What 253 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid

I was driving down the road ( a busy Farm to market road) and my car lost power and died. Luckily i got off of the road. I tried to start the car again, but it kept dying. I had my son in law come help me move the car to a friends house so that I could get it to the dealership. It was after hours. I regularly get my oil changed and when my SIL checked the oil there was none on the dipstick. My SIL put oil in the car. My car was coming up on being due for a oil change. I am a single woman close to 50 yrs old and take my car in for maintenance. I then had my car towed to the local dealership to have an assessment done to find out what the issues is. The dealership reported that the timing was off and that bank 1 and 2 of the camshaft needs replaced. There is a known issue with the engine of this car doing the exact same thing my car did. There were no warning lights on to indicate a problem with the car. I inherited the car for my Mother In Law that passed away. She bought the car brand new and had it serviced regularly.

NHTSA ODI 11743719

The engine failed due to complete and sudden oil loss. The vehicle is currently at Fremont Hyundai and available for inspection. Safety risk: the engine failed while driving on the highway with children in the vehicle. A check engine light appeared with no prior warning, the vehicle immediately lost power and stalled, requiring an emergency exit and tow. This is a direct collision risk at highway speed. The failure was confirmed by an independent mechanic who found zero oil in the engine and identified it as a known Hyundai defect. The vehicle was then towed to Fremont Hyundai, which is currently conducting diagnostics. The vehicle has been inspected by an independent mechanic and by Fremont Hyundai [XXX] ). No police or insurance involvement. There were NO warning lights, oil pressure alerts, or symptoms of any kind prior to failure. I purchased the vehicle in 2024 and maintained regular oil changes and checkups with receipts. The last oil change was performed a few months before the failure. No mechanic ever flagged low oil. The only warning was a check engine light that appeared seconds before the engine stalled. I have incurred $900 in towing costs as a direct result of this failure. Fremont Hyundai is now requiring me to pay $280 for a diagnostic, followed by $890 for a two-week oil consumption test. They have also stated that if the engine does not pass the initial diagnostic, they cannot help me at all. Given that the engine ran completely dry of oil, it is highly unlikely to pass. This means I am being asked to pay fees for a process the dealership already expects to fail, leaving me with no path to resolution and a car I cannot drive. The 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe is included in a class action lawsuit (Cho et al. v. Hyundai Motor Company) over this exact defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11738413

2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited, 3.3L Lambda II GDI V6, ~102,000 miles. In December 2022, an authorized Hyundai dealer replaced three specific parts under a Hyundai recall/campaign (records requested). On Sunday [DATE] at approximately [TIME] PM, I was driving on [FREEWAY], [STATE], at 55–70 mph at night. With NO prior warning — no warning lights, no chimes, no loss of power buildup, no knocking, no engine protection mode — the engine suddenly and completely died. The failure was instantaneous. There was no limp-home mode and no opportunity to reach the shoulder under engine power. The vehicle lost forward momentum and rolled backward in a live highway travel lane, where it remained stranded until a tow truck recovered it. No injuries. The 12V battery and electrical system remained fully active throughout. The instrument cluster was operational and capable of displaying warnings before the failure. None were displayed. Dashboard warning lights illuminated only seconds AFTER the engine had already died — a post-failure consequence of engine shutdown, not a pre-failure warning. An independent mechanic diagnosed a seized engine due to loss of oil flow. No oil pressure or low-oil light had ever illuminated. The vehicle was then transported to the Hyundai dealer that performed the 2022 service; they promised a diagnostic call and have not provided one or any written diagnostic. This failure mode matches Hyundai TSB 24-EM-003H (15yr/150k extended warranty for 3.3L Lambda II engines in 2013–2019 Santa Fe), NHTSA Recall 21V-727 (acknowledging stall risk at highway speed), and the active class action Burns v. Hyundai Motor Company (C.D. Cal. 2025). Hyundai's KSDS is documented to trigger a blinking MIL, audible chime, and reduced-power Engine Protection Mode upon bearing wear. None of these protective behaviors occurred.

NHTSA ODI 11736814

Vehicle engine started knocking heavily while driving down the road. Had vehicle inspected for issue and was told vehicle had burned all the oil down to one quart and the engine was destroyed. Vehicle recently serviced with oil change within roughly 3,000 miles.

NHTSA ODI 11733051

I purchased this vehicle one year ago from a used car dealership with 148,000 miles on it. Within a few months it was throwing crankshaft position, sensor codes, camshaft codes, and burning oil. I cannot bring my RPMs above two without my check engine light coming on and blinking. My car will go into limp mode. Hyundai does not have my car included in the engine recall they only have the sport Santa Fe included. They released an extended warranty for 150,000 miles but by the time that was put into place my car was at 151,000 miles so it was not eligible.

NHTSA ODI 11719329

Passenger airbag dash is cracked risking unpredictable deployment of air bag

NHTSA ODI 11718270

On 08/15/2025 I started the vehicle and heard a ticking noise that lasted for 3 seconds and stopped. The same noise happened when I would start the car in the mornings. It never lasted more than 3 seconds and I wasn't too sure what the noise was. There was no engine lights that came on so I wasnt too worried about it. On 8/21/2025 my husband went to the store and when he came back the car shut off while backing into the driveway. He said it made a weird noise and just shut off. We tested the battery but it was still charged. We brought it to our mechanic and he called us 15 mins later saying he found metal shavings on the oil filter and the engine had seized. He recommended going to the dealer, which is 90 miles away. Around the 15th we had received the warranty extension for 15 years/150,000 miles from Hyundai talking about a knocking sound that can lead to engine seizure. So I called the dealer and they said to bring it in. We got the car towed to the dealer on 8/26/2025. On 09/04/2025 they called to let us know that they ran the test on the engine but Hyundai was not going to help due to the car having 176,000 miles. They agreed the engine seized due to rod failure but wasn't going to offer Goodwill assistance, even with the service history we submitted from our carfax that showed regular scheduled maintenance recorda. We bought the car on 03/08/2025 when it was at 170,000 miles. I knew about the other open recalls and had them fixed on 06/12/2025 ( after being delayed from the dealer for 2 months because they couldn't get the parts for the auxiliary canister). Luckily the car died in the driveway and not in the middle of traffic. Hyundai has known about their Lambda engines having this issue and the KDSS recall was not available for this car which could have triggered a lifetime warranty on the engine. I barely had the car for 5 months.

NHTSA ODI 11698430

015 Santa Fe Ultimate. 134,000 miles. Original owner. All maintenance done per manual. Wife on hwy 2 hrs. Started loud engine knocking noise. No warning whatsiever.Pulled off closet exit. Stalled.Restarted.Pulled into gas station. Trusted mechanic inspected. Stated not to drive. He had identical vehicle at shop,identical problem.110,000 miles. Needs new engine.Noticed on fbook Forum,"Hyundai Engine Problems". Alot of similar complaints posted. Hyundai not warranting over 100,000 miles. This could have been much worse if it had been at night,in a rural area. Shocked has not been a recall!

NHTSA ODI 11675906

Time Belt problem. Check engine, yellow.

NHTSA ODI 11660125

The driver's door is stuck, it cannot be opened.

NHTSA ODI 11633342

THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH IS MALFUNCTIONING AND CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHT TO STAY ON CONTINIOUSLY. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON SO THERES NO INDICATION THAT I'M GETTING READY TO STOP BECAUSE THE LIGHT IS ALREADY ON, INCREASEING THE RISK OF A CRASH. THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ALSO AFECTECED WITH THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IT STOP WORKING AT THE SAME TIME. I LOOKED UP THE RECALL AND IT SAID THAT 2013 -2015 HYDUNDIA SANTA FEE SPORT VIHECLES WERE AFFECTED, BUT WHEN I CALL THE DEARLERSHIP THEY SAID MY VIN# WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL!

NHTSA ODI 11631945

I was driving on the highway when, out of nowhere, my car started shaking whenever I went over 40 miles per hour. It was quite alarming and honestly a bit scary. So, I would like to request a recall on it. A week after I took it to Hyundai, they informed me that they sent it to you to see if it would be approved to cover the motor. I’ve had this car for just 2 years, and it's frustrating to deal with issues like this. I truly appreciate your attention to this matter, as I hope we can resolve it soon. Thank you for your understanding!

NHTSA ODI 11626687

At 110K miles my Sante Fe Sport began burning increasing amounts of oil. My mechanic says he does not know why it is burning oil. Today it has 134171K miles on it. It has been burning a quart or more of oil weekly. I drive about 200 miles per week.

NHTSA ODI 11622913

The engine has basically come apart. There is a timing chain issue, the engine is not recalled and it is getting where the car cannot drive. There is a constant smell of burning electrical wires. There’s also issues with the heating and air that is related to electrical.

NHTSA ODI 11622164

My car burns a lot of oil. The Hyundai dealership service center ran a controlled test and validated that my car burned a quart of oil in 1000 miles. This is not normal. It turns out that there are a lot of Hyundai owners with the exact same problem. It seems there are bad piston rings.

NHTSA ODI 11620707

I am filing this complaint regarding my 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, which recently suffered engine failure due to an unresolved issue related to error code P1326. The check engine light began flashing, and despite multiple visits to my local Hyundai service center (Gateway Hyundai Nissan in Fargo, ND), the problem was not properly diagnosed or repaired, resulting in catastrophic engine damage. The vehicle has a branded title, but I have confirmed that, according to Hyundai's warranty policies, recalls and campaigns are still applicable to branded vehicles. Hyundai has issued a recall for engine defects associated with error code P1326, yet the service center has refused to replace the engine under this recall. Instead, they are insisting on an out-of-pocket repair cost of $9,300.56, even though the engine failure is a result of the defect addressed in the recall. This failure occurred while I'm driving with my wife and 9-month-old infant, which posed a significant safety risk. Had the service center properly addressed the issue during my earlier visits, this situation could have been prevented. I am filing this complaint to request that Hyundai be held accountable for the engine replacement as part of the recall and to prevent further safety risks for other drivers experiencing this defect. I respectfully ask the NHTSA to investigate Hyundai’s handling of this recall and ensure that customers with branded vehicles are not unfairly denied critical safety repairs. The manufacturer must ensure that engine replacements under the recall are carried out for all affected vehicles, regardless of their title status, to prevent dangerous road situations. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

NHTSA ODI 11615734

Car was burning lots of engine oil and lost power, dealer said nothing was wrong with it. months later when to limp mode, lacks of power in the highway, dealer said it lost compression on 2 cylinders and that I need a new engine. I ask them if the vehicle has a recall and they said no, all my research said that this type of engine has a recall for me they are looking for any loophole in order not to replace the engine

NHTSA ODI 11610743

Sudden loss of engine power in traffic on highway in funeral procession. My safety was put at risk on the highway. The check engine light came on intermittently the previous week. I made six trips to the Hyundai dealer in Plymouth, MA. First told the oil was low when the dipstick was normal. Oil was changed. Check engine light came on as I left the lot. Two more trips computer reset two different ways. Engine does not have normal power going up hill. Another trip to dealer EVAP hose collapsed. Light back on and off. I paid for diagnostic fee $175, oil change then told it was CVV and timing issue with $2817.89 in parts because the tech "saw" the problem. >$3000 estimate for labor. Repair started now told CVV is not the problem metal shavings in oil OCV intake and exhaust valves and needs new engine. The car had $60,000 miles on it and was extremely well maintained. It does not have a warrantee. This is same issue as the Hyundai recall for metal debris left in oil passages of engine crankshaft during manufacture though my model is not covered by the recall. Hyundai declines to help. There is a huge personal safety and fire risk from this defective manufacturing process.

NHTSA ODI 11607075

Misfire code P0302 Injector failed open, flooded cylinder with fuel. Gas in the oil Possible cylinder failure Lack of compression

NHTSA ODI 11606012

The 3.3 liter V6 GDI engine failed while driving at approximately 136000 miles. Heard a ticking noise start shortly after leaving home, and had hesitation and shaking upon acceleration from a stop sign, but saw no warning lamps. Went around the block back home to find out the ticking noise was under the hood. Motor oil was almost 3 quarts low, but only 2/3's of the way through the service interval. Checked for leaking, saw none dripping, but did see oil on the under of the rear differential. I then let the car run for minute or so in the garage and looked for leaks. I saw no active leaking and ticking was quieter, so I drove to a close gas station to get a little gas and test drive, still no warning lights. On the way back, about a mile from home, the engine light came on, despite the ticking sound being gone. Within a quarter mile, at the next stop sign, I let off the brake to accelerate and the car started rolling backwards, causing the vehicle approaching from behind to swerve into the turn lane. The vehicle was no longer running, and wouldn't restart. Towed to local mechanic and was told 2 days ago the engine was seized, and replacement was needed. I have not contacted any dealership or the manufacturer, as I the second owner and do not have a warranty. However I have spent the last 2 days reading seemingly 1000s of articles and forum posts related to this engine, whether it be in a Hyundai or a Kia. Several of the articles I have read about this 3.3 liter GDI Lambda -II engine and it's horror stories, referenced this nhtsa site as a place where complaints can be made, so here I am. Many articles describe the same problem.. hesitation... ticking.. sudden mysterious oil loss... little, if any warning... complete failure while driving, putting safety at risk. With the problem with engine so blatantly rampant, it is my fear that after I scrap this vehicle, there will be a recall. Over the phone quotes, and online pricing have ranged from $7500-20000 for repair.

NHTSA ODI 11605981

My 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS 3.3L engine started ticking sound while driving in residential are with the speed below 25miles. Within seconds, Engine started screaming and dropped power in the middle of the road. It is a huge security and life threatening risk. I was lucky that I was driving in residential area with very slow speed, and just imagine if it happens in the middle of the freeway cruising at 65MPH. It is at 107k miles and not sure what to do at this time. Hyundai better recall there 3.3L V6 engines and help us our here. My vehicle is now dead and I have nowhere to go to get help because it a huge cost to get it fixed.

NHTSA ODI 11604173

Engine has goes on out at 99000 miles has seized up .

NHTSA ODI 11595085

We were on our way home from the children's hospital in Philadelphia for my daughter (4 hours away from home) and my 2015 Santa Fe with the 3.3L motor began to knock. My dad (who is very mechanically inclined) pulled over at a gas station and checked oil and other fluids. It was low, even though I just had oil changed 900 miles before and it was checked before our trip to the hospital. We bought oil and put it in. Knocking was still there but was not as loud. We got back on interstate. Few miles up the road it completely lost power, extreme knocking, no lights on in the dash or any gauges out of normal range. He checked oil and it was completely empty but there was no oil trail or anything. We coasted into a crossover and that's when he saw the connecting rod under the car.

NHTSA ODI 11594753

The engine is continually knocking. It has caused the powertrain system to start to fail. The interior portion of the car with electrical is malfunctioning and causing the car to lag. Many attempts have been taken to get the vehicle fixed to no avail. $1,000 just to take out the engine to diagnose the problem.

NHTSA ODI 11594813

While I was driving on the highway in the left lane, smoke came from the engine, then it started coming from underneath the car. The car turned off. I was forced to stop on the left lane of the highway and exit the vehicle and walk as far away as possible. I called 911, then I noticed fire coming from the engine. This was unsafe for myself as well as other riders on the highway. Firefighters came and put out the fire. Once they left, I was left by myself waiting for the tow truck to arrive. No police officers helped to keep myself safe while waiting on the left shoulder once the highway re-opened. When asked if I needed a police report, the police officer said no because it wasn't a crash. The vehicle was inspected by my insurance company and it was deemed a total loss. There were no warning signs or messages or symptoms prior to the failure at all.

NHTSA ODI 11592719