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Hyundai Santa Fe: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Hyundai Santa Fe problems by model year, from 5,715 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Worst years to avoid: 2017 (78%, 1,004 drivetrain complaints), 2016 (75%, 214 drivetrain complaints) and 2012 (74%, 246 drivetrain complaints). 14 of the 14 Hyundai Santa Fe years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share; 7 of them are at the very high level (60% or more), where every model year we track has a documented failure behind it.
No Hyundai Santa Fe year we score is clear of an elevated signal. The lowest is the 2023 (42%).
By raw volume, the 2017 drew the most drivetrain complaints (1,004 of 3,561 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Hyundai Santa Fe year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Santa Fe | very high | 65% | 159 | 259 | 7/14 | 3 |
| 2011 Santa Fe | high | 51% | 83 | 181 | 10/14 | 3 |
| 2012 Santa Fe | very high | 74% | 246 | 353 | 3/14 | 1 |
| 2013 Santa Fe | high | 57% | 444 | 804 | 9/14 | 7 |
| 2014 Santa Fe | very high | 66% | 412 | 657 | 6/14 | 7 |
| 2015 Santa Fe | very high | 71% | 220 | 336 | 4/14 | 4 |
| 2016 Santa Fe | very high | 75% | 214 | 305 | 2/14 | 3 |
| 2017 Santa Fe | very high | 78% | 1,004 | 1,320 | 1/14 | 7 |
| 2018 Santa Fe | very high | 69% | 279 | 430 | 5/14 | 5 |
| 2019 Santa Fe | high | 49% | 103 | 225 | 12/14 | 3 |
| 2020 Santa Fe | high | 50% | 100 | 213 | 11/14 | 2 |
| 2021 Santa Fe | high | 48% | 77 | 166 | 13/14 | 7 |
| 2022 Santa Fe | high | 57% | 111 | 199 | 8/14 | 5 |
| 2023 Santa Fe | high | 42% | 109 | 267 | 14/14 | 1 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Hyundai Santa Fe years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
Hyundai Santa Fe engine and transmission recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns on the Hyundai Santa Fe involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 32 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2011 | 11V261000 | power train: driveline: driveshaft | 2010 |
| Aug 2013 | 13V355000 | power train: axle assembly: axle shaft | 2013 |
| Mar 2017 | 17V226000 | engine and engine cooling: engine | 2013–2014 |
| Sep 2017 | 17V578000 | engine and engine cooling: engine | 2017 |
| Dec 2018 | 18V934000 | engine | 2013–2014 |
| Dec 2020 | 20V746000 | engine | 2012 |
| May 2021 | 21V308000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2021 |
| Jul 2021 | 21V524000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2021–2022 |
| Mar 2022 | 22V197000 | engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: turbo/supercharger | 2022 |
| Oct 2022 | 22V746000 | power train: automatic transmission | 2021–2022 |
22 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2010 | 10V613000 | service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper | 2011 |
| Oct 2011 | 11E040000 | equipment | 2010–2011 |
| Apr 2013 | 13V113000 | exterior lighting: brake lights: switch | 2010–2011 |
| Dec 2013 | 13V624000 | tires: sidewall | 2014 |
| Mar 2016 | 16V145000 | seat belts: front: warning light/devices | 2016–2017 |
| Nov 2016 | 16V842000 | electrical system: wiring | 2017 |
| Mar 2017 | 17V142000 | tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems | 2017 |
| Jun 2017 | 17V358000 | latches/locks/linkages: hood: latch | 2013–2017 |
| Jun 2017 | 17V365000 | seat belts: front: anchorage | 2017 |
| Sep 2017 | 17V577000 | suspension: front: springs: coil springs | 2018 |
| Dec 2017 | 17V801000 | air bags: side/window | 2018 |
| Feb 2018 | 18V118000 | steering: steering wheel/handle bar | 2018 |
| Oct 2018 | 18V715000 | air bags: side/window | 2019 |
| Aug 2020 | 20V520000 | service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module | 2013–2015 |
| Mar 2021 | 21V185000 | air bags: air bag/restraint control module | 2021 |
| Apr 2021 | 21V303000 | service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module | 2013–2015 |
| Dec 2021 | 21V00M000 | visibility: windshield | 2020–2021 |
| Feb 2022 | 22V056000 | service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module | 2016–2019 |
| Oct 2022 | 22V810000 | service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module | 2018 |
| Mar 2023 | 23V181000 | trailer hitches | 2019–2023 |
| Sep 2023 | 23V651000 | service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module | 2013–2015 |
| Nov 2024 | 24V879000 | back over prevention: sensing system: camera | 2021–2022 |
What the free pages leave out on the Hyundai Santa Fe
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Hyundai Santa Fe
What are the worst years for the Hyundai Santa Fe?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Hyundai Santa Fe years are the 2017 (78% of relevant complaints, very high), the 2016 (75% of relevant complaints, very high) and the 2012 (74% of relevant complaints, very high). 14 of 14 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Hyundai Santa Fe?
No Hyundai Santa Fe year we score is below the 33% line. The lowest share is the 2023 (42%).
Does the Hyundai Santa Fe have engine problems?
In some years. Across the 14 scored years, 3,561 of 5,495 relevant NHTSA complaints (65%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is engine. The years with an elevated share are 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Is the Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 14 of 14 Hyundai Santa Fe years we score have an elevated complaint share and 0 do not. Pooled across those years, 65% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the Hyundai Santa Fe?
Yes. NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the Hyundai Santa Fe years we track, out of 32 in total: 21V524000 (Jul 2021, 2021–2022), 22V197000 (Mar 2022, 2022), 22V746000 (Oct 2022, 2021–2022), and earlier ones. Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.