AutoUtility currently tracks 956 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. Engine & Cooling issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 617 complaints (64.5% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 14 filings cite a crash, 23 cite a fire, 11 report one or more injuries.
- • Total NHTSA Complaints: 956 reports
- • #1 Reported Problem Area: Engine & Cooling (617 reports • 64.5% of submitted complaints)
- • Secondary Problem Areas: Powertrain & Transmission (158), Brakes & Traction Control (69)
- • Crash-Citing Complaints: 14 filings
- • Fire-Citing Complaints: 23 filings
- • Complaints Reporting Injuries / Fatalities: 11 injury filings • 0 fatality filings
Most Reported Problems for 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe
Top automotive subsystem defect categories ranked by unique owner complaint volume in federal records
Engine & Cooling
NHTSA records list 1 official safety recall campaign for this model year involving the same broad component area:
- Campaign #17V578000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Powertrain & Transmission
Brakes & Traction Control
NHTSA records list 1 official safety recall campaign for this model year involving the same broad component area:
- Campaign #22V056000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
Electrical System
NHTSA records list 1 official safety recall campaign for this model year involving the same broad component area:
- Campaign #16V842000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
Symptoms Mentioned in NHTSA Owner Reports for 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe
Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis
AutoUtility uses deterministic phrase matching to identify recurring symptom descriptions within consumer-submitted NHTSA complaint narratives.
Loss of Motive Power While Driving
Engine Coolant Intrusion / Oil Leak
Engine Stalling / Sudden Shutdown
Recent NHTSA Owner Reports for 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"My 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe, purchased new from Lynnes Hyundai in February 2017, has approximately 93,000 miles. The vehicle previously developed a significant oil-consumption/engine problem that was diagnosed by Hyundai, and Hyundai replaced the engine with a remanufactured engine. Approximately two..."
"My 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe 3.3L V6 (148,000 miles) has documented oil consumption and a recurring DTC P0278 (Cylinder 6 Contribution/Balance). Hyundai's formal oil-consumption test confirmed oil consumption, but said it was below the threshold for combustion-chamber cleaning. The check-engine light..."
"There is a class action lawsuit for the Theta Engine in some Kia and Hyundai vehicles and my type of vehicle falls into this lawsuit category. I drive a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport and what the lawsuit described what happened to my vehicle, it seized up and you’re supposed to have a lifetime..."
"After the update earlier this summer for an emissions issue, my car, a 2017 Hyundi Santa Fe Sport, has not run right. When it is cold, the first trip on the day, it hesitates and sputters to an extent that it is not safe on the nearest highway where the speed limit is 35. We have been compensating..."
"Directly after the dealer, Johnson Hyundai of Apex, completed Service Campaign 9C2 on 4/28/26, my vehicle began sticking, surging, and harshly changing gears. I have followed up with the dealer multiple times. They said they are not getting back any diagnostic error codes (outside mechanic shop..."
Complaint History for Hyundai Santa Fe
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe | 254 | 9 | 2 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe | 235 | 6 | 3 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Current Page | 956 | 14 | 6 | Current |
| 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe | 108 | 6 | 2 | View 2018 Problems → |
| 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe | 193 | 16 | 2 | View 2019 Problems → |
| 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe | 203 | 13 | 2 | View 2020 Problems → |
| 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe | 184 | 4 | 8 | View 2021 Problems → |
| 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe | 257 | 12 | 8 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe | 281 | 13 | 2 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe | 172 | 11 | 7 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe | 206 | 9 | 5 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe | 0 | 0 | 4 | View 2026 Problems → |
Detailed NHTSA Component Breakdown for 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 104 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Reported Injury Entries | Reported Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 470 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 65 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 45 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 41 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering NHTSA category: STEERING | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 14 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 11 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SEATS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention / Camera NHTSA category: BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CHEST CLIP, BUCKLE, HARNESS,INSERT, PADDING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEAT BELTS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEATS,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEATS,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,SEAT BELTS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,SUSPENSION,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,WHEELS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FIRERELATED | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WHEELS,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Official NHTSA Defect Investigations (3)
Formal safety defect inquiries and engineering analyses opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)
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 by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions fo...
3.3L Engine Loss of Motive Power (LOMP)
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition on February 2, 2024, requesting a defect investigation into an alleged defect of the "engine" on the following vehicle model: 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles equipped with the 3.3L V-Shaped GDI Lambda-II engines. The petition cites allegations of a loss of motive power, often resulting in an engine seizure. The stall is preceded by a knocking sound, decreased performance and no warning...
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 spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experienc...
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.