Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Hyundai Santa Fe - part 1

Car stuttered and would not rev past 2k rpm. Blinking check engine light appeared code was for known connecting rod failure for all theta engines for our 2018 sante fe. Hyundai is trying to get out of covering the cost of repair or replacement even though this is a very well known issue and is covered under warranty.

See all problems of the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

I turned off the car and went inside the house. I was outside and could smell smoke. I walked to the front of the house and saw my neighbor who was calling 911 due to flames from my engine. The flames reached the yard and my garage where minor damage occurred. The vehicle was completely engulfed in flames before the fire department extinguished it.

See all problems of the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

While driving, the engine catastrophically failed without warning, causing an immediate loss of power-assisted braking and steering. The failure occurred while traveling downhill. I was unable to slow or control the vehicle properly and was forced to proceed through a school bus’s flashing lights to avoid a potentially catastrophic collision, resulting in a traffic citation. My son was in the vehicle at the time. A sudden loss of engine power, braking assist, and steering assist while driving presents a serious safety defect. Vehicle was towed to fred beans Hyundai in doylestown where it has been confirmed engine failure. This failure happened immediately and without warning.

See all problems of the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

Engine issues: a week ago, on two separate occasions, my Santa Fe cutoff while driving suddenly. A day later, I noticed a rhythmic knocking upon starting my vehicle. The knocking would increase during acceleration and decrease when I let off. I am only at 83,000 miles on this 2018 vehicle. I took the vehicle in for an oil change and they didn't notice anything off about the oil. Afterwards it slightly improved; however, once I was able to get it to the shop they said there were metal shavings in the engine/oil and it was a complete engine failure costing $12,000 to replace. There were no indicators that there was an issue on the dash.

Took my 22 sante fe to the Hyundai dealership to have the blower motor checked since I have no air flow in my car. Dealership informed me that the engine harness needs replaced and that it melted the fuse box under the hood. So, I am not able to replace my blower motor at this time due to the melted fuse box. Dealership also advised that they have seen the same problem in multiple 22 sante fe. And that there is likely more with the same issue within the united states. I have been noticing a melting/hot smell in the car before the airflow quit and I took it to the dealership to be diagnosed.

See all problems of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

Purchased this 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe from dealer with 86k miles. (second owner). Immediately noticed excessive oil consumption. Would take vehicle in for oil top off service, to ensure proper levels. At 99k miles (six months after purchase) lost compression in #2 cylinder while driving on the freeway. Per independent auto repair facility and a Hyundai service center, engine replacement is needed. Hyundai declined engine replacement. It appears oil consumption was an issue when the vehicle was traded in to the dealership, and they resold it anyway to an unsuspecting consumer.

See all problems of the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe sport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact stated that the repair coverage was denied because of the maintenance record of the previous owner of the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

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My vehicle was serviced for an oil change at my dealership today. The mechanics are concerned about too much oil consumption in between oil changes. They have no evidence of a leak. Prior to getting my oil changed, a red oil light appeared when I brake. The dealership had mentioned of related recalls for this problem for this vehicle model.

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.

See all problems of the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

We have a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe with 130k miles on it. It has the 2. 4 engine with known manufacturing defects. We are the 2nd owner and timely & proper maintenance was completed on it since it was new. My [xxx] driver was operating the vehicle on interstate 75 in middle georgia when the vehicle started running very rough, slowed down dramatically and the check engine light started blinking. She was blessed that a large truck didn’t run her over as she tried to move to the side of the roadway. We called a tow truck to take it to the nearest Hyundai dealership- alm Hyundai of warner robins, GA. They inspected the vehicle and stated that the engine had messed up and they wouldn’t replace it since the vehicle had 130k miles and outside their window for 120k mile replacement. We purchased the vehicle from the original owner in 2022. We verified that it had timely and proper maintenance on it. We were also aware of a potential engine issue but verified with a Hyundai service advisor at five star Hyundai in macon, GA that the vehicle would be eligible for engine replacement if it messed up due to a manufacturing defect as long as proper maintenance was completed. We noticed that the vehicle was significantly burning oil at around 110k miles and regularly had to put oil in it to make sure it would not run dry. We did have the safety recall performed on it for the engine knock issue that Hyundai mandated. These vehicles are a major safety hazard on the roadway and these effected engines should be replaced by the manufacturer. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Excessive oil burn off. Oil is getting into the cylinder, causing scorching. This causing engine failure.

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe sport. While driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal odor coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road; and the check engine warning light illuminated. A handheld scanner was used to retrieve dtc: p1326 (ksds – connecting rod bearings failure). The vehicle was towed to the residence, and then towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and informed the contact that the rod bearings had failed, causing engine failure. The dealer notified the manufacturer of the failure; however, the manufacturer declined to repair the vehicle. The manufacturer informed the contact that the prior owner had submitted a complaint regarding the failure in January of 2024. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.

I am writing to formally report an incident involving the service department at lakeland Hyundai (1500 w memorial blvd, lakeland, FL 33815). My 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe was brought in on 12/31/25 for an active engine recall involving the cylinder head cover oil leak repair (recall code 976 / campaign 24-01-026h). The vehicle was driven into the dealership in proper working condition. I was later informed that allegedly stripped bolts for the cover would require an out-of-pocket cost of $483. 36, despite this being a recall repair. There was also a required upper timing chain guide repair quoted at $58. 38 to complete the recall work. When I was called in on 01/12/26 to pick up the vehicle for completed work, I was charged $29. 99 for a multi-point inspection related to the recall, yet no documentation or billing was provided for the timing chain guide repair I was told was completed. Upon attempting to leave the lot, the check engine light was on and the vehicle immediately began shaking violently and producing a loud noise. The service representative could not identify the cause and later advised there was nothing further they could do, citing a p0300 code, and instructed me to return the loaner and retrieve my now-undrivable vehicle. My vehicle remains at lakeland Hyundai and is undrivable due to issues that arose immediately following recall service. I respectfully request guidance and resolution regarding responsibility for the damage, loaner coverage, and loss of transportation.

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My 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe hybrid has recurring powertrain communication failures starting at only 67 miles and continuing at 5,300 and 6,200 miles. Diagnostic trouble codes include u010100 (lost communication with engine control module) and multiple u100xxx codes related to transmission and can bus communication failures. These indicate loss of communication between critical control modules. The issue has happened multiple times and remains unresolved. I am concerned this could cause drivability problems, warning lights, or sudden loss of power. This appears to be a system-level defect in the vehicle’s communication network.

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Immediately following routine maintenance performed at an authorized Hyundai dealership, my 2025 Hyundai hybrid Santa Fe calligraphy experienced a complete loss of engine oil, which resulted in the engine shutting down while driving on a highway. While traveling at highway speed with my minor daughter, the oil pressure and engine warning lights illuminated, followed by multiple error messages. The vehicle rapidly lost power, and I struggled to safely maneuver it onto the shoulder while high-speed traffic was passing. This created an immediate and life-threatening safety situation, with a real risk of being struck by other vehicles. We were stranded on the roadside for over three hours awaiting a tow, exposed to ongoing traffic danger. The dealership later advised that the incident was caused by a faulty Hyundai-supplied part, not driver error, misuse, or lack of maintenance. The vehicle had only approximately 4,000 miles at the time of failure. A sudden engine shutdown due to oil loss at highway speeds presents a severe risk of collision, injury, or death, especially when it occurs without warning. Given that a Hyundai component is implicated, I am concerned this may represent a broader safety defect affecting other vehicles. This incident caused extreme distress and endangered both myself and my child. I am submitting this complaint so that NHTSA may evaluate whether this issue warrants regulatory review or further investigation.

Official dealer refusal to perform critical safety recall (VIN: [xxx] ) description: I am reporting a formal refusal by the official Hyundai distributor in the dominican republic (magna motors) to perform critical safety recalls on my us-spec vehicle. Pending recalls: recall #251 (NHTSA 23v651000): abs module fire risk. Campaign #953: ksds software update. The dealer (magna motors) refuses to perform the service, claiming a "lack of tools," and has declined to provide a written explanation for this denial. This is a severe violation of safety regulations regarding life-threatening defects (fire risk). As the vehicle is a us-spec unit, I request NHTSA’s intervention to ensure the manufacturer (Hyundai) compels its local representative to complete these repairs immediately at no cost. Please note: I am using a us mailing address only to complete this form. The vehicle and I are physically located in the dominican republic. The local official distributor, magna motors, is failing to honor these NHTSA safety recalls. " information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Component: engine (theta ii 2. 4l gdi) / connecting rod bearing-related failure risk with abnormal internal oil loss. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request (engine, oil level condition, diagnostic history, and dealer records). Safety risk: while driving on the highway (approx. 70 mph), the vehicle displayed a low oil warning, and I experienced concern for potential engine seizure/stalling and sudden loss of power, which could cause a crash. I reduced speed and sought service. This condition presents an ongoing safety risk because sudden engine failure can occur without adequate warning. Dealer confirmation: the problem was confirmed by a Hyundai dealer. After a routine oil change, the low oil warning appeared within ~1,700 miles. A Hyundai service center inspected the vehicle and documented the engine was approximately 3 quarts low with no external leaks, indicating internal loss/engine deterioration rather than a leak. Hyundai then required additional steps (combustion chamber cleaning and monitored mileage), and the abnormal internal oil loss condition persisted. Manufacturer inspection: the vehicle has been inspected by Hyundai dealerships, and Hyundai performed campaign-related actions, including ksds/ecm update (t3g) and later knock sensor replacement. No police or insurance inspection. No crash or injury occurred. Warning lamps/symptoms prior to failure: prior symptoms included a check engine lamp with dtc p1326 (ksds-related) documented by Hyundai service in 2025, followed by continued abnormal internal engine condition. The low oil warning occurred while the vehicle was in motion (highway speed). The issue remains unresolved, and I do not feel the vehicle is safe to operate due to seizure/stall risk. Additional: I reported this as a safety defect because similar theta ii engine issues are widely reported and can result in stalling, seizure, or engine fire. Hyundai denied engine replacement assistance despite the documented condition.

Car misfiring symptoms like rough or shaky idle, hesitation and loss of power during acceleration, stumbling, unusual popping/backfiring noises, poor fuel economy, and a lit check engine light. Felt vibrations / heard sputtering sounds, as if the engine skipped a beat, often becoming more noticeable under load or when accelerating. Sometimes, the issue goes away after restarting the engine.

See all problems of the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

Engine is burning oil as a default in manufacturing of engine, leaving little to know oil in the engine and causing other malfunctions that use the oil.

Vehicle will suddenly shutdown in the middle of the road. This could easily have caused a crash at any time. Several batteries have been replaced due to alternator not charging the battery. Then the battery has to be jumped for emergencies. I have taken the car in for repairs of the recall twice. I was told that the front end would come off and parts would have to be replaced because of the age of my vehicle they would not fit again. I need a solution to this problem.

See all problems of the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

Car had an unintended acceleration. I had been stopped prior to entering my garage. I had started to slowly accelerate when the car accelerated hard. It took a lot of effort to stop the car.

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe sport. The contact stated that while driving at 25 mph and approaching a stop, the vehicle stalled. The battery, check engine, and oil warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 22v810000 (service brakes, hydraulic). The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where an unknown diagnosis was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The warranty claim was denied. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

After 110,000, the engine started using oil and it began to knock. According to the history of these engines, it will lead to engine failure. They have a record of being a lemon engine and there is not a engine of this type that this does not happen. The engine needs to recalled and replaced, they are the theda ii gdi series of 2. 0l and 2. 4l four-cylinder engines from Hyundai/kia.

I hadn't used the car in a few weeks (rarely leave the house because I work from home). I went to visit a friend on December 26th or 27th (don't remember exact date). On the way there the engine started having a knocking noise. On the way home after eating a meal with the friend, the knocking got louder, and the car was losing power. As I drove up a hill, the engine was providing almost no power, and then I heard a very loud bang, and a blue-ish, white smoke cloud came out from under the car, and it died completely. As a secondary issue, since this was right after christmas, I couldn't find an open shop to have it towed to, so it was left on the side of the road overnight. The next day when I drove back to meet a tow-truck driver at the car, we found it had been broken into overnight, and my wife's childhood christmas decorations were stolen. Nothing else of value was taken. I did have police come out and make a report at the time. I only just discovered that the engine was under a recall for "campaign 966" for this exact issue.

See all problems of the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

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.

Engine control harness with under fuse box due to melted fuse box. This caused my blower motor and relay to go bad. No air flow currently in car due to control harness. Dealership stated that there has been several sante fe that has came in this year with the same issue.

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.

Excessive oil consumption under warranty, . Hyundai says its normal consumption within 1,000 miles. Engine its doing stalls now.

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.

I currently owned an 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe fwd with the 3. 3 v6 engine with approximately about 136,000 miles. We were driving into vegas when we heard the knocking engine sounds. Immediately we called the dealership in vegas advising them we were going to tow the vehicle in. Once we get the vehicle towed over to the dealership, we waited till the following Monday where it was authorized to have the engine replaced. We were so glad about that. The vehicle was going to be completed by early January and we got the news the vehicle was completed but now having misfiring issues due to faulty injectors. I was advised that this was not covered due to the mileage. This was an non issue when I turned in the vehicle to Hyundai. I made several attempts to contact my case manager and this was again denied due to the mileage. For a vehicle with less than 140k miles and being less than 10 years old, we are very upset with this process and for Hyundai knowing that there were concerning issues with both the fuel injectors and engine.

I have a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe with ~88,000 miles. I noticed on 12/18/2025 that the oil lamp light came on briefly then turned off. So, I decided to take my car in to get serviced on 12/19/2025. I was told that there is an oil consumption issue with the engine and that Hyundai would need to do a combustion cleaning, and worst case scenario a full engine replacement. Hyundai refuses to cover us under warranty because we transferred the car from my mother-in-law's name to my wife's name. I want to file this as a complaint to the NHTSA because a car that isn't even 10-years old and has less than 90,000 miles should not be needing an engine replacement. Hyundai appears to be aware of the issue as my service advisor at the dealership has mentioned that several of their cars with this engine have the exact same issue. To me, this sounds like a defect and should have a recall.

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.

Engine seized while driving. Recall-covered failure mode. Hyundai denial despite recall. Screenshots showed recall with VIN for engine recall and suddenly removed by Hyundai next day.

See all problems of the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

2020 Hyundai santafe limited awd . . . Burning excessive oil. This only was noticed because the low oil light intermittently started coming on, and has only started happening in the last few months. Low oil indicator flashing - 4qt low, went for an immediate oil change 78788 miles - oil changed 80252 miles - low oil - added 1qt 80628 miles - low oil - added 1qt 81376 miles - oil changed 81999 miles - low oil - added 1qt 82755 miles - low oil - added 2qt these are the most recent events since we started logging it.

While driving- in total movement- the car completely shut off. Without any prior warning or indication. Immediately after, the car restarted, drove a couple blocks over, continuing to shut off while driving. It was then towed. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? the warning lights did not appear until after the car quit. They all came on & flashed & quickly went back out. Uncertain which component misfired or is affected- possibly related to an engine or fuel/ cylinder failure. Car is at mechanic for inspection. Our safety & lives were in critical jeopardy as the vehicle stopped without warning while driving in traffic congested area. It is unknown if this is a known issue or if this situation has been replicated however the current mechanic facility has experienced the same issue with this vehicle. Also strong odor of gas was experienced during shutoff.