10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
17,335 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 1 of 7)

problem #125

Mar 012024

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles

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

I bought my 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport from Toyota of Scranton as a certified pre-owned vehicle. I was told by the sales representative, Doug, that the car had been -??checked and serviced, everything down to a full tank of gas-??. In March, my oil light quickly flashed. When I checked it there was low oil, so I did an oil change. In June the oil light quickly flashed again. I informed Toyota of Scranton and they recommended an oil change and changing the drain plug. They reimbursed me after I did so because I had bought the car so recently so I -??likely bought it that way-??. However, the issues continued and I had it looked at by Kost Tire & Auto Service to rule out a leak. On November 6, 2024 I brought it to Toyota so they could diagnose the issue, as I am still in the mileage window for my warranty. I picked up November 8, 2024 to begin a 1,000 mile oil consumption test. I brought the car back November 27, 2024 and it was established that the car was -??excessively burning oil-??. -- The engine has failed. -- The dealer confirmed the issue. -- The warranty company says they do not consider this issue a "mechanical failure" and will not cover the damage. -- Toyota tore down the engine and the warranty company inspected it. The car is still sitting at Toyota torn down.

- Honesdale, PA, USA

problem #124

Mar 132023

Santa Fe Sport

  • 111,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the contact was notified of a misfire in cylinder #1 and #2 which caused damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V746000 (Engine), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 111,000.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #123

May 242024

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
In May 2024, the vehicle's oil light came on while slightly turning the wheel or braking. When taken to a dealership, they stated that the car only had one quart of oil remaining, which was 4,000 miles after my last oil change and not due for another 1,000 miles. They stated there was excessive oil consumption and recommended the vehicle be taken to Hyundai dealer. I took the vehicle to Hyundai dealer in August 2024 because the car was making a rattling sound when accelerating from 0-40mph along with the car jerking between 30-40mph if accelerating except when only applying light pressure to the accelerator. Hyundai dealer stated there was no oil remaining in the vehicle, which was why the vehicle was shaking and rattling when accelerating. They began a claim process with Hyundai as the vehicle was under 100K warranty. After two consumption tests, it was deemed the vehicle was not consuming oil as previously thought. After the last consumption test in October 2024, the oil light began to come back on with me braking the vehicle. Hyundai dealer stated there was nothing further they could do to assist and stated I'd need to reach out to Hyundai customer care to file a report. I did this 10/18/24, and in December, Hyundai customer care told me to take the vehicle back to Hyundai dealer. Hyundai said at that time that now there was an oil leak from the oil pressure sensor, which allowed oil to pass through the entire main wiring of the engine until it reached the PCM. They said I need to replace the PCM, oil pressure switch, and engine control harness for $7,000, not covered by the warranty. Parts are also on backorder for over a year. My car's oil light continues to come on, and now the engine light is coming on while my car shakes when I reach 45mph or greater. It is deemed no longer safe to drive the vehicle, especially with my children in the car. When I checked the dipstick, it was completely out of oil, which was 1500 miles after they performed oil change.

- Marion, IN, USA

problem #122

Jan 092024

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles

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

In 2024, I initially suspected that my car was being improperly serviced at local Jiffy Lubes. Later, I thought it might be an oil leak, so I took it to the dealership. They informed me that there was an oil pan gasket leak and replaced it. However, when I returned the car a week later and said it wasn't fixed, they inspected it and claimed everything was fine. As months went by, I found myself consistently adding oil to the vehicle whenever the warning light came on. Whether I added 1 quart or 3 quarts at a time, the oil light would come on again about a week later, and I continued this cycle of adding oil. It was not until I found social media platforms/forums about a reoccurring problem with Hyundai vehicles burning oil. I have not talked to the dealership since so many people have stated in these forums that there is no solution because Hyundai denies there is a problem. I have 110k miles on the car and as long as there is no recall, I am forced to have the engine replaced at my cost. I am a retired, disabled veteran and cannot afford to have such expenses. There has to be a resolution to this problem with all of these peoples reports.

- Westchester, IL, USA

problem #121

Jan 012025

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
For the past 1.5 months my oil light has come on intermittently. This is odd because the vehicle has regular oil changes still not due for almost 2000 miles. 4 bottle of oil was added recently. Today the car stopped working while on the NJ turnpike when checked there was no oil in the engine.

- Secaucus, NJ, USA

problem #120

Nov 182024

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
2018 Hyundai Santefe 2.4L engine burned oil at a high rate and due to this caused 4k oil changes obsolete. The car need an oil change every 2k miles and still would have high build up. Hyundai claimed engine failure was due to gaps in the oil changes them being done around 4.5k miles in the start. Many people have had engine failures with these car and they are still selling them with the defective engine to this date and not warning the buyers about the problems with these cars and are forcing the second hand buyers to pay $6-12k outta pocket to repair these cars after a year of owning them. I think Hyundai should be held accountable for these actions after they know these engines are defective and they still have them on their car lots for someone to stroll in and buy a $17k car with previous owners that will fail within the next year of ownership. Attached is maintence record for the vehicle.

- Suffolk , VA, USA

problem #119

Dec 222024

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles

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

Driving on highway, when accelerator failed to maintain, the car started to jerk. After blocking traffic behind me, I was able to pull car over on the side of the busy highway, with smoke coming from hood. This was well after dark, and it was towed to a local and dependable mechanic. He had told me the engine was cracked. I am in the process of finding out if I am eligible for the extended warranty, for I meet all requirements

- Birmingham, AL, USA

problem #118

Dec 122024

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
I was on the highway and pressed the gas and the car started shaking. Wouldn-??t go up in speed so I pulled off the highway and parked it. Checked the oil and it was almost empty even though I had an oil change about a month ago. Service center says it need a whole new engine at 108k miles. How is this possible? They say there were pieces of the valve in the fourth cylinder which also had lots of oil in it. I bought this car used and am only the second owner. Surely there is something Hyundai can do if they know about this issue.

- Lawrence, KS, USA

problem #117

Dec 122024

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa FE. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the was a burning oil smell permeating the interior of the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the piston rings in cylinders one and three. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (Engine), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 7,000.

- Council Bluffs, IA, USA

problem #116

Aug 122024

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
The component that is malfunctioning is my engine. I took it into the dealership and they said I had cylinder scoring on my engine from excessive oil consumption. My safety was put as risk as my car threw itself into limp mode in the middle of the high way while going over 70 mph. I had to immediately pull over on the side of the highway and somehow get it back home while not being able to accelerate fully. My car is not drivable in this mode as it is unsafe. This issue has been confirmed by a dear shop although they refuse to replace the engine unless I pay for it out of pocket which is not possible. The vehicle component was inspected at the dealership. There was no prior warning to the engine issues. If there had been oil consumption issues before I had just recently bought the vehicle and there was no way of me knowing.

- Lubbock , TX, USA

problem #115

Nov 222024

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles

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

The engine is sucking oil faster than it normally would and could put me at danger. If it sucks up too much oil too soon I could lose control of my car in the winter and be the cause of an accident.

- Eau Claire, WI, USA

problem #114

Nov 012024

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
I continually need to add oil to the engine. It burns oil so fast I need to add three quarts weekly

- Flemington, NJ, USA

problem #113

Oct 222021

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
This is just a follow-up to request an Expedited Hearing regarding the Hyundai Santa Fe because the Engine Stallings, Oil Consumption (about 2 qts. every 1000 miles) Tailpipe Smoking problems are getting worse. It's becoming a Major Safety Hazard. Engine Stalling example: With both kids (girl [XXX] & boy [XXX] ) in the SUV Driving approx. 50 mph the Engine Stalled and I could not steer the SUV. I hit the curve to avoid the 50 mph oncoming traffic and a catastrophic accident. This incident (about 57,000 miles) and the subsequent 12 to 15 Stallings were reported to Hyundai and is why we are desperately requesting the Expedited Hearing. Many of the Engine Stallings were reported to Hyundai before the Hyundai original Manufacturer 60,000 mile warranty Expired in 10/21. HMA and Vandergriff Hyundai has not repaired the vehicle and is responsible for not Honoring Promises (documented) to test and repair the SUV that cause us to drive the vehicle past the 60,000 mile limited warranty. Per Hyundai Case Managers and Vandergriff Service Managers and Advisors (documented) the Engine Stallings, Oil Consumption/Tailpipe Smoking problems are caused by the manufacture defective engine. These Engine Stalling issues (from [XXX] > [XXX]) are cited in the Federal Class-Action Lawsuit Settlement (which includes our SUV) against Hyundai but Hyundai has not corrected the problem. The class-action settlement provides lifetime warranty repair of this problem. Hyundai has documented these problems via HMA-??s 11 case #-??s [XXX], [XXX], [XXX], [XXX], [XXX], [XXX], [XXX], [XXX], [XXX], [XXX] & [XXX]. The forced out-of-pocket expenses (rentals, loaner cars, repairs, inconveniences etc.) caused by these issues has exceeded $32,000 to which we have not been reimbursed. Re: the Oil Consumption causing Tailpipe Smoking Problems Currently, A California Class-Action Lawsuit says that over 2 million cars in America has the Tailpipe Smoking problems thus making this issue INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

- Cedar Hill, TX, USA

problem #112

Oct 232024

Santa Fe Sport

  • 58,000 miles
The contact owned a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 40 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle hesitated and stalled. The contact stated the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact then had the vehicle towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the knock sensor needed to be replaced. The knock sensor was replaced and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,000.

- Sandy, UT, USA

problem #111

Oct 142024

Santa Fe Sport

  • 144,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the contact stated that while driving at speeds above 30 MPH, the vehicle shook and vibrated abnormally. In addition, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the intended destination. The contact stated that when the failure occurred, there were three small children inside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with an oil leak and that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact was informed that several unknown repairs were needed to prior to requesting an engine replacement by the manufacturer. The contact was informed that the unknown repairs were at the vehicle owner-??s expense. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

- Kissimmee, FL, USA

problem #110

Aug 242024

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
Q1. The car is shaking and making rumbling noises upon driving and a check engine light is turned on. It seem like the car will abruptly stop and may result in a crash on a highway. Inspection by multiple mechanics indicate that the engine is misfiring and there seems to be an engine oil leakage issue, imbalance of engine or some part of it. The engine configuration is the same as with the engine recalls (under recall number-17V226000) made on 2013 and 2014 models of Hyundai Santa Fe sport which is GDI, 2.4 Liter and was also manufactured in the USA. Yes, the car is available to inspect on request. Q2. The car was shaking and rumbling while driving even at 40mph. We had to pull up to the side because it felt risky and then had to drive slowly to reach home. It was scary and felt life-threatening with a risk of crashing due to abrupt halting of the car. Q3. Yes inspected by the manufacturer- Hyundai. Q4. The check engine light has been coming on and off for over 10 months period. The car has been inspected and checked by multiple mechanics including 2 times visit to the Hyundai service center. They first appeared in Oct 2023 and is an ongoing issue every other month costing me ~$1000. I have been filling up with 4 quarter of engine oil after driving ~200 miles since it was suspected to be an engine oil leakage issue. However, nothing has been resolved and this issue fits the description and problems seen the Hyundai 2013 and 2014 Santa Fe sports- which have been recalled (under recall number-17V226000).

- Worcester, MA, USA

problem #109

Aug 022024

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
The oil light has appeared to light up in the car while I am driving it. The first time was January 2023. I pulled over and checked my oil and had literally no oil in my car. I immediately went to Auto Zone (or Advance/O'Reilly's-I'll check my receipts) and poured 5 quarts of oil in the car and called Hyundai (this was within the timeframe of oil changes). They had me bring my car in and stated they needed to change oil and do an oil consumption test, so I had to drive 1,000 miles, bring my car back in and repeat. In the end, they said nothing was wrong with my car. In early August, this year, the same thing happened and I am having to go through this again.

- Lakewood, CO, USA

problem #108

Jan 152022

Santa Fe Sport

  • 50,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an abnormal amount of engine oil. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where an oil consumption test was completed, and the results were that the vehicle was consuming one quart of oil for every 640 miles driven. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact stated the dealer contacted the manufacturer to request that the engine be replaced; however, the manufacturer declined to approve the engine replacement due to previous services being performed by independent mechanics. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

- Lindsborg, KS, USA

problem #107

Mar 292024

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
I got my oil changed 98,161 March 1 2024 at mechanic shop Mechanic shop checked oil March 29 2024 at 98,867 a total of 706 miles driven since last oil change. They added 2.5 quarts of oil. So i did my own research online found out the Hyundai 2018 Santa Fe Sport Turbo 2.5 Theta engines has excessive oil consumption problems that will cause Engine to seize/lock up, catch on fire, and other mechanical problems. I have an extended warranty TXXI and TXXC. Oil consumption leaks into the pistons and rod bearings and will cause a knocking in the engine. The oil is already in spark plugs and pcv valve which i replaced. But it will continue to keep happen over and over. I don't want my engine to catch on fire with me in it or at all that's why i am proactive in getting this solved now its already a problem. I contacted Wilson Hyundai dealership they did an 2 month oil consumption test Oil change i had to drive it for 1000 miles It failed. Then they did combuster chamber cleaning i had to drive it for another 1000 miles it failed again. So they submitted claim to corporate that i needed an engine. Corporate declined saying i was over my miles they had the wrong mileage it was a way just to deny me but dealership had correct miles so they could not follow through with that lie. So Corporate made Dealership send another claim in this time corporate denied it saying i was over my warranty. No i was not i started this at 98, 867 miles When 2.5quarts had to be added. I also had to wait a week to get into Wilson dealership because they were backed up in appointments i was at 100,212 miles and so where other Hyundia dealerships others were 1-2 months out in appointments. I had to be in a rental car for 2 months had to pay for it and still pay car note paid for oil testing which i was told i would be reimbursed for repairs and car rentals but they did not honor it nor did they pay goodwill pay for all of my inconvenience 2 month long testing and it failed and they still denied/ lied

- Nashville, TN, USA

problem #106

Jan 312024

Santa Fe Sport

  • miles
I am writing to formally file a complaint regarding the significant oil consumption issue with my 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. My vehicle was part of a class action lawsuit settlement that provided extended warranties and reimbursement for repairs related to oil consumption defects. I first reported the oil consumption issue in 2022, while my vehicle was still within the warranty period. Despite my multiple attempts over the past two years to have an oil consumption test conducted, Hyundai dealerships only agreed to perform the test in January 2024. The test confirmed that my vehicle has an oil consumption issue. However, Hyundai has refused to cover the necessary repairs, claiming that my vehicle is now past 100,000 miles and out of warranty. This refusal is unfair, as the issue was acknowledged within the warranty period, and the delays in testing were beyond my control. I must consistently add oil to my vehicle several times a month and get oil changes before the recommended timeframe to ensure the vehicle runs smoothly without damage.

- Milwaukee, WI, USA

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