2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Engine

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH and attempting to depress the accelerator pedal, the vehicle decelerated and failed to respond as intended. The contact coasted to the right side of the road, turned off the vehicle, and the vehicle failed to start. Neither an independent mechanic nor a dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the vehicle was scheduled to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on four occasions. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

My engine failed at 113,000 miles. It just sounded like a diesel truck when I started it one day. There were no warning messages at all. It did not have any power above 45 mph. I took it to a Hyundai dealer and showed him the extended warranty letter I received from Hyundai. The letter said my specific engine should qualify for an extended warranty. However, the dealer (Castle Hyundai of Downers Grove, IL) said because my engine failed due to timing chain failure and not connecting rod failure, Hyundai would not honor the extended warranty. That infuriates me! Hyundai should honor the extended warranty because their engine failed and it wasn't my fault. They know they have an engine problem but because my engine didn't fail exactly the way they projected it would fail, I'm [XXX] of using my car. It also meant I had to purchase a new car which obviously wasn't a Hyundai. I hope you can push Hyundai to provide me financial relief or at least expand the engine warranty for others. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

This is my 2nd engine on my 2016 Santa Fe Sport. My car has 190,000 miles and had a catastrophic engine failure, it’s been at the dealership for 2 months. Hyundai said my lifetime warranty on my engine is not covered cause I had a misfire in the #4 cylinder with less than 2,000 miles on the spark plugs. Hyundai warranty department only spoke to the dealership directly and had me speak to a case manager (which did nothing, they never even talked to the warranty department only the dealership) So in December I dropped my car off, it took over 2 weeks to take pictures and send them in to Hyundai warranty department, a week later Hyundai asked the dealership to further take the engine apart and get pictures of the rocker’s. The dealership is down to 2 technicians and said they will get to it when they can (remember I’m without a car and waiting for approval for my engine so they can get me in a rental car while my engine gets replaced). Over 3 week later the dealership finally sends the pictures in of the rocker’s, I know cause I called and asked the dealership. I then asked why does the warranty department need pictures of the rockers for my engine failure (misfire in 4th cylinder) and they said to check for sludge. They also pointed out my engine isn’t bad and don’t have sludge so the warranty department should approve my engine replacement. A week later my case manager called and said that they will only approve 50% and I said NO there a lifetime warranty and I’m the original owner, so they went up to 65%. I feel betrayed by the dealership, case manager and Hyundai warranty department for NOT honoring the engine replacement knowing there’s a class action law suit due for failing rod bearings which they said wasn’t the issue. How would they know? The rod bearings are on the bottom of the motor and if they took it apart they would see THAT WAS the cause, but they say they don’t warranty misfire’s yet tens of thousands of Hyundai buyers are having same problems. Help

My 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe lost all power, shutting off and stopping abruptly in the middle of the road with no warning lights or “limp mode” being set off requiring my partner and I to push it into someone’s driveway with our two children in the car to get them to safety. We took the vehicle to a mechanic shop where we were told that to engine was seized and needed to be fully replaced with an initial quote starting at 8 thousand dollars for a replacement engine. I contacted my local Hyundai dealership and was told over the phone that the vehicle would be covered under Hyundai service bulletin TXX8 that was issued last year due to ongoing issues with this engine (3.3l V6 Lambda II). We paid to have the vehicle towed to this dealership only to be told that the warranty would not be honored due to a lack of maintenance records. I was able to provide Hyundai with all maintenance records from my ownership as well as records on the CarFax report. They rejected the claim again stating that due to a lack of records not from my ownership they won’t cover it. After looking at the records I had access to again in critical detail I was able to find records that Hyundai missed, but they are unwilling to reevaluate the claim without me providing what they call additional records. I have contacted Hyundai, to try and resolve the issue and have gotten no resolution. The Prior Authorization team has stated that I have “adequate records” but still insist on denying the claim. The dealer has quoted me $12,000 for the repair that the warranty should be covering due to the engine not being manufactured in full anymore due to the issues that have come from it. The dealership (and private mechanic) would have to order individual pieces of the engine to build it themselves on site. If this engine is a big enough problem that Hyundai cannot provide a full engine replacement at market value then it should not be operating on the road at all.

Engine oil runs out quickly

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the same diagnostic information was provided. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,322. The VIN was not available.

While driving down the highway at 65mph my 2016 Santafe Sport experienced engine failure. We sat on the side of the highway, next to an on ramp with high traffic beside a cement wall. When the tow truck arrived the driver was nearly ran over! There was no way to get the car to a safer location. After being towed to the dealership they said the engine failure would be submitted under warranty due to an issue with the connection rod bearing damage causing the engine to fail. It was denied because I was not the initial owner. A week later I received information about a class action suit against Hyundai for this very problem. As part of the suit they had extended the warranty. The dealership resubmitted my information and it was turned down again, this time for high mileage. Several months later the dealership wanted my car removed from their property, I asked them to submit it again. This time turned down because the KSDS was not updated prior to the engine failure. I now have a like new vehicle that I owe $9,000 on with a known defect that was never corrected because the required KSDS update was listed as a service campaign rather than a recall and so went unnoticed by the dealership I bought it from, or the NY inspection centers during my annual inspection and unknown to myself because when I checked for recalls there were none. Recently I found a Hyundai best practice document that states the KSDS update is no longer a prerequisite. I had my car towed once again to the dealership, where it was again denied for not having the update done prior to engine failure. Hyundai customer service says they can’t help change the denial even though the company is at fault for producing a bad product.

The vehicle began making a knocking sound upon starting. I contacted the local dealership for a service appointment and learned that they were out a couple of months on their appointment schedule. A day or two later, my vehicle shut off while driving, I was fortunate to have enough momentum to pull of the road safely. Upon having it towed to a local mechanic, I learned that the engine seized and needed to be replaced. I contacted Hyundai and they have scheduled me for an appointment next week. Keeping my fingers crossed they will do right by me since I have always had the vehicle serviced at their Hyundai dealership. The car has approximately 118,300 miles on it.

I have always taken good care of my car, regular oil changes, kept coolant levels up etc. I was driving home from work when my car began to overheat, so I immediately pulled over and turned it off. Made an appointment with a mechanic, had it towed there due to overheating, and found out my engine was blown completely. No prior issues.

The contact owned a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, he heard an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that there was a misfire in cylinder #3, and the catalytic convertor system efficiency was below threshold. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 94,000. The VIN was not available.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Engine failure due to oil consumption How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Car attempted to die on a highway, this could have been dangerous had I been in the outside 'fast' lane when it struggled. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, the dealer has confirmed the engine needs a full replacement Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No, only the dealers service center has inspected the vehicle Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Yes. There was a blink engine light shortly before the car engine died. However, there was no indication the oil was low in the engine. The oil light did not come on.

I purchased this vehicle less than a year ago from a dealership, used. I noticed the oil consumption after the first few months was unreasonably high. I have to keep a large jug of oil in my car and add the oil at least every two weeks or so depending on the miles I drive. I noticed other Hyundai owners complain of the same issue and some being resolved. However, my VIN is showing no open recalls at the moment.

Engine has serious recall that I was not made aware of during purchase. My car has been burning oil and the engine has been on. I've taken out to several local mechanics who said "these model Hyundai's burn oil once they are over 100,000 miles" and that I would just need more frequent oil changes. I was also told the engine light was either an old code being thrown, or the pump valve, but nothing to worry about because it really only effects gas milage. My engine went out and I had to get it towed to another mechanic, who upon seeing the car, knew it had an engine recall and could hear a distinctive knock in the engine due to a failing rod bearing. Upon Hyundai's request, we towed it to a dealership to have them inspect it. They agree it's the engine that's bad, but since a "knock sensor" was never installed by the previous owner, they say they are not liable to cover the repair, and that since the recall is "public knowledge", it was my responsibility to find out. If you go onto the NHTSA.gov website, and type in my VIN number, the information says "0 unrepaired recalls", therefore making it impossible for me to have known about the recall without Hyundai letting me know, which they didn't.

Engine shuts off and slows down while driving.

Sudden catastrophic engine failure with no explanation from the service department at the dealership. Service was well maintained, no oil leak, all service done via the dealership but at 102K miles, engine failed suddenly. This is the V6 3.3L engine. Hyundai has agreed to replace it but it is on back order with no ETA.

We were driving through our neighborhood at about 25 mph and we heard a slight knocking noise and then the engine shut off, no warnings or lights, just engine failure. The electronics worked, but car wouldn’t start. Had it towed to a local mechanic where he said the engine is seized. We were thankful this happened at a low speed in a safe place, can’t imagine how awful it would have been if we’d been going 75 mph down the 4 lane interstate. Of note, we have always kept the vehicle current on oil changes/maintenance. Prior to this, the car drove great! Never had any issues that would point to impending trouble.

Car started making noise after the check engine light came on. Check engine light was on for just a few days then by the third/fourth day the car starting making noise, turned off on me a few times then just died. We replaced a few sensors and the battery and starter. Two mechanics have told me the engine is locked and needs to be replaced.

No warnings or any visible alerts. Took it to mechanic and engine is going to need to be replaced. only 87,000 miles.

On July 3, 2024 my husband was driving our 2016 Santa Fe with a v6 engine on a highway. He was coasting down a hill going approximately 65mph when he heard a loud bang and saw something shoot off to the left of the vehicle. When he tried to brake, he realized the car had shut off and he did not have automatic steering or breaks. He managed to get the car safely pulled off the highway by using all his weight to stand on the brakes and turn the car. The car did not start up again. When we got the car towed home, we were looked under the hood and found that the engine had shot a rod. We found pieces of the engine/rod along the bottom of the engine bay. We called local mechanics as well as Hyundai service center and got quotes for repair ranging from $9-20k. The car was purchased in July of 2023, the engine had 97k miles on it, with 8k miles being put on from July 2023-July 2024. The vehicle passed PA state inspection on June 2, 2024 by the dealership’s service center.

Four weeks ago, I noticed my 2016 Santa Fe was not blowing any heated air into the cabin. A/C would come out fine, but room temperature air at best even when thermostat set to max. I took it in for diagnosis at a local mechanic who informed me that coolant was leaking out of the engine block and into the exhaust. I took the car to the dealership who informed me that the engline block itself had somehow gotten a tear in its side. No telling how the damage occurred, yet the warranty company (Costguard) in acquisition of my powertrain policy rejected the claim because (without ever personally inspecting the vehicle) there "was no discrepency as to how the damage occurred." Every mechanic at the dealership who has seen my car disputes their answer. I have been up to date on all maintenance on my vehicle throughout my ownership and have receipts, but cannot add them as they are all in my glovebox and the car is still at the shop. While I find it personally ridiculous that a warranty company would deny this, it is important for me as well to add to the list of engine complaints about this car. Likely the damage to the engine block has also been the cause of reduced mileage I have experienced lately.

Was driving on the highway going about 65mph when the engine just lost power. Pressing the accelerator and there was nothing happening. Had the car towed home. And then to a mechanic who told me the rod was bent. I’ve always kept up on oil changes and maintenance. I just had an oil change less than a month prior. There were no warning signs leading up to this incident.

Engine light came on while driving and vehicle began to malfunction with bogging and little power to move the vehicle properly. Vehicle was towed to Hyundai dealership for diagnostics. Determining that there is rod bearing failure in the motor. Contacted Hyundai corporate who denied warranty claim citing I did not properly maintain the vehicle per owners manual although they were provided with records of proper maintenance, however it was disregarded by Hyundai warranty people as proper maintenance. I have contacted BBB and PA Attorney General for assistance but to no avail. There are countless others with the same exact issues where Hyundai Motor America is denying warranty claims for identical mechanical motor issues.

I traded in my 2020 toyota corola for this car at the used Toyota dealership. Our family is comfortable with the brand Toyota and Hyundai, as we’ve owned many and considered them to be great liable cars. So we thought the Santa Fe’s would accommodate for a growing family. Not only have we encountered an engine problem with this model, which came out of nowhere, unannounced within less than a year of owning the car, but we had 2 more issues with the other Hyundai Santa Fe’s that we purchased last year. All major engine problems. All within the years 2014-2017. The engine just blows out, or burns the oil too fast, and to be honest with you, I am not just disappointed that this has happened, but the lack of ownership for this issue that I, along with thousands of other Sante Fe owners have encountered. No recall has been made on this issue. Hyundai, you have not only disappointed us, but you’ve abandoned us on this issue. In my situation it hasn’t been one car….. it’s been 3 in a year. The financial burden this has placed on my family has left us with minimal options of advancing. I plead with you to please investigate why this is happening, so that other families don’t have to go through the hardship and turmoil this has placed on us.

On 5/15, I was entering the highway when the vehicle refused to accelerate. I pushed the gas pedal all the way to the floor, and the vehicle did not respond. I checked to see if it had stalled, but the engine was still running. I watched the rpm meter as I pushed the accelerator, and noticed that the rpm’s stayed at 1.5 the entire time. I pulled over to the shoulder and turned off the vehicle as I was afraid of causing an accident as I was not at highway speed at the time. I turned the vehicle back on and when it was safe, attempted to reenter the highway. The vehicle responded appropriately. The check engine light had come on 2 days prior to this (5/13) and I was in the process of trying to make an appointment to get it fixed. My husband ran the engine code (P0014 and P0024). The check engine light had turned off upon restarting the vehicle but turned back on about 3 minutes after resuming driving. I took the vehicle to a mechanic to have it looked at, and they noticed that the engine had lost 4 quarts of oil. There had been no oil leakage noted at any time. They added 3 quarts of oil to the engine and noticed that the knocking sounds remained. Their determination was that the car was pretty much totaled. There were no indicator lights on the dashboard to notify me that there was low oil at any time. The only indicator that showed was the check engine light 2 days before.

On May 23, 2023 Was inspected for an oil leak and was informed the oil was leaking from the drain bolt (oil pan was cracked), valve cover was leaking. Was replaced with a Pan assembly-engine oil, gasket-rocker cover (with GDI High Pressure Pump gasket), and gasket- fuel pump. . However on oil leak continued and cause massive engine failure. Turned it in 5/26/2024 Had to replace engine.