Hyundai
Hyundai Santa Fe years to avoid
Years to avoid: 2017, 2023 and 2024. Best years: 2018.
The 2017, 2023 and 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2017 has 968 complaints (97 for each year on the road), 2023 has 210 complaints (52 for each year on the road) and 2024 has 151 complaints (50 for each year on the road), against a median of 30 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2017 is engine failure (377 reports).
- 3,346complaints
- 28recall campaigns
- 13model years with a page
Newest report Sep 29, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Pick your model year
Owner complaints on file for each year.
Years to avoid
2017
Most reported: engine failure (377 reports, median 93,000 miles) and stalling (239 reports, median 77,500 miles).
2023
Most reported: brake wear (25 reports, median 18,756 miles) and stalling (24 reports, median 22,000 miles).
2024
Most reported: infotainment (21 reports) and seat belt (18 reports).
Best years
2018
Most reported: engine failure (30 reports, median 83,000 miles) and brake wear (19 reports).
Complaints for each year on the road
Each model year's NHTSA complaints divided by the calendar years it has been on sale, counting this one (a 2018 model has had 9). Older cars have had longer to collect complaints, so raw totals flatter the new ones. Blue bars are the years to avoid. Too new to judge: 2025 and 2026.
Within one model, sales change less from year to year than they do between models, so a jump here is mostly a jump in problems. The call: the years to avoid are the (up to three) highest at 1.5 times the model's median rate or more, and the best are the (up to three) lowest at two thirds of it or less, from 2016 on.
Guide How much should a years-to-avoid list decide? What these lists get wrong
At a glance
- Where the complaints sit
- The 2017 has the most complaints of any Hyundai Santa Fe year here: 968 of 3,346 (29%).
- Problem across the years
- The top problem moves around from year to year. Engine failure leads in 5 of the 13 model years and has the most reports overall, 810. Pooled across the years, half of the 399 owners who gave a mileage for engine failure were under about 91,000 miles.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 7% of Hyundai Santa Fe complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The highest share is on the 2019, 28 of its 200 complaints.
- Recalls on the top problem
- 1 of the 8 model years where owners report engine failure have a recall on the same system: 2017. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2023 at 571 and have dropped every year since, to 443 in 2025. So far in 2026, 519 more have come in. Filings on record start in 2015.
Photo: HJUdall, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Third generation, long, wheelbase (NC / Santa Fe XL)
| Year | Complaints | A year | Recalls | Most reported | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 470 | 36 | 3 | Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing (160) | 66,000 |
| 2015 | 254 | 21 | 2 | Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing (100) | 76,000 |
| 2016 | 236 | 21 | 3 | Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing (90) | 73,000 |
| 2017 avoid | 968 | 97 | 6 | Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing (377) | 62,000 |
| 2018 best | 109 | 12 | 2 | Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing (30) | 27,000 |
Photo: Mr.choppers, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: MercurySable99, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: HJUdall, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Year by year
2026 Hyundai Santa Fe
36 owner complaints so far; too new to call. 4 recalls, including 26V-218 on the seat belts and 26V-047 on the electrical system.
2025 Hyundai Santa Fe
134 owner complaints so far; too new to call. Most reported: infotainment (20 reports), wheels (19 reports, median 7,000 miles) and seat belt (14 reports). 5 reports involved a crash and 4 people were hurt. 5 recalls, including 25V-808 on the backup camera and 25V-659 on the electrical system.
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe avoid
151 owner complaints, 50 for each year on the road (1.7 times the model median). Most reported: infotainment (21 reports), seat belt (18 reports) and stalling (16 reports). 11 reports involved a crash and 9 people were hurt. 7 recalls, including 25V-808 on the backup camera and 25V-659 on the electrical system.
2023 Hyundai Santa Fe avoid
210 owner complaints, 52 for each year on the road (1.7 times the model median). Most reported: brake wear (25 reports, median 18,756 miles), stalling (24 reports, median 22,000 miles) and windshield (16 reports). 11 reports involved a crash and 15 people were hurt. 1 recall: 23V-181 on the trailer hitches.
2022 Hyundai Santa Fe
199 owner complaints, 40 for each year on the road (1.3 times the model median). Most reported: stalling (31 reports), misfire (18 reports, median 50,000 miles) and infotainment (13 reports). 8 reports involved a crash and 4 people were hurt. 5 recalls, including 22V-746 on the transmission and drivetrain and 22V-197 on the engine.
2021 Hyundai Santa Fe
166 owner complaints, 28 for each year on the road (0.9 times the model median). Most reported: stalling (24 reports, median 15,000 miles), infotainment (13 reports) and windshield (13 reports). 4 reports involved a crash and 2 people were hurt. 7 recalls, including 22V-746 on the transmission and drivetrain and 21V-524 on the fuel system.
2020 Hyundai Santa Fe
213 owner complaints, 30 for each year on the road (1.0 times the model median). Most reported: stalling (29 reports, median 72,700 miles), engine failure (27 reports, median 85,000 miles) and misfire (23 reports, median 97,423 miles). 13 reports involved a crash and 15 people were hurt. 2 recalls, including 23V-181 on the trailer hitches and 21V-00M on the visibility.
2019 Hyundai Santa Fe
200 owner complaints, 25 for each year on the road (0.8 times the model median). Most reported: stalling (34 reports, median 21,770 miles), engine failure (18 reports, median 83,480 miles) and oil consumption (18 reports, median 5,000 miles). 16 reports involved a crash and 10 people were hurt. 2 recalls, including 23V-181 on the trailer hitches and 18V-715 on the airbags.
2018 Hyundai Santa Fe best
109 owner complaints, 12 for each year on the road (0.4 times the model median). Most reported: engine failure (30 reports, median 83,000 miles), brake wear (19 reports) and stalling (15 reports). 6 reports involved a crash and 6 people were hurt. 2 recalls, including 22V-056 on the brakes and 18V-118 on the steering system.
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe avoid
968 owner complaints, 97 for each year on the road (3.2 times the model median). Most reported: engine failure (377 reports, median 93,000 miles), stalling (239 reports, median 77,500 miles) and misfire (165 reports, median 97,000 miles). 14 reports involved a crash and 18 people were hurt. 6 recalls, including 17V-578 on the engine and 22V-056 on the brakes.
2016 Hyundai Santa Fe
236 owner complaints, 21 for each year on the road (0.7 times the model median). Most reported: engine failure (90 reports, median 87,000 miles), stalling (53 reports, median 93,000 miles) and misfire (36 reports, median 94,000 miles). 6 reports involved a crash and 6 people were hurt. 3 recalls, including 22V-056 on the brakes and 17V-358 on the latches and locks.
2015 Hyundai Santa Fe
254 owner complaints, 21 for each year on the road (0.7 times the model median). Most reported: engine failure (100 reports, median 101,000 miles), stalling (54 reports, median 100,000 miles) and misfire (42 reports, median 80,000 miles). 9 reports involved a crash and 10 people were hurt. 2 recalls, including 23V-651 on the brakes and 17V-358 on the latches and locks.
2014 Hyundai Santa Fe
470 owner complaints, 36 for each year on the road (1.2 times the model median). Most reported: engine failure (160 reports, median 98,000 miles), stalling (96 reports, median 83,000 miles) and brake wear (58 reports, median 78,000 miles). 13 reports involved a crash and 18 people were hurt. 3 recalls, including 23V-651 on the brakes and 17V-358 on the latches and locks.
Recalls that cover several model years
Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch actuating cable may corrode and bind, causing the secondary hood latch to remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
The driver and passenger seat belt anchors may detach.
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.
The B+ positive terminal cover on the starter motor assembly may be improperly installed, which can cause an electrical short during a crash.
The rearview camera may not have been installed properly, which can damage the wiring harness and cause the rearview camera image not to display.
Compare the Santa Fe with its rivals
Side by side over the model years both have on file: what owners complain about, the mileage problems start at, recalls, investigations and crash reports.
- Santa Fe vs Kia Sorento2014 to 2025
Questions
What Hyundai Santa Fe years should you avoid?
The 2017, 2023 and 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2017 has 968 complaints (97 for each year on the road), 2023 has 210 complaints (52 for each year on the road) and 2024 has 151 complaints (50 for each year on the road), against a median of 30 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2017 is engine failure (377 reports).
What are the best years for the Hyundai Santa Fe?
The 2018 draws the fewest complaints for its age: 109, or 12 for each year on the road. Model years before 2016 aren't called best, because complaints filed before 2015 aren't in the files this site reads and their counts run short.
What is the most common problem on the Hyundai Santa Fe?
Engine failure, with 810 reports across the 13 model years that have a page here. It's the single most reported problem on the 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
How many recalls does the Hyundai Santa Fe have?
28 recall campaigns cover the Hyundai Santa Fe model years 2014 to 2026 on this site. The widest, 23V-181 on the trailer hitches, covers 5 model years.
How many Hyundai Santa Fe complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
7% of them, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The 2019 has the highest share.
Is there a recall for engine failure on the Hyundai Santa Fe?
On 1 of the 8 model years where owners report it: 2017.