Hyundai Santa FE Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 214 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the Hyundai Santa FE across 22 model years. The 2001 model year has the most (33). The words owners use most often: “engine compartment” (6% of reports).
- 214engine and engine cooling complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- 36%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 compartment: mentioned in 12 of 214 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 172 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 214 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 9 a fire, 5 an injury.
Hyundai Santa FE engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Santa FE | 1 | 1% | 100 |
| 2023 Santa FE | 3 | 1% | 11,591 |
| 2020 Santa FE | 7 | 3% | 99,182 |
| 2019 Santa FE | 2 | 1% | 82,500 |
| 2018 Santa FE | 3 | 3% | 58,000 |
| 2017 Santa FE | 23 | 2% | 100,000 |
| 2016 Santa FE | 4 | 2% | 94,500 |
| 2015 Santa FE | 1 | 0% | 115,000 |
| 2014 Santa FE | 3 | 1% | 99,271 |
| 2013 Santa FE | 6 | 1% | 141,000 |
| 2012 Santa FE | 6 | 2% | 22,818 |
| 2011 Santa FE | 8 | 4% | 16,800 |
| 2010 Santa FE | 9 | 3% | 9,000 |
| 2009 Santa FE | 7 | 2% | 20,000 |
| 2008 Santa FE | 10 | 2% | 53,375 |
| 2007 Santa FE | 19 | 3% | 37,000 |
| 2006 Santa FE | 5 | 5% | 39,156 |
| 2005 Santa FE | 7 | 3% | 45,000 |
| 2004 Santa FE | 22 | 7% | 40,000 |
| 2003 Santa FE | 21 | 7% | 59,920 |
| 2002 Santa FE | 14 | 8% | 90,779 |
| 2001 Santa FE | 33 | 16% | 61,755 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Engine and engine cooling:critical fasteners
Model years: 2025, 2026
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson and Santa Fe vehicles. The connecting rod bolts in the engine may have been improperly tightened, which can cause a loss of drive power and engine damage, possibly resulting in an oil leak.
Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. An oil leak in the presence of hot engine components can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the engine, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 281.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:oil/lubrication:pipes, hoses, and fittings; engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger
Model years: 2022
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2022 Santa Fe and Santa Cruz vehicles. The oil supply pipe to the turbocharger may crack, which could result in an oil leak in the engine compartment.
Risk: An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the turbocharger oil supply pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall 222.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Model years: 2017
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and failed to properly accelerate, with the check engine warning light illuminated and flashing. The vehicle was later towed to the local mechanic, who was unable to…
The contact owns a 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal odor coming from the engine compartment. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and discovered that there was oil leaking from the valve cover onto the alternator…
The contact's daughter owns a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact received a notification for an unknown emissions recall. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it remained for three weeks, and an ECU software update was completed. The vehicle was then driven to the contact's residence…
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that after an unknown Emission recall was performed on the vehicle, the vehicle started sputtering at start-up and then while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact…
See attached letter for complaint
Frequently asked questions
Do all Hyundai Santa FEs have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 214 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the Hyundai Santa FE. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Hyundai Santa FE engine and engine cooling?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the Hyundai Santa FE?
The most frequent phrase is “engine compartment”, in 12 of 214 complaints.
Other Hyundai Santa FE problems
- Engine problems (2,428)
- Power Train problems (933)
- Electrical System problems (851)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (756)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (588)
- Air Bags problems (506)
- Service Brakes problems (439)
- Suspension problems (436)
See all Hyundai Santa FE problems.