2017 Hyundai Santa FE Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Santa FE years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 26 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 970 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Hyundai Santa FE. That is the most of any Santa FE model year in the database (26 years). The most reported problem area is engine (650 complaints, 67%), typically at around 45,000 miles. Complaints mention 14 crashes, 23 fires, 18 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.

- 970owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 14complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2017 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 | 650 | 67% | 45,000 | “oil consumption” (16%) | $8,450 |
| Power Train problems | 166 | 17% | 5,350 | “oil consumption” (6%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 93 | 10% | 16,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System problems | 69 | 7% | 17,100 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 60 | 6% | 10,000 | “oil consumption” (12%) | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 54 | 6% | 6,750 | “making turn” (11%) | — |
| Service Brakes | 34 | 4% | 7,050 | — | — |
| Steering | 27 | 3% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 24 | 2% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 23 | 2% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 20 | 2% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 10 | 1% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 9 | 1% | 3,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 7 | 1% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 1% | 4,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 7 | 1% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 6 | 1% | 6,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 0% | 14,750 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 4 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 0% | 59,636 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 4 | 0% | 16,374 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 0% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Firerelated | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 0% | 73,399 | — | — |
| Insert, Padding | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 1,100 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2017 Hyundai Santa FE 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 2016-2018 Santa Fe, 2017-2018 Santa Fe Sport, 2019 Santa Fe XL, and 2014-2015 Tucson vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.
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 multi-fuse, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 31, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 218.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Santa Fe vehicles equipped with 3.3L engines. The crankshaft assemblies may have been produced with surface irregularities in the crankshaft pin, causing engine bearing wear.
Risk: The engine bearing wear may cause the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify all owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the engine, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 168.
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.
Tires:pressure monitoring and regulating systems
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The affected vehicles have a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that may not have been set in the correct mode during vehicle assembly, and therefore will not provide an appropriate warning in the event of an underinflated tire. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Risk: An underinflated inflated tire can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the TPMS sensors, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for the recall is 159.
Trailer hitches; electrical system:wiring
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Tucson vehicles manufactured May 19, 2015, to November 14, 2016, and 2017 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured November 28, 2015, to November 14, 2016. The affected vehicles may be equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result, in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected accessory trailer hitch wiring harnesses, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 13, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 153.
Seat belts:front:warning light/devices
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured September 1, 2015 to February 12, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the wires in the front seat belt buckle harnesses may be damaged by the seat's height adjuster mechanism, resulting in a failure to provide an audible warning when front seat occupants do not fasten their seat belts. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: Without a warning to remind the front seat occupants that their seat belts are not buckled, they may forget to buckle their seat belt, increasing their risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and reroute the wires in the front seat belt buckle harnesses to their proper locations, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 27, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 141.
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.
- 3.3L Engine Loss of Motive Power (LOMP) (DP24001) — opened Feb 8, 2024, closed May 16, 2024.
- Loss of Motive Power (DP22003) — opened Sep 12, 2022, closed Dec 12, 2023.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
On [XXX], Laguna Niguel Hyundai performed Service Campaign 9C2 (ECU software update for Theta II emissions improvement, Hyundai TSB 26-01-013H) on my 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. Immediately after the update, the vehicle developed drivability problems that did not exist before: rough/harsh…
On XXX, [XXX] Hyundai performed Service Campaign 9C2 (ECU software update for Theta II emissions improvement, Hyundai TSB 26-01-013H) on my 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. Immediately after the update, the vehicle developed drivability problems that did not exist before: rough/harsh shifting…
Was driving down road car went into limp mode about caused a big wreck, check engine was flashing and heard a loud noise as I was trying to get to safety. Had the car scanned and was for code p1326 and looking at all the recalls nothing is for the 2.4l but y'all have been having a lot of issues…
Immediately following the mandatory Hyundai Servie Campaign Update 9C2-ECU THETA 11my vehicle began exhibiting severe hesitation, very rough idling, jerking at slow speeds and when gear changes, difficulty going up inclines and almost feel at times as though it is about to lose power which poses…
Component/System Failed: Engine assembly (Theta II 2.4L GDI) and Exhaust/Catalytic Converter. Description: The vehicle suffered a failure associated with the known Theta II engine defects. Engine oil consumption and internal engine wear directly led to unburned fuel and debris entering the exhaust…
Other Hyundai Santa FE years
← 2016 Santa FE · 2018 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 | 970 | 6 |
| 2016 Santa FE | 236 | 3 |
| 2015 Santa FE | 254 | 2 |
| 2014 Santa FE | 493 | 3 |
| 2013 Santa FE | 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Hyundai Santa FE?
Owners most often report engine, power train, unknown or other problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 650 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2017 Hyundai Santa FE?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2017 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 2017 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.