused a horrible accident which could have been fatal. Being that I am not the only one who had this experience; I think is a necessity to pull this particular vehicle to perform an investigation before this vehicle kills someone My particular car make and model has currently 6 recalls! I do not feel safe

- Hamilton, OH, USA

problem #420

Jan 122024

Santa Fe

  • miles
Engine stalled back in January. Car has been at dealership ever since. I'm waiting on backordered parts to arrive to my 3rd party because so many engines are being replaced. Hyundai flat out told me that a used or remanufactured engine would eventually do the same thing. I've been told it was "catastrophic Engine failure" with shavings in my oil pan. My oil changes and upkeep were up to date which is why my 3rd party warranty company is agreeing to putting a reman Engine in. Hyundai should be made to provide new engines not remanufactured junk of the same problem. Too many people are going through what I'm going through. I have 3 more years of payments but only a year left for my warranty and still no car to drive. Here is a link to an entire group of people experiencing the same issues. My coworker also has the same year and make and was stranded on the highway last week. Her car is now at the same dealership (Hyundai of Kennesaw). I had to pay part out of pocket to get it to Kennesaw because they had a shorter wait time of 2 months vs 6 months at my local dealership. I don't have paperwork yet as I don't have my car yet. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Douglasville, GA, USA

problem #419

Feb 252024

Santa Fe

  • miles
On [XXX] (a Sunday, 9 pm), my 19 year old daughter was driving our 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited when a solid yellow check engine light came on. No other warning lights were on. She called us, but since a solid check engine light should not indicate an emergent issue, we advised her to carefully drive the car back to school and we'd get it checked out the next day (since it was after 9 pm on a Sunday). The vehicle didn't make it that far. While driving, the car suddenly lost power and stalled. It started up again but made a terrible sound. We were able to call roadside assistance and had the vehicle towed to a nearby Hyundai dealership. The dealership tells us the car needs a new engine and that our VIN it is not covered under any of the other current engine recalls (even though this is the exact same issue as those recalls) and also said they will not repair under the 100,000 mile warranty, since we are the 2nd owners. We are awaiting a report from the dealership on exactly what happened to kill the engine, but we can infer, through the discussion with the service manage, that this is exactly the same issue happening with other versions of the Santa Fe engine -- including complete engine seizure without any accompanying warning lights or indications. This poses an imminent risk to the safety of drivers and passengers. My daughter was 20 minutes from her college dorm, late at night, and we can only be thankful she was not driving at high speed on the highway when the engine seizure occurred and also that she was not left stranded in an unpopulated stretch of highway. The vehicle is currently at Steele Hyundai (address: 24795 I-35, Kyle, TX 78640. Phone number: (512) 262-2020 ). They have quoted $13,000 for a used replacement engine. Please issue a recall on the 3.3l GDI engine. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Frisco, TX, USA

problem #418

Feb 222024

Santa Fe

  • miles
My 2017 Santa Fe experienced a catastrophic engine failure while driving on the highway. My [XXX] son was on his way home when the car began to make what he described as a knocking. He began to merge so he could exit the highway. By the time he made it over 1 lane, the vehicle began losing power and smoking. He barely made it to the shoulder before hearing a "loud bang" and thick, black smoke blocking his vision. Him and my [XXX], fearing the vehicle was on fire, immediately exited the vehicle into the median. No warning lights ever came on in the vehicle, no warning, nothing. When my husband and I arrived, we found several pieces of the engine along the roadway and the oil pooled under the front passenger tire. We had the vehicle towed the next morning to the dealership, 50 miles away and a cost of $188. After almost 2 weeks we were informed by the dealership that our Engines For Life warranty denied the claim because we did not get all of our oil changes there, even though we have NEVER missed an oil change. We were quoted $21,000 for a new engine. Our service advisor informed us the point of failure for the vehicle determined to be "Cylinder 6 rod bearing failure causing rod bearing to exit vehicle at high velocity creating a hole in the block". We were also informed that this is a VERY well known issue with these engines but Hyundai had chosen to only extend warranties to select vehicles, ours was not one of them. A claim has since been filed with our extended warranty and we were told it would be an additional $600 to drop the oil pan to allow the inspection by the extended warranty company. Something has to be done. We are beyond thankful that our children were not injured but had this happened at a different time of day we could have had a significantly different outcome. There were on a highway that is very busy during the day. The undue financial hardship we have faced as a result has only further added to the stress of the situation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (F

- Wentzville, MO, USA

problem #417

Mar 132024

Santa Fe

  • miles
Catastrophic engine failure on a major highway. Just over 113k miles on it. 1 day prior, the car sounded louder than usual but otherwise, was working fine. I drove several places the next day and the check engine light came on towards the afternoon (yellow, not flashing, no other lights) 30 minutes before this issue occurred. I was accelerating on a busy highway and all of the sudden it completely downshifted, oil light and battery light came on. I pulled to the shoulder and white smoke was coming from the engine, horrible smell in the cabin. Car was dripping oil. I was told it was a broken rod that punctured the engine. I could have been in a major accident after decelerating so quickly on this particular highway and I was stranded on a very small shoulder fearing the car or myself getting hit for hours. As of right now, the engine is still available to be inspected.

- Parkesburg, PA, USA

problem #416

Oct 112022

Santa Fe

  • miles
While driving car engine slowed down/lost power engine light came on, pulled over and it shutdown, . It would even try to start back up. Next day it started and made rattling noise from the engine. Towed vehicle to dealer, dealer said had a bad rod bearing and needed a new engine. Dealer and /or Hyundai would not repair this when we just paid to fix a similar issue (see below) Seems a lot of the 3.3L engines have these issues. We had a similar problem less than a year earlier, car slowed down while on interstate and would only go 35 mph. Engine would rev up but not go faster. (Danger for us and other drivers). Message came up said to take to dealer. Took to dealer said timing slipped need timing chain guides and cams' etc. $4,000 in repair. This seamed similar (Slow down etc.) to what happened this time. Seems a lot of the 3.3L engines have these issues and the dealer and Hyundai want to ignore the safety and quality issues with this engine.

- Maxwell, IA, USA

problem #415

Mar 102024

Santa Fe

  • miles
My mil lamp light came on and all of a sudden my vehicle would not accelerate had scanner out I. My car and was told I need a new engine. Researched the theta crankahaft issues could that have caused my engine to fail? I had no warning whatsoever

- Windsoe, VA, USA

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