10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
13,848 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.

2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Owner Comments

problem #10

Mar 072024

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles

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

My car cut off in traffic 1 week ago and almost led to an accident. This has been an ongoing issue that I reported 2 years ago with the engine consuming too much oil and ot has been leaking. I have to constantly purchase have oil and spark plugs.

- Memphis , TN, USA

problem #9

Jul 012023

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
My car is burning oil. Took the car to the dealership where an oil consumption was complete, a chamber cleaning, and then another failed consumption test. Hyundai will only cover 60% of the engine replacement because I am the second owner. I think this is unacceptable, how do they think they-??re only 60% responsible for selling cars like this? If I didn-??t find this problem out when I did, I would have been stranded on the side of the road or I could have even burning my apartment complex to the ground. Someone has to do something about this, Hyundai is knowingly selling faulty cars and allowing the resell of these cars with no intention to ever cover the damages. My extended warranty will not cover anything because there is no cause of this problem. There is a class action against Hyundai over this that should be settled soon, meanwhile, these car dealerships are selling these used Hyundai/Kia timebombs. -?? Meanwhile, I-??m putting a quart of oil in my car every fill up of gas, I owe 4 years on the car still, and I-??m stuck. I included my email correspondence with the heartless Hyundai rep...I'm not even sure this is the right spot, I just don't want someone else to fall into this same trap as I did.

- College Park, MD, USA

problem #8

May 142023

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
April 17th 2023 my cars decelerate, wouldn't accelerate above 60 mph and would randomly decelerate as low as 15mph. The check engine lightvwas constantly flashing and the rmp wouldn't go above 2. I called motorworld and Hyundai. Motorworld said I needed a knock sensor replacement. They replaced the knock sensor. I called Hyundai again to see if I could be reimbursed. They said no. Hyundai then told me that because I paid to replaced the knock sensor my engine was now covered for life. A I ri 14th 2023 the exact same thing happened to my car again. I had it towed to motorworld. A week later I was told that they recommended an $800 oil consumption test because they said the oil was very low. I told them that my oil light never came on. The car was failing. I told the that I just had an oil change and that I thought the prior mechanic cheated me out of oil because my oil light came on 2 weeks after getting an oil change. This whole week I've been going back and forth with Hyundai re: this problem with is noted on websites. I was told that there is nothing they can do. I asked them to replace the motor. This is an engine problem and the engine is covered under power transmission and because I paid to replace the knock sensor. However it is not the knock sensor. The car did what it was supposed to do if tge engine is in danger of failing. So why did the charge me $583 for the knock sensor replacement and now they want me to pay $800 for an oil consumption test. It's obvious that the vehicle is consumption oil. There are no oil leaks. I spoke with Hyundai again yesterday. I told her that Hyundai needs to replace the engine and I feel that they stalling and putting me in danger. If this happens again I'm in danger, especially on the highway. Motorworld called to confirm that I was told on several occasions that because I paid for a knock sensor my engine is under warranty for life. Motorworld tod her that it's not. This occurred in April and again 5/14/23

- Nanticoke, PA, USA

problem #7

Oct 072022

Santa Fe Sport

  • 135,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle stalled and decelerated to 55 MPH while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle was not able to accelerate above 63 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. A local dealer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic who made her aware of an unknown recall however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000.

- Park Forest, IL, USA

problem #6

Jul 162022

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
2018 Santa Fe Sport had been leaking a few little oil spots in my garage. First noticed the problem at about 80k miles. Took it for an oil change and the technician told us he had a lot of complaints on this model vehicle. Fast forward a few months at our next oill change (3 thousand miles later) and the technician told us we were almost completely out of oil. We took the vehicle to the Hyundai dealership and we were told there was nothing wrong, no oil leaks detected. We were then having to bring the vehicle in to the oil change place in between regularly scheduled oil changes and top off the oil (sometimes taking 3-4 quarts in between oil changes). Coming home from the ballpark a few weeks ago we exited the freeway and the vehicle started shaking and losing power and the check engine light came on. I coasted in to the gas station and checked the oil and the dipstick was bone dry (except for the oil that looked like it had burned to the dipstick). I bought / put in 2 quarts of oil and limped the vehicle home. Took the vehicle to the local Hyundai dealership and now we are being told we need a new 10k dollar engine and now that the vehicle has almost 120k miles it is no longer under warranty. Everyone I have talked to about the issue says this is a common thing for this make / model and that the engines need to be replaced. How is there not a recap for this? Any advise / assistance would be appreciated

- Lebanon , TN, USA

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problem #5

Apr 132022

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
Oil light does not come on despite being completely empty of oil. After oil changes the oil is burned and empty at 500-600 miles. Hyundai dealership did a consumption test and said yes their is a problem but won-??t fix under warranty. They also stated it is a defective known engine problem but Hyundai won-??t fix.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

problem #4

Mar 102018

Santa Fe Sport

  • 300 miles

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

I have been stopped at a single light (on a state highway) and waiting to turn left but when I accelerated the vehicle did not go. But in a second it took off but I braked because by now it was not safe/clear to go. Also, when I use cruse it goes down hill while raising the rpms (always), this is my third Hyundai vehicle therefore I have never had this happen before.

- Chatsworth, GA, USA

problem #3

Nov 232019

Santa Fe Sport

  • 700 miles
The complaint is in regards the acceleration from either a rolling slow or from a stop to merge into traffic or open lane next to you on the freeway. When you need accelerate I'm getting a severe lag or noresponse from the accelerator. In the last two weeks I've had two occasions where I needed some quick acceleration in order to avoid a bad situation and the car just basically didn't accelerate causing the other drivers to have to brake in order to avoid a near collision. I've been complaining about this issue with this car now since I purchased it. Took the car to the dealership and had one of the service techs drive with me said well it was in the eco-mode so you can expect that but I'm here to tell you that it is unacceptable that when you push on accelerator the car dangerously hesitates and is going to get somebody badly injured. So today it happened to me again on northbound I-5 in Tacoma, wa, I was trying to get into another lane in stop and go traffic I had accelerate quickly the car just severely hesitated for 1-2 seconds and did nothing??. after this incident I drove the car directly to the Hyundai dealership in renton Washington and told them that I would not drive the car anymore until somebody looked at it that there was a severe safety issue and that somebody was going to get hurt badly. It appears that many people are having the same issue.. I have a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe ultimate 2.0 all wheel drive. I tried testing it in sport mode to see if the performance would be a little bit better and it did also hesitate in the sport mode as well. When you punch the accelerator from a creeping speed or a rolling in slow traffic and wanting to accelerate to a different lane or coming out of a parking lot onto oncoming traffic is really when you notice issue. This is a safety concern, please advise. Thank you.

- Tukwila, WA, USA

problem #2

Jan 292018

Santa Fe Sport

  • 2,400 miles
I was slowly crossing three traffic lanes and turning left. No one was coming from the right, so I applied the throttle in the inside lane and nothing happened. The car stalled without warning. It left me in the road and I was T-boned in the driver's door. The other driver was injured, and I have had neck issues. We could have both been killed. The car had stalled once before. I had the car two months with 2,400 miles and now it was declared totaled. I requested the black box to be removed and reviewed. It showed the speed and timing made sense, but why did the car not take off? I got the ticket - "failure to yield from a private drive". very, very frightening. I did not call the Hyundai dealer to tell him about the crash until I had bought a new car of another brand. No more Hyundai ever. The biomechanical engineer who read the black box requested I contact you after I fully explained the situation. If you need pdf files, I will have to figure out how to send them.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #1

Jan 032018

Santa Fe Sport

  • 75 miles
New car with less than 400 miles. I have experienced 7 episodes during the month of January, where the car fails to accelerate when turning onto a city street. This has happened with both right or left turns to enter traffic from a stop sign. It is just unresponsive for 1-2 seconds then engages with a bit of a jerk. Very frightening! I've had a feeling of panic not knowing if the car will move forward as traffic is approaching. Took to dealership where they checked for dtcs and computer updates. Since the problem is unpredictably intermittent, the road test did not replicate the problem, and they returned the car saying it "drives as designed". there is definitely a safety issue that should be resolved before releasing the car. I have lost confidence in the car I had hoped would be safe and problem free.

- Fountain Valleu, CA, USA

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