10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
17,861 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 engine problems

engine problem

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2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Owner Comments (Page 2 of 6)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #81

Sep 052023

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles

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

Engine is consuming 2 qts of oil every 1000 miles. Just had spark plugs replaced as the plugs fouled out due to oil leaking into cylinder. Dealership says the engine must blow for them to approve a new engine under warranty. This is a family vehicle with young children. If the engine fails, the vehicle will lose power brakes ans steering.

- Caledonia, MI, USA

problem #80

Aug 102023

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
I had no warning lights or messages and then the engine threw a rod and my car just died on the side of the road. It had apparently been burning oil. I get it back after 2 months and it needs a battery. Now the check engine light is on and it has affected the catalytic converter.

- Paducah , KY, USA

problem #79

Oct 162023

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
I have been conducting regular maintenance on my vehicle, getting oil changes, on average around every 6,000 miles. I have had the car since August 2021 and have had no accidents and haven't missed an oil change. My car is a little over 100K miles and the oil light began to come on close to 90k miles. The car is also leaking oil and all the service agent could tell me is that the are burns oil at an accelerated rate. Even though the oil light was on, NONE of the service agents mentioned any issues with the oil and nothing was mentioned when I purchased the car. I still have yet to receive the report from my last oil change from 10/06/2023. Also, the ABS light came on after I got the car serviced for a recall for the brakes and potential electrical fire while the car is parked. Each time I checked for a recall, nothing was found, even though this car clearly has an issue with oil consumption, well the engine in general.

- Mcdonough, GA, USA

problem #78

Oct 042023

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles

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

major engine oil leak caused by defective drain plug receptacle. replaced washer and plug twice. still leaks. could cause engine failure.

- Lavallette, NJ, USA

problem #77

Aug 182023

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
Oil leaking from drain plug, Threads in the oil pan look okay after being verified by my mechanic, had the drain plug replaced three times and the issue persists.

- Centereach, NY, USA

problem #76

Sep 112022

Santa Fe Sport 4-cyl

  • 87,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that she received an alert notification on her phone of an undisclosed recall. The contact then notified the dealer and confirmed that the VIN was included the NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V810000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and scheduled an appointment. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed to the dealer, she noticed smoke coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The contact then heard a loud explosion coming from under the hood and abruptly depressed the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to pull off the roadway. The contact became aware of a trail of oil on the ground. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with an internal combustion failure and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was deemed a total loss by the dealer, but the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was previously included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V810000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and Service Campaign 953: ECM & Cluster Update. The contact was provided a case number and advised to call the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 87,000.

- Humble, TX, USA

problem #75

May 012023

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles

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

In May, my vehicle began having issues with acceleration and was choking when going uphill, or would start choking when slowing to turn or start moving after being stopped. The engine light came on and had code P1326. Dealership did a system update and it went away. The car broke down not long after, wouldn't start. Replaced battery as it wouldn't charge and was drained. Still didn't work. Towed it to dealership. After several days, they said it might be the crankshaft position sensor. A local mechanic replaced it, it did not fix it. Spark plugs were completely burnt up and covered in gas. Changed spark plugs and it seemed fixed, until it broke down last week. Has code P0420 now. Checked oil, it has absolutely no oil in it and it has only been about 3000 miles since my last oil change. It is due for an oil change, but should not be completely out of oil. Burning oil can clog cat converter, causing P0420 code. My vehicle has a theta engine, which was involved in a lawsuit and settlement, which I only learned about yesterday, and have missed the deadline to file a claim. The vehicle has lost acceleration and died while driving, posing a risk to myself and other drivers. Vehicle is unreliable and unsafe. Dealership failed to tell me anything about my spark plugs, and did not mention my vehicle having oil issues. Non-dealership mechanics have been the ones to bring the issues to my attention. Corporate Hyundai will also not help.

- Jonesborough, TN, USA

problem #74

Jul 012023

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
Bought a used 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport in December of 2022, as a second owner from a third party car dealer. No extended warranty was purchased. The vehicle currently has 122,750 miles. At the second oil change service done at Valvoline they told us it was not showing it had oil at the dipstick. I have driven it 337 miles thus far and it is already showing at the low mark. There is a recent settled law suit regarding excessive oil consumption. Some articles regarding the law suit listed 2010-2012 and 2015-2021 Hyundai Santa Fe as being affected, but the settlement only lists 2010-2012, as such the VIN recall search brings nothing. This vehicle is excessively consuming oil and I suspect the engine will seize in the near future.

- Victorville, CA, USA

problem #73

Jan 072023

Santa Fe Sport

  • 62,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that upon taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic for an oil change, she was informed that there was no oil in the vehicle. The mechanic determined that oil was leaking into the engine and the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The mechanic replaced the spark plugs on 4 occasions; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing abnormal oil consumption. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who could not repair the vehicle, but advised the contact to replace the oil every 1,000 miles. The contact stated that she had been adding a quarter of oil every 2-3 days. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the catalytic converter had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the vehicle was undrivable. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

- Norristown, PA, USA

problem #72

Jul 262023

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
Car went dead in the middle of the highway and put me and my daughter in danger. Dealership didn't do anything to fix or warn me of what was about to happen. was taken into dealership for excessive oil consumption

- Roshester Hills, MI, USA

problem #71

Jun 282023

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles

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

I was driving 55 miles an hour down a major highway all of the sudden my vehicle jumps and lost all power. I did managed to make it onto the side of the road. I turned off the vehicle and turned it back on it was making a crazy noise. It is now not drivable due to the engine failure.

- Maben, MS, USA

problem #70

May 132023

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
- KSDS (Knock Sensor) Engine Light - Had to have Car towed - Nonactive recall for KSDS system for my vehicle, in spite of the Campaign 966 for Hyundai vehicles within the range of years for the class action lawsuit

- Raleigh, NC, USA

problem #69

Jun 132023

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
My truck started making very funny noises out of the engine area, two nights ago, and the next day, the noise persisted, and the car stalled. When we checked the oil, it was bone dry. There was no oil light warning. This car is very well-maintained.

- Lindenhurst, NY, USA

problem #68

Jun 142023

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
Engine is consuming at least 1quart of oil every 750-1000 miles with no oil leaks.

- Grundy, VA, USA

problem #67

Jun 012022

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
My engine is burning about 3-4 quarts of oil between oil changes.

- King George, VA, USA

problem #66

Jan 012022

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
Engine is consuming 1 quart of oil every 1000 miles. I add 1/2 quart every 500 miles in order to be safe. If this vehicle is driven by someone other than a person like me who checks the oil level between oil changes the engine would fail due to lack of oil. The dealer wants $150 to conduct an oil consumption test! several dealers tell me that this condition is ok, really?

- Parma, OH, USA

problem #65

Apr 232023

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
Consuming 5 quarts of oil in less than 1000 miles, stalling. Not starting

- Lawrenceville, GA, USA

problem #64

Jun 062023

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
Oil consumption is SUPER high. Not even 1 month after oil change have to add 2 quarts of oil. Have replaced gaskets in the engine but the head gaskets are also needing replaced when car not even that old. No oil leaking to be seen from engine. Oil consumption causing failures of other parts costing more in repairs.

- Marion, IA, USA

problem #63

May 272023

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
Oil consumption burn extremely lot of oil after or before one month of iol change.

- Totowa , NJ, USA

problem #62

May 172023

Santa Fe Sport 4-cyl

  • miles
Oil and filter was changed the 1st or 2nd week of March. (Mobil 1 full syn. 5W-20, with a Hyundai filter) A. Oil black, which was typical for the car (approx 1 qt low, topped off multiple times in the approx. 5000 mi since the last oil filter change) Note: On 12/21/22 Rowe Hyundai of Westbrook, ME, performed the ABS Recall, and we had the 2nd Carbon BG fuel injection flush performed. They noted oil was low and appeared dirty. Oil topped off that same day. I also asked the service manager why the engine burned/ leaked so much oil, and was suggested to try the Hyundai oil filter, in which I bought two. Because of the continued leakage of oil around the oil drain cover plate, I asked for a new oil plug washer and was told there was one taped to each one of the oil filter boxes. The first Hyundai filter and washer was installed the first of March 2023. All prior oil / filter changes the oil plug was never loose. I, [XXX] dad, [XXX] have been changing my oil and filters on all my cars for the last 10+ years (not to include when I was younger) est. >60 changes, and never have I had a loose oil plug. new Hyundai filter and drain plug washer were used. Installation was performed to manufacturer-??s spec. B. 5/13/23 added 24 oz. of Mobil 1 full syn. (had approx. 1000 miles since above oil change, this was the typical oil burn) C. 5/17/23 [XXX] left for Baltimore, and 2 hrs into trip (on rt. 15 Merrit Pkwy) noticed the red oil light come on, stopped the car and shut the engine off. Called tow truck, found Hyundai dealer with a good reputation. Police stopped and pushed her to a safer location. Car towed to Balice Hyundai of Fairfield. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Dayton, ME, USA

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