The best Santa Fe years to buy are 2019 and 2021. Avoid the 2013 and 2017: engine failures, oil burning and ABS module fire recalls give them the most complaints.
Best years: 20192021 Years to avoid: 20132017
Every Santa Fe year compared
Owner complaints per 100,000 cars sold. Lower is better. The newest years have had less time to collect complaints, so they are marked too new to judge.
Known Santa Fe problems
Year by year
| Year | Complaints | Per 100k sold | Recalls | Top issue | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 193 | - | 7 | Transmission and drivetrain | Too new to judge |
| 2023 | 293 | - | 1 | Other | Too new to judge |
| 2022 | 267 | 232 | 8 | Transmission and drivetrain | Good year |
| 2021 | 190 | 170 | 8 | Transmission and drivetrain | Good buy |
| 2020 | 218 | 215 | 2 | Engine | Good year |
| 2019 | 231 | 181 | 3 | Engine | Good buy |
| 2018 | 436 | 373 | 5 | Engine | Average |
| 2017 | 1,329 | 998 | 7 | Engine | Skip this year |
| 2016 | 310 | 236 | 3 | Engine | Good year |
| 2015 | 339 | 287 | 4 | Engine | Average |
| 2014 | 658 | 610 | 7 | Engine | Watch out |
| 2013 | 807 | 908 | 7 | Engine | Skip this year |
| 2012 | 355 | 500 | 1 | Engine | Average |
About the Santa Fe
The Santa Fe is Hyundai's midsize SUV. From 2013 to 2018 it came as the two-row Santa Fe Sport and the three-row Santa Fe, and both have serious engine problems: the 2.4L and 2.0T engines can burn oil, knock and fail, and Hyundai recalled and extended warranties on many of them. An ABS module that can leak and catch fire adds a park-outside recall. The 2019 redesign is much better.
- 2013-2018: Santa Fe Sport (two rows) and Santa Fe (three rows). Engine failure, oil use and ABS module fire recalls.
- 2019-2023: Fourth generation. Far fewer complaints; some power loss and hesitation.
- 2024 on: Fifth generation, too new to judge.
Santa Fe warranty extensions and special coverage
Carmakers sometimes extend the warranty on a part that fails too often, or pay for a fix outside a recall. These notices come from the dealer bulletins Hyundai files with NHTSA. 604 Santa Fe bulletins are on file in total.
Certain Hyundai vehicles with exterior white paint may exhibit peeling or bubbling on metal body panels: hood, fender(s), roof, door(s), quarter panel(s), and tailgate/trunk.
Description: Certain Hyundai vehicles with exterior white paint may exhibit peeling or bubbling on metal body panels: hood, fender(s), roof, door(s), quarter panel(s), and tailgate/trunk.
Certain 2015 2018 model year Elantra, 2015 2019 model year Sonata, 2017 2021 model year Tucson, 2017 2018 model year Santa Fe Sport, 2019 model year Santa Fe, 2021 2023 model year Santa Fe Hybrid, and 2020 2023 model year Palis...
Some vehicles may exhibit excessive paint peeling or bubbling of the primer/paint film on the exterior metal body panels: hood, fender(s), roof, door(s), quarter panel(s), and tailgate/trunk.
Certain Santa Fe Hybrid (TM HEV) and Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (TM PHEV) vehicles may have an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances causing internal parts to oxidize.
Some vehicles may have an inoperable horn that may be caused by foreign substances causing internal parts to oxidize.
Certain vehicles may exhibit excessive paint peeling or bubbling of the primer/paint film on the exterior metal body panels: hood, fender(s), roof, door(s), quarter panel(s), and tailgate/trunk.
Hyundai has developed a new engine monitoring technology called a Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS).
Certain Santa Fe / Santa Fe XL (NC) vehicles equipped with 3.3L Lambda II GDI engines may exhibit abnormal engine noise or damage.
Some vehicles listed below may exhibit an intermittent airbag warning light and DTC(s) B1763 (OCS ECU Defect), and/or B1764 (OCS Mat Defect) may be stored.
Ask a dealer to check a specific car by VIN. Extensions usually have a time or mileage limit.
Government investigations into the Santa Fe
NHTSA opens an investigation when complaints point to a possible safety defect. Some end in a recall and some close without one.
Defect petition DP24001 · 2017 · opened Feb 2024, closed May 2024
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition on February 2, 2024, requesting a defect investigation into an alleged defect of the "engine" on the following vehicle model: 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles equipped with the 3.3L V-Shaped GDI Lambda-II engines.
Audit query AQ23002 · 2013–2019 · opened Nov 2023
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc.
Defect petition DP22005 · 2021, 2022 · opened Jan 2023, closed Aug 2023 · led to recall 22V063000
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States.
Defect petition DP22003 · 2012–2021 · opened Sep 2022, closed Dec 2023
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc.
Engineering analysis EA21003 · 2012–2014 · opened Dec 2021, closed Feb 2024 · led to recall 23V877
On March 29, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened two Preliminary Evaluations (PE19-003 on Hyundai and PE19-004 on Kia) to broadly investigate incidents of non-crash fires (regardless of origin or operational status of the vehicle) on various model year Hyundai and Kia vehicles.
Defect petition DP21003 · 2012–2016 · opened Nov 2021, closed Jun 2023
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a petition letter dated October 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (ETC) system on certain Kia vehicles resulting in the opening of DP21-003.
Preliminary evaluation PE19003 · 2012–2014 · opened Mar 2019, closed Dec 2021 · led to recall 20V061000
During this Preliminary Evaluation (PE), the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) assessed the scope, frequency and potential safety-related consequences of non-crash vehicle fires caused by both engine failures and failures of other vehicle systems/components in model year (MY) 2011-2014 Hyundai Sonata and Santa F...
Defect petition DP18003 · 2012–2014 · opened Aug 2018, closed May 2019 · led to recall 18V907000
In a letter dated June 11, 2018, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a safety defect investigation into non-collision related fires on model year (MY) 2011-2014 Kia Optima and Sorento, and Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe vehicles.
Recall query RQ17004 · 2012–2014 · opened May 2017, closed Dec 2021 · led to recall 17V226000
NHTSA opened Recall Query (RQ) 17-004 to investigate the timeliness and scope of Hyundai's Theta II GDI engine recalls (Recall Nos.
Preliminary evaluation PE13025 · 2013 · opened Jul 2013, closed Sep 2013 · led to recall 13V355000
In a letter dated August 9, 2013, Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center, Inc.
Santa Fe vs rivals
Questions
What is the best year for the Hyundai Santa Fe?
2019 and 2021. The best Santa Fe years to buy are 2019 and 2021. Avoid the 2013 and 2017: engine failures, oil burning and ABS module fire recalls give them the most complaints.
Which Hyundai Santa Fe years should I avoid?
2013, 2017. These drew far more owner complaints per car sold than the Hyundai Santa Fe average.
Did Hyundai extend the Santa Fe engine warranty?
Yes. Many 2013-2018 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport engines are covered by Hyundai's lifetime engine warranty extension for connecting rod bearing failure, after a knock sensor software update. A dealer can check a specific car by VIN.
Why should some Santa Fe owners park outside?
An ABS control module on some 2013-2018 models can leak brake fluid and short-circuit, causing a fire even when the car is off. Recalls 20V520, 21V303, 22V056 and 23V651 cover different years.
Based on 5,626 complaints filed by owners with U.S. safety regulators for model years 2012 to 2024, and U.S. sales by calendar year. How we score.