What 235 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Hev

The seat belt indicator on the console of a vehicle is illuminated the vehicle has not been any accidents or any problems other than that. I took it to the dealership and they stated it will take 2 to 3 weeks just a diagnostic this problem I think it should not be a problem.

NHTSA ODI 11546422

This is to update case 11541562, submitted electronically to NHTSA on 8/29/2023, 10:48:33 PM and 11537141, submitted electronically to NHTSA on 8/8/2023, 12:54:24 PM Napleton Hyundai of West Palm Beach and Hyundai Motor Services have repaired the Sanata Fe vehicle and replaced the engine along with some other repairs. At this time, we withdraw any complaints we had against Hyundai and Napleton Hyundai of West Palm Beach. The Service manager, Mike Clancy went above and beyond our expectations and we have no issues currently with the dealership. Mr. Clancy's service in the end turned out to be outstanding. The vehicle was returned to us and is currently in working condition, please close out these cases. Thank you for your time attention, and help with this matter.

NHTSA ODI 11545961

Seat belt on drivers side does not retract without assistance. I took it to Hyundai and they refused to fix it while the car was under warranty. The engine started burning excessive amounts of oil around 60K miles. We changed the spark plugs and found them to be covered in oil and corroded. We changed them again and they are worse. (Recommended every 100K miles.) The engine stalled once in traffic and continues to nearly stall when driven. The car has been burning in excess of 1 quart every 1000 miles since turning 75K miles. We were never notified of the engine failure issues with our SUV. At 96K mile it became so bad we took it in to Hyundai in Perrysburg OH Taylor Hyundai. We were informed about the engine issue and they began an oil consumption test. However the technicians when instructed to add 2 1/2 quarts of oil they added 5 ruining the testing. Then they claimed that the engine was only consuming 1/2 quart however we took a picture of the dip stick prior to brining it in and the oil was as always below the "L". We were then told we had to pay for an $800 engine flushing followed by 3 more consumption tests. Even if the tests show more than 1 quart of oil burning Hyundai may still refuse to replace the failing engine under warranty.

NHTSA ODI 11544896

The vehicle had 67000 Aprox miles. The rack and pinion and the intermediate steering colum needed to be replaced. This was done before any accident.

NHTSA ODI 11543854

We recently had the car to the local dealership for engine problems. It took over 3 months, but they finally determined that the camshaft was "bent" and they had to remove the engine to replace it, costing almost $5000. We had it back for about 3 months but didn't drive it much since my wife works remotely from home now. My son was driving it on the interstate and the engine threw a rod, spilling oil onto the exhaust, which caught on fire. He managed to pull over and get out of the car and by then another motorist had called 911. There was a firetruck at the exit he had just passed who showed up in just a few minutes and put the fire out before the fuel system caught on fire, thankfully. While I'm glad my son was uninjured, I'm still very upset by this, especially since they just worked on the engine. After some searching on the internet, I have found that this is a very common occurance for this vehicle (and other Hyundais) yet the company is not doing anything about it. I also read that there is a separate class action lawsuit for this particular engine (in addition to the one for the smaller 4 cylinder engines), but I'm afraid it will be settled too late to help us out.

NHTSA ODI 11542917

On August 11, the car suddenly lost power/acceleration & the dashboard lit up with engine, battery, and oil lights. I coasted down the hill to our home without any power. On Monday, it started again without lights, but we called the dealer & were told it would be 4.5 weeks before they could see us & there was nothing they could do without lights on the dash. So we took it to a nearby service center. They performed an oil change & compression check & deemed everything fine. The car drove mostly fine, with an intermittent pause/hiccup at stoplights. August 26, at highway speed, the car shuddered loudly, & the engine light flashed. As I coasted to the shoulder, there was a POP sound. I parked, turned off the car, & inspected the tires. The rear passenger tire had a 3-in gash but didn't deflate. I tried turning on the car again & it just ground & jerked with the flashing engine light. I called AAA & towed it to the dealership, where it's waiting to be inspected. This is a Theta II engine & received the KSDS software recall update in 2019. My child was in the car with me. I wonder if the KSDS gave the first warning on Aug. 11 but failed to stay on to pass on the data to the service center.

NHTSA ODI 11541716

Already reported Engine Failure on August 5, 2023. After 3 weeks, Dealer informs us the engine seized and is defective and was provided oil change records. Engine is approved for replacement under warranty, instead of getting a repaired car back, dealer calls and now informs the car rides "rough" after the engine replacement, and the Knock Sensor is faulty, MAP Sensor is faulty, and Fuel Pump needs to be replaced. We question why none of this showed up on the original inspection and diagnostic, no answer to that. Knock Sensor obviously never worked because the engine seized without any warning, and despite having warranty on the knock sensor we are told none of these items are under warranty. The car never exhibited any symptoms related to fuel pump issues, or knock or MAP sensor issues. When we were driving on August 5th, the car lost power and engine died without any prior warnings that anything was wrong. We never had any rough "ride", never had any problem with fuel or starting the car, the check engine light never came on to warn of any issues at all. If the parts are all bad, either it is related to the engine failure or they are defective. No Sensors worked or gave us any warning. We fear the car will fail again, and it is unknown if Hyundai will cover repairs. We asked for written statement for repairs and received nothing from the dealer, we asked that repairs be submitted to Hyundai to have cost covered and we have had no confirmation if it has been submitted. The car broke down 3+ hours from our home, we can't even go to the dealer to discuss in person. Limited to unanswered calls, voicemail, and emails - no responses insufficient communication. All we want is the car to be repaired properly and Hyundai should cover cost of repairs considering the massive failure we experienced without warning while driving with our children in the car, we could have all died and no well maintained car should fail in every aspect after only 8 years.

NHTSA ODI 11541562

MPM Automotive in Port Charlotte, FL sold me this vehicle with a cracked head gasket after leading us to believe that it was fixed before we signed all documents for ownership.

NHTSA ODI 11540705

I was driving my 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport and first noticed that when I stepped on the gas pedal, the car hesitated and then finally kicked in and would accelerate. I was approximately 60 miles from home when the engine totally failed. Luckily I was not on an interstate or I could have been in a severe accident and injured or died. I had the car towed to a Hyundai dealership, who determined it was a complete engine failure and the car needed a new engine. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms to indicate a problem.

NHTSA ODI 11540229

On Tuesday, August15, 2023 while driving my daughter to graduate school in Tallahassee Florida from Buffalo New York, my 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport with approximately 84,000 miles abruptly lost accelleration on Interstate 20 in Augusta Georgia. I was fortunate that I was able to safely exit the highway without being struck by other vehicles driving at high speeds during the morning rush hour. I was able to locate and drive my vehicle to the Taylor Hyundai dealership a mile up the road at 3233 Washington Road in Augusta. Upon my arrival the service advisor asked if my car has ever has a bearing clearance test, it had not. I am thankful that they were able to squeeze me into their schedule and they were able to perform said test which my vehicle failed. I was then advised that my car would need a new engine and that the request would be sent to the Hyundai corporate office for approval. Hyundai would not provide a rental vehicle until the process is approved which I was told could take up to 12 days. I was then advised that Hyundai would reimburse me for a rental that I would have to arrange on my own. One week later, I reached out to the advisor and she has not heard anything from Hyundia corporate. I am hoping that I will not be stuck with a massive rental bill and that my car will be fixed and delivered to my daughter in Florida.

NHTSA ODI 11540263

Vehicle is at 106,000 miles. Coming to a stoplight the vehicle completely shut down. Upon inspection seeing the drive belt was missing. Vehicle will not turn over, battery is fully charged no other issues. Check engine light is now flashing AFTER it shut down NOT before like NHTSA recommends..

NHTSA ODI 11538200

I was driving home from work, no warning lights flashed. My car abruptly stopped and my engine started misfiring and making loud noises. After the experience the engine light started to illuminate.

NHTSA ODI 11538222

8/5/23 was driving on turnpike when 2016 Santa Fe lost complete power without warning. Was barely able to pull over to the side of the road and the car completely died. Was in the car with 3 small children all under the age of 7 and stuck for over 2 hours waiting for a tow no air conditioning and no safe place to wait on the side of the turnpike with barely enough shoulder space for the car. Had car towed to Napleton Hyundai in West Palm Beach. We have unfortunately had this happen before on our Hyundai Sonata, similar circumstances car lost all power while driving and would not restart. The Sonata turned out to have defective engine and was replaced at a different dealership under the class action, but we have had zero communication from Napleton Hyundai regarding the Santa Fe. We have provided everything that the dealer has requested, and not received any response from Napleton. We were told if the engine seized, engine is covered up to 150K miles and they are aware of the Santa Fe defect. But, we are stranded hours from home without a car and no one at the service department has called us back or informed us what are the next steps despite repeated requests from us to find out what is going on with the Santa Fe.

NHTSA ODI 11537141

please merge this additional information with Complaint Number: 11537141, submitted electronically to NHTSA on 8/8/2023, 12:54:24 PM earlier today. Napleton Hyundai of West Palm Beach finally confirmed moments ago that the engine on the 2016 Santa Fe is defective and did seize causing us to lose control of the vehicle, resulting in the engine shutting down and fail while we were driving with our family on the turnpike on 8/5/2023. We already submitted the requested documentation to the service department to show that we have maintained the vehicle and completed regular oil charges. We are now awaiting approval from Hyundai corporate to allow the dealer to repair the defective engine under warranty/per the class action. It is shocking to us that we have now had this experience with two separate Hyundai vehicles. We purchased the Santa Fe brand new and expect it to last. Our lives, the lives of our children were completely put at risk - and it is a miracle that there was no accident, no injuries, and no one died. We suffered stranded on the side of the road waiting for a tow for two hours while the vehicle reached 100 degrees with no safe place to seek refuge while tractor trailers and other cars passed us at high rates of speed; hoping that no one would hit our car and that we would survive. We hope that Hyundai will approve and complete the repairs quickly. At this time we are without a vehicle and were informed that Hyundai also has to approve a loaner or rental while the repairs are completed, we ask that Hyundai does so immediately. It is hard to believe that we had to have a near death experience for the defective engine to be addressed. At this point, we just ask that Hyundai please make the repairs quickly and grant us a loaner vehicle in the meantime.

NHTSA ODI 11537231

After a recent oil change and while driving from Utah to Wyoming, the engine began sputtering and seemed to be on the verge of seizing. Fortunately, we could make it to a gas station and check the oil. The oil was so low it did not measure on the dipstick. This occurred less than 1,000 miles since the last oil change. I subsequently learned that my sister, who also owns a 2016 Santa Fe, had a similar problem, but her engine completely seized while on the freeway. The local dealership acknowledged this was a problem and managed to replace her engine at no charge. We have been unable to get our local dealership in Colorado to make such an acknowledgment. My son uses the car now for college. His local dealership in Grand Junction told him that all we can do is have them perform an oil change, drive the car, and come and see them when the engine seizes before it's due for another oil change. The implication was that they were aware of the problem, but couldn't apply for an engine replacement unless the engine had seized. This seems wrong and unsafe. My son is currently having to add oil every three weeks.

NHTSA ODI 11534859

Passenger Side Front and Driver's Side Back Seatbelt latches fail to latch.

NHTSA ODI 11532282

I posted when this happened but didn't know what it was. On 5/16/23, I was driving on highway going about 60 mph when my vehicle completely shut off with no warning. I lost all control except I could steer a little. Thank God, I was able to get off the road safely. I had no brakes and had to drift to a stop. It never started again. I had my granddaughter with me. I'm 62 years old and I've been driving since I was 16 and this is the most dangerous thing that has ever happened while driving. Please do something about these vehicles! I know people have had to have lost lives from this.

NHTSA ODI 11532335

The engine completely gave out all of a sudden on the highway while coming home from vacation. We were stranded on the highway and had to have someone come help my husband push the car off highway to the nearest convenience store. The car would not take a jump so we paid $427 to have it towed from Bay St. Louis, MS to Kenner, LA to our reputable mechanic to find out the problem. Per our mechanic the engine has completely gone out. This car is not even 10 years old, is well maintained, gets regular oil changes and only has about 87 or 88K miles on it. It has not been inspected by anyone other than our mechanic. There were no warning signs at all on the car prior to this or when it killed and died. Completely killed. We have called Corporate Hyundai office and they gave me a case number of [XXX] and said I would have to deal with the Hyundai of Metairie location and it would be 3 weeks before they could even inspect the vehicle after I incurred another towing charge. I did call the Service Dept. and left a message for Mr. David Porter to call me but he has not called back. I cannot believe a car does not last more than 10 years and at least $125,000 miles. Therefore, I would like to report a problem so this does not happen to anyone else and recoup some of my expense costs as my car is valued at like $13,500 if it was running and only a 1,000 if not running. A refurbished engine is anywhere from a $3500 to $4800 plus the cost of a warranty and labor. I have read there were some engine complaints on Hyundai and there is a pending investigation. Mechanics name David Mills, 627 Oxley Street, Kenner LA.504-466-8776. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11531920

My 2016 Santa Fe engine spun a rod bearing at 130,900 miles. Took to dealership and they diagnosed it and refused any warranty.

NHTSA ODI 11531123

On the morning of June 26, I dropped my daughter off at camp. Not far from the house, the engine light begins blinking with no warning. I pull over to look under the hood; there was no smoke and the oil level and color looked ok. I was able to get back home but on the way began to lose acceleration. This would have been much worse if I was on the highway traveling at a higher speed as opposed to a residential area. Later, I was able to tow it to an independent service center who said the code for repair is P1326 for a knock sensor. In the mechanic’s research of the code, he said this is an issue for a Hyundai certified mechanic. I too did some research and saw all the Hyundai owners with the exact same issue. I called all the Hyundai auto shops in my area and none of them have appointments just to look at the car until the end of July. Now I am stuck with an immobile car that I just purchased in January and was told I’m not entitled to a loaner or rental because the vehicle isn’t being repaired yet.

NHTSA ODI 11530028

The car was being driven by our daughter south on Interstate 75 in Florida when the engine seized. It just froze. All power was lost while in the middle lane. Our daughter had to glide into the shoulder using only the momentum of the vehicle and carefully avoid traffic. The car was towed to our local mechanic who found nothing wrong with the battery, starter, alternator or oil. The oil was in fact checked prior to the trip that day. I called our local Hyundai dealer who stated that this was a "known problem". He also added that the engine would probably have to be replaced and he had "10 cars in front of mine that needed engine replacements." We are still waiting for Hyundai Corporate to agree to the repair. The vehicle only has 47,000 miles on it and has the balance of the drive train warranty. We are without a car and are currently renting a vehicle so that we can have transportation. I have no idea why this vehicle and others like it have not been recalled. This is an extremely dangerous problem with these cars. The driver, our daughter , could have been in a dangerous accident.

NHTSA ODI 11528412

On July 26, 2021, I purchased a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe SE. I purchased the vehicle with 90,168 miles on it, a current inspection, and a 3,000 bumper-to-bumper warranty. It has a 6 cylinder 3.3L engine. Since then, I’ve put 38,266 miles on it, and it’s ran without a problem. I’ve done all preventative maintenance, made my oil changes mostly around when needed in accordance with mechanics, and overall maintained the car as per recommended. On March 25, 2023, I was driving to work, and I felt a sudden loss of acceleration. I heard a knocking that I hadn’t heard before, yet no lights came on. No check engine light, no oil pressure light. My dashboard was not indicative of any problem. I ended up getting it towed to my personal mechanic, who was able to tell me that although the engine hasn’t seized up yet, it was surely not far from it. I was also informed that it was nearly empty. Now, I’ve had oil changes before and at no point has any mechanic, including those at my Hyundai dealership ever told me that I was short on oil. I had no puddles anywhere, at home or at work. I’ve had no smoke emissions from the vehicle to indicate that it was burning oil. To this day…I don’t know where 5 quarts of oil went out of my engine in two weeks. It is my belief that the only way this amount of oil could just vanish out of thin air is a glaring engine defect leading to near-catastrophic engine failure.

NHTSA ODI 11528130

As I was driving home from work at night on May 4, my engine suddenly started making noises, then the engine light started flashing and the engine stopped working and I had to coast to the side of the road. I had to get it towed back to my residence late at night. I had an independent mechanic verify the catastrophic engine failure. To date the vehicle has not been repaired due to the high cost and unavailable replacement engines.

NHTSA ODI 11527883

I was driving and all of a sudden my car quit sounded like a belt broke so I coasted to Thackers Repair and he told me a rod went right through the side of the engine so I would need a new engine. I had my oil changed every 3000 miles there was no reason for this, and I did not receive any recalls.

NHTSA ODI 11527443

Engine oil consumption is outrageous. I am having to add oil every 200-300 miles. Just had an oil change in march and have had to add oil twice. There is a recall on the 2013-2015 models for the Santa Fe and 2011-2019 for the Santa Fe sport but the 2016 model that I have is not included in this recall. The recall is specifically for engine oil consumption issues which is exactly what I am having but Hyundai wont issue a recall for the 2016 model unless it is the sport. Very frustrated and potentially going to have to spend thousands of dollars for a new motor since mine is starting to have issues related to excessive oil consumption.

NHTSA ODI 11527254