2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Reliability Report

Fires and smoke in the engine bay, sometimes while parked and switched off, make up five of these reports. A recurring cause is a leaking oil pressure switch or sensor that sends oil through the wiring harness, damaging electrical parts and dripping on hot surfaces. Starters fail at low mileage, between 25,000 and 60,000 miles, and some cars intermittently refuse to crank. Smaller complaints include a reverse camera stuck on a blue screen and dead taillights tied to a tow hitch harness.

Hesitation and stalling while pulling out or turning from a stop show up in nearly new cars, one of which was T-boned and totaled. The car stays unresponsive for a second or two, then lurches. Older cars show the familiar oil burning, knocking, metal shavings, and connecting rod failure. CVVT bolts backing out and puncturing the valve cover caused limp mode in one case. Owners, including second owners, report warranty denials, with repair quotes from $7,000 to $13,000.

Oil disappears with no leak and no warning until the dipstick is dry. Reports describe smoke from the exhaust, consumption as high as 2 quarts every 700 miles, and fuel getting into the crankcase. Several engines stalled at around 65 mph with scraping or clicking, later traced to failed pistons and rods. One lost power and needed a long block and turbo. Failures show up between 58,000 and 120,000 miles, and dealers usually call for a full engine replacement.

Pulling away from a stop sign or light, the car often fails to respond to the gas pedal for a second or more, then jerks forward. Many of these cars had under 12,000 miles. Some owners report the engine revving high while the car barely moves, or RPMs surging on cruise control downhill. Dealers often cannot reproduce it and find no codes. One report describes the SUV surging forward in a drive-thru and hitting the car ahead despite hard braking.

A loose wheel that pops over rough pavement, or feels ready to come off, is the main complaint. These reports tie to a recall for the wheel separating from the column. Some owners were told their VIN or assembly lot was not covered, and one later found the assembly cracked. A second pattern is sticky handling above 60 mph, where small corrections meet resistance and then overshoot, making it hard to hold a straight line.

Airbags fail to deploy in serious side impacts. Three crash reports describe no deployment, two with injuries. The other common fault is the passenger seat occupancy sensor, which does not detect a seated adult and keeps the airbag light on. Replacement parts for that sensor have been on back order for over a year for some owners. One driver paid $2300 after a shorted seat belt pretensioner took out the airbag module.

Headlights cast dark spots and shadows that hide the left lane or the roadside at night. Hyundai described this as a design feature, not a defect. Other reports describe headlights cutting out during a turn, traced in one case to the multifunction switch at 58,000 miles. In a rental, headlights and dash lights went dark together and the car left the road, injuring two people. Minor issues include a dead brake light and fogged lenses.