2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE Complaints

Engine failed and yes available for inspection. Car stalled and stuttered while driving. Problem was confirmed by an independent service center. Vehicle component has not been inspected yet. Check engine light came on two days ago

While driving on a highway in April 2025, my 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport suddenly lost all power after approximately 10 minutes of normal driving. All dashboard warning lights illuminated, and both the accelerator and brake pedals became unresponsive. I was forced to stop the vehicle using the handbrake in the middle of a 65 mph highway, creating an extremely dangerous situation for myself and other drivers. Prior to this incident, the vehicle had displayed the P1326 knock sensor code multiple times over a 10-month period, each time accompanied by hesitation when accelerating. The knock sensor was replaced twice under used car warranty by Honda. Despite these interventions, the same code and symptoms recurred. The Hyundai dealership(Dec 2024 at Montgomery, Jan 2025 at Enterprise) repeatedly stated that there was “nothing wrong with the engine.” After the highway failure, the vehicle was inspected by a collision center and an independent mechanic. They confirmed that Cylinder 4 had no compression and diagnosed a burnt valve. Full engine replacement was recommended. Hyundai initially indicated that the engine might be covered under the extended warranty but later denied the claim, stating that the damage was due to a cylinder issue and can not check bearing failure. They also claimed it was too late to determine whether the bearing was the cause. This is not an isolated issue. Many Hyundai owners across the U.S. have reported identical symptoms—P1326 code, hesitation, cylinder compression loss, and ultimately engine failure—particularly in vehicles equipped with the Theta II engine. These failures often occur around or after 100,000 miles, despite regular maintenance. This ongoing and widespread cylinder-related engine failure presents a serious safety risk and must be addressed through manufacturer accountability, improved diagnostic standards, and proactive repair or recall efforts.

On April 28, 2025 my car cut off in the middle of traffic. I turned the car completely off. I was able to turn it back on and move it out of traffic. I called my mechanic and he looked at it, He checked the oil and there was oil I'm it. He drove it around a parking lot and heard a rattling noise, He tried to get it to his shop, the rattling got louder and louder, He was scared the engine would lock up, We parked it and had to have it towed to my residence. In the last 6-8 months I had to put oil in my car EVERY week. I have taken to mi mechanic several times checking for leaks. I have been to the dealer checking to see if they there has been any recalls. Due to this situation I have NO transportation. I am already financially struggling and now I have to figure out what to do I have already paid out of pocket for the ABS to be replaced as well. My sun roof I cannot open due to the rollers r stop working. This has worst experience I have has with a brand new car, I previously owned a Hyundai and had a wonderful experience.

Was driving down the freeway when the check engine light went on. I tried to pull over but car lost power and I heard a loud bang noise. Smoke came from the engine and the car stopped in the fast lane. Luckily i was not hit by any other cars. Once we got the car towed you can see a hole in the bottom of the engine. these 2017 hyunadi santa fe's have crankshaft failure, we even received a letter from Hyundai stating this.

The vehicle started to stall/drive in limp mode. I took it to the Hyundai dealership, and they quoted me $5000 for repairs. The repair recommendations were as followed: ensure connecting rod bearings are within spec, recommending performing timing job w/replacement of intake camshaft, e-cvvt motor/gear, e-cvvt cover, and other components necessary for repairs. This engine burns/consumes oil and the engine code that shows up in P00100. All of this after I paid it off. Not within warranty anymore either. $22,000 down the drain it seems... called hyundai customer service to see if there was anything that could be done but they said there is nothing they can do and I have to fix it even though it is a manufacturing issue.

In 2023 my vehicle’s engine seized without warning. I had brought it to the dealership in Jan 2023 to replace a recalled issue. After that my vehicle had started acting strange, prompting us to bring it in where they noticed it was extremely low on oil and “dirty” where it shouldnt be. They performed tests and required us to drive 1k miles to see how low the oil would be once brought back in, it did not make it back to the service department by the 1k miles as it completely failed beforehand with no warning light.

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the side view mirror displayed an amber signal light; however, when the sun was extremely bright, the contact was unable to see the amber light. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the diagnosis was undetermined; however, the dealer informed the contact that the light could not be changed. The contact was informed the amber light could not be switched from amber to red. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

The engine in my 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe (VIN [XXX] ) began knocking, losing power, and showing signs of imminent failure. These symptoms directly match those identified in Recall #168 (NHTSA Campaign 17V578000), which involves engine bearing wear due to crankshaft irregularities in Hyundai 3.3L GDI engines. However, my VIN is not currently included in the recall batch. Hyundai has denied engine replacement under warranty or goodwill, citing a gap in oil change records between 5,000 and 45,000 miles — mileage which occurred before I purchased the vehicle used at ~60,000 miles. I have since performed multiple oil changes, though not always on a tight schedule. The vehicle is now at ~89,000 miles and located at Murdock Hyundai of Logan, UT, where technicians confirmed the engine is failing. This defect poses a serious safety concern due to the risk of sudden power loss while driving. The issue has been reproduced and confirmed by Hyundai service technicians, but they declined coverage and repair despite the failure matching a known federal recall issue. There were no warning lamps initially; the knocking and loss of power began subtly, then worsened rapidly. The vehicle is available for inspection, and all failure symptoms are consistent with others affected by Recall #168. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this VIN for potential inclusion in the recall and take action to expand the recall scope, as this appears to be the same dangerous engine defect already recognized under federal recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I was driving home to Foresthill, CA on [XXX], got off at my exit, I was 8.5 miles from home and the engine just stopped. I pulled over, had no cell signal so I had to walk about a half mile to get a couple bars on my cell phone and called my fiancé to come get me & car home. When he started it up the next morning it made a ticking sound it never made before and the oil was very low. No oil light came on. It didn’t show sign's of over heating, no changes in temperature gauge the night before. No oil where I park my car. No sign of any issues. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Driving at highway speeds in the left lane and without warnings or lights of any kind the engine seized up and I had no acceleration. I had to navigate through traffic now going much faster than me in the right lane with no acceleration in order to pull the vehicle safely onto the shoulder of the road. Yes this is a HUGE safety concern! The local Hyundai dealer confirmed the engine seized up.