2017 Hyundai SANTA FE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2017 Hyundai SANTA FE has 1227 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 15.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (53% of all complaints), specifically: i bought the vehicle on 5/7/16. on 6/2/16 i was driving on highway 395 when i noticed smoke coming out of the engine compartment. the car started losing power and eventually died. when i got it pulled over to the side of the road i noticed flames coming out from the front of the engine. i grabbed wh. ⚠️ 40 fire reports filed.

40 fire reports 14 crash reports 17 injuries

1227

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

15.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

647 complaints

53%

• I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE ON 5/7/16. ON 6/2/16 I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 395 WHEN I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER AND EVENTUALLY DIED. WHEN I GOT IT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I NOTICED FLAMES COMING OUT FROM THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. I GRABBED WH
• FROM STOP, OR NEAR STOP, ENGINE CUTS OUT (STUMBLES) DURING NORMAL ACCELERATION.
• SOMETIMES AFTER SLOWING TO MAKE A TURN THE CAR'S ENGINE SEEMS TO "STUMBLE" FOR A SECOND BEFORE ACCELERATION CAN BEGIN. COMES AS A SURPRISE AND BECAUSE OF THE HESITATION CATCHING ME OFF-GUARD I AM PITCHED FORWARD IN MY SEAT. NOTHING CATASTROPHIC, BUT VERY ANNOYING AND COULD BE DANGEROUS TO A DRIVER N

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 13 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE ON 5/7/16. ON 6/2/16 I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 395 WHEN I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER AND EVENTUALLY DIED. WHEN I GOT IT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I NOTICED FLAMES COMING OUT FROM THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. I GRABBED WH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

149 complaints

12%

• THERE IS A RECURRING ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION WHERE IN LOW OR SLOW SPEED SITUATIONS WHEN YOU APPLY POWER THE TRANSMISSIONS STUTTERS OR STUMBLES. IT IS MOST PREVALENT WHEN TURNING IN AN INTERSECTION ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHERE YOU NEVER QUITE STOP OR WHEN ROLLING AT STOP SIGN. WHEN YOU APPLY THR
• WHILE IN SLOW SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION STRUGGLES TO SELECT THE PROPER GEAR. CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE FASTER TAN NORMAL, SPECIALLY WHILE TURNING AFTER REDUCING SPEED. YOU HAVE TO CONTROL THE ACCELERATION USING YOUR DRIVING EXPERIENCE, HOWEVER THIS IS NOT SAFE AT ALL. TESTED USING, ECO, NORM
• WHEN SLOWING DOWN THEN ACCELERATING TO A HIGHER SAY (SAY IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC) THE TRANSMISSION FREQUENTLY LUGS AND STRUGGLES TO SELECT A GEAR, RESULTING IN A SIGNIFICANT ACCELERATION DELAY. THIS POSES A SAFETY ISSUE AS A DELAY IN ACCELERATION COULD LEAD TO A COLLISION. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINC

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports

“THERE IS A RECURRING ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION WHERE IN LOW OR SLOW SPEED SITUATIONS WHEN YOU APPLY POWER THE TRANSMISSIONS STUTTERS OR STUMBLES. IT IS MOST PREVALENT WHEN TURNING IN AN INTERSECTION ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHERE YOU NEVER QUITE STOP OR WHEN ROLLING AT STOP SIGN. WHEN YOU APPLY THR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

90 complaints

• I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE ON 5/7/16. ON 6/2/16 I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 395 WHEN I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER AND EVENTUALLY DIED. WHEN I GOT IT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I NOTICED FLAMES COMING OUT FROM THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. I GRABBED WH
• VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ENTERING FLOW OF TRAFFIC FROM A STOP OR A TURN.
• WHILE TRAVELLING HOME FROM WORK EXPERIENCED AN AWFUL SHOTGUN SOUND FROM THE VEHICLE'S SUNROOF, IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND DISCOVER THAT THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 8 fire reports💥 2 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

64 complaints

• I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE ON 5/7/16. ON 6/2/16 I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 395 WHEN I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER AND EVENTUALLY DIED. WHEN I GOT IT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I NOTICED FLAMES COMING OUT FROM THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. I GRABBED WH
• IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLE, THE WIRES IN THE CAN WIRING HARNESS ASSEMBLY AND AIRBAG WIRING HARNESS ASSEMBLY MAY BE DAMAGED BY THE PASSENGER SEAT'S HEIGHT ADJUSTER MECHANISM. A METAL 3RD PARTY POWER INVERTER WAS POSITIONED UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER SEAT. PRIOR SEAT ADJUSTMENTS CAUSED THE SHEATH AROUND TH
• TWO ISSUES: SEVERE PROBLEM - WHEN DRIVING AT A RATE OF APPROXIMATELY 35MPH TODAY ON A MAJOR CITY THOROUGHFARE, OUR 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2.0T ULTIMATE SUFFERED A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER (ENGINE AND ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS INCLUDING LIGHTING). AFTER COMING TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE WAS STRAND

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 10 fire reports💥 2 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

59 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AGGRESSIVELY. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES FOR THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAIL
• ON APRIL 15, OUR BRAND NEW SANTA FE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. WHILE DRIVING IN LOW SPEED TRAFFIC SUDDENLY, WHILE MY FIANCE REAR ENDED SOMEONE. TO THIS DAY SHE CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED. SHE IS A CAREFUL DRIVER, DOES NOT SPEED AND KNOWS THAT THE AREA WERE SHE WAS DRIVING IS HIGH TRAFFIC AND
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. EVERY TIME THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED IN THE MORNING, THE VEHICLE JERKED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AGGRESSIVELY. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES FOR THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAIL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 1227 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE ON 5/7/16. ON 6/2/16 I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 395 WHEN I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER AND EVENTUALLY DIED. WHEN I GOT IT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I NOTICED FLAMES COMING OUT FROM THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. I GRABBED WH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: THERE IS A RECURRING ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION WHERE IN LOW OR SLOW SPEED SITUATIONS WHEN YOU APPLY POWER THE TRANSMISSIONS STUTTERS OR STUMBLES. IT IS MOST PREVALENT WHEN TURNING IN AN INTERSECTION ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHERE YOU NEVER QUITE STOP OR WHEN ROLLING AT STOP SIGN. WHEN YOU APPLY THR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE ON 5/7/16. ON 6/2/16 I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 395 WHEN I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER AND EVENTUALLY DIED. WHEN I GOT IT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I NOTICED FLAMES COMING OUT FROM THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. I GRABBED WH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE ON 5/7/16. ON 6/2/16 I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 395 WHEN I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER AND EVENTUALLY DIED. WHEN I GOT IT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I NOTICED FLAMES COMING OUT FROM THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. I GRABBED WH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)