738 of the
1,573 complaints filed about the Hyundai Santa FE Sport
are about the engine —
100% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2017.
I took my SUV to get the 9C2 recall on 8/7/2026 performed and took it home. The next morning when I cranked it and left my driveway it acted as if the vehicle didn't recognize that I was pressing my accelerator. It sputtered and hesitated acceleration for about five minutes. It also acted as if it was not going to change from first to second gear. After about five min. of playing with the gas pedal it straightened out. Twice I was almost hit by other cars expecting me to pull away from a stop sign. I took it back the next day telling the service agent what was happening and he kept it overnight. I received a text saying the technician was unable to find a cold start problem and it was ready to pick up. I was so mad I could barely hold my temper. I took it home and for the next week every single day it acted like this when cold started in the morning. I took it back to Premiere Hyundai of Harvey and was treated rudely this time. They acted as if they never had a single other complaint and told me I might have to leave it for several days so they could cold start test it for several days. This was on a Wednesday morning 8/19. I was never updated or called and when I texted my service rep on Monday 8/24 I was told the tech was not able to duplicate the complaint and to come pick it up. I will not ever buy another Hyundai because of the way I was treated and lied to. PLEASE create a recall for this badly handled recall 9C2. My Sante Fe Sport ran beautifully before this recall messed up my SUV. Now I have found if I let it idle for five minutes in the morning and accelerate slowly until it changes gears, most mornings it will run well, but if I crank it and pull into the street on a cold start it does the sputtering HELP US HYUNDAI OWNERS
NHTSA complaint #11764162 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport exhibits a documented mechanical failure under active code P0420 (Catalytic Converter Efficiency Below Threshold). This failure is the direct proximate consequence of a severe, long term manufacturing defect in the Theta II engine block, which has caused excessive oil consumption. Following the official 1,000 - mile diagnostic driving protocol completed on XXX, Keffer Hyundai (a Hyundai dealer located in [XXX]) service department officially confirmed the active code P0420 catalytic converter failure. They issued a formal written recommendation to replace the entire engine assembly but generated an out-of-pocket consumer estimate of $10,035. This case falls under the the terms of the Theta II Class Action Settlement which requires Hyundai to cover the defective engine block under the Lifetime Warranty Extension, along with any subsequent component damage (the Catalytic Converter) destroyed as a direct result of the engine's oil burning defect under the Lifetime Warranty Extension. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11763597 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that there was coolant in the engine and that the knock sensor detection system needed to be replaced. The dealer made the contact aware of Manufacturer Campaign Number: 953 and stated that the vehicle was not previously serviced under the campaign, so the vehicle could not be repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.
NHTSA complaint #11762873 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brought my 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport into the dealer on July 25, 2026 for the ECU and Theta II software update (Hyundai Service Campaign 9C2). Before the recall service my car drove perfectly with no issues. After the recall service my car is extremely jerky when shifting at low speeds and has long delays when trying to accelerate. This problem is particularly apparent on cold start, and less so once the vehicle has been driving. The issue is not as noticeable if the vehicle has been driven, is turned off, and then turned on again before fully cooled down. The jerky shifting has been getting worse over the past month. Vehicle was taken back to the dealer that conducted the software update on August 26, 2026 and they charged me for throttle body cleaning and EFI service which they performed for carbon build up as they cited this as the cause for the issues. The issue was not resolved from this service despite the dealers claims and the vehicle still has the same jerky shifting and delayed acceleration on cold start. There are no warning messages. Issue is becoming more widely documented among users after this particular service campaign so it is not an individual isolated problem.
NHTSA complaint #11761273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bought this as a used vehicle with around 77k miles. The SUV was running fine for a little while until I drove onto the highway. It eventually began to bog down and there was hesitation and jumping instead of acceleration. This continued my entire trip home with the check engine light on. The car was only driven for about 300-400 miles in the time I had it. When I brought it to have an oil change, they found metal shavings in the oil. From what I’ve been reading, this has been a common problem for this vehicle. It has been sitting in a Hyundai service center for at least a month now with no real responses from Hyundai themselves. They told me they would not fix the problem due to lack of maintenance from prior owners and that they were marking my title (doesn’t make sense since I bought this with a clean title). According to what Hyundai told me, this issue was brought up by a previous owner in January 2026 with no repairs. How can you change the status of my title while refusing to repair a problem caused by a manufacturers defect?
NHTSA complaint #11759687 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa FE. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle at 60 mph the vehicle began to shake violently, and the engine experienced a complete loss of automotive power, the service vehicle soon, ABS and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact veered off an exit into the parking lot of an AutoZone where a diagnostic scanner displayed the code "P0302". The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the exhaust valve on cylinder two had dissolved and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to a local Hyundai dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the exhaust valve in cylinder two was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,687.
NHTSA complaint #11757038 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving down a highway and was slowing down as motorcycle in front of me was turning. I than proceeded to drive, I heard a loud noise which everyone in the vehicle thought it was the motorcycle (it wasn't) we pulled over into the nearest gas station and saw that my oil light was barely blinking (it was barely noticeable) was fading in and out) we got out checked the dipstick and it was low. Was not due for an oil change for another 1500miles. We put oil in and waited checked the dip stick it was then reading between the two lines of L and F. We waited another 5-10 minutes before leaving. We pulled out and the vehicle acted as if it had no power. I pushed on the gas to get up to speed and the car died out; I got pulled over to the side of the road. The car gave me no indication of anything. No oil light. I drove the days before with no issues I was 38miles from home.
NHTSA complaint #11757062 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle suffered a severe engine overheating failure that created an immediate fire risk and electrical safety signaling failure. A brand-new replacement engine was installed by an authorized dealership in April 2026 under a goodwill warranty and had only been driven ~ 3,100 miles since installation. While operating the vehicle, the air conditioning suddenly stopped functioning. Upon restarting, the check engine light illuminated; however, there was never any dashboard temperature warning indicator, notification, or chime to alert the driver to an active overheating situation. Shortly after, the engine completely disabled itself and died while in transit in a parking lot. AAA was contacted to tow the vehicle. Smoke was visible coming out of the engine's oil dipstick and oil intake spout before being towed. After being towed home, an overwhelming chemical burning odor was noted and continued to get worse. A physical check revealed that the oil level on the dipstick was critically overfilled a full inch above the maximum fill line. The local fire department responded to the scene to mitigate the thermal risk, ordered the battery disconnected due to safety hazards, and deemed the vehicle entirely unsafe to operate or connect to power. This represents a catastrophic failure of critical safety equipment and onboard driver warning networks on a newly installed engine assembly, presenting an active safety and fire hazard to passengers. An official corporate safety case has been opened with Hyundai Motor America under Case Number: 43112676.
NHTSA complaint #11756640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In June 2026 I took my vehicle to Hyundai for a recall to the ECM module. After that my vehicle would lose power and hesitate to shift gears, and overall does not feel safe. Took vehicle back to dealer and they have told me that I have to wait for them to issue a recall fix for this now .
NHTSA complaint #11755929 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that after a routine oil change, while driving back to the residence, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there were metal shavings inside the engine. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not eligible for a recall repair because the engine software update was not performed. The failure mileage was approximately 136,434.
NHTSA complaint #11756036 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH and attempting to overtake another vehicle, the vehicle lost automotive power and decelerated with the check engine, battery, and oil warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was parked on the shoulder of the highway, and smoke was coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The contact stated that after parking on the shoulder, the brakes erroneously activated, and the vehicle failed to move forward. The contact stated that moments later there were flames and smoke was coming from under the hood. The contact exited the vehicle. The Fire Department was called to the scene, and the flames were extinguished by the firemen. The vehicle was destroyed in the fire. The vehicle was later towed to the residence. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 105,225.
NHTSA complaint #11755852 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
After the recent "important service campaign" involving the THETA II Emissions Logic Improvement my vehicle no longer safety shifts into the lower gears. It will not shift into gear. I am unable to safely get up to a normal speed and the engine and vehicle start shaking. This is isolated to the initial start of the vehicle and any low speed driving after. The issue is resolved after restarting the car, suggesting it is a software issue. This issue immediately began after the ECU update for the THETA II emissions logic improvement on 5/12/2026.
NHTSA complaint #11754160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport is subject to Hyundai Recall 162 / NHTSA Recall 17V-226, concerning premature connecting-rod-bearing wear that can cause engine knocking, engine failure, and loss of motive power. My vehicle developed engine knocking and a flashing check-engine light while I was driving. The vehicle is now at an authorized Hyundai dealership. Hyundai initially denied an engine replacement based on mileage. I escalated the matter to Hyundai Motor America Corporate Consumer Affairs. Hyundai has now confirmed in writing that, because my vehicle is more than eight years old and has more than 150,000 miles, Hyundai is applying the high-mileage provision of the Theta II settlement and will not replace the engine. Instead, Hyundai is offering either a repurchase or $2,000 in lieu of engine replacement. I understand that Hyundai is relying on the court-approved settlement. My concern is specifically whether Hyundai’s application of that settlement to my vehicle is consistent with the administration of Recall 162 and the federal safety-recall remedy, given that my vehicle is experiencing the engine failure that Recall 162 was designed to address. I am requesting NHTSA’s review of Hyundai’s handling of this safety-related recall matter.
NHTSA complaint #11753820 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On June 20, 2026, while the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport was being driven on Richardson Highway near Mile 155 in Alaska, smoke and flames developed from the engine compartment without any collision. The driver stopped and both occupants exited before the vehicle became fully engulfed. The fire created an immediate risk of serious injury or death and blocked the northbound lane. There were no known prior drivability problems, warning lamps, or other symptoms before the incident. The exact failed component is UNKNOWN. Potential areas requiring investigation include the engine, electrical system, ABS/HECU brake module, multi-fuse, fuel system, and other engine-compartment components. Alaska Department of Public Safety responded. Its report states that there was no obvious cause, but that the fire appeared to have originated in the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed and preserved for the manufacturer. Hyundai inspected the vehicle and confirmed that the inspection was completed on July 11, 2026. Hyundai later stated orally that it did not find an engine defect, but it has not provided the complete inspection report, testing methods, photographs, technical findings, or a written origin-and-cause determination. Hyundai has not explained whether the ABS/HECU, electrical system, multi-fuse, fuel system, or other potential fire sources were separately examined. The vehicle sustained catastrophic damage and was a total loss. Both occupants escaped, but experienced severe ongoing psychological distress after the fire. I request that NHTSA evaluate whether the fire involved an engine, electrical, ABS/HECU, fuel-system, recall-remedy, or other safety defect. The vehicle was available for Hyundai's inspection. Its current availability for further inspection is UNKNOWN. The vehicle remains preserved and is currently available for further inspection upon request.
NHTSA complaint #11753388 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
After a recall repair (Campaign 9C2) was performed on my vehicle, it developed a hesitation and lack of acceleration issue that did not exist before the repair. The vehicle exhibits rough or delayed gear shifting, a noticeable lack of power/acceleration, and behavior that feels like the engine is not receiving adequate fuel. This occurs both during cold start and after the vehicle has been driven and is fully warm
NHTSA complaint #11752291 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
We have a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport with a refurbished engine due to a past class act settlement, we were notified by Hyundai to bring in the vehicle for Service campaign 9C2 to update the Engine Control Module (ECM) Software for vehicles equipped with the (2.4 GDI) Theta II refurbished engine, which we have. The morning after we updated the 9C2 software, after starting our car cold for the first time in the am, our car went into limp mode, shaking very badly, it would not accelerate above 20 MPH, it had a lot of trouble shifting from 1st to 3rd gear and acted like it was going to stall out and then die in the middle of the road while I was in the car with my 2 children. The dealership we took it to was not able to duplicate the limp mode, but has documented that they did witness hesitation and sluggishness while test driving it. I cannot validate that it was test driven cold immediately as requested as all their test drives were done without me. Due to the vehicle not accelerating as it should normally, I feel the vehicle is very unsafe and unreliable as well. I’m willing to provide more documentation, and our car is available for further inspection. I did request the help of a Hyundai customer relations case manager who stated Hyundai is aware of all of the drive-ability issues I have stated and he said they are hoping to provide another software update, but that time frame is unknown. Dealership mechanic stated the same thing and believes our issue is related to the 9C2 update. The manufacture has not inspected the vehicle, but we would absolutely love them to if they would. There have been no check engine lights come on before or after this update, only misfire codes came up after the update which dealership has those, and since the dealership was unable to witness it going into limp mode while driving it, they could not gain the much needed data that pinpoints the exact problem. We were advised to warm up car and rev up the RPM to above 2,000 before driving.
NHTSA complaint #11752266 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The Hyundai Theta engine is a bad design that has many recalls, a history of oil consumptions, and breakdowns that leave consumers in danger, on the roadside, and out of money. This engine has a design that causes worn engine components and high oil consumption causing reduced engine power, ruined spark plugs, and engine damage with no recourse as a owner. Recently, my family member had a hesitation that causes the car to run rough and display a check engine light. She was in traffic and the vehicle was stopping. Had this been on the interstate it could have been deadly. This IS NOT UNCOMMON for these vehicles. A quick Google search is nationwide proof of an issue with these vehicles and engines that the government needs to hold Hyundai accountable. This particular vehicle has been assessed by a Hyundai and confirmed it is consuming oil at a higher rate than normal, as many other owners have documented. With this most recent issue of stalling out, the mechanic indicated that excessive oil consumption entering the spark plug port has fouled the spark plugs as the design of the engine is flawed. The oil consumption was discovered at approximately 99,000 miles and several steps were completed to "fix" and confirm the issue. There is no "real fix" to the issue due to the inherent design of the motor. Again, this is not a new issue with these cars and there should be recourse that holds Hyundai accountable for bad and dangerous engines. The check engine light did come on as the vehicle began to stall and run rough in traffic.
NHTSA complaint #11751035 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The engine on this vehicle suffers from a severe oil consumption defect that was first officially reported to the authorized dealership on February 3, 2025 at approximately 90,000 miles while under the factory powertrain warranty. The vehicle completely empties its engine oil supply in under 1,000 miles of normal driving. Running entirely out of oil within such a short interval poses an imminent, extreme risk of sudden engine seizure, catastrophic mechanical failure, and sudden stalling at highway speeds. The manufacturer and dealership have physically documented this rapid depletion of oil over a 17-month period but are refusing to replace the defective components, instead attempting to force this unsafe vehicle back onto public roads for repetitive driving tests.
NHTSA complaint #11751139 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle started to lose power while depressing the accelerator pedal, with black smoke coming from the engine compartment. The oil, check engine, and battery warning lights were displayed on the instrument panel. The contact pulled over and discovered black smoke coming from under the hood. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and the engine was replaced. Two weeks after the replacement, the starter failed to operate as needed, and the vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic, where the starter was replaced. Upon investigation, the mechanic discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V226000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); and associated the vehicle with the recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle remained with the independent mechanic and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,577.
NHTSA complaint #11750844 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.