There are 50 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Seem like there was a recall on the 3.3L engines on the Hyundai Santa Fe starting January 26, 2017, for engine related knocking noise. My Vin is [XXX] according to the Manufacturing plate it was made in Korea released on January 04, 2017. I realize it is a 22-day window on the recall but after an oil change the motor has started knocking the oil is the right viscosity, full to capacity, and oil filter changed. I drove 200 miles after an oil change then the motor started knocking. Is there a certain stamp on the cam shafts to verify which of the 420 vehicles are affected by this recall? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
ENGINE. IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. NO IT WASNT REPRODUCED OR CONFIRMED BY A DEALER, BUT HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A COUPLE AND ALSO ME SEEING THAT THE ENGINE WASNT ABLE TO MANUALLY BE CRANKED AT ALL. NO INSPECTION WAS DONE BY MANUFACTURR, POLICE, OR INSURANCE, BECAUSE IT DIDNT CAUSE A ACCIDENT. JUST ENGINE LIGHT WHICH HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLED THEY COULDNT FIX IT, BUT THAT WAS JUST STAYING ON ALL THE TIME FOR QUITE SOME TIME. NO FINALLY I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THIS CAN BE INVESTIGATED ON TO BE A RECALL SINCE THE ORIGINAL MILES ARE ONLY ABOUT 68000 AND SHOULDNT HAVE THESE PROBLEM AT THIS LOW MILEAGE.
These vehicles are not suitable to be on the road, and you NHTSA and Hyundai are doing NOTHING ABOUT IT. These vehicles are EATING oil, a quart every 200 miles. My daughter(college) can't even go on a short road trip to another city without adding oil. The engines in these crap cars are blowing up left & right. There are numerous Facebook page groups for these and sister Kia vehicles with the same 2.4 engines. Thousands upon thousands of posts about engine oil and engines blowing up, no one doing anything about it. My daughter's car is beautiful, but worth NOTHING due to this issue, so we are out thousands of dollars on this. We are about to go to WAR with Hyundai on this and I'm sure we'll get nowhere. If we're lucky, they'll install a rebuilt engine...BUT IT"S THE SAME CRAP ENGINE!!!!!!! So we are ALL back to square ONE and NHTSA is doing NOTHING. This is a well known FLAW for years now.
The vehicle is burning oil even when oil changes are done routinely. Then all of a sudden I have total loss of power will not go over 35 miles an hour. And climbing hill would not go over 20. It just happened no warning lights on dash So now I have a car that is still owning 8 grand on. So now a lawn ornament. I have seen on different formats. That there is hundreds having the same issue. Hyundai is not fixing the issue for any of us
My 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T (Theta II 2.0L GDI Turbo engine) has been diagnosed with burned exhaust valves requiring a complete engine replacement. This is the second catastrophic powertrain failure on this vehicle in under two years. In July 2024, I paid $2,754 to replace the turbocharger at an authorized Hyundai dealership (Wright Hyundai, [XXX] ). The burned valves are consistent with carbon buildup on intake valves, a widely documented and known deficiency of the GDI fuel delivery system used in the Theta II engine family. Carbon deposits restrict airflow, cause valve seating issues, and lead to valve failure. This is an inherent design characteristic of the engine, not a maintenance-related failure. At no point during my ownership — including during the turbocharger repair — was I informed of this known issue or advised of any preventive measures such as fuel system cleaning treatments. I am additionally concerned that the dealership's diagnostic process was incomplete. The service center diagnosed the burned valves and immediately recommended an engine replacement without performing a bearing clearance test or completing the full diagnostic flowchart. The dealership has refused to perform further diagnostics unless I pay additional fees, and has refused to share documentation from a tech line case opened with Hyundai corporate. Because diagnostics were halted at the burned valve finding, a connecting rod bearing failure — the specific defect covered under the Theta II class action settlement (In re: Hyundai and Kia Engine Litigation, NoXXX) — has not been ruled out as a contributing cause. Hyundai's National Consumer Affairs office (Case #XXX) denied my goodwill request without addressing either the known GDI carbon buildup issue or the fact that this is the second catastrophic failure on this engine platform. This vehicle has approximately 86,000 miles. I purchased it as a second owner in August 2020 at 42,730 miles. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine failed at approximately 95000 miles.
Purchased this 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe from dealer with 86K miles. (second owner). Immediately noticed excessive oil consumption. Would take vehicle in for oil top off service, to ensure proper levels. At 99K miles (six months after purchase) lost compression in #2 cylinder while driving on the freeway. Per independent auto repair facility and a Hyundai service center, engine replacement is needed. Hyundai declined engine replacement. It appears oil consumption was an issue when the vehicle was traded in to the dealership, and they resold it anyway to an unsuspecting consumer.
I currently owned an 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe FWD with the 3.3 V6 Engine with approximately about 136,000 Miles. We were driving into Vegas when we heard the knocking Engine Sounds. Immediately we called the Dealership in Vegas advising them we were going to TOW the vehicle in. Once we get the Vehicle towed over to the dealership, we waited till the following Monday where it was authorized to have the engine replaced. We were so glad about that. The vehicle was going to be completed by early January and we got the news the Vehicle was completed but now having misfiring issues due to Faulty injectors. I was advised that this was not covered due to the mileage. This was an non issue when I turned in the vehicle to Hyundai. I made several attempts to contact my Case Manager and this was again denied due to the Mileage. For a vehicle with less than 140K miles and being less than 10 years old, we are very upset with this process and for Hyundai knowing that there were concerning issues with both the Fuel Injectors and Engine.
Check engine light came on Oil Light came on then the vehicle shut off while I was driving. Safety was not good as I was driving the vehicle. I then had it towed to a shop to have it looked at. That is when I was told I would need a new motor due to a Crankshaft failure. The check engine light had come on the night before but when turning the vehicle on the next morning to take it to get looked at it was no longer on. Was driving it too the shop to have it looked at when it shut off on me while driving.
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil after approximately 1,500 miles, 2 weeks after an oil change was performed. While driving at various speeds, the vehicle was sluggish while attempting to accelerate. The check engine warning light has been illuminated since purchasing the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle with turbocharger failure. The contact was informed that the turbocharger needed to be replaced. There was no oil found on the dipstick when the oil level was checked. The dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The dealer determined that an oil consumption test was needed. Additionally, a cleaning of the oil system and an oil change were recommended. The vehicle was not repaired because it was not under recall. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed to determine the cause of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
My 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe suffered a crankshaft/bearing failure identical to NHTSA Recall 17V578000. Hyundai states my VIN was not included in the recall, but the vehicle has the same 3.3L engine, the same failure, and the same symptoms described in the recall bulletin. The engine has never been replaced. The defect appears broader than the recall VIN range. They are refusing to replace the defective engine.
At 70,000 miles the Santa Fe was consuming oil at 1.5 quarts per 1000 miles. It is a 2.4 engine. The Hyundai dealership did an oil consumption test and verified the consumption. They want to do a combustion chamber cleaning and have me run it 1000 miles. The vehicle is unsafe because this defective engine could seize up at any time. I am trying to have Hyundai USA replace the engine asap. I have all my maintenance records and two warranties.
My 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe experienced a sudden and complete engine failure without any warning signs. There were no warning lights, no check engine light, and no unusual noise before the failure. The engine stalled while trying to start, ran very rough for a second, and then completely shut off. After that, the engine would not start again at all. A certified independent mechanic inspected the vehicle and confirmed the engine suffered a mechanical failure consistent with rod bearing wear or crankshaft damage, which is the same issue described in Hyundai’s known engine safety recalls. I later took the vehicle to a Hyundai dealership. They also confirmed that the engine had failed, but said it could not be repaired under Hyundai’s programs because my vehicle was not listed in the specific recall. I was never notified of any safety campaigns or recalls. I am not the first owner, so the required recall inspections and updates were never completed on this vehicle before I bought it. The sudden engine shutdown created a serious safety risk, especially because there was no warning before it failed. This failure matches the symptoms described in Hyundai’s Theta II engine defect investigations. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this vehicle should be included in the affected group, and whether this engine failure is part of the broader safety defect already identified in many Hyundai engines from the same model years.
Engine went into limp mode and a knocking sound was heard. Had car inspected and oil changed but no improvements occurred. Took car to dealership and it failed engine test. Hyundai will not cover replacement under open extended warranty.
It sounds like the rod inside are hitting need a new engine. Auto shop said need a new engine. Engine has 125000 that all no oil leak no other problems.
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming engine oil, and there was no indication of an oil leak. While a friend was driving, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was pushed to the side of the road. The next day, while driving at unknown speeds with the hazard lights activated, the vehicle began making an abnormal sound and then stalled. The TPMS and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to Technical Service Bulletin Number: 17-01-047-1. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The dealer submitted a claim. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
My vehicle has never missed an oil change or maintenance event yet at my last oil change my engine had burned through all its oil and no low oil light or check engine light came on. Hyundai is refusing to cover it under their warranty stating it occurred due to maintenance neglect even though all oil changes and maintenance events receipts were provided to Hyundai and are available in car fax.
documented oil-consumption issue with my 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe, which currently has 98,876 miles. This concern was first formally reported in October 2025. Since that time, I have fully complied with all diagnostic and procedural requirements requested by the dealership, including inspections, documentation, and follow-up visits. The dealership has acknowledged that the vehicle has an ongoing oil-consumption condition. Per the instructions provided by Hyundai Service Team, I was advised to “submit my own claim.” I later learned that, as a customer, I am not permitted to submit or appeal a claim directly, and that only the dealership has the ability to do so. I have since been informed by Customer Care that the claim submitted on my behalf was considered weak, which may have contributed to its denial. I was also advised that Hyundai and the dealership were already aware that I did not have the ability to submit or appeal the claim myself, despite being directed to do so. Throughout this process, I have made every good-faith effort to follow Hyundai’s guidance, yet I have experienced repeated misdirection and inconsistent information. This has caused unnecessary delays and frustration while the underlying issue remains unresolved. The vehicle has been properly maintained, with regular oil changes and servicing completed according to Hyundai’s recommended intervals. Despite this, the excessive oil consumption persists and poses a risk to engine longevity and overall safety. Due to the current condition of the engine, I no longer feel it is safe to continue driving the vehicle, which has left me without reliable transportation. Additionally, I have previously experienced the theft of this vehicle, for which I was not compensated, despite the well-documented safety concerns affecting Hyundai customers. Taken together, these issues have significantly impacted my confidence and ability to rely on this vehicle. Given Hyundai’s well-documented history of oil-consumptio
Engine failure with no prior warning, such as oil pressure gauge,oil indicator light, or check engine light. Vehicle was at dealership for maintenance and this happened as tech was test driving. Found all oil was lost with no indications of a leak.
The engine suddenly seized up on me. Was told by my mechanic that that year and make once they get to a certain mileage gets premature engine failure. I looked it up and that year has a huge problem with this issue.
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026