9.5

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$3,800
Average Mileage:
96,850 miles
Total Complaints:
8 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (4 reports)
  2. replace engine (4 reports)
2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport engine problems

engine problem

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2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Owner Comments

problem #8

Feb 142024

Santa Fe Sport 2.0t

  • Automatic transmission
  • 153,005 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This has been a reliable vehicle (has 153K miles) though it has been burning a qt. of oil every 1,000 miles since 110,000 miles. Driving home, car suddenly lost power and I pulled over immediately. The dealer where I’ve always serviced the car sez #4 valve stuck open and engine seized. They have quoted me $10K to install a new engine. Hyundai Corp. has refused to offer me any goodwill assistance.

- Jay B., Evergreen, CO, US

problem #7

Sep 222023

Santa Fe Sport 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 113,000 miles

2014 Sante Fe Sport bought in 2014 with 19000 miles. About 3 years ago I began hearing an intermittent "knocking" noise coming from the bottom end. Took to dealer (Brandon Hyundai) for evaluation and they came back stating my alternator had a bad bearing and it would cost $1200!! TOTAL SCAM!! No way an alternator costs $1200. Brought vehicle to another mechanic to check alternator and all was fine, charging as it should and NO BEARING NOISE! On 9/22/23 engine shut off twice while driving. No engine lights came on, and engine started and ran fine each time. Engine stalled a third time and was completely locked up. I learned that HYUNDAI was aware of this being a problem with this engine. I notified HYUNDAI directly and they set up an appointment with another dealer (Courtesy Hyundai) in town. It has been there a week and I have not heard anything from them, and they have not returned my calls yet. In the meantime I am spending $350 week for a rental car. I'm sure they do not yet have an answer, but it is extremely poor customer service to ignore customer inquiries.

- Angelo S., Seffner, FL, US

problem #6

Oct 062022

Santa Fe Sport 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 134,500 miles

Car died on the interstate with no prior warning lights, noises, or issues. Engine will not crank. Battery is in great condition, but engine appears to be seized. I've had all of the recalls (Even the Service Campaign 953-Engine Knock Sensor). Everything from Hyundai says my vehicle Doesn't/Didn't/Wasn't affected by the engine failure problem. Yet, here I am.

Dealership has had the car for a week already but still hasn't even looked at it. Filed a complaint with Hyundai about the engine failure, and a "regional case manager" was assigned, but they haven't done anything either. So far I'm out over $800 for a rental vehicle because the dealer didn't have any loaners, and insurance won't cover.

Internet searches for replacing this engine start around $6-7K, and can take around 3-4 weeks.

- Richard G., Knoxville, US

problem #5

Jun 242022

Santa Fe Sport 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 124,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I bought my 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe sport in April 2021 from Irwin Hyundai. I drove it a total of 6 months. I make sure all the fluids are checked and topped off if needed. One day I was driving back home and my car started making a tapping noise. I am glad that I was almost to my driveway. So, long story short. My engine threw a rod and there was no oil in it.

Irwin would not pay for another engine because I couldn't produce the oil change information nor would Hyundai do anything about it. So I paid out of pocket for a new engine and install labor.

Fast forward to now. I had an engine replacement and all was good until 6 months later - again my engine is failing and has either a rod knock or lifter tick. I just want this car out of my hair, and Irwin and Hyundai to do the right thing.

- Leann E., North Conway, NH, US

problem #4

Jun 222021

Santa Fe Sport Santa Fe Sport

  • Automatic transmission
  • 73,000 miles

I tried to enter in the fact I was quoted for $11,100.00 for an engine replacement by the Hyundai Dealership I bought it from, but this website said the amount was "extraordinarily high" and was over the value of the car. My car has 73,000 miles, was WELL maintained, and I still owe $14,000 for the purchase to the bank. This is EXACTLY what I had been quoted from two different dealerships for a REBUILT replacement engine when the current engine suddenly made the infamous clanking sound, got a puff of smoke, and seized in 5 o'clock traffic on a busy road in Atlanta with no dash board warning or any idea anything was happening at all. I BARELY got it started again and costed less than 2 miles away to the nearest repair shop with Toyota and was told I needed a new engine.

They tried in vain to help me with my extended warranty and after being quoted $11,000 at the time for a very hard to find replacement engine due to thousands of Hyundais breaking down, I resorted to have it towed to the dealership I bought if from 45 miles away. I found out there were 40 other Hyundais of various years and makes ALL needing new engines. And to date six weeks later, I am still without a repaired car and they still have an average of 40 other vehicles in and out of the station needing new engines. I have had to go so far as to write the president of Hyundai about this entire incidence in hope that someone might have an ounce of integrity with the huge volume of Hyundai and Kia motors going bad.

I even found out through a 20 year employee at Mobis parts who sells engines to these car companies that they were cranking out 145 engines PER DAY with recalls galore and other issues not even recalled yet, knowing full well they were endangering the end buyers. I had bought this car barely broken in at 31,000 miles in 2018 from SouthTowne Hyundai in Newnan, Georgia and even purchased the $1300 five star extended warranty package from Warranty Solutions as I was a second owner. Hyundai does not honor the original power train to anyone but the original owner. I had been forced to to traded in my then defunct car at a loss of $10,000 in value at the trade.

I had bought the trade in car from another dealership the year before only to discover that this used cute car was covered in paint on the undercarriage FULL of rust and no recourse at all to get my money back for the $18,000 I spent. If you live in Atlanta you KNOW you have to have a car - you can't get anywhere without one. Therefore I was offered $10,000 for a trade in and got what I could at the time with a Hyundai Sante Fe Sport. It drove well for the first 5000 to 10000 miles until it started having issues on the very first long distance ride to visit my dying grandmother across the country and the A/C went out. I was unable to get it fixed ANYWHERE but a certified dealership so had to drive back across the country in the heat with no air until I could get to a dealership. Since then I have needed two brand new batteries, a new electric panel on the rear passenger door, and now at ONLY 73,000 miles I can't even get the extended warranty company to cover it and Hyundai would only offer to put an "investigator" on the case.

Because this was not going to be fixed any time soon, and being in the middle of buying my very first house just prior to this car issue, I was going to have to buy another car with cash so not to mess up my house purchase. The rental car was $1100 over the holiday weekend and I searched to buy another car while I waited on the Hyundai. It's been two months since I had the car, six weeks since it's been at the dealership I bought it from all service records in their hands, and I am being made to wait and possibly denied to get a new engine.

From my past two car buying experiences, I am convinced that there are NO honest car salesmen or dealerships anywhere no matter what their claims are for treating you like "family". It's a money making mess and I am not only out a car, but the loss from the first car AND the money owed in the loan for the Hyundai.

- ReAnn R., Atlanta, GA, Georgia

problem #3

Dec 192020

Santa Fe Sport

  • Automatic transmission
  • 67,000 miles

Just adding to the list of Santa Fe engine failures.

Driving my 2014 Santa Fe on highway at regular speeds, turned on to the offramp and the car engine dies, lights still on radio still going, no engine power. My 19 year old was driving at the time and was crying and scared to death. I jumped into the drivers seat and turned the car off and back on and we drove the last mile home without incident. The next morning I started the car to take it to the garage and have it looked at. It started fine and then by the time I got my seat belt on and was ready to pull out of the driveway, the engine died again.

Again, I turned it off and then back on and it started fine. Decided to take it to the garage on my corner instead of the dealer; which is 4 miles away, to have the error code read. Didn't make it out of the driveway and heard a rattling noise. Pulled back into the driveway and called the dealer to have it towed. Turns out that the earliest Hyundai can get me in to even look at the car is 2 weeks! I bought the extended warranty, but any rental car coverage isn't covered until the dealer says it covered, so I am stuck for 2 weeks to pay for my own rental.

I too recommended the Hyundai to friends and family. I specifically bought this car because of the 100k warranty; which isn't really 100k, unless you pay extra for it. This isn't my first issue with my Car. Several times I took my car into the dealer for a tune up/oil change and twice I had a leak that was not there when I brought it in. I feel like there is rats or something at the dealer that chewed through my hoses.

I have always taken my car in for all of the recommended tune ups/oil changes and I've changed the battery. I will never buy another Hyundai, nor will I recommend it to friends or family. I should not be having problems like this at only 65k miles. I have already spread the word to never buy one to everyone I know.

I will let you know in 2 weeks what becomes of this, but after reading every thing online about this same kind of issue and Hyundai not covering it, I am not very optimistic. Especially since I can't even take it in for 2 weeks. Ridiculous!! Hyundai needs to get their S*** Together!

Update from May 19, 2021: I am happy to say that Hyundai replaced the engine and cover all expenses. I still find it ridiculous that an engine with 67k miles would need to be replaced, but at least I am up and running again.

- Tammy C., Redondo Beach, US

problem #2

Feb 022019

Santa Fe Sport Limitied

  • Automatic transmission
  • 70,000 miles

I'd love to post the entire word paper that I have written but it seems to run the size of a thesis.

I have a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. Dealer serviced, never had anyone else touch it. On January 25th 2019 I took my car to my usual service dealer where they performed and oil change and some kind of ecm cluster update. Within a day the oil leaked out of my car. Was towed to another Hyundai service center where to perform another oil change because the first one used a bad gasket/filter or some such thing. Took it back to have my service center look at it and was told it should be fine to drive for the weekend. Not so, the engine seized the following morning. I was told the ecm update caused an electrical issue which caused my engine to seize....can we say blame everyone else but the messed up oil change?

My car has now been sitting at the dealer since 2/2/2019 - when I ask anyone at Hyundai about when I can expect to get my car back I get either a generic no idea or no one answers me at all.

I have a case manager at Hyundai Corporate and get the same run around. No one can answer when I may actually get my car back since the engine is back ordered. From researching I see this is a well known issue yet there are no engines to be had??

How does a company that has been around for 30+ years not stand by their automobiles? Each place I call gives me the same run around. My case manager cannot be bothered to answer me unless it is on a specific date which has to be every 2 weeks. None of this sits well with me.

I am paying for a car I do not have. I have their loaner car which is not up to par with my fully loaded car.

Anyone have any suggestions on this?

- Jennifer C., Staten Island, US

problem #1

Nov 282018

Santa Fe Sport

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles

Let me relive that bad day in question: purchased a used 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe sport. Kept all service appointment as required. It was brought to me about a recall on this vehicle, so I took it in to a Hyundai dealer for the recall-noted the engine was always making noise since I purchased it, so I let the service tech. be aware of this. After servicing the Santa Fe sport, I planned a trip to see my daughter. While accelerating in the fast lane, engine shut down & all red showing in the dash. Pulled over to my extreme left because of the traffic behind me & wasn't able to get over to the right. Spent 4 hrs. on the freeway. Finally along came a tow truck (not the one I called) it was a freeway metro tow truck to tow me out of the danger zone on the freeway. Got to a local Hyundai and found out the engine was blown. Had a problem with a car before, getting a new engine put in after an engine failure. Put it short, I ended buying a new car. Reported the 2014 Santa Fe to the Hyundai corp.-- about the lemon law- they offered $3000 in "good faith" which was a slap in the face. Lawsuit in progress. I'lllet you know about this later. I know there is a better deal than this--you think? Let me know.

- spwaterman, long beach, US

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