2016 Hyundai Santa FE problems
NHTSA has received 290 complaints about the 2016 Hyundai Santa FE, and 53% of them involve engine. Next are drivetrain & axles (7%) and brakes (6%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 290 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 53% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 8 and 3
- Injuries and deaths
- 10 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 60,000 miles 83 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 20 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 11 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 8 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 17 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 12 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 6 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 4 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 3 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 2 |
What the data shows
Of the 83 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 60,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 87,000 miles (29 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 8 complaints mention a crash; 3 complaints mention a fire; 10 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2016 ranks 20th most-complained-about out of 26 model years of the Hyundai Santa FE with enough data (117 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
2016 hyundai sante fe involved in a near head on collision. Combined total speed of impact approximately 80 MPH. Two occupants both wearing seatbelts at time of crash. Driver side and passenger side airbags deployed during crash. Passenger shoulder harness failed (locking mechanism did not lock) resulting in passenger head impact with wind shield causing significant deformation of wind shield and head injury to the passenger. Lap belt restraint prevented passenger from significantly worse injury.
Had an accident where driver side front of vehicle was hit. The severity of crash resulted in total loss. The driver was hurt and concussed due to her head hitting the side window, driver side. The vehicle was equipped with front side impact and curtain airbags and all failed to deploy. The other vehicle's side curtains were deployed.
The front sunroof on my 2016 santa fe I bought in jan 2016 that has approx. 8000 miles, exploded on the way to work while driving on the interstate. It sounded like a gun shot in my right ear, then glass began to fall on my head and throughout the car - I'm sure the majority of it was sucked out and onto the interstate. (I had the sun shade inside opened so my child could watch the rain on the ride to the babysitters.)I found others with the same problem when I googled it.
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that upon his wife starting the vehicle, she observed heavy smoke coming from the exhaust. The contact stated that his wife heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that coolant intrusion had damaged the head gasket, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.