Your vehicle report
2018 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
- 110
- Received Mar 2018 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine stalls and loses power while driving7 complaints · 6.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine knocking from rod or main bearings7 complaints · 6.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Vehicle catches fire from wiring6 complaints · 5.5% 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 #18V118000Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The steering wheel assembly may break, possibly resulting in the steering wheel separating from the steering column while driving.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 6 crashes, 5 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 10 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
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
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 |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 11 |
| 2019 | 13 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 19 |
| 2023 | 13 |
| 2024 | 22 |
| 2025 | 15 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 7 |
| Total | 110 |
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 | 7 | 6.4% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 7 | 6.4% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 6 | 5.5% | 7.5× | NHTSA recall #22V056000 |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 4.5% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 4 | 3.6% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 4 | 3.6% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 3 | 2.7% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 3 | 2.7% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 3 | 2.7% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 3 | 2.7% | – |
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 #18V118000February 17, 201841,070 vehicles affected
steering: steering wheel/handle bar
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The steering wheel assembly may break, possibly resulting in the steering wheel separating from the steering column while driving.
A steering wheel separation while driving can cause a loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will check the production lot number of the steering wheel assembly, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 26, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 173.
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.
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