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

During on driving, engine stopped 3 or 4times since Jan/2025 last time engine stopped yesterday around 6:30pm on 3/30/2026 at [xxx] between [xxx] and [xxx] in los angeles information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

Traveling in a 55 zone on rt 27 and my vehicle lost power and said pull over and charge vehicle with engine on. I did this once and the battery went up to half way charge then I could start to drive again. Less than a half a mile up the road climbing a good size hill by the town’s salt shed—the same issue occurred. I had to pull over again and allow battery to recharge. This is not a complete hybrid, it has a gas engine not sure why the hybrid and gas are not syncing up. Many users on the internet have reported the same issue that I have experienced. Someone needs to investigate this before major injury occurs.

See all problems of the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

I bought a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe from a dealership in may of 2023. Ever since then I have paid around $8,000 in repairs for this car. These repairs have been so expensive and time consuming that last year I wasn’t able to drive it for 6 months because it was in the shop for most of the year. I had to fix the fuel pump, the battery, timing chain valve twice, O2 sensor , catalytic converter, engine valve, cylinder 1 & 3 and now I have to fix cylinder 2 & 4 & that cost again around $2,000 to fix. I am constantly stressed out, crying and becoming broke because I have to keep on repairing this car. I use up all of my tows every year because my car always shuts off on me while I am driving. I am at the point where I want a refund on the car and I want to get rid of this vehicle. I do not feel safe driving on the highway or driving with my two kids and I am currently pregnant again and this car isn’t safe for a family. I am constantly feeling broken down and worthless because I can’t even keep this car a float.

See all problems of the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

Oil pan leak.

Engine. It happened while I was driving. No it wasnt reproduced or confirmed by a dealer, but have been told by a couple and also me seeing that the engine wasnt able to manually be cranked at all. No inspection was done by manufacturr, police, or insurance, because it didnt cause a accident. Just engine light which have been reported to the dealership and was toled they couldnt fix it, but that was just staying on all the time for quite some time. No finally I would like to see if this can be investigated on to be a recall since the original miles are only about 68000 and shouldnt have these problem at this low mileage.

See all problems of the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

I purchase the 2017 Santa Fe sport in October of 2023 with just short of 80k miles. It was in great condition and had no issues. I have maintained it according to Hyundai specification and regular on schedule oil changes with recommended 5w-20 full synthetic. At approximately 100k miles, I experienced an oil pressure light on the dash, when checked, the engine was approximately 2 quarts low. From this point on, the engine started consuming oil at an increasing rate all while I maintained regular maintenance. First, 1 quart a month, or about 1200 to 1500 miles, then to 1 quart every 2 weeks or 800 miles. I maintained weekly checks on the oil level and on the evening of 3/24/2026, I had added a quart, bringing the level to the midway point between the high and low dipstick markings. On the afternoon of 3/24/26 while driving on the highway in heavy, but at speed limit, traffic on the highway, I experienced a loss of power and a check engine light. I was able to exit the highway but the car started to run very rough and unable to idle. Luckily, there was no traffic approaching when I turned off the exit and made a left into parking lot to shut off the vehicle. I will be having it towed to a dealership in the next few days for their analysis.

These vehicles are not suitable to be on the road, and you NHTSA and Hyundai are doing nothing about it. These vehicles are eating oil, a quart every 200 miles. My daughter(college) can't even go on a short road trip to another city without adding oil. The engines in these crap cars are blowing up left & right. There are numerous facebook page groups for these and sister kia vehicles with the same 2. 4 engines. Thousands upon thousands of posts about engine oil and engines blowing up, no one doing anything about it. My daughter's car is beautiful, but worth nothing due to this issue, so we are out thousands of dollars on this. We are about to go to war with Hyundai on this and I'm sure we'll get nowhere. If we're lucky, they'll install a rebuilt engine. . . But it"s the same crap engine!!!!!!! so we are all back to square one and NHTSA is doing nothing. This is a well known flaw for years now.

Enterprise car sales sold me this vehicle when it had 3 open recalls on it. The vehicle itself was a problem from the beginning. When I took it in for it's first oil change the mechanic told me it had no oil in it. He said they sold me a car that is notorious for consuming oil and or seizing or blowing up. I had the engine replaced on this car already and I just took it in for it's first oil change and it was already consuming oil. I want a new car but enterprise is telling me this is my problem.

I was driving on March 20, 2026 at about 12:00 pm when I suddenly noticed smoke, a strong gasoline smell, an oil smell, and a burning odor coming from the vehicle. I pulled over immediately because I believed the vehicle was unsafe and at risk of fire. The vehicle had to be towed. An independent repair shop later found a fuel leak at the high-pressure fuel line / fuel pump area, a loose ground wire on the right-hand side of the engine, a valve cover gasket leak, and engine timing chain noise. I was informed that gasoline had sprayed throughout the engine bay. This created an immediate fire hazard even though no actual fire occurred. This problem was especially concerning because the vehicle had been inspected and serviced by an authorized Hyundai dealer in December 2025, less than about 3,000 miles earlier. The loose engine ground wire and fuel leak raise serious concerns about vehicle safety and the adequacy of the prior inspection. I contacted Hyundai the same day and reported this as a fire-risk safety issue, but I did not receive timely assistance. Because immediate dealer service was not available, I had to authorize emergency repairs at a local shop for safety reasons. No warning lights were noted before the incident. The failure was confirmed by the repair shop.

See all problems of the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

Gas motor is not engaging to assist electric drivetrain on a hybrid awd 2025 Santa Fe. This resulted in a dangerous situation crossing a busy road from a stop sign. The Santa Fe rolled into the intersection at the drivers request, but did not accelerate normally (only to a maximum of a few miles per hour) and felt like an eternity to cross the road. Fortunately oncoming drivers from left and right were paying attention and slowed down and in one case honked aggressively to point out we driving badly. Pulling over to the side of the road, turning the vehicle off and then back on again has sometimes made it run normally, but we limited our trips at that point to first getting safely home and then delivering it to the dealer. The 20 mile drive to the dealer required pulling over twice to reset the vehicle so the electric motor would assist. We have had repeated warnings from the onboard system including "follow up checks required - engine management system" and "there may be a problem with the engine management system contact your dealer". I will note that we have 11,000 miles and 11 months experience with the vehicle with no problems. It may not be relevant, but these new faults began 2 days routine service for oil and tire rotation when recall was performed including ecu software update for recall 25-01-028-1. Dealer is uncertain of problem and referring with outside tech assistance from Hyundai but we were told to expect 2 weeks for parts and repair and uncertainty as to whether that would fix it. In the meantime a vehicle with unreliable acceleration and top speed is unsafe and parked. I do note on this NHTSA website 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe hybrid SUV awd that there are 47 complaints. 9 relating to this problem all beginning October 2025 and none prior back to the first post of Nov 2024 for this model. Complaints similar to this for engine management and speed and power loss account for 50% of complaints for this vehicle on the nhsta website since October 2025.

After performing regular oil changes, and even a new fuel pump sensor, I experienced an issue. Last oil change was within the past two weeks. Driving home from the mountains, I heard a knocking sound from the engine bay. I narrowed it down to all gears above 2500rpm, increasing knocking with rpm speed. I took it easy on the engine, mostly coasting down the mountain. Suddenly during acceleration on an uphill, a pop sounded, and copious white smoke started coming from the engine bay. I pulled over despite having no power brakes but I was fortunate to be near an off ramp in a rural area. Trying to troubleshoot roadside, I noticed fluid on the tie rod, but I wasnt able to determine what kind of fluid it was. When I try to start the car, there is one single click, the engine wont even attempt to turn over. Oil, battery and check engine lights are all on. After towing, I found that the fluid leaking from the vehicle is oil. The vehicle is currently at a transmission shop, but from my research, this isnt a transmission issue but a blown rod bearing the Hyundai engines are know for. I will be contacting a dealership to see if they will at least confirm my diagnosis.

Engine rattles noise when starting the car after sitting for more than an hour it makes that sound another issue is that when I turn the headlights on all interior lights shuts off including the instrument cluster radio and ac climate control buttons.

See all problems of the 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

Beginning about a month ago, I noticed a rattle upon the engine start up that lasted for a 1-2 seconds then stopped and everything sounded normal. I thought it could be b/c of the cold weather. I went in to get a routine oil change on 03/11/2026 and they said the oil looked fine, but it was about a quart low, indicating it was burning some oil somehere. They said to check in in a few months and they would top it up if needed. I asked them about the rattle and they thought is might be from a bad (timing chain tensioner) but said I should get it checked out. I called on Friday 03/13/26 to schedule an appt at my local Hyundai dealership on 03/17 . The night before(03/16), I was driving my vehicle and suddenly on the road, I heard a loud noise in the engine, and the power shut off, the engine and oil light came on and I just had enough time to pull off the busy state route. My car would not start or turn over. I had it towed to the dealership and they did determine that it was a "rod bearing failure" that caused the engine to sieze. I provided them evidence of my oil changes which from 10k-93k miles on my car since I have owned it. I have had the oil changed 10 times. They are saying they only allow 8k between oil changes to honor the warranty and have initially denied my claim. The service associate at the dealership said my valvetrain was 'somewhat' dirty, but nothing to where it was the cause for this issue. And since it was the rod bearing that failed, the exact part that was recalled, he was surprised they were not even offering any good-will offer, to split the cost of the engine replacement. I have reached out to Hyundai consumer affairs and am waiting to hear back to see if they will be fair and work with me on this to honor the warranty issue or at least share the cost burden for this "well-known" failure in their engine.

See all problems of the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

While traveling at approximately 80 mph on the highway, my vehicle suddenly lost all response to the accelerator pedal. Despite continued pressure on the gas, the vehicle rapidly decelerated to approximately 40 mph on its own. There were no warning lights, unusual noises, or physical indicators of a problem before, during, or after the event. I was able to safely navigate the vehicle off the highway. The vehicle appeared to operate normally afterward. The following day, I brought the vehicle to a mechanic who was unable to replicate the issue and found no stored fault codes. No repairs were made. Given the known concerns surrounding the theta ii engine in this model year, I am submitting this incident for documentation purposes and to contribute to any ongoing or future investigation into sudden acceleration loss in 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles.

The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle failed to immediately start, but started after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the starter, oil filter, and engine filter, and changed the oil. On a hot day, there was a loud sound coming from the vehicle, and it was noticed that the unoccupied vehicle was attempting to start independently. The contact unlocked the vehicle and opened the vehicle door, put the keys in the ignition, and continued to crank for approximately four minutes. The accelerator pedal was pumped, and the vehicle stopped. There was smoke coming from the vehicle, and the vehicle eventually stopped. There were flames coming from the vehicle. The contact called 911, an independent mechanic, her father, and the fire department. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire and disconnect the battery. The mechanic determined that the engine cover was burned. There were no reported injuries. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact indicated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 11e040000 (equipment). The insurance company referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

See all problems of the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

I drove 2. 5 hours north to a marine brother's father's funeral, who unexpectedly passed. I started my drive home and made it to yorktown in about 15 minutes, and the engine light came on, started flashing, and went into limp mode. I pulled over on I-69 to shut it off, pulled the dipstick, and the oil level was full. I pushed the bluelink button on my rearview mirror, and hma sent a tow truck to tow the vehicle to a local dealership about 10-12 minutes away. The dealership did not inspect the vehicle until the following Monday, since it was Friday, three weeks ago. The dealership found dtc codes for misfires in cylinders 1 and 2, multiple-cylinder misfire, and too-high pressure in all four cylinders. The vehicle has had the knock sensor replaced, a ksds ecm update, and a series of gaskets replaced. It has been burning oil since 69,362 miles and is now not operational, 2. 5 hours from home. Hma has declined to replace the engine on a vehicle involved in a class action settlement due to problems with several completed replacements. The dealership has followed the manufacturer's process, and, due to the engine not producing a code it had at 87,986, but now not capable due to piston damage, cylinder scouring, and spark plug damage, the manufacturer has declined a goodwill replacement. The engine failure did put others in harm's way, as it did me when having to pull off the busy interstate to inspect the obvious failure. I have been driving a rental since this situation occurred, have a vehicle that is not operational, and a manufacturer that is not assuming responsibility for the catastrophic failure. I have read numerous forums across several platforms about the theta 2 engines. The vehicle has been serviced as needed, including multiple requests to fix or repair the engine noises it produced, when the oil level became low, and oil had to be added.

2/27/26 kept regularly scheduled oil changes with dealer. Car began to knock and lose power, oil light is periodically flashing on and check engine light came on. Took car to valvoline oil change-they state no fluid on the oil dipstck. Scheduled oil change was not for another month. No oil leaks at all. Vehicle is bucking and knocking and loses acceleration. I have an appt at the dealer tomorrow3/2/26 and am hoping Hyundai will cover any necessary repairs as they have multiple technical service bulletins about this.

The engine rod broke creating a big whole in the engine which caused the engine and underneath of car to start on fire. There was a massive recall for this same issue in 2021-2023 for the year car! it is available for inspection! yes safety was at risk, the car was on fire on the highway in the middle of rush hour. The problem was confirmed by progressive and I contact Hyundai. The car was inspected by the police and insurance company. No lights, messages and the car was running fine before the fire!.

See all problems of the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

I am reporting a serious safety concern involving a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe sport with approximately 132k miles. While driving at highway speed, the vehicle suddenly lost power/velocity and the engine light flashed. This created an immediate safety hazard, as maintaining speed is critical in highway traffic. Within seconds, the vehicle regained power and the warning light turned off, giving the impression that the issue had resolved. Shortly afterward, while exiting the highway, the vehicle began shaking and felt as though it would stall but was able to drive home less than one mile. A mechanic retrieved misfire codes for cylinders 2 and 4. Further inspection revealed internal engine damage in cylinder 4 requiring major rebuild. A full deconstruction revealed that one of the valves in cylinder 4 had partially broken. This failure occurred with little to no warning and involved a sudden loss of power at highway speed, which could have resulted in a serious accident. The vehicle’s warning systems did not provide adequate or persistent alerts prior to significant engine failure. Over the last 6 months it began consuming oil frequently requiring weekly checks, however no warning systems or errors to indicate an underlining concern. Based on research, similar Hyundai vehicles have documented issues involving excessive oil consumption and internal engine damage without sufficient warning. This raises concerns about a potential safety defect affecting engine performance and failure detection.

On the morning of February 20 2026 at around 6:35am. I was on my way to work when the engine light started flashing and the speed started to decrease. I was traveling on a major highway in heavy rain with a lot of traffic. I had to put on my hazard lights and quickly pull off the road. The code given is p1326 which has to do with the engine and wiring harness. I just purchased the vehicle on Jan. 17 2026. The carfax stated no open recalls.

See all problems of the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe 🔎.

After turning off the radio with the push button control the instrument cluster and navigation display panel went completely dead black. After pushing multiple buttons several times the panel came back to life. This has not yet been reported to the dealer. On 12/12/2025 this same vehicle also experienced faulty engine / power train components which required replacement @1199 miles. Throttle body assembly and torque converter assembly which caused loss of power when accelerating onto a high speed parkway attempting to reach @55mph along with excessive vibration when brakes were off. Took dealer 22 days to fix the problem.

The engine light started blinking and my car would not accelerate anymore. I took it to the mechanic immediately, who said that there was an engine recall. I contacted the dealership, but they cannot do an initial inspection for more than 2 months. It would likely take another 2-3 months after the inspection before the engine can be replaced. I called Hyundai and they confirmed that my vehicle should be covered under an extended warranty based on the service history and error code from my car (txxi for the theta 2 engine - knock sensor detection, code p1326). However, Hyundai will not provide any help until the vehicle is inspected by a dealership. The dealership completely refuses to look at my car as they are busy. I live on an island, so the only other Hyundai dealership is two hours away. They will not answer any of my calls. I'm expected to figure out how to commute to work alone for the next two months, but since I live in a rural area, there are no alternative transportation options. An independent mechanic confirmed and reproduced the issue. The car is unsafe to drive. The dealer will not inspect my component in a reasonable time frame, much less repair it despite the fact that it is covered under extended warranty. The car was driving normally prior to the issue, and I did not notice any problems until the engine light started blinking. I have the car available for inspection.

Engine seizure. Driving 80mph on i90, pop sound from under the hood happens & check engine light came on; immediately pulled over & the oil and battery light came on; turned car off & it would not start again. Smoke then came from engine while trying to restart. Code 1326.

I am submitting this complaint regarding a safety-related incident involving my 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe on February 14, 2026. While driving, the vehicle suddenly began to overheat, creating an immediate safety hazard. I was close to my home and was able to return there safely, but once parked, I observed coolant leaking from the front of the vehicle. Due to the risk of further overheating or engine failure, the vehicle was not drivable and had to be towed to a local Hyundai dealership. At the time of the incident, the vehicle had fewer than 38,000 miles and was purchased brand new. Despite this, the dealership informed me that the repair would not be covered under warranty, claiming the radiator damage was caused by “road debris. ” however, they did not provide any evidence of an impact, puncture, or external damage. The only documentation offered was a video showing coolant spewing from the radiator after a technician inserted an object into the grille. This video does not demonstrate any pre?existing road damage or confirm that debris caused the failure. I requested proof of actual damage multiple times, including photographs or inspection notes showing an impact point, but none was provided. Without verifiable evidence of external damage, I am concerned that this may represent a premature component failure or a potential safety defect in the cooling system. The sudden overheating while driving, combined with the lack of substantiated cause, raises significant safety concerns for me and potentially for other owners of this model. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Engine cut out on highway, check engine light flashing. Car would not exceed 50 mph on highway and would hesitate/jump trying to go up any hill/incline. Took to mechanic and vehicle had p1326 knock sensor code. There appears to be a service campaign (campaign 966/t3g) for 2013-2018 sanat fe sport vehicles, but when I enter my VIN campaign does not appear. This is a safety risk/hazard and should be covered by the campaign/addressed by dealer. Car has always been well maintained and adhere to service schedule.

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe sport. The contact received an undisclosed recall notification, and the local dealer was contacted; however, there were no appointments available. On a separate occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an o'reilly's auto parts to be diagnosed, and dtc: p1326 was retrieved. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that there were damages to the engine caused by engine misfire. The dealer was in the process of determining if the engine needed to be replaced. The contact waited and then called the dealer and was informed that dtc: p1326 was not the correct code and that there was another fault code related to the recall. The contact was informed that the repair would be an out-of-pocket expense. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

The vehicle is burning oil even when oil changes are done routinely. Then all of a sudden I have total loss of power will not go over 35 miles an hour. And climbing hill would not go over 20. It just happened no warning lights on dash so now I have a car that is still owning 8 grand on. So now a lawn ornament. I have seen on different formats. That there is hundreds having the same issue. Hyundai is not fixing the issue for any of us.

While on the highway my car lost power, gradually slowing down to a stall. I was able to safely park on the side of the road. I got the car to a nearby dealership that kept it for 10 days. The dealership said that the problem was code p2118 (throttle actuator control motor current range/performance) that the air "flap" was frozen stuck shut and the engine was disabled on the freeway in order to prevent damage. The resolution was "waited for it to thaw and cleared the code". The dealer has a service bulletin and a software update but it did not resolve the safety issue. I've noticed hesitation when accelerating the car from a dead stop as well, which started last year.

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.

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.

Our vehicle has encountered a catastrophic engine failure (burnt valves) due to a known and ongoing issue with the piston rings install in this engine.

Engine failed at approximately 95000 miles.

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe sport. The contact stated that while driving at 55 mph, the engine made a knocking sound, and the vehicle started shaking before starting to smoke. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that there was a hole in the engine block and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that since service campaign: 953 (ecm & cluster update) was not completed in a timely manner, the engine replacement was not covered. The contact had not received the notification for service campaign: 953 (ecm & cluster update) or owned the vehicle when the service campaign had started. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.

Hi! leaking valve cover gasket which damages spark plugs, ignition coils and fuel injector. Defective high pressure fuel pump and fuel injector causing fuel to spray into engine and into engine oil. Large amount of fuel found in oil pan when oil changed. Complaint filed with hyuandia, no response at this time. Thank you, [xxx] . Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

While driving the vehicle at approximately at 55 mph on a the 826, the engine suffered a sudden and catastrophic mechanical failure without warning. The vehicle lost all motive power in active traffic, creating an immediate safety hazard and nearly resulting in a rear-end collision. Upon inspection, it was determined that the engine assembly, which is a replacement unit provided by Hyundai under the theta ii settlement, with less than 12,000 miles, suffered an internal breach. This breach allowed coolant to contaminate the lubrication system sort of a milky oil, which led to a connecting rod bearing seizure. Despite this being a repeat failure of a safety-recall component and the vehicle being covered under the theta ii settlement lifetime warranty, Hyundai motor America has denied the repair claim. I am reporting this as a safety defect because the sudden engine stall resulted in a loss of power-assisted steering and braking while the vehicle was in motion.