The 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 828,948 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 288 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC22V0560002022-02-03357,348 affected
Defect
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Santa Fe, 2017-2018 Santa Fe Sport, 2019 Santa Fe XL, and 2014-2015 Tucson vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.
Consequence
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 31, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this…
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch actuating cable may corrode and bind, causing the secondary hood latch to remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
Consequence
If the hood is not securely closed or the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary latch cable, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owner's may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for the recall is 163.
SEAT BELTS16V1450002016-03-1034,200 affected
Defect
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured September 1, 2015 to February 12, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the wires in the front seat belt buckle harnesses may be damaged by the seat's height adjuster mechanism, resulting in a failure to provide an…
Consequence
Without a warning to remind the front seat occupants that their seat belts are not buckled, they may forget to buckle their seat belt, increasing their risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and reroute the wires in the front seat belt buckle harnesses to their proper locations, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 27, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 141.
Complaints by component
ENGINE
150
1crashes2fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
25
1injuries
POWER TRAIN
20
1injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
11
AIR BAGS
9
3crashes1injuries
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
9
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
8
SERVICE BRAKES
8
1fires
SEAT BELTS
6
1injuries
STRUCTURE:BODY
4
Total complaints288
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“I filed a complaint when the first engine seized. It's a miracle we got off the road safely that day. While it was at the dealership, the engine was replaced with a used engine and covered by my extended warranty from vroom. I believe the cost was approximately $14,000. I was told the engine had…”
“Purchased a used santa fe in january 2026 with 129k mile and at 131k my vehicle's cel came on and did not function properly while operating. While driving the vehicle failed to accelerate above 25 mph when I pushed the gas. I pulled over to get out of the way of traffic and avoid any accidents. I…”
“Rod bearing failure while driving, engine made a clanking noise. Engine made a loud bang and shut off. It was difficult for the driver to get control of the vehicle and get it to the side of the road. Engine threw the rod and piston through the oil pan causing catastrophic internal damage. The oil…”
“Beginning about a month ago, I noticed a rattle upon the engine start up that lasted for a 1-2 seconds then stopped and everything sounded normal. I thought it could be b/c of the cold weather. I went in to get a routine oil change on 03/11/2026 and they said the oil looked fine, but it was about…”
“The motor began to making a knocking noise and started smoking like a fire was starting. We immediately turned off the vehicle preventing from a full fledge fire. We had children in the car as well which posed a safety concern for them. We had no prior warning lights or issues. It has yet to be…”
“The contact owns a 2016 hyundai santa fe. The contact stated that while driving 60 mph and attempting to depress the accelerator pedal, the vehicle decelerated and failed to respond as intended. The contact coasted to the right side of the road, turned off the vehicle, and the vehicle failed to…”
“My engine failed at 113,000 miles. It just sounded like a diesel truck when I started it one day. There were no warning messages at all. It did not have any power above 45 mph. I took it to a hyundai dealer and showed him the extended warranty letter I received from hyundai. The letter said my…”
“My 2016 hyundai santa fe lost all power, shutting off and stopping abruptly in the middle of the road with no warning lights or “limp modeâ€� being set off requiring my partner and I to push it into someone’s driveway with our two children in the car to get them to safety. We took the vehicle…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationAQ23002 Opened 2023-11-17 · open
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured…
InvestigationDP21003 Opened 2021-11-12 · closed 2023-06-20
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a petition letter dated October 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (ETC) system on certain Kia vehicles resulting in the opening of DP21-003.…
InvestigationDP22003 Opened 2022-09-12 · closed 2023-12-12
Loss of Motive Power
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.