2013 Hyundai Santa FE Sport Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Santa FE Sport years
- About as many complaints as other years 3rd of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 200 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Hyundai Santa FE Sport. That ranks 3rd out of 6 Santa FE Sport model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (109 complaints, 55%), typically at around 90,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 15 fires. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 5 defect investigations involving it.
- 200owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 5NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 Hyundai Santa FE Sport problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 109 | 55% | 90,000 | “engine seized” (9%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 32 | 16% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 23 | 12% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 15 | 8% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 11 | 6% | 122,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 11 | 6% | 69,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 9 | 5% | 72,400 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 9 | 5% | 71,750 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 7 | 4% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 2% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 2% | 86,742 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 2% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 1% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | 70,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 1% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 1% | 111,000 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1% | 108,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | 114,964 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | 161,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | 115,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 Hyundai Santa FE Sport recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/modulePark outside
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/modulePark outside
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. Brake fluid may leak inside the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) module, possibly resulting in an electrical short.
Risk: An electrical short in the ABS module can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse, and inspect and replace the ABS module, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 25, 2021. Note: This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under NHTSA recall number 20V-520. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 205.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/modulePark outside
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. Brake fluid may leak inside the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) module, possibly resulting in an electrical short.
Risk: If the ABS module short circuits, there is an increased risk of an engine compartment fire.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ABS module and replace it if necessary, free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. The recall began December 22, 2020. Note: This recall has been superseded by NHTSA Recall 21V-303 and all affected vehicles will now be repaired under 21V-303. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 194.
Engine; fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Sonata and 2013-2014 Santa Fe Sport vehicles previously repaired under recall numbers 15V-568 and 17V-226. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned, or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, allowing fuel to leak from the pipe.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 1, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's recall number for this recall is 180.
Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch actuating cable may corrode and bind, causing the secondary hood latch to remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
Risk: If the hood is not securely closed or the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary latch cable, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owner's may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for the recall is 163.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Sonata and Santa Fe Sport vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
Risk: Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine, replacing the engine short block, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 162.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires (AQ23002) — opened Nov 17, 2023, still open.
- Loss of Motive Power (DP22003) — opened Sep 12, 2022, closed Dec 12, 2023.
- Engine Fires (EA21003) — opened Dec 22, 2021, closed Feb 5, 2024, led to recall 23V877.
- Non-crash Vehicle Fires (PE19003) — opened Mar 29, 2019, closed Dec 22, 2021, led to recall 20V061000.
- Non-crash Vehicle Fires (DP18003) — opened Aug 21, 2018, closed May 10, 2019, led to recall 18V907000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
FORMAL VEHICLE SAFETY AND WARRANTY COMPLAINT Date: [XXX] From: [XXX] Vehicle: 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, 2.4L Theta II engine Mileage: Approximately 150,000 miles (exact current reading to be confirmed) Subject: Recurrent Check-Engine Warning Following Repeated Repairs; Request for Theta II…
The vehicle suddenly stopped and suddenly smoke appear in the front part of vehicle. Firemen appeared and when the front of the car was opened the flames of the fire were all over the engine of the car. The front glass broke and the hood has visible signs of the fire. Police were everywhere while…
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that the front driverâs side door failed to unlatch as intended using either the interior or exterior door handles or the locking mechanism. In addition, the contact exited the vehicle using the front passengerâs side door to…
In October/November of 2023, while Hyundai was actively initiating Safety Recall 251 (NHTSA Campaign 23V-651), my vehicle's ABS Control Unit suffered an internal fluid leak that resulted in an electrical short-circuit. The failure caused major electronic communication errors, illuminated dashboard…
I was driving down a highway and was slowing down as motorcycle in front of me was turning. I than proceeded to drive, I heard a loud noise which everyone in the vehicle thought it was the motorcycle (it wasn't) we pulled over into the nearest gas station and saw that my oil light was barely…
Other Hyundai Santa FE Sport years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 Santa FE Sport | 323 | 4 |
| 2017 Santa FE Sport | 356 | 3 |
| 2016 Santa FE Sport | 70 | 1 |
| 2015 Santa FE Sport | 83 | 3 |
| 2014 Santa FE Sport | 164 | 5 |
| 2013 | 200 | 6 |
See all Hyundai Santa FE Sport problems by year, every Hyundai model, or the Hyundai VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Hyundai Santa FE Sport?
Owners most often report engine, service brakes, hydraulic, unknown or other problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 109 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Hyundai Santa FE Sport?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 Hyundai Santa FE Sport a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Santa FE Sport model years, the 2013 has about as many complaints as a typical year, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.