2016 Hyundai Santa FE Engine Problems
Owners have filed 151 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2016 Hyundai Santa FE, 64% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 84,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “engine seized” (11% of reports).
- 151engine complaints
- 84,500median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $12,400typical repair cost reported by owners
- 58%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.
- Engine seized: mentioned in 17 of 151 complaints (11%)
- Oil change: mentioned in 17 of 151 complaints (11%)
- Rod bearing: mentioned in 8 of 151 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2016 Hyundai Santa FE at $12,400, and half of them between $9,950 and $14,350.
Based on 7 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2020–2026), 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 engine problems happen?
Based on 26 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 151 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 2 a fire.
Hyundai Santa FE engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Santa FE | 2 | 5% | 5,100 |
| 2025 Santa FE | 14 | 10% | — |
| 2024 Santa FE | 13 | 8% | — |
| 2023 Santa FE | 35 | 17% | 1,108 |
| 2022 Santa FE | 54 | 27% | 13,750 |
| 2021 Santa FE | 37 | 22% | 28,000 |
| 2020 Santa FE | 80 | 37% | 19,000 |
| 2019 Santa FE | 73 | 36% | 16,000 |
| 2018 Santa FE | 54 | 50% | 16,000 |
| 2017 Santa FE | 650 | 67% | 45,000 |
| 2016 Santa FE | 151 | 64% | 84,500 |
| 2015 Santa FE | 160 | 63% | 88,000 |
| 2014 Santa FE | 274 | 56% | 85,000 |
| 2013 Santa FE | 273 | 45% | 89,163 |
| 2012 Santa FE | 228 | 65% | 89,662 |
| 2011 Santa FE | 64 | 35% | 47,506 |
| 2010 Santa FE | 37 | 14% | 90,300 |
| 2009 Santa FE | 60 | 17% | 89,780 |
| 2008 Santa FE | 60 | 11% | 88,000 |
| 2007 Santa FE | 54 | 8% | 93,132 |
| 2006 Santa FE | 3 | 3% | 126,000 |
| 2005 Santa FE | 11 | 5% | 107,592 |
| 2004 Santa FE | 16 | 5% | 100,000 |
| 2003 Santa FE | 8 | 3% | 89,000 |
| 2002 Santa FE | 10 | 6% | 114,000 |
| 2001 Santa FE | 7 | 3% | 113,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2016 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.
1. Component/System Failure & Availability: The failed component is the engine's internal Camshaft Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) phaser backing bolt within the 3.3L V6 engine assembly. An internal factory bolt unthreaded, backed out, and physically pierced directly through the upper valve cover. The…
WHAT FAILED: The engine â the 3.3L Lambda II GDI V6 (engine family GHYXV03.31XE per the federal emissions label) â failed catastrophically: a connecting rod penetrated the engine block. The failed engine IS available for inspection on request. It has been preserved unrepaired since the failure…
I filed a complaint when the first engine seized. It's a miracle we got off the road safely that day. While it was at the dealership, the engine was replaced with a used engine and covered by my extended warranty from Vroom. I believe the cost was approximately $14,000. I was told the engine had…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 Hyundai Santa FEs have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 151 owner complaints about engine for the 2016 Hyundai Santa FE (64% of the 236 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 2016 Hyundai Santa FE engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 84,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2016 Hyundai Santa FE?
Owners report a typical cost of $12,400 (half paid between $9,950 and $14,350), from 7 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2016 Hyundai Santa FE?
The most frequent phrase is “engine seized”, in 17 of 151 complaints, followed by “oil change” (17).
See all 2016 Hyundai Santa FE problems or engine problems across all Santa FE years.