Owners have reported 15 crashes, 14 fires and 17 injuries to NHTSA for the 2018 Hyundai Santa-FE. These are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defect rates.
Owner complaints170
ENGINE
Owners report frequent issues with the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe's engine, particularly excessive oil consumption, often leading to engine failure. Complaints frequently mention symptoms such as engine knocking, stalling, and sudden loss of power without warning lights. These problems commonly arise around 80,000 to 144,000 miles. Notably, three complaints involve fires and three report injuries, indicating potential safety risks. For used car buyers, it is important to be aware of these patterns and the possibility of significant repair costs, especially if the vehicle is out of warranty.
Severity signals: 0 crash, 3 fire, 3 injury reports
Owner complaints58
SERVICE BRAKES
Owners of the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe frequently report issues with the service brakes, particularly related to the ABS module, which can malfunction and cause electrical shorts. Many complaints describe multiple dashboard warning lights activating, such as ABS, EPB, and cruise control, accompanied by reduced braking effectiveness requiring increased pedal pressure. A significant number of owners mention delays in receiving parts for a recall repair, indicating a parts distribution disconnect. While some reports involve crashes due to brake failure, others note the inability to stop the vehicle effectively. These issues often occur around the 90,000 to 160,000-mile range, posing potential safety risks like loss of vehicle control.
Severity signals: 3 crash, 0 fire, 0 injury reports
Owner complaints45
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Owners of the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe frequently report issues related to engine performance, with symptoms such as sudden engine failure, excessive oil consumption, and lack of warning lights before failure. Complaints often describe engines seizing or making loud noises before stopping, with some owners noting oil leaks or excessive smoke. These issues are often reported around the 80,000 to 100,000-mile range. Additionally, some reports involve safety risks, including a crash due to unintended acceleration and fires under the hood. Potential buyers should be aware of these engine-related problems and the associated safety implications.
Severity signals: 1 crash, 2 fire, 2 injury reports
Owner complaints25
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Owners report frequent issues with the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe's electrical system, particularly involving oil leaks from the oil pressure sensor that lead to electrical component damage, including potential fire hazards. Complaints frequently mention symptoms such as oil leaks causing smoke, engine lock-ups, and malfunctions in electrical components like the dash cluster, rearview camera, and ignition system. These issues often appear around 18,000 to 60,000 miles. Safety implications are significant, with multiple reports of fires, engine failures during driving, and loss of vehicle power, which pose risks of crashes or injuries. Prospective buyers should be aware of these patterns and the potential for costly repairs or safety risks.
Severity signals: 0 crash, 5 fire, 0 injury reports
Owner complaints22
POWER TRAIN
Owners of the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe frequently report issues with the powertrain, particularly involving engine failure and excessive oil consumption. Common symptoms include engine knocking, metal shavings in the oil, and sudden stalling or loss of power, often accompanied by a check engine light. These problems typically arise around 80,000 to 100,000 miles, though some cases occur as early as 6,000 miles. Safety implications are significant, with one report of a crash and two injuries linked to these issues. Buyers should be aware of potential high repair costs and warranty challenges, especially for second-hand owners, as multiple complaints highlight dissatisfaction with warranty coverage and dealer responses.
Severity signals: 1 crash, 0 fire, 2 injury reports
Owner complaints12
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Owners of the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe frequently report issues related to excessive oil consumption, with some noting the need to add oil every 700 to 2,000 miles. Symptoms often include the illumination of the oil warning light, abnormal engine noises, and visible smoke from the exhaust. Several reports also mention engine stalling or loss of power while driving, sometimes accompanied by a scraping or clicking sound. These issues commonly arise around 60,000 to 149,000 miles. Safety implications include potential engine failure leading to loss of motive power, but no crashes or fires are reported. These patterns suggest prospective buyers should be cautious of engine performance and oil consumption when considering this model.
Owner complaints11
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Owners of the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe frequently report issues with vehicle speed control, particularly involving unintended acceleration and hesitation during acceleration. Common symptoms include the vehicle accelerating without pressing the gas pedal, failure to accelerate from a stop, and engine RPMs spiking unexpectedly. These issues often occur at low to moderate speeds and are sometimes accompanied by a lack of warning lights or diagnostic codes. One complaint involved a crash with an injury, highlighting potential safety risks. Patterns suggest these problems can occur even with relatively low mileage, as some reports involve vehicles with less than 1,000 miles. Buyers should be aware of these potential issues when considering this model.
Severity signals: 1 crash, 0 fire, 1 injury reports
Owner complaints10
STEERING
Owners report several steering-related issues with the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe. Common symptoms include a loose or unstable steering column, often accompanied by popping noises and a feeling of the steering wheel potentially detaching. Complaints frequently mention steering "stiction," where the wheel sticks and requires extra force to move, leading to overcorrection, especially at speeds above 40 mph. Affected vehicles often exhibit these problems after approximately 10,000 miles, with some cases occurring as early as six months after purchase. Safety implications are significant, as multiple owners describe situations where the steering becomes difficult to control, and in some cases, the steering assembly was found to be cracked or detached. Buyers should be aware of these potential issues and verify if any recalls have been addressed.
Owner complaints9
AIR BAGS
Owners of the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe frequently report issues with airbag deployment failures, particularly during crashes, with three incidents involving collisions where airbags did not deploy, resulting in two injuries. Common symptoms include airbag warning lights illuminating, passenger airbag sensors malfunctioning, and instances where airbags are suspected not to deploy during a collision. Complaints often mention these issues occurring around 42,000 to 75,000 miles. Some owners describe problems with obtaining replacement parts for faulty sensors, leading to prolonged periods where the vehicle is considered unsafe to drive with passengers. These patterns suggest potential safety implications, especially in scenarios where airbags fail to activate during accidents.
Severity signals: 3 crash, 0 fire, 2 injury reports
Owner complaints7
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Owners report several issues with the exterior lighting of the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe, notably involving headlight performance and brake light functionality. A common problem involves dark shadows or spots cast by the headlights, which some owners say obscure visibility, especially on unlit roads. Several complaints also mention headlights going out unexpectedly, either while driving or when using turn signals, with one incident resulting in a crash and injuries. Mileage at which these issues occur varies, with one report noting a failure at 58,000 miles. Safety implications are significant, as the headlight problems can hinder visibility and have led to at least one accident.
Severity signals: 1 crash, 0 fire, 2 injury reports
