general problems of the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe - part 1

My Hyundai Santa Fe 2019 limited is burning oil. It started after the turbo broke in October 2024. The turbo began leaking oil and then died. I took it to the dealership as it is still under warranty and they replaced the turbo. As a result, I have had issues ever since and now my car burns oil at a fast rate. In between oil changes I need to put oil in the engine to avoid it being drained. I am able to go about 3k miles on synthetic oil and by 2. 5-3k it is almost empty. It has been doing this now since 2024. I just had my 90k mile check up complete and with that I got an oil change. This was done in November 2024. Syntehtic oil was used. On January 16, as I was driving my car mileage decreased, the car began to shake and the engine light came on. I was able to safely stop and have the car towed. It was found that after driving just 2k miles the oil had completely burned off. I currently have an appointment at the dealer for them to run diagnostics on why it is burning. I saw there was a class action lawsuit against other Hyundai's doing the same thing and as a result Hyundai has to replace the engine. I also have read numerous forums where everyone is reporting the same thing with this particular model of it burning oil. I wanted to report this in case there were other owners of the same car experiencing the same thing.

Complaint: safety defect - engine failure risk (stalling/fire) my 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe has the defective theta ii 2. 0l turbo engine (g4kh), subject of class action in Hyundai and kia engine litigation and multiple tsbs. The engine has a known manufacturing defect causing premature connecting rod bearing failure, leading to catastrophic engine seizure. Safety consequence: this defect presents a clear, unreasonable safety risk: sudden stalling: engine can seize without warning while driving, causing loss of propulsion and power steering/brakes, leading to a crash. Engine fire: failed engines can leak oil onto hot components, causing fires. Manufacturer's inadequate remedy: Hyundai's "knock sensor detection system" software update (campaign 966) only attempts to detect failure moments before it happens. It does not fix the underlying mechanical defect. The engine remains a ticking time bomb. Personal experience: my vehicle has suffered multiple related failures (turbocharger, fuel injectors) costing over $5,700, confirming the powertrain's deterioration. I fear driving it, especially with my teenage daughter. The defect is well-known, yet Hyundai's settlements fail to protect subsequent owners like myself, leaving unsafe vehicles on the road. Request: I urge NHTSA to investigate the ongoing safety risk these engines pose to all owners, compel Hyundai to issue a true safety recall for a permanent repair (e. G. , engine long-block replacement), and mandate clear disclosure of this defect to all used car buyers.

On my 2019 sante fe 2. 0t, I started having oil consumption/engine issues after 85, 000 miles. Under warranty, I had several minor repairs made over the last year (since 87,000 miles) at the dealership. In September 2025, at 97, 500 miles, I had it into the dealership complaining of burning oil and excessive consumptions in between oil changes. They again made a few minor repairs, I signed a one-owner warranty form since it was prior to 100,000, and they said come back if I experience further issues. On December 21, at 9pm at night, I broke down on the side of the PA turnpike. My engine light came on after my car started shaking vigorously, and wouldn't accelerate beyond 30mph. Being a Sunday night, I called the dealership in the morning- I was told no appointments for 3 weeks. Took it to a mechanic- where they diagnosed engine failure- hole in intake vale and floating valve not seated. Towed to dealership where it was initially diagnosed spark plugs and engine coil. Once a mentioned I had a prior diagnosis and pictures, Hyundai did bioscope- found burnt valve and now need all new intake values and part of the engine rebuilt. Hyundai wants me to pay for repairs. I don't think I should have to pay a dime- I've been complaining for over 15,000 miles before my warranty expired. And now, at 102, 000 miles, the engines blown?? this is a known manufacturer defect with the theta ii engines, and the pistons. I would expect Hyundai at the very least to cover the cost of the repairs. Quite frankly, they should replace my engine with a new one, since replacing valves wont solve the pistons and burning excessive oil anyways. I have all documentation of repairs at the dealerships, email correspondence sent between the dealership's service advisors and myself, as well as my routine oil changes.

After several oil changes and going from ever 5000 miles to every 3000 miles for oil changes to the need to add additional oil before hitting 3000 for being low on oil. Was told this vehicle just burned oil often and nothing really I was able to do. Check engine light turned on. Car stalled, shook and even turned off after being idle too long. Diagnostic found a leak in a cylinder and no combustion in engine. Out of warranty coverage. No warning lamps came on prior. Was on the freeway when light came on luckily was able to pull over safely. Seen many other cars with similar year, make model and engine had similar issues with oil consumption leading to the need of a full engine replacement. Further reading into issue showed several class actions and recalls to similar situation.

Since December my car has been burning oil at a fast rate. My husband has already had to add an additional 4 quarts since my last service 3000 miles ago. I have read and heard from others with a Santa Fe that they are having to replace their engines because of this. They are under warranty. Unfortunately I am not. I’ve already dealt with a white paint issue with Hyundai. I called couple weeks ago and was told someone would email me and they have not. I’m not sure where to turn now.

Driving on interstate when the car all of a sudden started shaking and the check engine light came on. Had it towed to repair place who said they could not touch it and had to go to Hyundai. Towed it there. Just advised today of the issue and that Hyundai wouldn't cover it. Car has just over 100k miles on it. The engine should not fail this soon. Cylinder 2 no compression was the reported issue. Without a car for several weeks.

Vehicle is consuming oil at an exceptionally fast rate. In October 2025, when taken in for an oil change and my complaint of a burning smell upon quick acceleration, the technician documented no oil was found on the dipstick. Just a month later, in November 2025, the oil level was already extremely low, the vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and an oil consumption test is currently being administered. The vehicle is scheduled for an engine replacement in January 2026 after the consumption test is concluded.

Internal mechanical failure of the piston rings and cylinder walls. Misfire on cylinder #2. Further testing revealed that cylinder #2 is at 80 psi, which is significantly below the manufacturer's specification. A subsequent leak-down test showed a 90% loss of pressure with air escaping through the oil filler hole. The issue stated above can cause severe mechanical failure of piston rings and cylinder walls can absolutely lead to connecting rod bearing problems by creating excessive debris, poor lubrication, abnormal piston motion, and increased stress, causing premature wear, overheating, and eventual bearing failure, often resulting in catastrophic engine knocking and damage.   diagnostics completed by Hyundai dealer and stated an engine replacement. Vehicle became difficult to steer and then warning lamp came on. Vehicle was difficult to turn left and right and almost caused a collision.

Engine oil consumption issue. I have taken the vehicle in 4 times due to this they have. Changed hoses and even the oil pan but the engine still runs out of oil. On several occasions the oil light comes on within 1000 miles of a oil change and when I check it the system is completely out of oil. This means the lubrication system is running with no oil and likely has metal particles in it. I have contacted Hyundai corporate and the issues still has not been resolved. There needs to be a recall on these engines before they start blowing up. I uploaded files of thw most recent service Nov 5th and the current odometer reading and oil level. 7 days later the oil level is low.

This vehicle requires 1-2 quarts of oil to be added to it weekly. It's all over the internet that many different models of Hyundais consume excessive amounts of oil. This puts others at risk due to damaging the engine and the possibility that the car will just stop completely while driving it. We have records to show how often and how much we have to add more oil every week.

Overly excessive oil consumption 2 quarts every 3 or 4 days. No leaks. Engine gets so hot I don't have to turn on heater in winter. On going issue since 100,000 miles. Ebs light stays on electronic parking brake switch does not work. Parking brake will randomly engage after vehicle is turned off. Dealership cannot duplicate issue. If cruse control is turned on the vehicles warning lights all of them will suddenly illuminate and the vehicle shuts off. Alternator and battery replaced. Have not used cruse control since. Airbags never inflated in a front end crash at 45mph most recently I started experiencing I intermittent trouble staring the car. Then one day it didn't start at all and smoke was coming from under the hood. Towed to mechanic , starter burnt up 155,000. $ 900 to replace then a couple days later I lost power on the freeway and the car started jerking and vibrating. Stopped vehicle cut off and would not start. After 1hr I started and limped home. Vibration under 2000 rpms and when stopped. Knocking noise under hood. Brand new spark plugs. Mechanic stated cylinder 3;missfire was identified as a hole in a valve due to weak material now I have to replace engine. Oil consumption and excessive friction and heat is to blame. My car has been cared for like a baby it's all I have. I should not have to be responsible for this very cheaply made engine that was doomed to fail.

Two bolts flew out of the ccvt system, blowing a hole in the valve cover and destroying all the timing components. Because of the issue, all oil spilled from the car. The other two bolts in the system were bent as well. I was driving the vehicle when this happened and could’ve been seriously hurt. I now need a new engine.

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe xl. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 65 mph, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the engine compartment, with the check engine warning light illuminated. Upon inspection, the contact discovered oil leaking from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the rod bearings had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 91,000.

On [xxx], the check engine light came on in my 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe xl. The dealership diagnosed a complete engine failure requiring full replacement. The vehicle has only 54,000 miles. The dealer submitted a warranty claim to Hyundai, but Hyundai denied it because I could not provide receipts for every oil change, despite the fact that the vehicle has been responsibly maintained. An appeal to Hyundai’s goodwill department was also denied. This sudden and premature engine failure poses a serious safety risk. Engines from this generation (lambda ii / gdi family) are known to suffer from rod bearing failure, oil consumption, and sudden seizure. If this failure had occurred at highway speed, it could have led to loss of power, stalling, or an accident. Numerous owners have reported similar engine failures in 2016–2019 Santa Fe models at relatively low mileage, and Hyundai has already issued recalls and warranty extensions for related engines. This indicates a potential widespread defect that may not be adequately addressed. Requested action: I am asking NHTSA to investigate Hyundai’s engine failures in the 2019 Santa Fe xl, review Hyundai’s denial of warranty coverage for vehicles experiencing these failures, and consider expanding existing recalls/warranty extensions to include this model. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I purchased my 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe on October 29, 2021. Since then, I’ve experienced a series of mechanical and electrical failures that I believe are far beyond normal for a vehicle of this age. - the remote start has never worked. - on October 20, 2023, the hatch latch failed. The only way to open it now is by climbing into the back and manually pulling the latch. - on October 27, 2023, the electric power steering failed. I had to replace the entire steering column at a cost of $4,000. - the paint began deteriorating prematurely and required a full repair. Hyundai covered this under warranty, but the cost was $8,000. - in early spring 2025, all coil packs had to be replaced due to misfires, costing approximately $500. - September 4, 2025, the car stalled while I was driving on a main road and I had to pull over. There were no warning lights and I started home. About a mile from home check engine light came on so contact mechanic. Ended up towing to a dealership and was told the engine must be replaced because the oil had burned off without any warning from the oil light indicator. The turbo also needs replacement. - the combined cost is $14,000. These failures have caused significant financial hardship and stress. I am currently $17,000 underwater on the loan, and the repair costs are overwhelming. The lack of warning before catastrophic engine damage is especially concerning. I believe these issues reflect systemic defects in the vehicle’s design and manufacturing. The repeated failure of critical components—especially the steering system and oil monitoring—make this the worst automotive experience I’ve ever had. I respectfully request that the NHTSA investigate these failures and determine whether Hyundai should be held accountable. Consumers deserve protection from vehicles with such extensive and costly problems.

I was driving home Friday August 29th 2025 around 10:30 am on I-70 w when I began to have trouble accelerating my vehicle. There were vehicles trailing closely behind me so I increased pressure on the gas pedal. I would feel my car forcibly trying to compensate and the rpms on the vehicle increased significantly. The check engine light then illuminated and the car stedily beagan to decelerate although rpms were increasing and the force on the gas pedal was at its maximum. I could no longer get past 30 mph. The cars behind me had to quickly change lanes behind me to avoid rear end collision and I finally pulled over to the shoulder of the highway but it was a very narrow shoulder so my safety and the safety of those driving around were compromised because they could have easily resulted in a high speed rear-end collision that could have been fatal and the location of my car on the shoulder was not safe and I could have been side-swipped waiting for a friend to come get me and for me to move my car off hat narrow shoulder. I was frantic and very emotionally distressed by this incident because all the maintenance on the car was up to date and there was no check engine light on in the car prior to this incident. The unexpected and decelleration and inability to compensate on the highway was very unsafe. I have taken my car to the delearship and they have yet to address my engine issues or the safety concerns. The rep actually laughed while I was recounting the events. I also called hagerstown police department to have a police officer come out to the breakdown site because I did not feel safe but my frined arrived before the police.

This car has been cutting off for a month and no type of codes popping up alternator has been replaced two brand new batteries has been replaced which is dangers car cutting off while I am driving this vehicle is not safe at all needs to be recalled ASAP mechanic can’t even find the problem .

The car is burning oil and Hyundai advises to change the oil every 7500 miles. The car holds 5. 1 qt of oil and is currently burning about 1 qt of oil for every 5,000 miles. How is this not a forced recall? people are blowing up their motors all over the country. They knew it was an issue and bought their way out of a class action lawsuit. This endangers any driver if it happens on the interstate. Hyundai/kia are being allowed to skirt accountability with these motors.

Yesterday afternoon after running errands, my car was off and in my driveway. Within 15 minutes I noticed it was smoking. When I opened the hood. The engine was on fire. I attempted to put it out but was unsuccessful. 911 was called and responded to put the flame out. The car was destroyed. I recently had my engine resealed and turbo replaced at a Hyundai dealership. I picked up my car following repairs on April 18th.

One cylinder of the engine is misfiring. When I bought it used in 2021, I realized it had a problem. At red lights or stop signs, the car would randomly not accelerate when it was time for me to go. I would have to turn it off, then on; shift to park then drive; or mash hard on the gas for the car to recover. For example, it happened at these days and times in 2024 (I didn't write down every time since ownership began): 1/24/24 and the key icon lit up; 3/14/24 at 9:20 am; 4/20/24; 7/19/24; 8/7/24; 8/18/24; 8/21/24 at 10:40 am; 8/25/24; 8/27/24; 9/7/24 at 12:30 pm and 3:21 pm; 9/12/24 at 10:38 am; 9/20/24; 9/21/24 at 1:43 pm; 9/23/24 at 7:38 am; 11/12 at 9:36 am; 10/26/24; and 10/27 at 4:37 pm. It was scary! I took the car to the Hyundai dealership in September 2022 and in October 2022 for this issue and the alert that forward collision assist warning wasn't working. I was told both time that they didn't know why the first happened and recommended I replace the entire bumper for the second (it's no longer happening and I did not replace the bumper). I reported it to Hyundai customer care and nothing happened. The car also required 4-5 quarts of oil every 2000 miles. I believe these were precursors to what happened this month. On April 5, 2025 the car completely stopped while I was driving on the highway. I added oil and it chugged to an oil change shop where the diagnosis was a problem with coil 3 in the engine. I went to an auto parts store and replaced coil 3, and the car chugged just enough for me to get home. I had a tune up and the mechanic put heet in the gas tank in case it was a fuel injection issue. The car didn't improve so I took it to another mechanic who diagnosed a misfire in the third cylinder as well, and the spark plug in the third spot looked brand new though the other three showed a bit of wear from the few days I used the car. He told me the engine problem was serious and needed a dealer's examination. I will go to the dealership on 4/17/25.

Our vehicle had 145,000 miles and all maintenance and repairs performed at Hyundai dealerships. Joseph airport Hyundai in vandalia, ohio replaced the timing chain at a cost of $3500. After replacing the timing chain our vehicle began consuming large amounts of oil (9 quarts over 5000 miles). The dealership has tried several repairs and the vehicle still continues to consume the same amount of oil. We now have 160,000 miles on the vehicle and need to always carry a 5 quart container of oil so it doesn't run low. This never happened until we had the timing chain replaced.

We have had our vehicle for over 2 years with routine maintenance. On 1/25/26 we were driving home and oil light came on then check engine light. The oil pressure the issue.

2019 Santa Fe, this vehicle was serviced by Hyundai three times for a "knock sensor" notification. 12/3/2019: ecm manufacturers recall 14,242 miles 7/13/2021: knock sensor hardware notification - 38,615 miles 12/15/2024 repaired 1/7/2025: knock sensor hardware notification – 79,882 miles panel indicating motor issues, vehicle becomes unable to accelerate above 60 mph. We have documented communications between dealers and hyundia corporate with case#.

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while at a red light, the vehicle stalled. The failure had occurred on several occasions. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

SUV driving great for 2 years with routine maintenance- engine light pops up, doesn’t go away, and I take it to a local shop. SUV has low oil pressure of 5 and needs replaced. No sounds or driving issues prior.

Crank shaft seal leak on a 44700 2019. However there is a recall on the crankshaft sensor. Therefore why woul this car need a seal with this yesr an less mileage. Someone needs to look into this. Because the dealer wants 2448. 00 to fix this.

Oil consumption on vehicle engine leading the engine to run low on oil for extended periods of time.

The car died out of nowhere and seized the engine. The engine is blown. I have receipts of the no check engine or oil light had came on, even up to the point of failure. The car was towed to a dealership where they confirmed this to be the case. The car's oil was checked prior to the trip and was at the full line, after the 30 mile journey, the car had used roughly 2qts of oil and was at the low level.

The engine seized with no warning. We had our camshaft replaced six months prior that was covered by our extended warranty. Hyundai dealer was tracking oil consumption issue prior to repair and notice consumption was increasing. We had three oil changes from November through April. Our last oil change was on 3. 25 and engine seized 1,200 miles later. Hyundai offered to cover 60% of the $22,000 engine replacement. We were told that we would need to cover the cost ($2,200) for our Hyundai dealer to break down the engine for our extended warranty to inspect. Unfortunately, they have all but guaranteed that they would deny coverage due to carbon being present in the piston. We are left to cover the cost or junk our car.

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating with the accelerator pedal depressed and the rpm raised. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally failed to start. No warning light was illuminated. Additionally, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost automotive power. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that there were metal shavings in the oil pan. Hyundai eugene (89320 n game farm rd, eugene, or 97408) was contacted; however, the failure was not identified. Upon further investigation, the Hyundai blue link app retrieved dtc associated with the power train ems and power train tcu. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

The vehicle was burning through oil excessively. I was adding 1 quart of oil a week. Dealer did an oil consumption test. They confirmed the engine needed replacement. These vehicles are getting to be known for this issue and the dealer is making me pay 40% of the repairs. They should be covering 100% because the issue is not isolated to my vehicle only.

For the past month my car has been stalling in traffic. The car stalls and then turns back on a few seconds later. It also stalls when I am accelerating after stopping for a red light. This situation is very dangerous and it means that I cannot drive my car expecting to be safe at all. It seems like the motor and the transmission are involved which makes the stalling very dangerous as those are major systems.

My Santa Fe developed difficulty starting beginning the afternoon of February 18. While waiting in stop-and-go traffic to park for a sporting event, the isg (idle stop-and-go) activated at least 40 times. After at least the 40th time, the Santa Fe did not turn back on. After about 10 minutes, I was able to start it. This happened while I was stuck in very heavy traffic exiting the freeway. After that, it would always take multiple attempts to start the car even though the battery had more than enough power to turn over the starter. After a couple of days of dealing with this, I took the Santa Fe to my local Hyundai dealer. After diagnostics, they were able to reproduce the problem and they determined that the starter had developed an intermittent short which was likely caused by the multiple isg activations on Sunday, 2/18/2024. While they verbally agreed with me that repeated activation of the isg was the likely cause of the starter short, they wouldn't put that in the written service statement. At the time of this problem, my Santa Fe was 1,887 miles past the 5-year 60,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. I had purchased the Santa Fe a few months ago as certified pre-owned with about 58,500 miles on it so, even though being the 2nd owner, I retained the remainder of the bumper-to-bumper warranty as well as the 10 year 100,000 engine/drivetrain/transmission warranty. Oddly enough the starter, which is attached to the engine is categorized as part of the car's electrical system instead of as part of the engine so the starter replacement wasn't covered. I appealed to the dealer for a discount of some kind. They declined. They claimed to have called Hyundai USA which also supposedly said no to covering the cost of the new starter. A quick google search for this problem revealed other owners of Santa Fes with the isg have had the same exact issue.

On February 16, 2024 I brought my car in for a recall that the dealership called me and advised me that I needed to get it done so I brought it in and mentioned that it was hesitating a little bit so they did the inspection and found out I needed oil they proceeded to tell me there was sludge and oil or something like that and they did an oil flush twice $600 later everything should be fine as I turn my back to walk out after paying I was told to listen for any noises so I was concerned for noises because what they did just may not be the fix. So fast forward a week and a half later I hear a subtle noise in the engine and make an appointment for March 1. Bring the car in to the staten island Hyundai dealership and was treated like a criminal with my own car! they kept on saying customer neglect and that I may need a new engine and it has to go to corporate so nothing‘s gonna happen. It’s cause it’s the weekend and I expected to hear something on Monday but weeks by and not hear nothing until they need more oil change records the last record they have was at 36,000 miles apparently they think I never took it anywhere else so they wanted anything after that and then later on after I submitted that they denied my engine replacement because I didn’t submit anything prior to that anything prior to that would’ve been cleared and it wouldn’t show customer neglect because they do the multipoint inspection every time you walk in the dealership so I was neglecting the car. Why did they not find anything on it? keep in mind that the oil light never went on there was no oil leak and the engine light never went on so there was no indication that anything was wrong with this car until we heard subtle noise and Hyundai dealership on staten island told us we needed a replacement and so this has been going on for two months now and I’ve been calling places trying to get an engineering placement with no luck.

Oil pan leaks after an oil change. Oil pan has a hairline crack just below the drain plug after normal tightening of the plug. Excessive oil was found on my driveway. No obvious engine damage, considering the vehicle was only moved from one spot to the other. The dealer stated the oil pan isn't covered under warranty. I simple internet search revealed there was a high number of complaints. It was a "do it yourself repair. " the cost to fix was to replace the oil pain, new tools and 5 quarts of oil.