Your vehicle report
2016 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
- 236
- Received Oct 2015 to Sep 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine knocking from rod or main bearings21 complaints · 8.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine burns excessive oil between changes19 complaints · 8.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine stalls and loses power while driving12 complaints · 5.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- 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.
- 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 knocking from rod or main bearingsFirst signal: Jun 2021
- Engine burns excessive oil between changesFirst signal: Nov 2021
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 6 crashes, 2 fires, 6 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 15 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
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 |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 13 |
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 28 |
| 2022 | 36 |
| 2023 | 57 |
| 2024 | 47 |
| 2025 | 8 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 7 |
| Total | 236 |
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 knocking from rod or main bearings | 21 | 8.9% | 12.4× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jun 2021 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.7% |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 19 | 8.1% | 11.3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Nov 2021 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.6% |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 12 | 5.1% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 10 | 4.2% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 10 | 4.2% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 9 | 3.8% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 7 | 3.0% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 6 | 2.5% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 5 | 2.1% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 4 | 1.7% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 4 | 1.7% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 4 | 1.7% | – | NHTSA recall #22V056000 |
| Timing chain fails and destroys engine | 4 | 1.7% | – | |
| Vehicle suddenly loses engine power at speed | 4 | 1.7% | – | |
| Electronic throttle body fails and cuts power | 3 | 1.3% | – |
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 #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 #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 #16V145000March 10, 201634,200 vehicles affected
seat belts: front: warning light/devices
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured September 1, 2015 to February 12, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the wires in the front seat belt buckle harnesses may be damaged by the seat's height adjuster mechanism, resulting in a failure to provide an audible warning when front seat occupants do not fasten their seat belts. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Without a warning to remind the front seat occupants that their seat belts are not buckled, they may forget to buckle their seat belt, increasing their risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and reroute the wires in the front seat belt buckle harnesses to their proper locations, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 27, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 141.
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 2016 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