Your vehicle report
2018 Hyundai Santa FE Sport
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 324
- Received Nov 2017 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine burns excessive oil between changes66 complaints · 20% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine stalls and loses power while driving36 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Unintended acceleration despite braking19 complaints · 5.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #22V810000Park outsideHyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
- Recall #22V056000Park outsideHyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Santa Fe, 2017-2018 Santa Fe Sport, 2019 Santa Fe XL, and 2014-2015 Tucson vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Engine burns excessive oil between changesFirst signal: Feb 2022
- Engine stalls and loses power while drivingFirst signal: Jan 2022
- Check engine light comes on repeatedlyFirst signal: Sep 2024
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 7 crashes, 8 fires, 7 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 16 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 14 |
| 2019 | 16 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 11 |
| 2022 | 68 |
| 2023 | 57 |
| 2024 | 48 |
| 2025 | 57 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 43 |
| Total | 324 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 66 | 20% | 17× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Feb 2022 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.6% |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 36 | 11% | 11.5× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jan 2022 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.4% |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 19 | 5.9% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 14 | 4.3% | 3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Sep 2024 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.5% |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 11 | 3.4% | 2× | NHTSA recall #22V056000 |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 7 | 2.2% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 6 | 1.8% | – | NHTSA recall #22V056000, #22V810000 |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 6 | 1.8% | 1.2× | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 5 | 1.5% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 5 | 1.5% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 5 | 1.5% | – | |
| Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off | 4 | 1.2% | 9.7× | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 4 | 1.2% | – | |
| Rearview backup camera fails or goes black | 3 | 0.9% | 0.8× | |
| Trailer frame, axle, or hitch fails while towing | 3 | 0.9% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 3 | 0.9% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #22V810000October 27, 202244,396 vehicles affected
Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.
service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 16, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 237. This recall is an expansion of recall 22V-056.
NHTSA recall #22V056000February 3, 2022357,348 vehicles affected
Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.
service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Santa Fe, 2017-2018 Santa Fe Sport, 2019 Santa Fe XL, and 2014-2015 Tucson vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 31, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 218.
NHTSA recall #17V801000December 13, 20171,209 vehicles affected
air bags: side/window
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.
If the component detaches during deployment, the curtain air bag may not inflate properly during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, if the detached component were to enter the vehicle occupant compartment, there could be an increased risk of occupant injury.
Remedy
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 171.
NHTSA recall #17V577000September 20, 2017197 vehicles affected
suspension: front: springs: coil springs
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The front coil springs may have been improperly manufactured and, as a result, may fracture under certain loads while driving.
If the coil spring fractures, it can puncture the tire, causing a loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
All of the affected vehicles are currently unsold on dealer lots. Dealers will replace both front coil springs, free of charge prior to the vehicle's sale. The recall began November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 167.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2018 Hyundai Santa FE Sport.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN