2013 Hyundai Santa FE Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Santa FE years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 26 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 605 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Hyundai Santa FE. That ranks 3rd out of 26 Santa FE model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (273 complaints, 45%), typically at around 89,163 miles. Complaints mention 14 crashes, 41 fires, 13 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 8 defect investigations involving it.
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- 605owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 8NHTSA investigations
- 14complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 Hyundai Santa FE 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 | 273 | 45% | 89,163 | “engine seized” (10%) | $6,750 |
| Steering problems | 95 | 16% | 6,142 | “straight line” (8%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 56 | 9% | 61,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System problems | 53 | 9% | 59,733 | “air conditioner” (11%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 52 | 9% | 48,427 | “oil change” (12%) | — |
| Service Brakes | 45 | 7% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 32 | 5% | 59,600 | — | — |
| Structure | 23 | 4% | 25,219 | — | — |
| Suspension | 23 | 4% | 11,100 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 21 | 3% | 11,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 18 | 3% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 16 | 3% | 29,387 | — | — |
| Wheels | 14 | 2% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 11 | 2% | 10,664 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 10 | 2% | 37,400 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 10 | 2% | 2,500 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 10 | 2% | 30,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 9 | 1% | 8,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 1% | 141,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 1% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 5 | 1% | 47,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 1% | 41,950 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 0% | 50,012 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 0% | 60,500 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 0% | 4,350 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 0% | 118,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | 500 | — | — |
| Firerelated | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 4,800 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 Hyundai Santa FE recalls (3)
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.
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.
Power train:axle assembly:axle shaft
Problem: Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2013 front wheel drive Santa Fe Sport vehicles manufactured July 13, 2012, through March 12, 2013; and equipped with 2.4 liter engines. Due to a manufacturing issue, the right front axle shaft may fracture.
Risk: A fractured front axle may result in a loss of power to the wheels. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked without the parking brake applied, it may roll away. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front axle shaft assembly, free of charge. The recall began on September 19, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai Custom Care Center at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall number is 112.
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.
- Throttle control system vulnerabilities (DP21003) — opened Nov 12, 2021, closed Jun 20, 2023.
- 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.
- Scope and Timeliness (RQ17004) — opened May 18, 2017, closed Dec 22, 2021, led to recall 17V226000.
- Front Axle Shaft Failure (PE13025) — opened Jul 5, 2013, closed Sep 20, 2013, led to recall 13V355000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I was driving my car and my âopenâ door light came on out of nowhere. When I stopped I got out and closed my door the light turned off. When I was driving again the light came on and when I tried to open my door, it got stuck. I had someone try to open it from the outside and it sounded like it…
Burning oil fast has been confirmed. I always go get frequently oil changes and top off Because it burns a lot. I never get a warning lamp When I go toc get my oil service representative tells me my oil is completely gone.
While I acknowledge that my vehicle is no longer under warranty, I remain extremely concerned about the excessive oil consumption issue. My vehicle is equipped with the Theta II engine, which has been the subject of multiple class action lawsuits and recalls due to serious engine defects, including…
While driving to work the gas pedal suddenly would not make the vehicle Excellerate and i was barely able to get the car on the side of the road, when i stopped and turned it off it would not start again. I had it towed to the mechanic and they have let us know it was total engine failure, and they…
2013 Santa Fe burning oil, current with regular maintenance and oil changes. At times will have to top off weekly. Between full oil changes. Doesnât seem like I should have to do that. My engine could blow if I donât keep oil in it. Cost me tons of money Have documented all of my oil changes…
Other Hyundai Santa FE years
← 2012 Santa FE · 2014 Santa FE →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Santa FE | 37 | 4 |
| 2025 Santa FE | 135 | 5 |
| 2024 Santa FE | 155 | 7 |
| 2023 Santa FE | 211 | 1 |
| 2022 Santa FE | 201 | 5 |
| 2021 Santa FE | 167 | 7 |
| 2020 Santa FE | 216 | 2 |
| 2019 Santa FE | 202 | 2 |
| 2018 Santa FE | 109 | 2 |
| 2017 Santa FE | 970 | 6 |
| 2016 Santa FE | 236 | 3 |
| 2015 Santa FE | 254 | 2 |
| 2014 Santa FE | 493 | 3 |
| 2013 | 605 | 3 |
| 2012 Santa FE | 353 | 1 |
| 2011 Santa FE | 181 | 2 |
| 2010 Santa FE | 259 | 2 |
| 2009 Santa FE | 358 | 2 |
| 2008 Santa FE | 541 | 4 |
| 2007 Santa FE | 684 | 7 |
| 2006 Santa FE | 106 | 1 |
| 2005 Santa FE | 216 | 3 |
| 2004 Santa FE | 303 | 3 |
| 2003 Santa FE | 308 | 4 |
| 2002 Santa FE | 165 | 4 |
| 2001 Santa FE | 209 | 4 |
See all Hyundai Santa FE problems by year, every Hyundai model, or the Hyundai VIN decoder.
Similar Hyundai models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Hyundai Santa FE?
Owners most often report engine, steering, unknown or other problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 273 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Hyundai Santa FE?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 Hyundai Santa FE a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Santa FE model years, the 2013 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.