2008 Hyundai Santa FE Fuel/propulsion System Problems
Owners have filed 215 complaints with NHTSA about fuel/propulsion system problems on the 2008 Hyundai Santa FE, 40% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 80,100 miles. The words owners use most often: “fuel gauge” (52% of reports).
- 215fuel/propulsion system complaints
- 80,100median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $970typical repair cost reported by owners
- 41%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Fuel gauge: mentioned in 112 of 215 complaints (52%)
- Gas tank: mentioned in 33 of 215 complaints (15%)
- Level sensor: mentioned in 26 of 215 complaints (12%)
- Shows empty: mentioned in 12 of 215 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical fuel/propulsion system repair on the 2008 Hyundai Santa FE at $970, and half of them between $840 and $1,100.
Based on 39 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2012–2021), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do fuel/propulsion system problems happen?
Based on 189 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
None of the 215 complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Hyundai Santa FE fuel/propulsion system complaints by model year
| Model year | Fuel/propulsion System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Santa FE | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2025 Santa FE | 5 | 4% | — |
| 2024 Santa FE | 3 | 2% | — |
| 2023 Santa FE | 11 | 5% | — |
| 2022 Santa FE | 28 | 14% | — |
| 2021 Santa FE | 9 | 5% | — |
| 2020 Santa FE | 14 | 6% | 1,000 |
| 2019 Santa FE | 12 | 6% | 1,534 |
| 2018 Santa FE | 5 | 5% | 27,000 |
| 2017 Santa FE | 60 | 6% | 10,000 |
| 2016 Santa FE | 8 | 3% | 43,200 |
| 2015 Santa FE | 13 | 5% | 51,474 |
| 2014 Santa FE | 27 | 5% | 39,500 |
| 2013 Santa FE | 32 | 5% | 59,600 |
| 2012 Santa FE | 8 | 2% | 56,500 |
| 2011 Santa FE | 5 | 3% | 64,000 |
| 2010 Santa FE | 10 | 4% | 78,000 |
| 2009 Santa FE | 109 | 30% | 88,000 |
| 2008 Santa FE | 215 | 40% | 80,100 |
| 2007 Santa FE | 121 | 18% | 90,000 |
| 2006 Santa FE | 3 | 3% | 11,137 |
| 2005 Santa FE | 14 | 6% | 102,000 |
| 2004 Santa FE | 25 | 8% | 124,337 |
| 2003 Santa FE | 6 | 2% | 140,000 |
| 2002 Santa FE | 4 | 2% | 143,595 |
| 2001 Santa FE | 8 | 4% | 119,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists fuel/propulsion system for the 2008 Hyundai Santa FE. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Large leak detected P0455
The fuel tank level sensor failed and yes can be inspected. Check engine light goes on and fuel says empty with little yellow light .My mechanic checked my car and told me it was the fuel tank level sensor. Check engine light goes on and the fuel needle goes up and down to empty. When I fill the…
The fuel gage keeps marking the wrong level of gas. First it went crazy going up and down. After sensors were changed, it stayed at half of tank even when full. Now the fuel system will need to be replaced again because when it reaches a certain gas level, the check engine shows up. Its random…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2008 Hyundai Santa FEs have fuel/propulsion system problems?
No. NHTSA has 215 owner complaints about fuel/propulsion system for the 2008 Hyundai Santa FE (40% of the 541 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Hyundai Santa FE fuel/propulsion system?
No recall currently lists fuel/propulsion system for this vehicle.
At what mileage do fuel/propulsion system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 80,100 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix fuel/propulsion system problems on the 2008 Hyundai Santa FE?
Owners report a typical cost of $970 (half paid between $840 and $1,100), from 39 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about fuel/propulsion system problems on the 2008 Hyundai Santa FE?
The most frequent phrase is “fuel gauge”, in 112 of 215 complaints, followed by “gas tank” (33).
Other 2008 Hyundai Santa FE problems
See all 2008 Hyundai Santa FE problems or fuel/propulsion system problems across all Santa FE years.