Your vehicle report
2013 Hyundai Santa FE
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
- 605
- Received Aug 2012 to Aug 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine stalls and loses power while driving49 complaints · 8.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed48 complaints · 7.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Vehicle catches fire from wiring39 complaints · 6.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #23V651000Park outsideHyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
- Recall #17V358000Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch actuating cable may corrode and bind, causing the secondary hood latch to remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
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: Mar 2020
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 14 crashes, 41 fires, 13 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 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
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 |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 72 |
| 2014 | 47 |
| 2015 | 31 |
| 2016 | 22 |
| 2017 | 41 |
| 2018 | 29 |
| 2019 | 50 |
| 2020 | 57 |
| 2021 | 63 |
| 2022 | 59 |
| 2023 | 58 |
| 2024 | 61 |
| 2025 | 10 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 1 |
| Total | 605 |
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 stalls and loses power while driving | 49 | 8.1% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 48 | 7.9% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 39 | 6.5% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 28 | 4.6% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 27 | 4.5% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 27 | 4.5% | 22.6× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Mar 2020 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.4% |
| Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turning | 19 | 3.1% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 19 | 3.1% | – | NHTSA recall #23V651000 |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 15 | 2.5% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 14 | 2.3% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 12 | 2.0% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 12 | 2.0% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 10 | 1.7% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 10 | 1.7% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 7 | 1.2% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 7 | 1.2% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 7 | 1.2% | – | |
| Fuel gauge reads erratically or incorrectly | 6 | 1.0% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 5 | 0.8% | – | |
| Trailer frame, axle, or hitch fails while towing | 5 | 0.8% | – |
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 #23V651000September 22, 20231,649,478 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 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can 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 fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.
NHTSA recall #17V358000June 5, 2017437,400 vehicles affected
latches/locks/linkages: hood: latch
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch actuating cable may corrode and bind, causing the secondary hood latch to remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
If the hood is not securely closed or the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary latch cable, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owner's may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for the recall is 163.
NHTSA recall #13V355000August 12, 201320,300 vehicles affected
power train: axle assembly: axle shaft
Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2013 front wheel drive Santa Fe Sport vehicles manufactured July 13, 2012, through March 12, 2013; and equipped with 2.4 liter engines. Due to a manufacturing issue, the right front axle shaft may fracture.
A fractured front axle may result in a loss of power to the wheels. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked without the parking brake applied, it may roll away. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front axle shaft assembly, free of charge. The recall began on September 19, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai Custom Care Center at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall number is 112.
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 2013 Hyundai Santa FE.
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