NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
A worn connecting rod bearing which produced a knocking noise from the engine and engine warning light. Engine had 80 thousand miles with routine oil changes using 100% synthetic oil
The engine began to knock when accelerating from stop signs and green lights then engine quit entirely. Check engine light came on but did not flash. Vehicle was towed to Hyundai dealer service department. Service department says engine needs to be replaced. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THE MANUFACTURER HONOR THE WARRANTY DESPITE IT BEING EXPIRED.
I was driving to pickup my dog from daycare centre and when I arrive to house, put my car in Park then a huge amount of smoke came out from the front hood of car. The smoke got bigger and bigger within 30 seconds I couldn't see anything from front of car and around driver's seat. There was no Hazard alerts or signs on my car that my car was overheating. There was no signal or emergency shut off on the car when the overheating began. My boyfriend was in car at time. My dog was walking outside with daycare caretaker when a flame started on Driver's side engine. The flame lit and sparked into a huge flame. I ran out of car while my boyfriend yelled for everyone to back away from car before it explodes. The flame grew and engine bursted into flames, a loud explosion followed. I did not have any time to even gather what was going on before my eyes, I was trembling in shock and could not speak clearly. Immediately, I called police to come put out the fire. The fire department was transferred into my phone call. I was able to give address and they arrived on scene within 3-4 minutes. Fire department put out the flames with a water hose. The car was completely damaged, falling apart into pieces, front hood was on fire to the back seats, doors were on fire, steering wheel was gone, entire front dashboard and chairs were melted and gone in pieces. I started feeling sick and overwhelming stressed.
At highway speed during moving to exit ramp car stalled and luckily coasted to safety without an accident but was very scary and could have ended badly. Restarted car and all seems to be working fine currently but worried it will happen again, this is the first time. No engine codes and had it checked with a odb2 scanner.
We were driving in the highway and all of a sudden the engine started making a loud knocking noise. After safely pulling over, we checked the oil and there was none. There was no low oil light indicating a problem as well as no oil leaks or smoke. The oil just disappeared. We were lucky to get off the highway before the engine seized. The dealership confirmed the engine is blown and needs a replacement. The cost is $17,000 but Hyundai will only cover 50%. We are going the cut our losses and get a new car instead of repairing. To me this is a factory defect that should have been covered event though it’s beyond the warranty: we have service records showing an oil change every 5,000 miles. We are the original owner.
While driving on the MA Route 90 on April 29, 2022, the vehicle stopped accelerating and became unsafe drive. I brought the car to Midas and was told that the car needed a new engine. I contacted a Hyundai dealer and was told that they could not look at the car as they had over a hundred Hyundai engines to replace. Prior to this incident, there were no warning lights or messages. I have learned that there seems to be significant problems with many Hyundai models. I believe this was extremely dangerous as the car would not accelerate whileI was in the fastlane of the highway.
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormal clicking noise would emit from the vehicle without warning. As the noise persisted, the contact stated that the vehicle shut off upon the depression of the accelerator pedal while at a stop. The check engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel during the failure. Upon restart of the vehicle, the vehicle began to hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal as the RPM's began to rev. The contact was able to reach her destination and upon inspection of her vehicle, she discovered that there was no oil in the engine. The contact called the independent mechanic where she had her recent oil change and they informed her of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V226000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) which was linked to the failure. The contact notified the dealer about the defect and had the vehicle towed there for assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered no assistance. The vehicle had yet to be serviced or repaired. The failure mileage was 136,981.
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact attempted to start the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to start. The contact attempted to have AAA jumpstart vehicle however, the engine failed to start. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the engine had seized and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not covered under a recall. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.
While driving on the interstate the engine completely seized. I managed to quickly get to the side of the road by coasting. I was traveling in the left passing lane at a speed of 65-70 mph and had to cut into the right lane in order to safely make it to the side of the road. Luckily I did not have any of my three children in the car with me. Prior to this, there were no waring lights, i.e. check engine, low oil etc. and no signs of any oil leaks, no smell of burning oil and no blue smoke from the exhaust. The independent service center confirmed that the engine did not have any oil in it causing the seizure and ultimately blowing the engine. I take the vehicle in for regular maintenance for oil changes, tire rotations etc. as well as having it inspected per state emissions requirements.
There was a recall with the abs slipper slope and traction this left these warning symbols stay on constantly. I was told by Westside hyundai in Jacksonville this would cost me over $200.00 but I shouldn't have to pay for something that was recalled that left my vehicle this way. Also the drivers identified seatbelt doesn't click it will come loosen and out unless you hold down the button then put the seat belt in and let go of the button.
Same issue with my Santa Fe Sport with the engine burning oil. It left me stranded on a back road up hill when it just slowly stopped accelerating and shut off. I had it towed to Hyundai dealership who wanted me to purchase a brand new engine. After talking to a friend who is a mechanic he told me about the lawsuit going on. I confronted Hyundai with this new information I had gotten. I was able to get the engine replace but I’m appalled at Hyundais sketchy way of trying to bypass this. Had not for my friend told me then I would have paid for a new engine! Dealership kept my vehicle for 4 months because they were out of stock in engines due to the amount of vehicles having the same issue! Wow now the truth unfolds. Shortly after getting the car back the check engine light came on. When reversing the vehicle would buck and seem like it wanted to stall out. Autozone hooked up computer and said torque converter code showed. Autozone said if I just had my engine replaced then the dealership didn’t install it right or broke something during the process. I took it back to Hyundai and they verified converter code and said I needed a new transmission! Prior to the engine issue this car NEVER had problems. The second the engine was replaced everything went wrong! Seems very sketchy. The car started losing power when driving. I was on the highway and it would not accelerate. I was terrified I was going to get hit by all the other vehicles. Cars were dodging me and slamming on breaks and honking horns. I managed to make my way to pull over. Got the transmission replaced like I was told and the converter replaced. Car is still doing the same thing. Hyundai said I needed converter replaced AGAIN two months after they replaced it. Now everyone at Hyundai was fired… wonder why. Now I took it back to Hyundai again, car has not been driven in over a year. Now they are saying no issue with converter it’s the transmission! Hyundai needs to be out of business. They put us in danger!
On 4/17/22, The car quit running on an interstate Highway off ramp merging lane, with three passengers. Driver was able to coast to the berm. This could have been a lot worse under different circumstances. UNKNOWN No recollection of check engine light prior to failure but did come on at failure. On Fri, Apr 22, 2022 at 7:43 AM, Service Consultant from Hyundai Dealership wrote : "It is a connecting rod bearing failure in the engine". Hyundai's response to recall or warranty inquiry: "They are saying that it is out of the warranty by the mileage. They had warranty extensions on the 2.0 turbo and the 2.4 engines. The 3.3L V6 did not fall under those".
We were not advised that the vehicle was burning oil when serviced and there were no signs of leakage in the garage where kept. On an extended road trip the engine began to make a rattling noise that got worse as we drove. I stopped at an automotive store and checked the oil just to be surprised that no oil was in the engine. Again, no external damage or leaks. I serviced the vehicle with oil and continued driving home. On the interstate in traffic the vehicle stalled and I coasted the vehicle to the side of the road. The engine would not turn over and we had to be towed. Hyundai says they don't have parts to fix the vehicle, but that when they do it will cost $14,000 to replace the engine. This engine model needs to be put on re-call just like the other engines that Hyundai has been penalized for bad and unsafe engineering.
Our 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe although not included in the NHTSA Campaign 17V226000, shows identical signs of engine failure. The vehicle showed no signs of excessive oil consumption nor engine damage previous to failure. After a 265 mile trip the vehicle began making an odd rattling noise and grinding. I thought possibly a transmission problem or power steering. The following day we departed for the 265 mile trip home. After 10 minutes driving the knocking noise was loud and worrisome. I stopped at an auto parts store to look the vehicle over. We had no warning lights or dash indication of a problem. I looked the engine over and the underside of the vehicle. No leaks and no obvious signs of a problem. I checked the oil and the indicator was dry. I opened the oil service cap. A burnt smell and steam or smoke rose out of the opening. I bought 4 quarts of synthetic oil and serviced the vehicle. The loud noise remained and it appeared not to help the vehicle. We had no option 245 miles from home, so I continued on the interstate and 20 miles later the engine quit while driving at 70mph. I exited the lane as safely as possible. The engine would not turn over, stranding us on the side of the interstate in a rural area. We had the vehicle towed to Jenkins Hyundai, Jacksonville FL. After diagnostics they advised us the engine seized. Due to the nature of supply parts available, the engine replacement was estimated at $14000. This basically totals the vehicle. The sales department offered us $100 to take it off our hands. Unbelievable. This engine failure is typical of the faulty manufacturing Hyundai previously settled for after so many incidents. Again, we had no indications of a pending failure other than noise and within 40 miles of the noise starting the engine seized.
The engine seized while driving. It occurred while exiting a highway on the off ramp and the vehicle was safely removed from the road. Engine seizure was confirmed by inspection by a mechanic. It is available for inspection. No warning lamps or messages were received prior to the incident.
My car have a bad engine noise
The rear door is stuck closed and locked because of faulty actuators. If I'm in an accident with my grandchild on the other side I can't get him out of the vehicle
Front seat passenger seat belt retractor is locked. Dealer says seat belt and retractor needs to be replaced at a cost of $900. How many owners are going to spend that much money to replace the most important safety device in the vehicle? Soon after I purchased the vehicle in 2014, the same thing happened to a rear passenger seat belt.
Our 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport's engine seized and shut down in traffic Saturday night, 3/11/22, while my family and I were out grabbing food. We barely made it into a parking lot before it stopped moving. We got it towed to our regular repair shop. After inspecting it early in the week, they told us the engine had seized and was dead and that we should contact the service center at the dealership. We get regular maintenance, and there was no prior warning. Looking online, there is a recall on "some" 2013-2014 Santa Fe Sport's for the engine - "...there have been instances of stalling, meaning the engine may stop running while the vehicle is being driven." is just part of the recall info. Somehow our vin number isn't on this list. I'm asking for the recall to open up to more vin numbers.
While driving on a highway at around 40-45 mph my car stalled and came to a stop without warning. No dash lights lit up, no noises, no smoke. Car will not start back up. Mechanic said that it was not spark plugs or lack of maintenance. It seems like there is currently a recall for 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe sports but my vin number doesn’t fall in the recall batch.
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. The vehicle had previously been serviced for a transmission replacement. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a ticking sound was heard and there was oil leaking onto the engine and driveway. Additionally, there was a hole in the timing chain cover and there were two bent bolts that had detached from the timing belt cover. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with engine failure. The dealer informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced; however, the vehicle was not covered under warranty since the contact had not had an oil change performed prior to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer informed the contact that the failure may be related to Manufacturer Campaign Number: 194. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
On 2/10/22 I was driving on a busy highway during rush hour about 60 miles per hour and my car began to loose power. I was able to cruise to the shoulder safely. I turned it off and it immediately restarted and ran with no problem. A few days later it stopped again while I was on another highway and I was able to get to an exit and to a safe location. Ultimately, after trying to restart, it failed altogether and had to be towed by AAA to Hyundai. My vehicle is serviced regularly and I've never had warning signs come on other than the the two times when the call stalled, and at that point, every light in the car was blinking. Hyundai would not give me a firm date for diagnosis. They said that they were backed up and estimated a repair even after diagnosis, would be well into March 2022. By the way, my car was dropped off on Feb 12, 2022! I requested a loaner and they told me they did not have one available. I had the car towed to an independent mechanic and I was told that the engine needed to be replaced.
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the brake warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the fuse needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted, but additional assistance was not provided. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.
The contact owned a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately at 75-80 mph when another vehicle driving at high speeds crashed into the rear of the vehicle causing the vehicle to sway. The contact attempted to avoid crashing into another vehicle but crashed into a concrete divider. When the contact depressed the brake pedal, it failed to respond. As a result, the vehicle flipped over. During the incident, the seat let's failed to retract and secure the contact therefore he collided with the windshield during the impact. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained injuries to his back, ribs, and shoulder that required medical attention. The vehicle was towed and deemed totaled. A police report was not filed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,100.
On December 31, 2021, at approximately 12:30pm CST, I was driving my fathers 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe down I-94 in Michigan City/ LaPorte area of Indiana. In the vehicle was my father, my wife and my brother. I was driving at approximately 70-75 mph and I started hearing a rattling noise when I accelerated. It sounded as if the vehicle had a loose heat shield on the exhaust, so I didn't think too much of it. About 45-60 seconds after that, all the dash lights came on and I pulled off to the side of the highway. I turned the vehicle off and waited about 30 seconds and tried to start it back up, which it did not do. I then noticed smoke coming from under the hood, so I told everyone to get out of the vehicle and I popped the hood latch. I opened the hood and tried to determine where the smoke was coming from, however it was coming from under other parts in the engine, so I could determine what exactly was smoking. I then saw a flame. I told everyone to get back and I immediately called 911. Within 10-15 minutes, a firefighter pulled up in a pick-up truck. He assessed the situation and spoke with my father. Ten minutes after that, other firefighters showed up with an engine and extinguished the fire. By that time though, the fire had completely engulfed the entire front end of the vehicle. We spoke with the police officers after a short wait, a tow truck came and picked up the vehicle and we were picked up by other family members.
Bearing wearing that resulted in engine seizing. The vehicle started to make an engine noise without any light bulb on the dash or any signal of damage or oil leak. Due to the increment in noise I opted to stop the vehicle and tow it to the Hyundai dealer. Consumer's vehicle (2014 Santa Fe xl) started to sound bad out of nowhere on December 2021 and decided to stop it and take it to the Hyundai. The vehicle never light any bulb or lack any power, just the noise. Consumer was told by Hyundai engine needed replacement but they won’t cover because consumer is the second owner. The vehicle have 97,000 miles and all the oil changes had been made according to the recommended time by the manufacturer. There is a recall due to the same issues for the Santa Fe sport but consumer's wasn't included.
While driving on a busy highway on December 26th, 2021 the vehicles check engine light suddenly illuminated and began flashing. There was a sudden loss of power and unable to accelerate. No warning lamps or indications that a catastrophic failure was impending. This was an extremely dangerous situation that almost ended in a fatal accident with other drivers having to slow down and go around the car in "limp mode.". Today, on January 5th, 2022 the dealership informed us that this vehicle is part of a massive lawsuit and settlement due to defective engines in Hyundai and Kia vehicles that throw rod bearings and even catch fire. There is a claim currently pending with Hyundai to have this engine replaced. There is an estimated 3-4 week turnaround before having the vehicle returned to us. We're to wait 3-5 business days to determine if Hyundai will approve or deny the claim. It's hard to imagine they will based off of us being the original owners and receipts indicating all required maintenance. We're also expecting to have Hyundai to pay for a rental vehicle since there are no loaners available.
While driving on the highway, the car started stalling, then a check engine light turned on. When going up hill, and when at a stop sign or stop light, the vehicle fully shut down. On the side of the road, I checked the spark plugs - one was fouled. I replaced the spark plug and the ignition coil but that did not solve the issue. Prior to this, there was excessive oil consumption. I used a quart every 6oo miles. I had the vehicle towed to Healey Hyundai in Beacon, NY where they determined there was no compression in a cylinder and that it was not covered by any existing recall or warranty. I had the issue confirmed by a mechanic shop in Poughkeepsie, NY as well, same conclusion, no compression in a cylinder.
Driving on interstate felt car stall pulled to side of the road placed in park. Looked under hood noticed car hot checked oil and was completely dry. I know for a fact there had not been any leakage prior that was on the ground where I parked and none under where I pulled off road. Not one check engine light or low oil light had came on prior or during the time of the car stalling. Called tow truck to have it taken to dealership where they turned it back on after I advised of issue and that it shouldn't be turned on they said they had to to know what it was doing and the engine at that point was making loud knocking noise. I was told engine would have to be replaced. I was told I'm not the only one that has had this issue with this model car but there is no recall so it would be out of my pocket even though there is a "known issue". This was dangerous as it stalled in middle of interstate and left me stranded. Also, I got regular oil changes and was actually on my way to appt to have oil changed and never had been told that I was leaking or ever low on oil by dealership either. If looked up the known issue is with oil consumption. Dealership still cannot explain where yhe oil leaked from or went to.
Driving Hyundai Santa Fe 3.3 Limited with two toddlers down in moderate/heavy traffic with speeds 35-50 MPH when started to hear ticking/knocking noise coming from engine. Noise continued to increase with corresponding decrease in drivability (decreased acceleration & vibrations from engine). Had vehicle towed to Hyundai Dealer for inspection. Dealer has advised that engine has premature engine wear as a result of rod knock and damaged rings causing engine failure. Dealership stated a new engine will cost $12k because we are the second owner. Vehicle had no check engine light, no oil pressure or low oil warning lights and had no OBDII error codes. No prior indication of imminent engine failure. Engine was not listed in current recalls. Approximate failure mileage at 93k.
Engine started to make a knocking noise right at 100k miles. We bought the car used with 78k miles on it and kept up with oil changes and tires. Once we noticed the noise we changed the oil again just to make sure everything was lubricated correctly. There were a lot of metal shavings in the oil and the noise just kept getting louder and louder so we stopped driving it and it has been sitting for about 9 months now and everyone we talk to says that the engine has blown. After looking into it, Hyundai has had many vehicles with this exact issue. This model and year needs to be covered under the engine recall that is for the Santa Fe sports and Sonatas.
Vehicle stopped on highway while driving. To,d it was the cam shaft sensor. Upon research and further review there are hundreds of complaints about the cam shaft and system.
Engine blew out while driving through an intersection. Car turned off and could not use the break. Ended up coasting through the intersection. Oil change was performed at Hyundai and no information was given about potential engine failure. No issues with car previously and the check engine light did not turn on. Car still turns on and runs, but now the engine makes a loud noise. No check engine light still.
About 4 weeks ago I was driving about 50 mph and slowed to take a right turn, when accelerating out of the turn I had no power, but the engine was still running fine. I could get up to about 40 mph when I pressed the accelerator all the way to the floor and held it there. I immediately turned around and went to the Hyundai dealership that was just a mile away. The problem was diagnosed as needing a new transmission as first gear was completely gone. We asked the dealership to diagnose any additional problems and they said there were no other issues with the car. The part was ordered and the car sat for 3 weeks at the dealership. Upon being notified the work was done on the replacement transmission we were told that during the final test drive by the technician that the engine had very loud knocking sounds. We were told that a new engine was needed. We are not sure if there is negligence on the part of the dealership service dept. or if there is something else going on. We noticed several other recent issues about this similar engine failures on the NHTSA website and wanted to report this as well. Current mileage is 176,000.
Driving vehicle on Interstate at 65 mph. With no warning, dashboard lights, or anything, engine just shut down. Heard banging when trying to restart, shut car off. Checked oil, not a drop in engine. Dealer says engine "threw a rod", says it will be $15,000 to replace. Hyundai said they'll pay $7,500 and want me to pay $7,500. After doing some research, I see that this is a recurring problem on this vehicle. I feel that Hyundai should replace engine since this has happened to a lot of these cars according to the many forums about Hyundai. Any help would be appreciated.
I was driving on the interstate going around 65 mph on the highway. The vehicle stopped accelerating and I had to swerve into the breakdown lane, lucky that I was not hit by other cars. I turned the vehicle off for a few minutes and then tried to restart it but the vehicle made loud noises and started smoking so I turned it off. I had it towed to a dealership and they said it would need an engine replacement. I only had the vehicle for one year and it was in good condition.
I purchased a used 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe in 2020 which had 60,000 miles on it and in fairly good condition. In November 2021 I was driving on the highway going around 65 mph and the engine suddenly died and I was unable to continue accelerating. I was barely able to swerve into the breakdown down without getting in an accident however it was a very dangerous and stressful situation to be in. I took the vehicle to a dealership and they said the entire engine needs to be replaced which will cost roughly $7500. I believe a recall is definitely needed on the 2014 Hyundai because they have engine issues just like prior models had, which were recalled. I checked the National Highway Traffic Safety incident database and found many other people had this same engine issue with the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. These models are very unsafe and could potentially cause serious problems for other drivers.
Car started making noise and suddenly stopped in the middle of driving. Passengers Including kids were in the car. Car was towed and told that it's engine failure possibly the rod connecting to engine is defected. I was also told car could have caught fire if we had kept driving it. Car was always kept upto date on maintenance at hyundai dealer. No issues were reported with the car at maintenance.
Car has been taking care of and routinely serviced. One day it was sluggish and two days later the engine light came on. Immediately took to mechanic who said engine oil was black (routine and timely oil changes). Changed oil and new spark plugs. Car was not any better. Took to dealership who said engine is 5 degrees off and needs a new engine for 15k!!! Car only has 112k miles on it and is in perfect condition. Took it to another mechanic and he stated the pin was broken in the camshaft causing the degree timing issue. This seems to be a recurring issue with this car and is unacceptable to pay that much for a car, take good care of it, and have the engine die and be quoted 15k to repair.
We drove the vehicle to the mountains and home around three thousand miles into an oil change and began experiencing our transmission slipping and shifting rough. My wife drove the car to work after returning from the trip and on the way home, the check oil light came on. When I checked it, there was no oil showing on the dip stick and a small burnt but at the very end. It took 5 quarts of oil to get it back to full. After doing the oil consumption test through Hyundai, they are telling me the transmission is not covered. We are waiting for the response from Hyundai in an engine replacement but I’m very concerned about the drivability with the transmission issues.
Driving vehicle on freeway, loud knocking noise started under hood. Warning lights started to flash and engine died and I guided car to shoulder.
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a knocking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with engine rod knock and engine failure. The engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V226000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 99,271.
Total engine failure while driving, 1000 miles after a clean bill of health and some work done at licensed hyundai dealership. Both hyundai local and corporate pointed fingers and blamed but no accountability. Dealership quoted 14k for install of used engine. Local engine shop said these engines fail shortly after 100k miles and he sees them more frequently than any other brand. The problem is the engine design, and it's inability to properly lubricate itself under real world driving conditions.
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving 30 mph during rainy weather, the contact was attempting to get into the right-hand lane out of the way of a speeding vehicle approaching from the rear. The brake warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the brake pedal failed to respond when depressed. As a result, she crashed into the rear of a vehicle in front which caused her vehicle to come to a stop. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact was injured by the impact hitting her head on the steering wheel. The contact stated that she was driven to the hospital by her husband where her injuries to her forehead were treated. The contact mentioned still having side effects from the accident, she suffers from migraine headaches. The vehicle was drivable, but that the vehicle engine began to stall at stop signs or traffic lights. The vehicle has been at the contact's residence for 4 months since the accident and was not drivable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
Was driving down the freeway in cruise control when I heard a knocking noise. Soon after, the RPM jumped from 2 to 6 and smoke came out the exhaust. I pulled over immediately, and oil was all over the ground. Towed it back to service shop, and there are 2 holes in the engine. Had car inspected by state, and they said this was in relation to the recall 17V226000: bearing wear may result in engine seizure. No warning lights ever came on.
The Turbo failed and is not functional. I took the car in and found out that it needed to be replaced. They stated they would replace it but it would take a while since the turbo is currently on back order. I called every dealer in town to find out that the all had cars needed this part and that it would be a while before they get the part. One dealership advice me that he had a car since January. I think an investigation in regards to this matter is warranted. We felt something weird when we took it for an oil change. Weeks later when we went over the 100,000 mile mark, the check engine light turned on. We took it in right away.
Engine died, luckily at light at a stop, and not on a freeway. Would not start after. No warning lights before or after. Dealership states seized engine. Facebook group posts suggests multiple of these happening on years 2013-2017. Dealership servicing vehicle is Hertrich Hyundai of New Castle, Delaware.
Vehicle had a steering coupler failure at 37766 miles. It is out of warranty, but other models with the same design have been granted an extended 100000 miles/10 year coverage for steering coupler replacement.
Driving Hyundai Santa Fe down I-95 in moderate/heavy traffic with speeds 35-50 MPH when started to hear ticking/knocking noise coming from engine. Turned off radio & AC to better hear/monitor sound. Noise continued to increase with corresponding decrease in drivability (decreased acceleration & vibrations from engine). Managed to get to closest exit (about 2-2.5 miles) exited highway and parked vehicle. Had vehicle towed to Hyundai Dealer for inspection. Dealer has advised that engine has premature engine wear as a result of rod knock and damaged rings causing engine failure. Vehicle had no check engine light, no oil pressure or low oil warning lights and had no OBDII error codes. No prior indication of imminent engine failure.
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, a knocking noise was present coming from the engine with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the engine bearings had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The approximate failure mileage was 117,000.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026