2012 Hyundai Santa Fe Engine Problems

My 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe caught fire on October 29, 2025. Prior to this, the dealership completed one recall but left another open. Hyundai denied my claim and refused to provide the inspection report. I am filing this complaint because I believe the incomplete recall may be related and I want NHTSA to review the issue.

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormally loud banging sound, and there was smoke coming from underneath the hood and through the A/C vents, which blocked the visibility of the roadway. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that a significant amount of oil was leaking from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V746000 (Engine). The dealer was contacted about the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to tow the vehicle to the dealer for repair, and a case was filed. The manufacturer informed the contact that the repair could not be covered under the recall due to the vehicle having a Branded Title; however, the contact stated that the Branded Title was issued because the vehicle had sustained cosmetic damage from hailstone impact. The failure mileage was 133,000.

The carrier bearing failed and caused the engine to lock up while driving, thankfully we weren't on a busy road and were able to coast off the road. There was no prior light that appeared. We are just thankful it wasn't our 16 year old, newly licensed driver for whom we purchased the vehicle, driving. It has not been looked over by the dealership yet as they have failed to return any phone calls. I have made 4 calls in the last two weeks that have gone unanswered. To which one person i spoke with (not the one i needed to speak with) said 'your should go get your money back'.

Engine light was blinking. Hearing grinding from the front. Steering locked up. I was able to pull over safely. Called tow truck. The mechanic diagnosed it said it needed a new engine. The car has 106,000 miles on it.

My engine stalls while driving. Now engine is knocking real loud. Then stall again. My safety and others drivers safety because my engine stalls could cause a crash, wreck. Mechanic listened to engine, said engine is knocking and stalling, this is a safety issue. Vehicle has not been inspected by manufacturer, or others. No warning lights, symptoms, Monday December 30, 2024.

NHTSA Recall #20V746000 2012 Hyundai Sonata Manufacture Recall #198 Connecting Rod Bearing failure leading to possible road side fire. Possible risk of injury or death. Hyundai has been contacted twice about recall. Claim they have no responsibility to comply with recall. They closed the dealership where the car was purchased new. They offer two other dealers that are located in other cities. One requires driving a distance of over 200 miles. The other requires round trip ferry travel. Mileage would still be approximately 150 miles plus ferry expense plus fuel expense and possible an over night lodging at $150 to $200 per night and one to two day obligation. It is a total lie that Hyundai will correct their negligence at no cost to the owner. Their first representative informed me that all transportation cost were the owners responsibility. Regardless of the apparent negligence and obvious risk to the public safety, the company apparently disregarded an engine flush after maching as a cost saving practice. I believe every qualified machinest would know that metal chips left over from this process could not left in a finished motor. Just stupid but might have saved a few dollars. I'm a [XXX] man with [XXX] and [XXX] that make sitting for hours impossible. There is no one willing or able to spend this time commitment no money laying around for this expense. Hyundai knows that. Very fast to say "Not my PROBLEM. Car has very low mileage. Engine check light is on. Hyundai will not guarantee if the car is safe or even able to be driven that far. The solution is very simple....... The local deal handles many different auto brands. I'm sure the Hyundai qualified mechanics are still employed. Knowing this, Hyundai refuses to allow local people to install this device that does not correct the problem. Just lets the driver know it's serious. Another cost saving decision due I'm sure because they don't want to pay. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My engine caught on fire in the middle of the night ([XXX] on [XXX]). The fire department was called by my building’s security and they came to put out the fire. The security footage shows that the car engine caught on fire for no apparent reason. The fire department did not identify any foul play or vandalism nor did the security camera footage. Unfortunately since my car has been paid off, I only had liability coverage and could not get the coverage to assess. I had to junk the car. No one was hurt but there was broken glass and some parts around the parking lot due to fire and fire department having to shatter and pry open the engine bay. Please advise if someone can help me in my situation. Also this should be made aware to Hyundai. There was a recall but I was never notified. Nor does any recall history show up for this. See article: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I was contacted by Auffenberg Hyundai in OFallon IL in October of 2024 to schedule recall work. On 10/23/24, the car was dropped off in working condition to the dealership for that recall (engine software update). The day after the vehicle was returned, the check engine light came on and the vehicle went into "limp mode". I returned it to the dealership 10/24/24. They changed the knock sensor and I picked it back up on [XXX]. On the same date, the check engine light came on and vehicle went back into "limp mode". Car was returned to dealership 10/28/24, due to the issue being after hours and on a weekend. They tested it and reset software. I did not get vehicle back until 1/3/25. On [XXX], the check engine light came on again and vehicle went into "limp mode". Car was returned to the dealership and now it is 3/17/25 and I still have no resolution. The vehicle is unsafe to drive because in "limp mode" you cannot go above a certain RPM level. Pulling out into traffic is dangerous when your vehicle just will not accelerate. If this were to happen on the interstate, then it could be catastrophic. The dealership has been able to reproduce this issue, but offers no fix as they state that they are being limited by corporate Hyundai. A corporate claim was made but Hyundai is unwilling to fix an issue they caused. In essence, the recall broke my vehicle and corporate Hyundai has decided to do nothing. Note: All records for repairs and dealership/corporate communications are with Auffenberg Hyundai, 1050 Berg Blvd, Ofallon IL 62269; phone 618-622-9001; contact is John Koch. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I took my 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe into the dealership on March 7, 2024. The engine had failed due to the failure of the connecting rod bearing that is under recall. On April, 6th 2024 I was called that my car was ready. As I got into the car there was a coffee cup, a water bottle, and a long nose plier left in my vehicle. Then I noticed that the tire pressure warning light was on. I went back to the service department, and they went to refill the air. Note the paperwork shows that it had already been done. I got the car back and proceeded to leave, I traveled about two blocks before turning around. The right front turn light was out, and the car made a vibrating noise, and didn't have the same feel as before I had the engine problem, they took it back in to look at the vehicle again. They fixed the turn light. Told me the problem with the TPMS was the batteries inside it. As for the vibration and poor handling I was told the vehicle needed new motor mounts, and said they would fix it for three thousand dollars. Looking up the part numbers of these motor mounts, they are labeled as engine mounts, the engine is what was replaced. None of these problems existed before I brought my car in. The last item on the paperwork was that of a multipoint inspection. If they had inspected my vehicle, these problems would have been found before returning my car to me. I don't feel safe driving my car.

My 2012 Santa Fe check engine light came on a few weeks ago and put the car into engine protection mode. This car is less than 15 years old, has under 150,000 miles, has had reasonable upkeep. I am only the second owner. I was able to check the code myself and did so. It was P1326, which in a Hyundai vehicle means that there's a problem with the connecting rod bearings and it needs to be taken to the Hyundai dealership while in limp mode. I did so and they replaced the knock sensor, cleared the code, and sent me on my way. The check engine light came back less than a week later, same issue. The dealership told me that at this stage the Hyundai tech repair line suggests replacing the engine at an enormous cost. However, because my car can pass the BCT (bearing clearance test) Hyundai will not pay for the replacement of the engine because it cannot be said that the connecting rod bearings are the issue. When I asked why I needed to replace the engine, the service advisor was unable to explain which part of my engine was broken and just that it all needed to be replaced or the car would continue to show code P1326 and go into engine protection mode, rendering it unusable. This has been incredibly unsettling for me as a recently separated mother of two. I have been without my vehicle and without income for weeks while trying to contact Hyundai. They are claiming this repair has nothing to do with the THETA II engine recall out for my model year. All advisors have been pressuring me to purchase a new vehicle, but I do believe the reason I cannot use my vehicle is because of the THETA II engine defects and the P1326 code that will continue to render my car unusable. This code when cleared without fixing the problem, has caused my car to go into engine protection mode (unable to accelerate past 2,000rpm) on the freeway, which was dangerous for myself and other drivers on the road as well as terrifying.

I took my 2012 to Baytown Hyundai for a recall update. MPI Inspection (1) had no problem with the car before taking it in. They did inspection then it started running super slow would not pick up speed. They were going to give me a loner car. The mechanic tried update again then the car drove ok. Didnt even leave the parking lot engine light came on turned around he checked with BDO. Code P200A came up. They are saying it's my responsibility to fix it. There were no codes when I brought my car in. I read I should not drive the car with this code could damage it more . My heart is bad I have to get back and forth t my doctor appointments. How are they not responsible . It's to dangerous to drive it now.Please help.me

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine and oil warning lights were illuminated before the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, the oil displayed full. The contact then stated that the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that no oil pressure was detected, and the contact was informed by the technician of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V746000 (Engine) which was associated with the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.

My oil pressure sensor light wont turn off sometimes blinks on and off or stays on and I am concerned because it could be engine component or electrical. i have nott aken it to hyundai dealer do do an inspection

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, she heard an abnormal popping sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The contact was unaware of a warning light being illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine had seized and needed to be replaced. The mechanic advised the contact that there had been a recall for the year, make and model of vehicle however, the VIN was not included. The mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V746000 (Engine). The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 199,000.

Driving on highway and car engine light came on then car engine kicked down like it was going to stall then drove normally then kicked down again . Kept kicking down , drove it home and shut it off. The car starts but is knocking and the engine light comes on and blinks constantly .

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that after NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V746000 (Engine) was completed and driving at approximately 70 mph, there was a loud abnormal noise under the vehicle and the steering wheel began to shake. In addition, the dashboard was hot to the touch. The contact merged into the shoulder of the road and the vehicle suddenly stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the rod bearing fractured and detached causing a hole in the engine. The engine and rod bearing needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.

In June 2021 vehicle experienced engine failure at approximately 152,000 miles. Vin# not under Hyundai Engine recall however Hyundai covered new engine replacement under warranty extension due to failure. In November 2022 received notice for mandatory Knock Engine Sensor Detection Campaign, vehicle had approximately 163,000 miles. Was told this must be performed to prevent catostrophic engine failure. Once campaign was installed in December 202 vehicle immediately went into Drive Safe mode and Engine light came on. Returned to dealership 2 more times and each time vehicle went into Drive Safe mode with engine light. Diagnosis was the new engine was defective and needed to be replaced. New engine has under 12,000 miles. Vehichle is now unsafe to drive as it's in Drive Safe mode and needs engine replacement. Hyundai only agreed to cover 85% of the new engine cost as a goodwill. This is not satisfactory to the customer as a brand new engine, under 12,000 miles and 14 months failed and I do not feel I should be responsible for 15% of the cost to replace a defective engine. The fact that the engine light came on and vehicle went into Drive Safe mode immediately following the KSDS campaign installation means there was an existing defect in the engine that was only detected once the campaign was installed.

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard a knocking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and a bearing test was performed; however, the vehicle failed the test. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact was also informed that the vehicle had experienced the failure stated in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V746000 (Engine) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer stated that they were holding the engines for vehicles under the recall. The contact mentioned that an unknown software update was performed and the vehicle was serviced under TSB: TXXM. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was 174,067.

The engine blow when I was driving smoke was come out in the bottle

After driving for a short time, the engine stalls while driving. We have taken the car to 4 different mechanics, including the Hyundai dealer and the issue has not been fixed. The car stalls every time it is driven.