My car has a GDI motor and it is the most diabolical engine. I get an oil change REGULARY according to my cars need. Between oil changes, i have to constantly add oil. About every week i have to add about 2 quarts of oil. I have confirmed with my mechanic that i have NO leaks, no faulty gaskets or injectors. This car has caused me SO many problems. I should not have to constantly add oil to my car weekly just to get to my next oil change. There needs to be some sort of recall or extended warranty. My mechanic has stated that SEVERAL of his customers have had faulty GDI motors. My car has 118,000 miles on it and very well taken care of.
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport engine complaints
Page 3 of 9: complaints 41 to 70 of 221, newest first, as owners wrote them.
On [XXX, I was driving on the interstate when my engine seized and the car lost all power, leaving me stranded on the side of the road on a busy exit at night. This was very dangerous to myself and others. I purchased this car in July of 2023 with 69,000 miles in good condition. I immediately made an appointment to take care of the recalls and updates to this car, which were performed February 2024 due to this being the first available appointment. Also, at my first oil change (3,000 miles after the previous oil change) I was told by the mechanic that there was absolutely no oil in my car. Since then I have had to put SEVERAL quarts of oil in between each oil change, costing me hundreds of dollars. Then June of 2024, the P1326 code flashed on my car and it went into limp mode also while I was driving on a busy street, putting myself and others in danger. I took it to the dealership and was advised to continue driving it and there was nothing they can do until my engine fails. I also brought up the oil consumption issue and was told that even if I did an oil consumption test (at my cost), there was nothing they could do. I was advised by my service advisor not to do a consumption test. I took his advice and continued to drive my car, adding countless quarts of oil weekly to my car. Fast forward to September 2024, when my engine light came on due to misfires in cylinder 3&4 and I took it to a local mechanic due to the incredibly long wait for an appointment at Hyundai. I was told all 4 spark plugs were oil fouled due to excessive oil consumption. This happened again July of 2025. My mechanic advised me that there was nothing to do about it, but that this would continue to happen due to the oil consumption issue. Now Hyundai is refusing to take responsibility for this engine that has had documented issues resulting in class action lawsuits and safety issues for myself and others and refusing any financial assistance. No warning lamps were on before incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATIO
Engine shuttering and burning oil rapidly.
On [XXX], around [XXX] I was driving my car on [XXX] and I suddenly experienced "Check Engine Flashing" and engine misfiring. I was driving ~70-75 mph in the left lane. I immediately turned ON the Hazard lights and somehow manage to get to the right lane and safely stopped the car in open space on the side. This could have resulted in a very serious accident as I had my whole family in the car with me. Hyundai Motor Company must be held accountable for this type of engine quality issue. My car has 119580 miles. I had always car maintenance done at Hyundai Dealerships to make sure that it is maintained as per the company recommended. The Catalytic converter in my car was changed by the Hyundai Dealership (Key Hyundai Manchester, CT) at approximately 96000 miles as it had gone bad in April of 2024. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
At first I noticed that there’s a strong smell of oil when I am driving it. The engine was consuming a large amount of oil so much so that I have to keep an extra bottle of oil in my car. I will be driving and oil light shows up and I have had an oil change not just a week prior. I had an independent mechanic to come check it and he said a lot of oil is leaking out into the engine because, I never see any oil on the ground. Then finally the check engine light is on, the steering is shaking heavily and I have stopped driving it for my safety and that of others on the road.
Check engine light came on to check the oil and I had recently had an oil change and all of a sudden within a week or two I needed to fill my oil back up and it's gone through two quarts of oil since my oil change this has been going on for 2 years I did not know there was some place like this where I could follow a complaint. I constantly put oil in my car because my car is constantly low on oil and there is no evidence of the oil leaking onto the ground whatsoever. I don't know where the oil is going to but it's not leaking on the ground and there's just been a constant issue for the past 2-3 years
Engine is burning too much oil.Tested for leaks.none. Had combustion cleaning,valve cover gasket replaced and oil changed as per Advantage Hyundai instructions.still burning oil too fast.Hyundai is hiding behind the fact that my vehicle is out of warranty because its close to 100,00 miles.This is obviously a defect in the engine and they should stand by their work and replace it with no cost to me.There are all kinds of class action suits against them because of this issue.
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low engine oil warning light illuminated, prompting the contact to inspect the dipstick. After a visual inspection, the contact observed that the oil was abnormally low, though the vehicle had been serviced less than a month prior. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who performed an engine oil consumption test and found that the vehicle consumed one quart of engine oil in 360 miles. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be rebuilt or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 103,000.
The engine starting consuming a quart of oil in less than 500 miles of recent oil change. Car has 114,000 miles and due to oil consumption lifters are now ticking louder. I was not notified of the class action lawsuit that happened due to this same issue. Oil pressure light came on
I am the current owner a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. While I was driving my SUV on the highway at highway speeds at 60mph, the oil pressure and the check engine warning light illuminated all of sudden after around 1 hour of smooth ride. In the meantime, suddenly the vehicle lost motive power, the steering wheel seized and smoke came immediately. Losing motive power in running conditions and smoke coming out during failure could have endangered our lives. The smoke came out due to leakage of engine oil probably. The vehicle was stuck in the middle of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence and then after Hyundai Dealership. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 76,245 only. Before reporting to NHSTA I have seen numerous complaints about high oil consumption and burnt valves on Theta II engines around 2017 santafe sport model and very similar occurrence of events happening to all while driving the vehicle on highways. Hyundai must need to provide support to this year model and make vehicles.
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who determined that the engine oil was extremely low. An oil consumption test was started by the dealer however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 88,013.
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the "Low Oil" warning illuminated. The contact drove back to the residence and checked the oil level on the dipstick and became aware that there was no oil in the engine. The contact added 4 quarts of engine oil and drove the vehicle to the dealer. The dealer initiated an oil consumption test. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer three more times before the dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact stated that the engine had been replaced two years prior due to excessive oil consumption. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power after the engine made an abnormal sound. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired, and the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where DTC: P1326 was retrieved, and the vehicle was diagnosed with knock sensor signal range error, metal shavings into the engine, and other unknown failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.
I am unsure what component of the engine caused the issue. There was chance of engine failure while driving. While idle the engine was stuttering and the RPN dial was fluctuating. Engine persisted to stutter and jerk at random intervals when accelerating. The engine light came on flashing ~1 hour after the first sign of the issue. Immediately after the engine light came on the vehicle was moved off of the road and a tow truck was contacted to transport the vehicle to a Hyundai dealership. The vehicle was inspected at a manufacturer's dealership and the problem was resolved with a technician stating that the vehicle needed a "system update". There is also an ongoing issue with the vehicle excessively consuming oil.
Excessive oil consumption/ burning oil; oil light came on 1,500 miles after oil change.
I have had this car since Sept 2023, it had about 85,000 miles when I got it. Before I had even owned it for a year and before it had 100,000 miles it was burning oil at an alarming rate! I took it to my dealership which did a consumption test and told me to bring it to Hyundai. Hyundai did their own oil consumption test which results proved my car was burning 3 quarts of oil in under 1,000 miles. Hyundai refused to do anything about it as well as the dealership I bought the car from (they say it is a Hyundai problem) I have spoken to corporate who refuse to fix it because I bought it out of warranty, which I was unaware of at the time I bought it. I am a single mother who has to work full time to support my family, my car has died numerous times and I am buying oil about once a week, I have had to call out of work due to it dying and it has died with my children in the car as well. I am afraid to drive it because I know it will die and I will be stranded but unfortunately I have no other options. It is a complete safety hazard and I can not trade or refinance because even tho I havent had it 2 years, I owe more than it is worth in value.
Excessive engine oil consumption. The vehicle oil consumption is beyond my control, currently I am afraid to embark on vacation driving to friends or on vacation in other states. Low engine oil can result in engine overheating and fire, thus endangering life, family and property. I am currently adding oil every 14 days to ensure the engine is at a safe operating level for my own safety. I am requesting a one time manufacture's assistance to remedy this defective.
Bought my vehicle as second owner and 1 1/2 years into financing I discovered the piston rings are failing which is causing to much oil consumption. It’s burning oil to fast - in three weeks my car has burned through three quarts of oil. I do my regular oil changes as recommended and already change the gasket. If I have not checked my oil I would never had a clue. I am currently doing my oil changes because the dealer shops were not nor even knew of the burning oil issue. How does one car burn that much oil in three weeks. My extended warranty has exited and now my engine is failing. My vehicle was not included in the class action settlement. I am a teacher with children and don’t have the money to buy a new car let alone fix the engine. The vehicle has rough idling at times and doesn’t have the power to go sometimes. It’s failing quicker than I could imagine.
Car stopped running 4 months ago and had it towed to the shop and they did a Knock sensor update and sent us back with it. 4 months later check engine light comes on and take it in and they recommend a new engine and this car has a class action and they’re saying we don’t qualify. They’re saying it’s the piston rings. The car burns oil like crazy. Over 5 quarts in 2,500 miles consistently and the oil light never comes on. I have 2 kids that ride in this car for it to just die or for the engine to start fire is a risk I am not willing to take.
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact used a personal handheld scanner to scan the vehicle and retrieved DTC: P1326 which indicated a failure with the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 17V578000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle decelerated and lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The check engine warning light, the malfunction indicator light and two other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart, but failed to respond upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine rod bearing failure. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced and submitted a claim to the manufacturer. The dealer later informed the contact that the manufacturer had denied the claim. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 17V578000(Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The contact filed an appeal claim with the manufacturer and was informed that the appeal claim was denied because the knock sensor detection system(KSDS) software update was not previously performed on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 141,000.
This model engine is a common complaint easily found by quick internet searches. They have recalled SOME models, but not all. This car uses EXTREME amounts of oil. It is not normal. I have not had a car in my 38 years of driving that used anything even close. I do not have any leaks. This car requires 1 quart of oil every 500-700 miles. This is horrible for maintenance. It is very dangerous to an unsuspecting buyer. I found out about this when my engine light came on and to my surprise the oil was about empty after an oil change when I first purchased the car. This was only about 6 weeks in to having the vehicle! This is also horrible for the environment, expensive, and messy. Hyundai should be held accountable. The oil consumption is due to an engine defect that is not directly related to their current Lifetime limited warranty for connected bearing rods.
While driving my vehicle, the check engine light came on, and the engine entered limp mode, severely reducing power and acceleration. This presented a significant safety risk while traveling on the highway, especially during lane changes and merges. The issue was later diagnosed by a certified Hyundai dealer as Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P1326, which relates to the knock sensor detecting potential engine bearing wear. The dealer confirmed this issue and performed related inspection work under Hyundai’s Service Campaign T3G. No prior warning signs appeared before the incident. Hyundai has issued a known campaign for this issue, but no recall appeared under my VIN at the time. I incurred rental and rideshare costs due to the vehicle being held at the dealer for several days. This condition severely impacts the drivability and safety of the vehicle.
I went to get my oil changed, and I've noticed that not even 2week after the oil change the truck is 2 or 2 1\2 quarts low on oil. So, I was wondering if you have any other problems with this truck and the oil. The Santa Fe isn't linking any fluids under it.
I was driving to work when I heard a loud knocking noise in my engine shortly after beginning my trip. My vehicle then lost all acceleration power as I was making a left turn at a light. Then, the check engine and oil pressure warning lights activated simultaneously. Had the driver behind me not been maintaining a safe following distance, I certainly would have been rear-ended. After having the vehicle towed to a mechanic approved by my insurance company, I was told that the issue was possible engine failure. There were no warning lights or symptoms before this issue arose, and I still had 400 miles before I was due for another oil change.
At approximately 65,000 miles the car started using excessive amounts of oil in the crankcase. I visited the local Hyundai dealer who changed my oil and began monitoring the condition. I was instsructed to come back to the dealer every 1,000 miles for an oil top off and to report the consumption. On the third visit, the engine is now using approximately 2 quarts of oil in 1,000-1,100 miles. Extremely excessive. I inquired about a warranty claim but was denied since I was the second owner. Yet, Hyundai acknowledges problems with this engine and have established broader coverage for engine problems stemming from the rod bearing which includes coverage for the second owner. The high oil consumption underscores another problem with this horrible engine, and high oil consumption should be included in a recall and repairs.
While driving on a highway in April 2025, my 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport suddenly lost all power after approximately 10 minutes of normal driving. All dashboard warning lights illuminated, and both the accelerator and brake pedals became unresponsive. I was forced to stop the vehicle using the handbrake in the middle of a 65 mph highway, creating an extremely dangerous situation for myself and other drivers. Prior to this incident, the vehicle had displayed the P1326 knock sensor code multiple times over a 10-month period, each time accompanied by hesitation when accelerating. The knock sensor was replaced twice under used car warranty by Honda. Despite these interventions, the same code and symptoms recurred. The Hyundai dealership(Dec 2024 at Montgomery, Jan 2025 at Enterprise) repeatedly stated that there was “nothing wrong with the engine.” After the highway failure, the vehicle was inspected by a collision center and an independent mechanic. They confirmed that Cylinder 4 had no compression and diagnosed a burnt valve. Full engine replacement was recommended. Hyundai initially indicated that the engine might be covered under the extended warranty but later denied the claim, stating that the damage was due to a cylinder issue and can not check bearing failure. They also claimed it was too late to determine whether the bearing was the cause. This is not an isolated issue. Many Hyundai owners across the U.S. have reported identical symptoms—P1326 code, hesitation, cylinder compression loss, and ultimately engine failure—particularly in vehicles equipped with the Theta II engine. These failures often occur around or after 100,000 miles, despite regular maintenance. This ongoing and widespread cylinder-related engine failure presents a serious safety risk and must be addressed through manufacturer accountability, improved diagnostic standards, and proactive repair or recall efforts.
Oil consumption problem.hyundai company denied my request for repair all I have all documents.
My 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe had a new engine installed at the dealership, Fred Beans Hyundai Flemington, NJ. I picked it up on [XXX] on [XXX] (and after 134 miles) my car's check engine light came on. I rerouted to dealership about 8 miles. Sitting outside service bay, I smelled smoke and then saw smoke coming out of vents. I then jumped out of car and the car became engulfed in flames and subsequently exploded. The day I picked it up, I pointed out to the service manager that they had not reattached everything to the car properly, sloppy workmanship. Best guess is that they did not attach a valve correctly. Miracle no one was injured or killed! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact later added 2 quarts of oil to the engine; however, not too long after adding the oil, the contact checked the dipstick, and the oil had been consumed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be serviced and the contact was informed that the engine oil was abnormally low. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 98,000.
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