Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Complaints

1,199 consumer complaints on file.

#11695915October 27, 2025
AIR BAGS, ENGINE
The light for the passenger airbag has been on for years. I have taken it in, and the only thing the service department determined is that there was a water bottle under the seat. I was rear-ended into another vehicle, and the airbag did not deploy. The engine burns the oil from an oil change in approximately two weeks. I add a quart of oil every two weeks. If the engine seizes while driving due to this condition, I could be injured in an accident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695612October 25, 2025
ENGINE
Number 4 piston developed a hole in it. Also the engine has been going through a lot of oil
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695175October 23, 2025
ENGINE
I'm the second owner of this vehicle, I purchased it when it was one year old. I've provided careful maintenance, as this is my only vehicle. In the last year+ it started burning more and more oil. I was told by a mechanic that there were no signs of leakage and that these engines tend to burn a lot of oil so I was very careful to monitor levels and up the oil changes. 6 months ago, it was in the shop for new brakes and had a complete diagnostic exam and there were no issues with the engine. Two weeks ago, before a road trip, I again had full diagnostics done on the vehicle and there were no codes that popped up. The vehicle died on my trip. Reading the codes, I received my first code regarding problems with my cylinders after the vehicle died. Now I need a completely new engine because cylinders 1 and 3 failed. The car only has 80,000 miles on it. In all my years of my family owning different vehicles, I've always owned vehicles until they were well over 100,000 miles. The only two vehicles owned by my family that ever needed engine replacement early in their lives were both Hyundai vehicles. After I was told that I needed a new engine at 80,000 miles, I was told that this was not due to the one specific problem Hyundai would cover so I have to pay to replace it myself. There are a plethora of forums, mechanic experiences, etc, that show these 2.4L engines have this exact problem, but Hyundai washes their hands of us. As a second owner, I don't qualify for the engine warranty, which was extended to 120,000 because Hyundai knows these engines are horrible. My warranty ended when the car was 5 years old, and had 60,000 miles. And up until last week, I've never had an engine code pop up in diagnosis so I have no idea how I was supposed to predict premature engine failure and remedy it within that time frame. It's just another hit against anyone who can't afford to buy a brand new vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695227October 23, 2025
ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving to the residence at a moderate speed, the oil warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The following day, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that there was no oil in the engine even though an oil change had been performed a month earlier. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic, where an oil change was performed. After the oil change, the contact stated there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine while driving at various speeds. The contact then stated that while at a stop light, the engine seized while depressing the accelerator pedal, with several unknown warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the crankshaft rod was defective. The dealer linked the failure to Hyundai recall 953; however, the contact was later informed that since the vehicle was not serviced for a prior knock sensor recall, the vehicle no longer qualified for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure, and the contact was provided a case number. The contact was later informed by the manufacturer that the vehicle would not be serviced under warranty. The contact stated that the recall was placed on the vehicle prior to owning the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 149,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695055October 22, 2025
ENGINE
Engine is experiencing excessive oil consumption. Engine in question is a Theta II 2.4 GDI. Losing a qt every 400-500 miles. The car has less than 75,000 miles on it. The vehicle has been religiously maintained, oil changes every 5,000 miles or less. However because we are the second owners, even though it was purchased in 2020 when it had less than 30,000 miles, the warranty does not apply. The engine type has several manufacturer defects. Hyundai is using the technicality of a non-transferable warranty to get out of the fact that they knowingly put a defective engine in vehicles. By the time the oil consumption issue is apparent, it is too late, and you need a full unit replacement. I was quoted $9,000 - $10,500 by two Hyundai dealerships to replace the engine. I've spoken to non-Hyundai shops and the only way to truly correct the issue is to replace the engine with a remanned engine since the actual engines are manufactured poorly from go, so even a new one could be defective. There are million of these engines across several KIA and Hyundai vehicles. They cause undue burden to consumers. Hyundai and Kia do not stand by their product and consumers are being hurt. Instead of having an asset I thought was worth $10,000 an I could drive for several years and tens of thousands, if not one hundred thousand plus, more miles, I have a vehicle that is a ticking time bomb that would cost as much to fully fix the problem as it is worth. A simple google for Kia Optima, Kia Sorento, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Sante Fe, Hyundai Sante Fe Sport, Hyundai Sonata or Hyundai Tucson + Theta II 2.4 GDI will yield more than enough results to show how prevalent the engine failure + oil consumption issue is. If left unfixed the engine will consume too much oil and seize, or lead to other problems with vehicle rendering unsafe to drive.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694693October 21, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that shortly after an oil change was performed, the "Low Oil" icon was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced excessive oil consumption, and the oil dipstick indicated that the engine oil level was low. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693428October 14, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle intermittently lost automotive power. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, and the starter was replaced. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to an unknown NHTSA Campaign. The local dealer was contacted; however, it was unclear if the vehicle had been diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. Prior to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the same local independent mechanic, where the alternator was replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 192,000
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693160October 13, 2025
ENGINE
In 2023, I purchased this car in December. I didn' t know this car would have such known problems. In over a year and a half, the spark plugs have been changed 5 times. After each oul change within 2 weeks, not a month, I constantly have to add oil to the car. In the colder months, I have to wait at leasr 15min. before the car would even start. Would someone help me with these problems? I am [XXX]. I know recalls were placed on cars with similar problems. Plus smoke, I can't remember black or white comes out the tailpipe. The date you see, was the lasted date listed to add more oil. PLEASE HELP ME... INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11692877October 12, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My husband was driving our vehicle on the highway when the engine began to smoke and the caught fire. Unfortunately it was not able to be saved. We filed a claim with our carrier and are pending an inspection. We looked up our vin and confirmed a fire recall from 2022.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11692516October 10, 2025
ENGINE
My car has a GDI motor and it is the most diabolical engine. I get an oil change REGULARY according to my cars need. Between oil changes, i have to constantly add oil. About every week i have to add about 2 quarts of oil. I have confirmed with my mechanic that i have NO leaks, no faulty gaskets or injectors. This car has caused me SO many problems. I should not have to constantly add oil to my car weekly just to get to my next oil change. There needs to be some sort of recall or extended warranty. My mechanic has stated that SEVERAL of his customers have had faulty GDI motors. My car has 118,000 miles on it and very well taken care of.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11692296October 9, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving out of the driveway, there was a ticking sound coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who discovered metal shavings inside the engine oil. The contact was informed that the metal shavings might indicate engine failure. The contact also stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 52,162.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11692049October 8, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power while depressing the accelerator pedal, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact coasted the vehicle off the highway into a local gas station. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to restart after several attempts. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where a diagnostic test determined that the vehicle had experienced engine failure. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who confirmed the engine failure diagnosis. The manufacturer was then notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 97,052.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691791October 7, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Put in reverse to move backwards 5 feet or so the vehicle kept going and moving faster I applied the brake and hitting the brakes as well I didn't wonna hit the parked cars behind me so I put in park thinking that will also help stop the vehicle nothing worked it only stopped after hitting my other car that was parked on the street I tried everything to stop it it just took off I came out a beautiful morning to change the radiator it was dripping from the bottom I purchased a new one I put the car front wheels on ramps to look underneath to see what sockets I needed I got in vehicle just to lower off ramps backing down slow foot covering brake once the car touch ground it accelerated not fast but wouldn't stop it happened so fast but I applied the emergency brake its moving faster applying the brake as well im looking in the mirror at wants behind me as well I put in park thinking that would stop the vehicle but it was accelerating didnt stop until it hit the car parked on the street that's also mine it was dangerous and scary and im thankful it wasnt a tragedy normally my grandkids would be playing out there i could killed them I cant stop thinking about the what could been driving 42 years I consider myself a good driver defensive driving course never had a chargeable accident drove professional also for 32 years I did all I could think of in that little bit of time it just accelerated again backing tapping brakes 2 or 3 times coming down off ramps front maybe 4 or 5 inches off ground lowering to ground it take off something worth looking into thank you last thing my wife was coming to bring me a flashlight the fence hit her 30 more seconds she probably would been hit or killed so this is really affecting me
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691858October 7, 2025
ENGINE
I own a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. I leased it new, then purchased outright in May 2022. I had no issues with my vehicle. I maintained it regularly. Had appropriate interval oil changes. At no time from 4/2018 to 6/2025 did I have any knowledge of any issues with the engine in my vehicle & neither Hyundai nor the dealership contacted me in any manner to notify me of an issue with my engine. On or about October 2024, my check oil light came on for the first time in 6 years. I do not drive much because I work, & have worked, from home since July 2020. I took my car to my mechanic. He added almost 4 quarts of oil. I returned two weeks later & he changed oil. He saw nothing that caused him suspicion. He suggested I check my oil levels. Extreme oil consumption continued. My check oil light NEVER came back on. No other lights came on until 10/6/2025. I drove minimally. In July, 2025, I discovered my vehicle has a known defective engine. I uncovered multiple lawsuits against Hyundai regarding the defective engines. On 9/12/2025, I sent a Massachusetts General Law 93A Demand Letter mailed Certified Mail to Hyundai & dealership. On Oct. 6, 2025 at approx. 11:30 am, I turned on my car & without warning, my car immediately began shaking violently & vibrating & stalling - IN PARK. The check engine light began to flash intermittently in PARK. I drove my vehicle 7 miles to my mechanic (praying the whole time my car would not blow up with me in it); the car violently shook & vibrated the entire 7 miles. The check engine light changed to solid & acceleration was almost non existent. I am waiting for my mechanic to most likely give me bad news. Neither Hyundai nor the dealership have yet responded to my MGL 93A Demand Letter.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691565October 6, 2025
ENGINE
Over 3 years ago I went in for a normal oil change at Brookshire Hyindai Dealership where I was told my engine was consuming an alarming amount of oil. In order for Hyundai to do anything I was told o need to complete an engine oil consumption test which requires me to go back to the dealership every 1000 miles for 3k miles for them to check the oil. After completing this it was proven that there was a engine oil Consumption issue. They submitted it to Hyundai and I was denied. They said I needed to pay for an engine combustion cleaning which cost me about 400$, then I would have to repeat the test to see if the issue was resolved. After doing all of that, I still had an engine oil consumption problem according to the second test. Hyundai denied me again and told me I had to wait until my Engine light came on. So when it came on I brought it back, they said it wasn’t my engine according to the computer. I have spent thousands of dollars on oil over the past several years and Hyundai has done nothing. I do not feel safe in my vehicle. Hyundai has failed me. I then called Hyundai consumer care to open up a case and still nothing. All of that for them to tell me my extended warranty for my engine will not cover the issue. They have done nothing to resolve my issue only cost me time and money with no resolution. This is a known issue for my cars make and model and they are just turning their head the other way. Hyundai consumer care in fact does not care about consumers at all.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691571October 6, 2025
ENGINE, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
I have taken my car to the dealership now 3 times for the same recall issue. This time, they are telling me Hyundai will not repair my car on their end because of "sludge buildup" to which i was not aware. I submitted all records of maintenance and they are refusing to fix my vehicle. I now have an inoperable, because not safe, vehicle that is legally required to be fixed by Hyundai for it's recall, but is not being fixed. Recall 237 If I were to try to drive the vehicle, it could put lives at risk. It will not accelerate quickly, could go up in flames, and does not go the speed limit on highways which are required for me to get home and to work. The recall was confirmed by the dealer as the check engine light flashed and caused a certain code to pop up for maintenance. The solution would be for Hyundai to fix the car, but they are refusing and saying the whole engine needs to be replaced now even though there's nothing wrong with the engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691473October 5, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY
The stationary glass that is in front of the panoramic sunroof shattered for no reason. I found that this has happened to many other people's vehicle like mine. In several incidents, the glass chips fell on passengers in the car when they opened the sunroof. I had a glass repair shop look at it. It will cost $400.00 out of pocket and I don't really want to file a claim to insurance. Can you offer any help?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691367October 4, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I pulled into my driveway, put car in park, left the car running to leave the ac for a minute, my granddaughter was in the backseat. I got out of the car , let my granddaughter out , i then was standing outside of the drivers side, reached in , turned off the car, removed the keys and it started rolling. I couldn't get out of the way and fell , car ran over right leg. Was taken to hospital for evaluation and treatment. I haven't taken the car in for evaluation by dealer , insurance or other auto specialist
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11691308October 3, 2025
ENGINE
On [XXX, I was driving on the interstate when my engine seized and the car lost all power, leaving me stranded on the side of the road on a busy exit at night. This was very dangerous to myself and others. I purchased this car in July of 2023 with 69,000 miles in good condition. I immediately made an appointment to take care of the recalls and updates to this car, which were performed February 2024 due to this being the first available appointment. Also, at my first oil change (3,000 miles after the previous oil change) I was told by the mechanic that there was absolutely no oil in my car. Since then I have had to put SEVERAL quarts of oil in between each oil change, costing me hundreds of dollars. Then June of 2024, the P1326 code flashed on my car and it went into limp mode also while I was driving on a busy street, putting myself and others in danger. I took it to the dealership and was advised to continue driving it and there was nothing they can do until my engine fails. I also brought up the oil consumption issue and was told that even if I did an oil consumption test (at my cost), there was nothing they could do. I was advised by my service advisor not to do a consumption test. I took his advice and continued to drive my car, adding countless quarts of oil weekly to my car. Fast forward to September 2024, when my engine light came on due to misfires in cylinder 3&4 and I took it to a local mechanic due to the incredibly long wait for an appointment at Hyundai. I was told all 4 spark plugs were oil fouled due to excessive oil consumption. This happened again July of 2025. My mechanic advised me that there was nothing to do about it, but that this would continue to happen due to the oil consumption issue. Now Hyundai is refusing to take responsibility for this engine that has had documented issues resulting in class action lawsuits and safety issues for myself and others and refusing any financial assistance. No warning lamps were on before incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATIO
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690467September 30, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
Excessive oil burning even after replacing the motor once before.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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