AI DamageHyundai Santa FE Sport: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Hyundai Santa FE Sport across 3 model years: 845 owner complaints and 151 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 58% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 15% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 8% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 6% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 5% of all complaints
- 7 Engine and cooling 4% of all complaints
- 8 Air bags 3% of all complaints
- Engine: 493 complaints (58% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 44.
- Service brakes: 128 complaints (15% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 13.
- Powertrain: 70 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 40.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 69 complaints (8% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Electrical system: 50 complaints (6% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 151.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 845 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 493 | 2 | 44 |
| Service brakes | 128 | 6 | 13 |
| Powertrain | 70 | 1 | 40 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 69 | 0 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 50 | 0 | 151 |
| Vehicle speed control | 44 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 34 | 0 | 77 |
| Air bags | 26 | 10 | 15 |
| Steering | 20 | 1 | 9 |
| Structure | 16 | 3 | 7 |
| Exterior lighting | 11 | 1 | 6 |
| Visibility | 10 | 0 | 9 |
| Suspension | 9 | 1 | 9 |
| Seats | 9 | 1 | 2 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Was traveling along a city street with parked cars on the passenger side of my vehicle. Axle or wheel broke and veered into parked vehicle severing the engine wiring harness not allowing the airbag to deploy.
I know that there is other people complaining about the oil consumption so my engine just blew up because I had it changed on March 13 brand new oil change and on Monday night the engine blew up..
The contact’s son stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the brake pedal depressed with no warning light illuminated. The contact’s son stated that the ABS braking system failed, and the brake pedal did not function when attempting to stop the vehicle.
As I was driving the hood opened breaking the windshield which obstructed my view and caused me to veer off-road and crash.I acquired the vehicle less than a year ago and only learned of a recall for hood latches from the tow truck driver. afterwards.
During a severe accident in which the cars collided from both the back and front at most likely over 50mph, the air bags did not deploy. In such a case, I feel as though they should have gone off as there was severe whiplash and the cars hit at such a fast and hard speed.
The contact stated that while driving at 30-35 MPH, the contact was rear-ended by another vehicle, hit on the driver's side by a truck, and rear-ended again; however, the air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained injuries and received medical attention. A police report was filed.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil…
- Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil…
- Certain vehicles may exhibit excessive paint peeling or bubbling of the primer/paint film on the exterior…
- Following completion of Service Campaign 9C2 (Theta II Emissions Improvement), certain vehicles may…
- Following completion of Service Campaign 9C2 (Theta II Emissions Improvement), certain vehicles may…
- Certain Santa Fe (TMA), Santa Fe Sport (AN), Sonata (LFA), and Tucson (TL) vehicles equipped with Theta II…
- Certain Santa Fe (TMA), Santa Fe Sport (AN), Sonata (LFA), and Tucson (TL) vehicles equipped with Theta II…
- Certain 2012 – 2017 model year Accent, 2012 – 2017 model year Azera, 2013 – 2018 model year Santa Fe…
- Certain Hyundai vehicles with exterior white paint may exhibit peeling or bubbling on metal body panels
- Some Hyundai vehicles with exterior white paint may exhibit peeling or bubbling on metal body panels
- Some vehicles listed below may exhibit an intermittent airbag warning light and DTC(s) B1763 (OCS ECU…
- Some vehicles listed below may exhibit an intermittent airbag warning light and DTC(s) B1763 (OCS ECU…
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
- Hyndai Santa Fe 2016 2.0 diesel
- 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.0 turbo engine removal out the top #automobile
- За скільки можна привезти Сантафе 2018 з Кореї?
- HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2018 NO SPEEDOMETER / CAN BUS COMMUNICATION FAIL / BACKUP CAMERA NEED REPLACEMENT
- How to Replace Front Struts 2013-2018 Hyundai Santa Fe
- 2018 Hyundai Sante Fe sport 2.0T rear brake pads/rotor replacement #mechanic #hyundai
Other models of this make
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.