Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Hyundai Santa Fe - part 2

The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph, the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated to 25 mph with a “vehicle will shut down” warning message displayed. The contact stated that the engine then began to shut down, and although the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle failed to accelerate and stalled. The failure occurred on multiple occasions, requiring the vehicle to be towed each time. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired and the contact was informed that the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and multiple cases were opened, the failure mileage was approximately 3,300.

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Engine is burning a tremendous amount of motor oil. Dealer does acknowledge engine is burning oil. No warning lights on. Told burning motor oil is normal for a Hyundai engine. Engine can seize during driving with no warning and is a safety issue. Front struts are also failing. No warning and is a safety issue: currently trying to get dealer to cover defective components under warranty. Nothing has been repaired or resolved as of yet.

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After the installation of the service campaign 9c2 engine update, the car now seems to surge or rev up briefly at lower speeds like it can't find the right gear or is trying to briefly accelerate. It doesn't seem to be as noticeable at highway speeds, but in residential or low speeds, it's very noticeable and a little unsettling as the car feels like it wants to briefly lunge forward. No lights are on the dash and there is no indication of any malfunction, but it did not behave this way prior to the 9c2 engine program update. I waited for a couple weeks before contacting Hyundai corporate about this issue because I was hoping maybe the transmission or engine was relearning after a battery disconnection, but it has not gone away.

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Component failed: theta ii 2. 4l gdi engine connecting rod bearings. Vehicle has 95,000 miles. Engine available for inspection in [xxx] . Safety risk: engine knock + limp mode at 1500 rpm caused sudden loss of power on highway. Oil consumption 1l/700km risks catastrophic engine seizure while driving. Confirmed by dealer: independent service center confirmed dtc p0010 from metal debris. Hyundai motor America case #42623761 confirmed recall coverage but refuses remedy. Inspection: manufacturer aware via case #42623761. Local Hyundai dealers non-responsive. No police/insurance inspection. Warning symptoms: engine knock started at ~94,000 miles. Check engine light with dtc p0010. Progressive oil consumption. Limp mode activated at 95,000 miles. Hyundai violation: Hyundai confirmed via email they refuse to honor safety recall 162 / service campaign 966 lifetime warranty for VIN [xxx] despite all symptoms matching recall description. Request NHTSA compel Hyundai to authorize bearing clearance test and engine replacement. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

2015 Hyundai Santa Fe limited, 3. 3l lambda ii gdi v6, ~102,000 miles. In December 2022, an authorized Hyundai dealer replaced three specific parts under a Hyundai recall/campaign (records requested). On Sunday [date] at approximately [time] pm, I was driving on [freeway], [state], at 55–70 mph at night. With no prior warning — no warning lights, no chimes, no loss of power buildup, no knocking, no engine protection mode — the engine suddenly and completely died. The failure was instantaneous. There was no limp-home mode and no opportunity to reach the shoulder under engine power. The vehicle lost forward momentum and rolled backward in a live highway travel lane, where it remained stranded until a tow truck recovered it. No injuries. The 12v battery and electrical system remained fully active throughout. The instrument cluster was operational and capable of displaying warnings before the failure. None were displayed. Dashboard warning lights illuminated only seconds after the engine had already died — a post-failure consequence of engine shutdown, not a pre-failure warning. An independent mechanic diagnosed a seized engine due to loss of oil flow. No oil pressure or low-oil light had ever illuminated. The vehicle was then transported to the Hyundai dealer that performed the 2022 service; they promised a diagnostic call and have not provided one or any written diagnostic. This failure mode matches Hyundai TSB 24-em-003h (15yr/150k extended warranty for 3. 3l lambda ii engines in 2013–2019 Santa Fe), NHTSA recall 21v-727 (acknowledging stall risk at highway speed), and the active class action burns v. Hyundai motor company (c. D. Cal. 2025). Hyundai's ksds is documented to trigger a blinking mil, audible chime, and reduced-power engine protection mode upon bearing wear. None of these protective behaviors occurred.

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Driving down the highway. Vehicle random alerts that there is a transmission error.

No power till car warms up for 5 minutes. It will be jerky on highway. The gas mileage is going down drastically, I was doing 32 miles to gallon and now it's 22mpg. All this is after the recall we just had performed. I have no power trying to avoid accidents, taking off from stopping. Car smells weird now.

Purchased a used Santa Fe in January 2026 with 129k mile and at 131k my vehicle's cel came on and did not function properly while operating. While driving the vehicle failed to accelerate above 25 mph when I pushed the gas. I pulled over to get out of the way of traffic and avoid any accidents. I shut the car off and sat for several minutes before restarting my vehicle. It successfully restarted and I drove home and parked it. I ran cel diagnostic and received the code p0021. I had the vehicle towed to the local Hyundai dealer and they also pulled the same code and indicated I have an oil consumption issue explained as follows "timing over advanced. Timing components driven by oil pressure. Inspected cylinders and borescope and found cylinder wall scoring and faulty piston rings. Radiator has crack causing coolant leak. Engine will have to be replaced to remedy oil consumption. Radiator will need to be replaced to remedy leak. " resulting in over $12k of repair work. The vehicle's temperature gauge did not indicate any abnormalities nor did the oil light come on to indicate any oil consumption issues. The vehicle was driven from the dealer to my home within city limits/speed and has not replicated the acceleration issue but the cel remains on as the repair is too costly and is more than what was paid for the vehicle.

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Hair line creak in oil pan. Creak has caused excessive oil consumption and leaks on pavement. Issue was confirmed by antwerpen Hyundai and oil pan was replaced on 4/28/2026 at a cost of $520. 00. As above reported to dealer. Problem started, 1st. Noticed about 9 to 12 months.

My car only has 93,000 miles on it. I was driving home from work and all of a sudden the check engine light came on while I’m on the freeway. I made it home and went to research then all of a suddenly the check engine light would just start flashing. I got it checked by a mechanic. They said that there was metal shavings in the oil which I have no clue how that would happen and that there was a code for knocking.

On 4/25/2026 I lost power on business freeway an orange light flash on along with whining noise I had to steer to right side shoulder for safety. Had it towed to dealership on 4/27/2026 they informed me 3 days later on 4/30/2026 that my car overheated. My car never overheated no smell of coolant nor no steam from the car when I exit to shoulder and turn car off. Retrieved manual from glove compartment it stated it had went into limp model. This has been a constantly nightmare my family could have been planning a funeral. These car manufacturers needs to be held accountable for their vehicle.

My 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe hybrid awd was serviced under warranty on 4/22/2026 for a driveability concern after experiencing a loss of power while driving. The service history shows part hy35326-2m500 was replaced. On or about 5/25/2026, the same issue occurred again while driving at highway speed. The vehicle suddenly lost motive power and dropped from approximately 70 mph to approximately 30 to 40 mph, creating a serious safety risk because the vehicle could not maintain speed with surrounding highway traffic. No warning lamps, dashboard messages, or diagnostic codes appeared during the failure. The vehicle is currently at a Hyundai dealership for inspection and repair for the repeat issue and should be available for inspection upon request. The prior dealer record appears to describe the issue generally as a “driveability concern,” but the current repair diagnosis and full repair notes are still pending. It is unknown whether the dealer has reproduced or confirmed the failure during the current visit. I am reporting this as a sudden loss of motive power at highway speed involving the fuel/propulsion system, engine, and/or powertrain.

While driving home on the highway from our sons hockey game at about 8:30 pm we were going about 60 mph when the car made a noise and began smoking and as we were trying to pull over on the side of the highway noticed by the reflection of a passing car that the engine on our vehicle was on fire under the vehicle. We had to evacuate the vehicle quickly and get our children out on the side of a busy highway with fire showing under the front end of the car.

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe sport. The contact stated that occasionally, while driving at various speeds, an abnormal knocking sound was heard coming from under the hood while the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the steering wheel would shudder. The check engine oil warning light illuminated. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to nhsta campaign: 17v226000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it remains for further investigation; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to a lack of maintenance records, and the recall repairs were rejected. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the recall repairs were performed under previous ownership; however, the recall repairs were not completed. The failure mileage was approximately 147,000.

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The engine seized up and Hyundai refused to approve my claim al though I had the extended warranty. Reason for the denial because a recall in 2019 was not performed. I had purchased the vehicle in 2023 used from rick case Honda.

When the car is off and in park and you go to turn on the car on by pressing the brake and power button button, the electrical system doesn't register and wont turn the ignition on and the brake gets stuck and you cant start the car. The same thing happens when the cars auto ignition is turned off at a red light then you press the gas to go but it doesnt show the gear is in drive and the ignition turns off and wont turn back on. The major safety concern is when this happens at a red light or in traffic and my car stalls and I am at risk of getting rear ended. I have taken the car to the dealership twice now for the same issue. The first time they claimed it was fixed but it wasnt and now it is at the dealership again for the same issue and I have not received any remedy yet. There is no warning to this issue it happens out of know where and is extremely dangerous. The issue has been going on for several months.

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On 4/17/26 mcdonalds Hyundai of [xxx] , dealership performed an ecu update for theta ii emissions logic improvement (Hyundai campaign number 9c2). Ever since that time the vehicle has been lurching during acceleration. This happens particularly when the vehicle has been sitting for several hours. I reported this to the dealership on 4/28/26 (scott, service manager) and to Hyundai on 4/29/26 (Hyundai case management #: 42610495). I noted to Hyundai that this same/similar problem has been reported by other owners ( see [xxx] ) information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Beginning on 04/17/2026, my vehicle began displaying multiple safety-related dashboard warnings simultaneously, accompanied by audible alerts. The warnings included the forward collision safety system, blind-spot monitoring, electronic parking brake (epb), stability and traction control, lane keep assist, and auto hold — all activating at the same time. These warnings reappeared on several occasions and were photographed with date and location data embedded in each image. My vehicle was brought to burlington Hyundai dealership, where a repair order was opened and a loaner was provided. The car was returned without the issue being fixed. Within days, the same warnings reappeared and the situation worsened. On multiple occasions, the engine shut off completely and the transmission shifted into neutral on its own while my vehicle was being driven at approximately 20 to 40 mph. On at least one occasion, the parking brake engaged automatically without any input from the driver. A dashboard photo clearly documents the message "engine off! shift to n, then start engine. " these failures are a serious danger to everyone on the road. When the engine shuts off while driving, normal steering and braking ability is lost. When the parking brake engaged on its own, the car stopped abruptly with no warning. Any one of these incidents could have caused a serious accident or injury. My vehicle was returned to the dealership for a second repair visit and a second loaner was provided. The dealership confirmed via text that the car was still in the shop but never followed up with a diagnosis or timeline. When the dealership was called directly, no update was provided. As of 06/04/2026, my vehicle has been at the dealership for at least 30 days across two visits — 11 days for the first and at least 19 days for the second — with no confirmed root cause, no completed repair, and no clear communication.

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Seem like there was a recall on the 3. 3l engines on the Hyundai Santa Fe starting January 26, 2017, for engine related knocking noise. My VIN is [xxx] according to the manufacturing plate it was made in korea released on January 04, 2017. I realize it is a 22-day window on the recall but after an oil change the motor has started knocking the oil is the right viscosity, full to capacity, and oil filter changed. I drove 200 miles after an oil change then the motor started knocking. Is there a certain stamp on the cam shafts to verify which of the 420 vehicles are affected by this recall? information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I was driving out of the parking garage at work and happened to catch the oil light flicker on and then go off. I immediately drove it to an auto shop where I told them what happened. They looked at the dipstick and there was no oil showing on the dipstick. If I had just written the light off as an oddity I would have driven the car home from work (around 20 miles) and the engine could have stalled at 60mph creating a safety hazard. I have the oil changed regularly (about every 5,000 miles) and have my receipts. My car has around 80,000 miles in it and I’m the original owner. The auto shop said that I would need to take it to the dealership for an oil consumption test. I called and scheduled the appointment immediately and am in the process of having the test completed. The dealership noted a TSB for the issue on the write up and based on my research online this is not an unusual problem. Why have owners not been made aware of this issue? I don’t feel safe driving my car and am frustrated that this seems to be a known issue. There was no oil on the dipstick, no indicator that stayed on indicating an issue.

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I am submitting a complaint regarding a turbocharger failure on my 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe VIN [xxx] . The vehicle experienced turbocharger-related failure symptoms including loss of power and drivability concerns. This created a potentially dangerous situation because the vehicle was unable to accelerate normally and could have caused difficulty merging into traffic or maintaining safe roadway speeds. I contacted Hyundai motor America requesting assistance with repair coverage. Hyundai denied assistance solely because the vehicle was outside the warranty period by time and mileage, despite the seriousness of the failure. I am concerned this issue may be related to broader engine or oil-related defects reported in Hyundai vehicles, including possible oil starvation, excessive oil consumption, or internal engine contamination that could contribute to turbocharger damage or failure. I believe this condition may represent a safety-related defect because sudden power loss during operation increases the risk of a crash. I request that NHTSA review this issue and investigate whether similar turbocharger or related engine failures are occurring in 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See attached document for complaint.

Fuel injector failed the entire engine on my 2022 Santa Fe had to be completely replaced. The dealership put in a new engine. Santa fe is only four years old. That is highly unusual.

My engine just died wont start has 121099 and Hyundai wont fix it.

Check engine light came on and then vehicle stalled took to shop and said the engine was needing to be replaced. Looked into issue and seen multiple issues with this engine and happening to a lot of Hyundai engines where vehicles need to get complete new engines.

My abs lights the triangle with the ! in the middle goes in and off the down hill control light and the sweet control light all go on when the abs light goes on my oil was completely dry had to add two quarts while the engine was ticking when started and when accelerating it was making a clicking noise I still had 3000 miles before needed an oil change but like I said it was bone dry and then the drivers seat was going back and not wanting to come back up I’ve only had the car 42 days and it’s having all kinds of problems.

My wife was driving the vehicle by the left lane on route 9a northbound on elmsford at a speed around 35 mph. The vehicle suddenly came to stop completely while driving. My wife tried to start it but it didn't start. We called the police to come help us due to the ongoing traffic while the towing was on its way. Our mechanic told us the engine was seized and needs a replacement. The vehicle is a 2018 and has only 118000 miles. We do oil changes periodically every 3000 miles.

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Vehicle exhibits delayed deceleration after releasing accelerator. Engine rpm remains elevated for several seconds, causing the vehicle to continue applying power unexpectedly. Issue began after recent repair and was not present before. Condition is intermittent but reproducible and affects drivability.

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe xl. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road, and the contact listened for the abnormal sound. The abnormal sound was persistent. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the engine seized. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact stated that a year prior, an unknown recall notification was received for a special engine warranty program. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a timing chain failure. The contact was informed that the timing chain needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

I was told by a mechanic that something electrical is wrong with the vehicle it causes the engine to misfire. Different issue than before.

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe sport. The contact stated that while driving 30 mph and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle hesitated, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven back to the residence. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 141,654.

Engine seized up on the interstate. Vehicle has ~97,000 miles. Towed to dealership. Dealership wanted $8,000+ to replace engine. Hyundai refused to honor their warranty of 15 years/150,000 miles. Remains at the dealership, unrepaired.

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.

I own a 2018 Honda Santa Fe it is using oil so fast. I know that there is other people complaining about the oil consumption so my engine just blew up because I had it changed on March 13 brand new oil change and on Monday night the engine blew up. . The people who changed my oil said that there have been a complaint that they have been using so much oil and I have talked to Hyundai about this and they refuse to do anything now I have a Hyundai Santa Fe that is no good to me because I personally can’t afford a new engine/motor.