2014 Hyundai Santa FE
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 494 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 5th highest complaint count among 25 Santa FE model years with reports.
Of the 2014 reports, 16 involved a crash and 30 involved a fire. 20 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/modulePark outsideSep 22, 2023
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.
Campaign 23V651000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, hood, latchJun 5, 2017
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.
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.
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.
Campaign 17V358000 on NHTSA.gov
Tires, sidewallDec 16, 2013
Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2014 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured November 5, 2013, through November 15, 2013, and equipped with P235/65R17 103T Continental Crosscontact LX tires. The tires may have a damaged sidewall.
The damaged sidewall may result in a separation between the belt edges which could cause tread detachment or rapid air loss, increasing the risk of a crash.
Hyundai notified dealers to suspend sales of affected Santa Fe Sport vehicles equipped with the P235/65R17 103T tires, and replace them with alternative tires. All affected vehicles were remedied prior to retail sale. Owners may contact Hyundai Customer Care Center at 1-800-633-5151.
Campaign 13V624000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
494 reports, newest first.
Engine, Apr 1, 2023
Took my vehicle to get a abs module fixed and after that my truck had gave me problems, my vehicle was shaking and under hood smoking while me and my kids were in it. The engine light and battery light were flickering off and on. Almost got into an accident
Engine, Lane departure, Mar 31, 2023
I brought the 2014 HYUNDAI SANTA FE ON MAY 10, 2022. On JANUARY 7, 2023 I was driving down the highway when the HYUNDAI shut down. No warning lights or nothing just stopped. We could not get it started no matter what we did. My son in law checked it out and found out it was the engine. Talked to the dealer and found out there was a recall for an engine in 2018. That was never taken care of. We never knew about the recall until after my HYUNDAI HAD TROUBLE. Took it to the HYUNDAI DEALER IS DES MOINES FEBRUARY 10, 2023 and they said there was 3 recalls that was not done . But they now said it is too late for the recalls . SO WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW IS ARE WE GOING TO GET THE RECALLS DONE OR JUST FORGET ABOUT FIXING THE HYUNDAI. I SEEN WHERE ENGINES OR MOTORS WAS FOREVER INSURANCED ON HYUNDAIS. ARE THEY YET.?? Please let me know as soon as you can if the recalls will be honored by email. And if so where could I take my HYUNDAI TO GET FIXED AS I DO NOT TRUST [XXX]. EITHER WATERLOO, IA OR MANKATO, MN. THANK YOU [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Engine, Mar 24, 2023
The engine seized while driving. Had it replaced with warranty. 2 years later the engine seized again and the dealership and Hyundai refuse to replace it. Even with proof of proper maintenance.
Engine, Mar 21, 2023
I bought a brand new Hyundai Sanat Fe 2014 in August of 2014 in Indiana. On March 7, 2023, at 81,000 miles I brought it to my auto mechanic shop for its scheduled oil change. However,1 day prior, the engine light went on and I noticed a clinking noise coming from the engine. The mechanic noted "not even a quart of oil in engin. burning oil - no leaks present. if it's not under warranty from Hyundai - recommend getting new vehicle p0014 b camshaft position timing over advanced, p0024 b camshaft position timing over advanced." On the afternoon of March 7, 2023 I called my dealer and told the warranty person what my mechanic said. He said to make an appointment. The very earliest appointmet they gave me was Thursday, March 23, 2023. Every time I start my engine, I get a code on my display that says sending diagnostics failed. I'm starting to hear the clinking from the engine again. The contact stated that they sold the vehicle as a result of not feeling safe to drive it.
Engine, Mar 14, 2023
The oil needs to be changed monthly due to an engine issue. Recently the car went into engine failure despite regular maintenance. The engine's constant need for monthly oil changes due to a bad engine causes the car to go into "limp mode". This feature causes to car to immediately decrease speed endangering the people in the car and those around them as it is an uncontrolled decrease. The issue has been confirmed and inspected by a dealership, a third party chain maintenance company, and an auto repair company. The check engine light comes on everytime the car needs an oil change which is more frequently than the manual recommends. The check engine light comes on monthly as does limp mode however prior to the engine failure another dealership was not able to properly diagnose the issue as an engine issue. A recall has been issued for issues related to the engine previously and other makes of the same year have been recalled due to engine issues. This model was the only model not recalled despite similar issues.
Engine, Mar 10, 2023
While driving 65mph on the highway the Hyundai Santa Fe check engine light began flashing, and the car was immediately pulled over to the side of the road. A knocking noise was observed coming from the engine. A tow truck was called, but I had to wait approximately 40 minutes on the side of the highway, in the winter, for the tow truck. The car was then towed to a local mechanic, the mechanic inspected the vehicle and reported the code was P1326. The VIN number was checked for any recalls by the Hyundai customer service team, and there are no recalls for this Hyundai. Although, when looking at https://www.hyundaiengineinfo.com/faq/ the symptoms are identical to other vehicles that were included in the recall. The car is available for inspection upon request.
Steering, Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Mar 9, 2023
I received a notice of recall on the ABS for my Hyundai Santa Fe 2014 Sport. My ABS light recently illuminated, I went to the Hyundai site to make an appt. I was given one a week out, while waiting for the appt my brake lights wouldn’t turn off unless I disconnected the battery. I took the vehicle to the dealership in Brevard Fl, the guy kept trying to upsell me $180 for diagnostics and that I had to pay it for every light on. Which I explained had all happened since the ABS light. I was there for 4 hours and I asked him to fix the ABS he didn’t said he didn’t have time and I had to reschedule. I had to wait another week, I took it to a friend who is a certified mechanic. He put it on his diagnostic computer and it kept coming back with ABS code. Said he couldn’t do the brakes until that was fixed. Went back this week, didn’t ask me anything when I pulled in, not even an hour later said my vehicle was done come get it. He handed me a quote of $1300 for brakes. I asked if I paid that would it fix the ABS he said no, but ur vehicle is not safe to drive. I explained I know, it wasn’t safe last week and you didn’t help me. I was able to get my vehicle to nearby brake-shop. I explained everything that happen, they also ran diagnostics and said it was ABS that they couldn’t fix it either until the dealership fixed the ABS. Now my vehicle is stuck at brake-shop and I just started a new job and have already had to miss two days work. I am completely dumbfounded as to why I am getting the run around and no one wants to help. I deplore having to complain, however it feels as though there is no more customer service/satisfaction.
Engine, Mar 8, 2023
The engine seized while driving 55MPH. Vehicle suffered complete loss of power. There was no advanced warning and no warning lights displayed. Had to pull over to safety and have the vehicle towed to the dealership. The vehicle is inoperable. Dealer offering a $23K replacement of engine which is astronomical.
Engine, Mar 6, 2023
Engine failed, left us on the road. This engine is under class action lawsuit and recall. Took the car to the Hyundai dealer, they said it failed due to sludge that it wasn't serviced regularly, I produced proof of regular service then the claim was denied due to the lack of a knock sensor recall being performed. I never got a letter regarding the knock sensor recall and the previous owner had moved 3 times during the time they owned the car and had no recollection of getting a notice. So a knock sensor recognizes a knock but it locked up on the side of the road, knock sensor or not the motor would have been junk even if the knock sensor had detected the issue. Regardless the engine would have to be replaced. Also this engine is under recall for being a junk engine to begin with so why is Hyundai denying a claim on an engine that they clearly knew they had an issue with. I thought the point of a recall on an engine was to protect the consumer of future issues with the recalled component so why can they get out of doing what is required by law? Also if they can deny responsibility for a recalled item what is the point of having a recall?
Engine, Feb 13, 2023
Engine seized. The car just stopped running. No power steering or brakes. Luckily I was o. A residential street driving slow. Otherwise very much a risk of crashing. There were no warning lights. My mechanic said the engine seized and there is a recall. Hyundai should not wait for the engine to stop. Everyone's safety is at risk.
Engine, Feb 10, 2023, fire
I was driving down the street when the engine suddenly seized up. My wiring caught fire and my starter blew apart. No warning at all
Electrical system, Air bags, Feb 9, 2023
Clock spring is defective/broken. This could be very dangerous as the airbag may not deploy in the event of an accident. Hyundai has used this exact part on other vehicles that have had issue and have recalled/extended the warranty to cover. Hyundai however won't fix this very dangerous issue on the Santa Fe and even wanted almost $200 just to look at the car even though the part is very obviously broken.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Jan 29, 2023
I was driving my 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS (Lambda II, V6 3.3L, 104k miles) late at night with my wife, daughter (age 2), and son (age 6 months). No notification lights alerted me to any problems. We missed our turn on the highway and had to drive through a neighborhood with a high crime volume. We stopped at a red light and the engine seized. When the light changed, I tried to start the car, but the engine wouldn't budge. We were stranded in the dark in a dangerous area. I said to my wife, "This is one of the worst places and times for a car to go kaput." Two good samaritans with car knowledge stopped to help. First, they tried charging the battery. No luck. Then they checked the oil. To our surprise, the oil tank was nearly empty (again, no notification lights alerted me, and we never saw leakage). We tried filling it with oil, hoping it might solve the engine seizure. No luck. I had it towed to my family's mechanic. Once he checked it, he immediately realized it needed replacement (once it turned on, it was making knocking sounds). He said a new engine would cost $10k—more than half of the car's value at the time of purchase. I called Hyundai corporate, and they said to bring it to my local dealer to get examined. They checked it and chose not to repair, giving a pretty nondescript reason for denial. They wouldn't give many details; they just said the motor suffered a mechanical failure, showed sludge, and needed to be replaced. They quoted me $9k for a USED engine. Later I learned that countless others have experienced the same problems with this vehicle. I'm preparing paperwork to seek help from higher-level Hyundai mechanics. I will update NHTSA if their response is helpful or not. I believe Hyundai and Kia are in deep water with many GDI engines from the last decade. Countless others have reported similar engine failures; a whole Facebook group documents it (FB search "Engine Failure- Kia/Hyundai"). Here's praying NHTSA swoops in and enforces a recall.
Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 16, 2023
There was a recall on my vehicle for the Knock Sensor. In 04/2019 this was fixed at the Stockton, Ca. Dealership. My car only has 69,654 miles on it. On 01/14/2023 my check engine light came on and my car started sputtering and cutting out. I took it back to the dealership first thing today, 01/16/2023. They said the Knock Sensor is out and will cost me $995.00 to fix. They said the part that was replaced 4/2019 only has a one year guarantee. I believe this is a poor quality part or vehicle defect.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 12, 2023
The dealer has confirmed that my 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe has an oil consumption issue. This results in the car randomly losing power from the accelerator while driving. You can push the accelerator all the way down to the floor and there is no power in the engine. The car then slows down drastically which results in potential car crashes from behind since there is no warning to the driver or to drivers of other cars. My car started having this issue in July 2021 when it had about 129,000 miles on it. It took Hyundai until late 2022 to determine the issue and deny responsibility for it. The attached documents do not include the multiple times that I had to bring the car in every 1000 miles to check the oil (they didn't document that). They said it would cost me $21,575 to fix the engine which is almost as much as a new car would cost! I have seen many complaints online about this same issue happening with other car owners and I feel that Hyundai should be held responsible for correcting this known safety issue. I was planning to drive this car until 200,000 miles which would be at least another 3-4 years before I had to replace it. At this point I am having to add a quart of oil every 500 miles and hope that the engine doesn't seize up and cause an accident.
Exterior lighting, Jan 11, 2023
The low-beam headlights are terrible, almost useless. I replaced both low-beam bulbs with high-quality bulbs and it did not help, at least not noticeably. The high beams work fine. The low beams are so bad that it is actually hard to see the road right in front of the car at night and the glare from oncoming headlights renders the low beams practically useless. This results with us doing most of our nighttime driving with the high beams on, even in traffic. We can't see the road without doing that.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Dec 4, 2022, fire
I purchased this 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe 3.3L V6 with what I think must be the Lambda II engine in 2020 from a Honda Dealership in Louisville Kentucky. Upon purchase, I was not made aware of any recalls, Manufacturer Communications, Investigations, or class action law suits with this model. On May 27, 2021 I took the car in for an oil change and again was not made aware of the above issues. Not enjoying my service experience at that dealership, I took my car in to a Hyundai dealership for an oil change on June 15, 2022 it was reported the engine only had 1 quart of oil. Upon leaving, once again, I was not informed of the above issues with Hyundai, specifically the engine and engine cooling in various models and engines. On October 3, 2022 I took my car into a Good Year for an oil change and was told the car had zero oil. Ironically, Good Year is who told me about the class action law suit regarding the engine and oil issues. They told me to keep checking the oil and adding oil as needed to avoid a problem. 4 days later on October 7, 2022 I was driving on a highway when all of a sudden and without warning my engine blew, my accelerator deactivated and white smoke billowed from under my hood and I could not see. Thankfully I was able to quickly pull over to the side of the highway. I feared the engine was on fire but the smoke eventually cleared. I took pictures underneath the engine (attached) and of the large pool of oil that spilled from the car (attached). The car was towed to the nearest Hyundai dealership where they told me the car experienced a catastrophic engine failure and I would need a new engine. I do not have warranty and it appears my model and year are not included in any of the recalls or investigations. However, my car did experience the exact failure and I want my year, model and engine to be included in the investigation, recalls and remediation. I would appreciate a response with advice for next steps. Thank you!
Other or unspecified, Engine, Nov 21, 2022, fire
On October 20, 2022 my husband was driving the vehicle traveling around 40mph. He said he noticed that the engine light went on and then it sounded different and the vehicle struggled to accelerate. He quickly pulled into the first parking lot that was available and he parked, turned off the car and went to get out and within seconds, the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames. Had he waited and kept driving, he probably wouldn't be here today. Thank goodness my baby wasn't in the car. I can't imagine ripping a child out of her carseat while the car is on fire!
Engine, Nov 16, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while his father was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized and then lost motive power. Additionally, the vehicle made rattling sounds while driving. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer declined the engine replacement due to a lack of oil change records. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 101,128.
Engine, Nov 4, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the mechanic stated that the sway bar needed to be replaced. While the sway bar was being replaced, the mechanic checked for the clicking sound the contact heard coming from the vehicle and stated that the timing chain needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 142,800.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 25, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle also shuddered and lost motive power. While attempting to drive up a hill, the vehicle failed to accelerate above 25 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 17V226000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 24,000.
Engine, Oct 25, 2022
The engine began making a strange noise last week. We brought it to the dealer and they reported we had internal engine failure. We took it to another service center for a second opinion and the diagnosis was confirmed. We have been told we need a new engine or an engine rebuild. The vehicle has 110K miles and received routine maintenance since we purchased it in 2014. The vehicle did not produce a check engine light or any other visible signs of engine failure. The only symptom is the engine noise. The vehicle is not safe since it is on the verge of failure at any moment. Hyundai has not offered to help pay for engine repair services. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
Service brakes, Sep 18, 2022, crash
2014 Hyundai Santa Fe are not safe vehicles as I have experienced many issues with this vehicle since purchase such as several recalls and recently the motor gave out. Due to recent class action lawsuit on this vehicle the dealer replaced the motor for free. My daughter recently reported to me the brakes appeared to not work properly and she planned to take it to the dealer on Monday, but over the weekend the brakes failed resulting in her crashing into a tree. My daughter could have been killed due to safety issues with this vehicle. The car is a total loss. These vehicles are not safe and should be pulled off the road. The first dangerous issue was the vehicle stalling in traffic as the motor malfunctioned and now the brakes. Please advise.
Structure, Sep 16, 2022
I have a white 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. About 5 years after having the car, my cars paint started to peel and now rust. I talked to the dealer and they said the warranty for paint on my car is up. Recently I have discovered new articles, multiple facebook groups and forums discussing the same issue. When I drive around, almost all white Hyundai's are having a similar issue. Reached out to Hyundai and the denied the issue is due to them, even though every body shop I have taken the car to ensures me it is a manufacture defect. There are also people out there who have been lucky enough to get Hyundai to get the car repainted even though they are out of warranty. The pictures provided due no show the most up to date peeling. There are small spots that are starting on the side of the car.
Air bags, Service brakes, Engine, Sep 15, 2022
My air bags don’t work and the brake system fails. Motor went out recalled and dealership not working on it