The contact owns a 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal odor coming from the engine compartment. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and discovered that there was oil leaking from the valve cover onto the alternator. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and was repaired under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V415000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the battery, check engine, and ABS warning lights were illuminated and the vehicle intermittently stalled. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and restarted the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to return to normal operation. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the alternator was covered in oil from the head gasket leak, and the alternator was failing. The independent mechanic stated that the alternator and head gasket needed to be replaced. The contact researched and became aware of Voluntary Service Campaign: MC-10245012-0001. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,538.
2007 Hyundai Santa Fe: check engine light
119 of the 684 complaints about the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe describe check engine light.
- owner complaints
- 119
- of this car's complaints
- 17%
- typical repair cost reported
- $650
- typical mileage
- 85,000
- recalls
- 0
Check engine light by model year
What owners say
I am writing to formally report an incident involving the service department at Lakeland Hyundai (1500 W Memorial Blvd, Lakeland, FL 33815). My 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe was brought in on 12/31/25 for an active engine recall involving the Cylinder Head Cover Oil Leak Repair (Recall Code 976 / Campaign 24-01-026H). The vehicle was driven into the dealership in proper working condition. I was later informed that allegedly stripped bolts for the cover would require an out-of-pocket cost of $483.36, despite this being a recall repair. There was also a required Upper Timing Chain Guide repair quoted at $58.38 to complete the recall work. When I was called in on 01/12/26 to pick up the vehicle for completed work, I was charged $29.99 for a Multi-Point Inspection related to the recall, yet no documentation or billing was provided for the timing chain guide repair I was told was completed. Upon attempting to leave the lot, the check engine light was on and the vehicle immediately began shaking violently and producing a loud noise. The service representative could not identify the cause and later advised there was nothing further they could do, citing a P0300 code, and instructed me to return the loaner and retrieve my now-undrivable vehicle. My vehicle remains at Lakeland Hyundai and is undrivable due to issues that arose immediately following recall service. I respectfully request guidance and resolution regarding responsibility for the damage, loaner coverage, and loss of transportation.
My vehicle had an oil leak from the front cylinder bank valve cover onto the alternator. the oil damaged the alternator resulting in illumination of the charging system warning lamp and disablement of the charging system. On 11/09/2021, the engine light came on and my car turned off. I had it towed to my mechanic and on 11/10/2021 he replaced the valve cover gaskets, alternator and belt. On 12/2023, I found out there was a manufacture recall related to the valve cover. I placed a claim in 12/2023. They have asked for several versions of documents and then stop communicating and eventually deny/close the account. I have filed approximately 4 claims and they stop communicating. The last claim was filed on 1/2/2025 and I have only received an email stating "Thank you for contacting Hyundai Motor America." I have tried to ask for an update and no response. I have called and it refers me to the recall portal. What do I have to do to get reimbursed for the towing and repair work I that I have paid for.
The E .C. M. PART# 39110-3C561 started faulting out, causing stalling abruptly while stop at an intersection an merging into traffic.This events were randomly happening causing higher risks of accidents. I took the vehicle for service an was informed that the "ECM" was causing this faults. The vehicle had the check engine light on during this time. The service shop advised me to bring the vehicle in to the Hyundai dealer, because the problem is likely to increase. The Hyundai dealer verify that the "ECM " is faulty an extremely difficult if not impossible to find. This faulting "ECM " part has literally but my vehicle totally useless.
The contact owns a 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds with the cruise control activated, the cruise control failed to disengage when the brake pedal was depressed. The contact pulled over, placed the vehicle in neutral, and restarted the vehicle for the cruise control to disengage. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The brake pedal was depressed, but the brake lights failed to illuminate. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 09V122000 (Exterior Lighting); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The failure mileage was 82,500. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the vehicle was "running lean on bank 1" and determined that the Engine Control Module needed to be reset. The vehicle had been repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated whenever gasoline gauge was below 1/2 tank full. The contact stated that the check engine warning was light illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed by the dealer, and it was determined that the timing belt, spark plugs, and fuel injectors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred, and the vehicle was taken back to the same dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with running lean on bank 1 and 2 and that there was a small leak on the manifold and the manifold needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Check Engine Light was lighting up on and off sporadically and fuel gage was showing E with light on and now both are not working properly. The check engine light stays on and fuel gage always shows empty even when it is full.
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 MPH, excessive force was needed to depress the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle then stalled. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact also stated that when he exited the vehicle, there was fluid leaking from underneath the engine compartment. The check engine and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted and was then taken to an unknown local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200,169.
The contact's daughter owns a 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that her daughter informed her that the vehicle stalled while driving at various speeds and also while the vehicle was idling. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced tire failures with the vehicle despite having the front-end aligned. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had been taken to a certified mechanic who aligned the wheels and replaced the tires. The contact was unsure if any other repairs had been performed on the vehicle. The failure had persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact’s mother-in-law owns a 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated after charging the battery and at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact pulled into a shopping center and purchased a quart of oil to add to the engine oil. When the contact opened the hood, oil had leaked all over the engine. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to his residence. The vehicle was not inspected or repaired. The contact was concerned after doing research that oil had leaked onto the alternator and caused the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.
Engine light stays on and the fuel needle stays on empty after the tank is full.
Fuel sensor bad, gauge moves from full to empty before my eyes on a full tank of gas. Engine light comes on, low fuel light comes on. Mechanic tells me that this should be covered by hyundai with a recall but there is no recall. Worries me constantly, have to fill up after 60 miles every time
Service bulletins that may apply
- Higher-than-expected engine oil consumption
- Higher-than-expected engine oil consumption
- Engine that potentially leaks oil from the front cylinder bank’s valve cover onto the alternator
- This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services.
- Follow the guidelines outlined in
- This bulletin provides the service procedure for engine connecting rod bearing clearance testing
- This bulletin provides the inspection procedure and repair guidelines for certain vehicles listed below.
- These SKUs are Exhaust Manifolds with Catalytic Converters
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe check engine light
Is check engine light a common problem on the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe?
119 of 684 owner complaints about the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe (17%) mention check engine light. The model year with the most reports is 2017.
How much does it cost to fix check engine light on the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $650 (median of 20 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe?
There are 0 recalls and 23 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe
Fuel gauge 113Airbag light 57Stalling 25Adaptive cruise 24Loss of power 20Grinding brakes 15Sudden acceleration 15Headlights 13No deployment 12Ball joint 12ABS 11Hesitation 11Engine failure 10Fuel smell 8Brake failure 7Door locks 7Fire or smoke 7Power steering loss 7Pulling 7Won't shift 7Fuel pump 6Jerking 6Overheating 6Tire blowout 6Won't start 6Warning lights 5
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history