2016 Hyundai Santa FE
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 236 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 12th highest complaint count among 25 Santa FE model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 6 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 6 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/modulePark outsideFeb 3, 2022
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Santa Fe, 2017-2018 Santa Fe Sport, 2019 Santa Fe XL, and 2014-2015 Tucson vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.
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 multi-fuse, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 31, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 218.
Campaign 22V056000 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
Seat belts, front, warning light/devicesMar 10, 2016
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured September 1, 2015 to February 12, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the wires in the front seat belt buckle harnesses may be damaged by the seat's height adjuster mechanism, resulting in a failure to provide an audible warning when front seat occupants do not fasten their seat belts. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Without a warning to remind the front seat occupants that their seat belts are not buckled, they may forget to buckle their seat belt, increasing their risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and reroute the wires in the front seat belt buckle harnesses to their proper locations, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 27, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 141.
Campaign 16V145000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine
153 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Sep 23, 2022
The engine control module (CPU) failed and at first the car experienced random warning lights thatwhen placed on diagnostic computer, no codes were noted. the next issue was a strong gasoline smell in the cabin. the cpu read this as a faulty fuel pressure regulator. when a second code pull was done it was reported as evaporator canister failure requires changing. The problem was in fact a leaking fuel injector rail and two injectors with defective improperly seated "O" rings. Explainig the gas smell and poor milage. "Ms. G" owns the 2016 santa fe sport with 2.0 GDI motor. There are about 80K miles The intermittent warning lights became and issue during the annual inspection/tag renewal. the DMV inspector saw the traction control, ABS, incline parking brake light and the service engine soon warnings intending to fail the car after the problemwas explained he connected his code reader, and found no codes. About April of 2022, a recal notice was recieved noting especially the 2,0 GDI MOTOR. I explained everything to the Huyndai rep. who informed me that the recall was directly related to the matters we discussed. When i described the final episode where the motor simply shut off. I explained it was towed to my shop ,again placed ot the full spectrum scanner / computer. At this time a complete systems diagnostic was preformed, ignition on - motor not running, including a complete sensor check. It was during this portion of the testing that I noticed that asensor was not reporting any data, or the existance of an oil pressure sensor. Now the ignition switch was then turned on/off the designated number of times and the car was started and a definite knock was detected. Ms. G is by no means uninformed regarding automobiles her parents restored several vintage Jags, And a 1966 330GTS Ferrari.The point being had she had any warning the vehicle was low on oil she would have checked and added as needed. In the end the Hyundai rep assured us the engine replacement was free.
Engine, Sep 11, 2022
On 3/20/22 I had my car towed to Jenkins Hyundai due to mechanical issues with no prior warning. So basically, I was driving home and noticed that my temperature gauge showed in the hot zone. At no time did any lights on the dashboard come on to notify that the engine was overheating. My vehicle is a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe with only 120k miles with regular maintenance performed. At no time did any dashboard lights come on to notify that there was a issues (problem one). Additionally, prior to this I had just had my vehicle serviced at the dealership at 117k miles in which a vehicle inspection was performed. Upon Hyundai looking at the mechanical issues they stated that they found RH Head Gasket leaking into combustion chamber and upon disassembly found 3 head bolts loose and pulled threads out of the block. All block threads were found to be compromised. Lucky my car was towed to the dealership because with the head bolts loose and coming out of the engine could have lead to a more serious injury. Seems that this is a mechanical defect in the engine.
Engine, Sep 6, 2022
The engine stopped while driving on a back road. There were no lights or warnings. The car is now at the dealership for diagnosis.
Power train, Engine, Aug 1, 2022
One of the cam shafts failed, also the actuator. We had purchased an extended warranty so the repair is supposed to be covered. However when the dealership submitted a pre-authorization they were asked to remove the oil plan and check for metal. They did find metal in the oil pan so they required that the engine short block be replaced in order to cover the cost. That part- the short block - is back ordered and we have been told to expect a delay of at least 3-4 months. The warranty company will only cover a rental car for 10 days so we are stuck. We have spoken to multiple mechanics and dealerships who are telling us that they are seeing this all over - V6 CVT engines failing after 65-70k miles. Obviously the Hyunday Certified Pre-Owned warranty folks also know there is a problem since they made the mechanic check for metal. This is clearly problem and we will be without a car for months. We made were up to date on all regular maintenance. HYUNDAI Case# 19971861
Engine, Jul 30, 2022
I was driving and experienced a sudden loss of power, the engine siezed without any warning lights or symptoms and I lost brake assist, and power steering instantly. I barely managed to pull off the road. A few months ago I had an oil change and when I got it back it had a sound like new gears that aren't worn in. It appeared as though they had switched my oil pump out but they insisted nothing was performed other than a computer flash and an oil change. I believe the 2.4l i4 engine has a similar issue to the older version under recall. Had I been travelling on faster road, curve or adverse conditions this could have been much more dangerous. I had it towed to the dealership right away, they told me 3 weeks for diagnosis, it has currently still not been looked and and is sitting where the tow truck left it. There are no codes stored in the computer, there wasn't a light or warning of any kind, it was very sudden and even at low speed I struggled to stop and get out of traffic and I am trained to react to such incidents and very experienced.
Engine, Jul 30, 2022
Car died on the highway and I had it towed to the Hyundai dealership. Smoke was pouring out of the engine. After 3 weeks the dealer said it was a bad rod bearing. The dealership sent the info to Hyundai for a replacement engine under the class action recall. Hyundai is asking for oil change records and ask the dealership to send pictures of the valve train. The dealership sent pictures and Hyundai is asking for more pictures. It seems they are trying to avoid replacing the engine which is clearly their fault. The is another lawsuit starting on Hyundai's engines due tonoil burning. Sadly this is a very comment issue with Hyundai engines and they are avoid the inevitable replacement.
Engine, Jul 18, 2022
My wife and I were driving on the highway with our 4 kids in a construction zone the vehicle lost power to accelerate. We went from 70MPH all the way down to 35MPH fully pressing the accelerator pedal. We were able to coast to a spot to stop in a merge lane. Turned off. The vehicle and restarted it. It worked as normal letting us accelerate only moments later to do it again. It happened on and off multiple times so we took side streets all the way home. It worked normally for a day or two then it happened again only this time an oil light appeared. It was the first time any warning light came on no check engine or service lights prior to. We pulled over to check the oil it was completely out of oil well before her service was do as we normally do oil changes before the scheduled time. We added 3 qts at the first gas station we pulled to when we checked it. The vehicle drove normally then no sputtering like it was before. Only the next day we performed a full oil change to ensure it had adequate oil. It ran great for a day and then an awful rattle came from the engine compartment. Started as a ticking more light sounding then became a louder clanking. We since parked the vehicle in the driveway but being around 91,000 miles it doesn't qualify for Manufacturers 100,000 warranty since we bought it pre-owned at a dealer in Texas. We are currently looking into what it takes to fix it at a mechanic since Hyundai won't warranty it. After some research it seems this same rattle and engine malfunction as well as oil consumption issues has happened on many Hyundai models. We weren't aware of this before but certainly feel there is a Manufacturers issue just reporting as I'm sure there is many others out there. Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions from anyone.
Engine, Jul 16, 2022
My 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport's engine just stopped on me on Friday afternoon June 17th. I was driving home from work, going about 45mph when the engine started making a loud clicking noise & the engine light started blinking and then died , I was able to coast into a neighborhood but the car wouldn't start back up so I had to have it towed to the dealership I bought it from. The car has since been at the Dealership that I bought it from used in February 2021 with 87K miles on it. The dealerships service department says that the engine seized and that it needs to be replaced. They submitted a request to Hyundai USA to replace the engine but Hyundai USA has denied the request twice now. Unfortunately We owe $11k still as we have not even had it a year & a half. I discovered , upon some reserching that many people across the country have had or are currently experiencing the same issue with Hyundai USA. Looking for any help to solve my issue. I've been without a car since 6/17/22.The Dealership has no loaners & renting a car out of pocket is $400 - $500 per week. Please help
Engine, Jul 13, 2022
My car just started making a noise and the check engine light came on. The car shortly there after stalled. I tried to restart the car but it sounded terrible. I later had the car towed to a mechanic who told me of a common engine problem with Hyundai's. He recommended taking it to a dealer for further evaluation.
Engine, Jul 11, 2022
My 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe's engine just stopped on me on Friday afternoon June 17th. Driving home from work on a busy road my car began to make load noises & the engine light began to blink, within minutes my car died going about 45 mph, luckily I was able coast into the entrance of a neighborhood. The car would not start back up and I was stranded more than 20 miles from home. Only hours earlier I was on several major expressways and it frightens me to think of what could have happened if my engine stopped working earlier than it did. I had to have the car towed to the dealership from which I bought it. I was hoping they could fix whatever the problem was however they told me that my engine seized and it needed to be replaced. The car has since been at the Dealership, Rosen Hyundai of Algonquin, ever since. I bought the car used in February 2021 with 87K miles on it. The dealerships service department submitted a request to Hyundai USA to replace the engine but Hyundai USA has denied the request twice now. Unfortunately We owe $11k still as we have not even had it a year & a half. I discovered , upon some reserching that many people across the country have had or are currently experiencing the same issue with Hyundai USA. Looking for any help to solve my issue. I've been without a car since 6/17/22.The Dealership has no loaners & renting a car out of pocket is $400 - $500 per week. Please help
Power train, Engine, Jun 30, 2022
1) My mechanic inspected my vehicle after a rattling noise began sounding from the engine bay while accelerating and increasing RPM - The noise began shortly before the flashing check engine light turned on. My mechanic inspected the car and ran the code for the check engine light and determined that an engine connecting rod had broken and ruined the engine. Yes, it is available for inspection upon request. 2) The car experienced a loss of power and moderate vibration while driving to the mechanic after the issue. In hindsight I felt it was unsafe to have driven the car in that condition and if the mechanical issue first presented while driving at higher speeds I feel that it likely could have caused an accident or vehicle-vehicle collision 3) No. I am currently waiting for Hyundai to respond to my warranty claim. 4) No. The vehicle so far has only been inspected by my mechanic. 5) No. I began hearing the noise while running errands and within 5 minutes the check engine light came on and was flashing. I then took it to the mechanic a few days later and did not drive it between events.
Engine, Jun 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that there were metal shavings in the oil pan. The vehicle was then towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine had seized due to the metal shavings. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they would not honor the 100,000 miles warranty as he was the second owner of the vehicle. The manufacturer informed the contact that they would have honored the warranty if the mileage was under 60,000. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The failure mileage was approximately 74,400.
Engine, Apr 28, 2022
Rod Bearing Failure at 112,000 miles, per dealer mechanic. No warning lights and oil has been changed every 7,500 (full synthetic). Have records to support engine maintenance history.
Engine, Apr 27, 2022
My car broke down on the freeway. The engine literally fell apart. Chunks of engine on the ground. I was driving at a normal rate of speed with the flow of traffic in the number 2 lane. I heard a ticking sound, turned off the radio to hear more clearly that it was not the radio. I got over as quickly as I could, then as I got into the slow lane I heard and felt a loud bang and the car died. When I got out to see what the problem was I found chunks of metal on the road. I initially thought I might have hit something, but once the tow truck driver showed up he could tell that the metal was parts of the engine. My car has been in the shop since February 12, the date of the death of my engine. I have since had to opportunity to read of about 50, and heard of hundreds of similar experiences. Hyundai is saying that since my car is out of warranty that they are not responsible, even after bringing to their attention all of the same issues with their terrible engine record. I was put in danger on a freeway as their engine literally fell apart on a busy California highway. The Hyundai Corporation has, as a “good will” act offered to cover 70% of the $18,000 repair bill! Leaving me to pay almost $6,000! I could have been seriously injured or even killed in a highway pile up if I had not acted as quickly as I did. After reading so many similar accounts, I feel strongly that Hyundai should cover 100% of the repairs and penalties of loss of vehicle and time this has cost me, and more importantly have to fix all of these vehicles that are still on the road in jeopardy of being involved in accidents due to engine failure while operating on highways. Please take action now. Thank you!
Engine, Apr 3, 2022
While going highway speed (75mph) I suddenly had a simultaneous check engine light, oil pressure light, and charge system light all come on. Then the engine stalled, I heard a loud bang, and then once I pulled over immediately, there was oil leaking out of the car. I was 40+ miles from home, and the nearest Hyundai dealer, and had to get towed back to the dealership. They suspected a known issue with the engine rods and once they inspected it a few days later they confirmed there was a hole in the block. It is a known issue that Hyundai has given a warranty extension on and they replaced the engine and intake manifold, per the service invoice. I believe a known potential engine failure such as this should be cause for a recall. I was going 75mph when this happened. I could have lost control of the vehicle and crashed. I also could have had my small child with me and been trying to deal with getting help on the side of a highway with a toddler who doesn’t understand to stay away from the roadway. I am thankful all was well but engine stalls when the manufacturer knows there is a defect is putting peoples’ lives at risk.
Engine, Feb 24, 2022
While driving car would slow speed unexpectedly. In addition to this issue the heat in the car stopped working. After having several system flushes and parts replaced by our mechanic we took it to the dealership for evaluation and was advised the car has complete engine failure. No check engine light ever came on!! Was advised by dealership that several complaints have been made about this particular engine but no recalls have been made. The transmission for this car was already replaced less than a month after purchasing at 66,000+ miles due to a defect, and it has been continuous issues since then. Car has been regularly maintained and despite these preventative maintenance steps the engine still failed. Hyundai I am sure is aware of these engine issues and should address them immediately. Consumer would like to add that after speaking with the salvage yard about a replacement engine the gentleman advised that he received 1000+ inquires for a engine for this make and model year.
Engine, Feb 22, 2022
Vehicle died while driving. No warning lights on at all. Dealer states that I have engine damage just by listening to it. Same issue is under recall for the santa fe sport engines but I am told that this will not be covered. This could have been an accident if I had been driving on a highway or a high traffic area.
Engine, Feb 17, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, an abnormal knocking noise had emitted from the engine. As the contact began to pull over, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact was able to pull over and upon inspection of the vehicle saw that large pieces of the engine had scattered over the highway. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer where a diagnostic was performed; it was later determined that the engine rod had punctured the engine block causing the engine failure. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The contact was given an estimate for the repair. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Engine, Feb 12, 2022
I was driving on I-64 (eastbound), east of Richmond, VA heading home to Virginia Beach, VA. I noticed a knocking sound, intermittent at first, but becoming more prevalent and much louder. By the time I got home, the engine knocking was horrible. I looked under the car, and saw some oil around the oil pan, but there was still sufficient oil in the engine (halfway between the MIN/MAX marks on the dipstick. At no time, before during, or since was there any warning lamps lit on the dash, nor were there any codes that could be pulled indicating an issue. We had the car towed to Hall Hyundai in Chesapeake, VA (that's where we bought it), and they said the engine was full of metal and needed to be replaced. They did not say exactly what failed in the engine, but my suspicion is one of the pistons had a catastrophic failure. That was on 11 DEC. The engine has since been replaced with a remanufactured engine, but we still do not have our car back. After the initial repair, we noticed a puddle of oil on our garage floor. The car is back at the dealership and they've found 3 separate leaks so far. In reading of similar engine failures with our year range of Hyundai Santa Fe, we were fortunate. Our failure could have led to an immediate engine failure, engine fire, or worse that could have caused a serious accident since I was travelling on the highway. My concern is that Hyundai to date has dismissed this as nothing more than a fluke, and since we're beyond the terms of the warranty, not their problem. That couldn't be further from the truth. This is a BIG problem since the component that failed in our 3.3L V6 is the same component that forced a recall of their 2.4L 4-cyclinder that is common in their Santa Fe Sport model. I guarantee you that they use the same process, materials, etc. in the pistons for both, and this warrants a recall for our model/engine type just like the 2.4L recall.
Engine, Feb 8, 2022
Car is consuming oil, not leaking. Mechanic stated that some Hyundai models with similar engines are having their engines recalled. It is sometimes 2 quarts low between a 4000 mile check and the 5000 mile oil change. no light indicates that it's low.
Engine, Dec 31, 2021
On September 15, 2021 while driving the Santa Fe engine just stopped in the middle of an intersection , was able to coast to the side of the road. Vehicle has fuel, showed no issues prior. Tow truck driver attempted to jumpstart the vehicle with no avail, was towed to the local Hyundai dealer ship who had it for one week to finally tell me that the motor was blown and needs a new long motor for $15,399.00 USD. Had a second automotive shop check out the vehicle and was told the same diagnosis, motor was blown needs to be replaced, and that Hyundai no longer is manufacturing the long engine the this Santa Fe takes. I was also informed that this wasn't the first Satna Fe that they have diagnosed with this problem, both the Sport model and the same model I currently have. Neither the Hyundai dealership or the dealership where I purchased this vehicle one year ago, will help me. I am aware that Hyundai has recalled the Sport model for engine problems, but the model I own.
Engine, Dec 28, 2021
We purchased the vehicle in December 2017 with 30,753 miles and the engine seized in July 2021 with 79,896 miles. When we purchased the vehicle, we were told that Hyundai's warrantee would only be 50% of the original owner warrantee which means it would expire at 60,000 miles. We submitted a claim with Hyundai in July 2021 (Case#: 18480584) but Hyundai refused to stand behind the vehicle and we decided not to spend the estimated $12,000 to repair the engine. We sold the vehicle to a junk yard for $1,500 in August 2021. My personal opinion is that Hyundai should stand behind every vehicle they manufacture throughout the life of the vehicle. The full warrantee should transfer from owner to owner and not be shortened.
Engine, Nov 24, 2021
This vehicle is burning close to 2qts of oil within 1000 miles. There is no warning that the engine is low on oil which could cause the engine to seize at any time. Hyundai has us go through the oil consumption test and acknowledged it was a problem but denied the claim because the car was on the second owner. The third-party warranty company refused to help unless it was a total engine failure.
Engine, Oct 27, 2021
Engine failed while driving in traffic almost causing an accident. Had it towed to dealership. I was informed there was a recall for engine failure but dealership is telling me that manufacturer has denied the recall saying it has already been taken care of which is false. I also found out that when I bought the vehicle from a licensed dealer in 2018, that ownership was never transferred. The dealership is also telling me that the vehicle is still listed in another company name which is why I never received any recall information. Now I am stuck with a financed vehicle with several recalls that the dealership and manufacturer are refusing to honor.
Engine, Oct 25, 2021
Check engine light went on in 4/2021. Brought to local mechanic and states that it is an evaporator issue. Claims I didn't close gas cap tight enough. He reset code, closes gas cap and no check engine light. I bring it back after filling up my tank again tells me that it is because I don't close it tight enough. I oil change in 4/2021 and ask to check the code again. He claims may be a small leak and that I can drive it. I bring it back in late June early July for another oil change and light is on again. He claims small leak and it is fine to drive. I pick it up and he has car for a week to do oil change in Sept and to double check the check engine light and he says he fixed it with a new sensor for the evaporator. Light goes back on two days later. Take it to another mechanic who replaces his work and claims not good electric work. Another day of driving and check engine light is on. Bring it back to mechanic states no oil and that he puts 4.5 cans of oil into car and that the engine needs to be replaced. I am meticulous with cars. I ALWAYS get my oil changed every 3-5K miles. There is no way that I drove this car too hard or didn't have an oil leak. I park in the same spot at home and work every day - no leaks. It did not blow oil either. Please advise.