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2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 179.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

95 reports with mileage · 225 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 196 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports8 fire reports3 injury reports

Engine complaints

196 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 7, 2025
Engine

I own a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. I leased it new, then purchased outright in May 2022. I had no issues with my vehicle. I maintained it regularly. Had appropriate interval oil changes. At no time from 4/2018 to 6/2025 did I have any knowledge of any issues with the engine in my vehicle & neither Hyundai nor the dealership co…

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I own a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. I leased it new, then purchased outright in May 2022. I had no issues with my vehicle. I maintained it regularly. Had appropriate interval oil changes. At no time from 4/2018 to 6/2025 did I have any knowledge of any issues with the engine in my vehicle & neither Hyundai nor the dealership contacted me in any manner to notify me of an issue with my engine. On or about October 2024, my check oil light came on for the first time in 6 years. I do not drive much because I work, & have worked, from home since July 2020. I took my car to my mechanic. He added almost 4 quarts of oil. I returned two weeks later & he changed oil. He saw nothing that caused him suspicion. He suggested I check my oil levels. Extreme oil consumption continued. My check oil light NEVER came back on. No other lights came on until 10/6/2025. I drove minimally. In July, 2025, I discovered my vehicle has a known defective engine. I uncovered multiple lawsuits against Hyundai regarding the defective engines. On 9/12/2025, I sent a Massachusetts General Law 93A Demand Letter mailed Certified Mail to Hyundai & dealership. On Oct. 6, 2025 at approx. 11:30 am, I turned on my car & without warning, my car immediately began shaking violently & vibrating & stalling - IN PARK. The check engine light began to flash intermittently in PARK. I drove my vehicle 7 miles to my mechanic (praying the whole time my car would not blow up with me in it); the car violently shook & vibrated the entire 7 miles. The check engine light changed to solid & acceleration was almost non existent. I am waiting for my mechanic to most likely give me bad news. Neither Hyundai nor the dealership have yet responded to my MGL 93A Demand Letter.

NHTSA ODI #11691858

Mileage unknown · Oct 6, 2025
EngineForward Collision Avoidance

I have taken my car to the dealership now 3 times for the same recall issue. This time, they are telling me Hyundai will not repair my car on their end because of "sludge buildup" to which i was not aware. I submitted all records of maintenance and they are refusing to fix my vehicle. I now have an inoperable, because not safe,…

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I have taken my car to the dealership now 3 times for the same recall issue. This time, they are telling me Hyundai will not repair my car on their end because of "sludge buildup" to which i was not aware. I submitted all records of maintenance and they are refusing to fix my vehicle. I now have an inoperable, because not safe, vehicle that is legally required to be fixed by Hyundai for it's recall, but is not being fixed. Recall 237 If I were to try to drive the vehicle, it could put lives at risk. It will not accelerate quickly, could go up in flames, and does not go the speed limit on highways which are required for me to get home and to work. The recall was confirmed by the dealer as the check engine light flashed and caused a certain code to pop up for maintenance. The solution would be for Hyundai to fix the car, but they are refusing and saying the whole engine needs to be replaced now even though there's nothing wrong with the engine.

NHTSA ODI #11691571

Mileage unknown · Oct 6, 2025
Engine

Over 3 years ago I went in for a normal oil change at Brookshire Hyindai Dealership where I was told my engine was consuming an alarming amount of oil. In order for Hyundai to do anything I was told o need to complete an engine oil consumption test which requires me to go back to the dealership every 1000 miles for 3k miles for …

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Over 3 years ago I went in for a normal oil change at Brookshire Hyindai Dealership where I was told my engine was consuming an alarming amount of oil. In order for Hyundai to do anything I was told o need to complete an engine oil consumption test which requires me to go back to the dealership every 1000 miles for 3k miles for them to check the oil. After completing this it was proven that there was a engine oil Consumption issue. They submitted it to Hyundai and I was denied. They said I needed to pay for an engine combustion cleaning which cost me about 400$, then I would have to repeat the test to see if the issue was resolved. After doing all of that, I still had an engine oil consumption problem according to the second test. Hyundai denied me again and told me I had to wait until my Engine light came on. So when it came on I brought it back, they said it wasn’t my engine according to the computer. I have spent thousands of dollars on oil over the past several years and Hyundai has done nothing. I do not feel safe in my vehicle. Hyundai has failed me. I then called Hyundai consumer care to open up a case and still nothing. All of that for them to tell me my extended warranty for my engine will not cover the issue. They have done nothing to resolve my issue only cost me time and money with no resolution. This is a known issue for my cars make and model and they are just turning their head the other way. Hyundai consumer care in fact does not care about consumers at all.

NHTSA ODI #11691565

Mileage unknown · Sep 30, 2025
EnginePower Train

Excessive oil burning even after replacing the motor once before.

NHTSA ODI #11690467

Mileage unknown · Sep 1, 2025
Engine

Our vehicle was towed to a Hyundai Dealership on July 26, 2025 (VIN [XXX] ) 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe to see if the engine falls under Hyundai's TSB #22-EM-001H-1Engine Failure Campaign. This vehicle has now been at Chapman Hyundai in Scottsdale AZ for over 5 weeks. We have yet to receive…

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Our vehicle was towed to a Hyundai Dealership on July 26, 2025 (VIN [XXX] ) 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe to see if the engine falls under Hyundai's TSB #22-EM-001H-1Engine Failure Campaign. This vehicle has now been at Chapman Hyundai in Scottsdale AZ for over 5 weeks. We have yet to receive confirmation from Hyundai that any testing was done to see if the rods failed, thus having the engine fall under the recall. What we have received was a statement that “The engineering department did some tests and said that they didn’t think it was a rod issue, that it was due to lubrication not getting to the engine. When I asked for that data to be sent to me so I could review it with our long-time mechanic and my mechanical engineers that I work with, I was told that would not be possible, I just had to “trust” what I was being told. However, as a show of “good faith” in their unwillingness to provide us data, Hyundai was willing to pay for half of an engine replacement, leaving us on the hook for over $3,000 to the dealership. While I told the Executive Correspondence Department that that offer was not satisfactory, I did tell him we would be willing to pay $1,000 towards the replacement if Hyundai absorbed the remainder since on the above offer, I was paying retail while Hyundai is absorbing costs at wholesale prices. Five weeks on, we still have not received any confirmation as to the real issue of the engine failure, and frankly I have a hard time believing that any manufacturer would be willing to come up with the offer proposed if they didn’t believe the issue was substantially theirs. The company’s lack of willingness to provide data for us to review is very concerning and makes me think that the issue would indeed fall under the recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11684341

Mileage unknown · Aug 29, 2025
Engine

This vehicle is burning oil. It burned out a spark plugs and almost caused a crash. Purchased from dealership 6/26/2025

NHTSA ODI #11683918

100,316 miles · Aug 26, 2025
Engine

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the engine seized. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was coasted to the shoulder of the roadway; however, the vehicle was in an unsafe location. The contact and his wife exited the vehicle and stood further back off the r…

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The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the engine seized. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was coasted to the shoulder of the roadway; however, the vehicle was in an unsafe location. The contact and his wife exited the vehicle and stood further back off the roadway for their safety. The contact stated that because of the unsafe location of the vehicle, the contact and his wife were fearful of remaining in the vehicle. Additionally, other vehicles were driving by fast. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while on a trip. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under recall or special programs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,316.

NHTSA ODI #11683096

Mileage unknown · Aug 7, 2025
Engine

Burning oil, going through 1 quart every 250 miles. Paid over $1000 for last service. Replaced valves, gasket, fuel pump gasket, spark plugs, etc… Had us drive 1000 miles and bring back at which they said they would further help. Brought it back 950 miles later. It burned 3.5 qts of oil and now saying we need to pay $7000 for an…

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Burning oil, going through 1 quart every 250 miles. Paid over $1000 for last service. Replaced valves, gasket, fuel pump gasket, spark plugs, etc… Had us drive 1000 miles and bring back at which they said they would further help. Brought it back 950 miles later. It burned 3.5 qts of oil and now saying we need to pay $7000 for an engine. It only has 104k miles

NHTSA ODI #11679045

Mileage unknown · Jul 14, 2025
Engine

While I was dropping on the highway my vehicle suddenly slowed down when and the engine started shaking when I approached around 40mph and the check engine light started flashing. After checking I’m getting the error codes P1326 and P0014. I’m not unable to go past 40mph and the vehicle starts stalling when I approach that speed…

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While I was dropping on the highway my vehicle suddenly slowed down when and the engine started shaking when I approached around 40mph and the check engine light started flashing. After checking I’m getting the error codes P1326 and P0014. I’m not unable to go past 40mph and the vehicle starts stalling when I approach that speed which is incredibly dangerous depending on what road I’m on. I’ve had zero issues with this vehicle previously and have always had regular maintenance. After researching other Santa Fe sport have had identical issues and there are recalls for other years but my year 2018 was skipped for some reason even though it’s clearly affected.

NHTSA ODI #11673404

Mileage unknown · Jun 24, 2025
EngineUnknown Or Other

In May while driving on the highway my car suddenly wouldnt accelerate and started jerking. It would go past 60-65 and the engine light was on. Took it to get repaired and they stated the whole engine needed to be replaced. Never once had an issue with my car until then. Of course we got the runaround went it came to the warran…

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In May while driving on the highway my car suddenly wouldnt accelerate and started jerking. It would go past 60-65 and the engine light was on. Took it to get repaired and they stated the whole engine needed to be replaced. Never once had an issue with my car until then. Of course we got the runaround went it came to the warranty. After repairs I notice my car does not run the same and that its slow to accelerate. Fast forward about a month later the starter goes bad in the car and now its completely unoperable.

NHTSA ODI #11669041

Official recalls

4

22V810000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module

Oct 27, 2022

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 16, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 237. This recall is an expansion of recall 22V-056.

22V056000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module

Feb 3, 2022

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Santa Fe, 2017-2018 Santa Fe Sport, 2019 Santa Fe XL, and 2014-2015 Tucson vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 31, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 218.

17V801000 · Air Bags:side/window

Dec 13, 2017

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the component detaches during deployment, the curtain air bag may not inflate properly during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, if the detached component were to enter the vehicle occupant compartment, there could be an increased risk of occupant injury.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 171.

17V577000 · Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs

Sep 20, 2017

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The front coil springs may have been improperly manufactured and, as a result, may fracture under certain loads while driving.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the coil spring fractures, it can puncture the tire, causing a loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: All of the affected vehicles are currently unsold on dealer lots. Dealers will replace both front coil springs, free of charge prior to the vehicle's sale. The recall began November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 167.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

2

AQ23002 · Hyundai And Kia Abs Module Fires

Opened Nov 17, 2023 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by Mando. Safety recalls included in this Audit Query (AQ) review include: Hyundai recalls 20V-520, 20V-543, 21V-161, 21V-160, 21V-303, 22V-056, 22V-810, and 23V-651. Kia recalls 16V-815, 20V-518, 20V-519, 21V-137, 21V-331, 22V-051, 22V-800, and 23V-652 The purpose of this AQ is to evaluate the timeliness and scoping of Hyundai and Kia’s defect decision making and adherence with reporting requirements; and understand the varying defect descriptions and remedies between these recalls.

DP22003 · Loss Of Motive Power

Opened Sep 12, 2022 · Closed Dec 12, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are susceptible to cracking. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11481745. On September 12, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Defect Petition (DP22-003) to evaluate the Petitioners’ request. The Petitioners have provided additional complaints within four supplemental letters dated January 31, 2023, March 21, 2023, May 23, 2023, and August 4, 2023. ODI’s evaluation included the review and analysis of the complaints and supporting information submitted by the Petitioners, as well as additional complaints submitted directly to NHTSA which referenced either the oil drain plug or a crack in the oil pan. After reviewing the available data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support opening a defect investigation into the oil drain pan assemblies of the subject vehicles. Based on a review of the available information, a loss of motive power resulting from an oil drain plug back out has not occurred between the initial sale of a vehicle and the completion of its first oil change. If during an oil change service, a technician fails to remove the existing drain plug gasket before installing a new gasket, it is likely that a proper seal between the drain plug and the oil pan will not be made. An improper seal between the drain plug and oil pan could lead to the backing out on the drain plug, resulting in the sudden loss of oil while driving. Additionally, the provided examples of oil pan cracks were localized to the immediate vicinity of the oil drain plug and/or appeared to be the result of direct-contact with a tool during servicing.  There is no information to support that a vehicle-based defect exists relating to the oil pan assembly, and instead the documented incidents are related to the failure to follow the proper maintenance procedures during oil change service. In October 2023, Hyundai published a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that provided detailed instructions for oil change service on its gasoline powered vehicles, specifically highlighting the need to remove and replace the existing drain plug gasket prior to reinstalling the drain plug. After a thorough review of the material submitted by the petitioner, the information already in NHTSA's possession, and the potential risks to motor vehicle safety implicated by the petitioners' allegations, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. Therefore, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA’s reasons for denial of the petition will be published. The reference numbers for the complaints to NHTSA cited by the petitioner can be found in the petition submission documents in the public file for DP22-003. To review those complaints and the additional complaints ODI added to its evaluation which are cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.