2015 Hyundai Santa FE: problems, recalls and reliability
2 recalls and 254 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine (60% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · 2 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall Sep 2023
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 254 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Driving on highway no warning lights appeared the car made a loud pop noise and heavy smoke appeared from under the hood. Immediately pulled over and noticed all of the oil poured out and was nasty looking. The car was up to date on oil change. My car was towed home and bone dry no oil and no coolant the engine now had loud knocking and needs to be replaced for failure. The car was looked at by independent mechanic. Miles on the car are 152010. I had no warnings and up until the issues the car was serviced and cared for.”Owner report · Engine · Jul 2026
“Vehicle engine started knocking heavily while driving down the road. Had vehicle inspected for issue and was told vehicle had burned all the oil down to one quart and the engine was destroyed. Vehicle recently serviced with oil change within roughly 3,000 miles.”Owner report · Engine · Jul 2025
“015 Santa Fe Ultimate. 134,000 miles. Original owner. All maintenance done per manual. Wife on hwy 2 hrs. Started loud engine knocking noise. No warning whatsiever.Pulled off closet exit. Stalled.Restarted.Pulled into gas station. Trusted mechanic inspected. Stated not to drive. He had identical vehicle at shop,identical problem.110,000 miles. Needs new engine.Noticed on fbook Forum,"Hyundai Engine Problems". Alot of similar complaints posted. Hyundai not warranting over 100,000 miles. This could have been much worse if it had been at night,in a rural area. Shocked has not been a recall!”Owner report · Engine · Jul 2025
Show 7 more owner reports
“I purchased this vehicle one year ago from a used car dealership with 148,000 miles on it. Within a few months it was throwing crankshaft position, sensor codes, camshaft codes, and burning oil. I cannot bring my RPMs above two without my check engine light coming on and blinking. My car will go into limp mode. Hyundai does not have my car included in the engine recall they only have the sport Santa Fe included. They released an extended warranty for 150,000 miles but by the time that was put into place my car was at 151,000 miles so it was not eligible.”Owner report · Engine · Jun 2025
“The brake light switch is malfunctioning and causing the brake light to stay on continiously. This is dangerous because the brake light stays on so theres no indication that I'm getting ready to stop because the light is already on, increaseing the risk of a crash. The cruise control is also afecteced with this issue because it stop working at the same time. I looked up the recall and it said that 2013 -2015 hydundia santa fee sport vihecles were affected, but when I call the dearlership they said my VIN# was not included in the recall!”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Dec 2024
“I was driving on the highway when, out of nowhere, my car started shaking whenever I went over 40 miles per hour. It was quite alarming and honestly a bit scary. So, I would like to request a recall on it. A week after I took it to Hyundai, they informed me that they sent it to you to see if it would be approved to cover the motor. I've had this car for just 2 years, and it's frustrating to deal with issues like this. I truly appreciate your attention to this matter, as I hope we can resolve it soon. Thank you for your understanding!”Owner report · Vehicle Speed Control · Nov 2024
“At 110K miles my Sante Fe Sport began burning increasing amounts of oil. My mechanic says he does not know why it is burning oil. Today it has 134171K miles on it. It has been burning a quart or more of oil weekly. I drive about 200 miles per week.”Owner report · Engine · Oct 2024
“The engine has basically come apart. There is a timing chain issue, the engine is not recalled and it is getting where the car cannot drive. There is a constant smell of burning electrical wires. There's also issues with the heating and air that is related to electrical.”Owner report · Electrical System · Oct 2024
“My car burns a lot of oil. The Hyundai dealership service center ran a controlled test and validated that my car burned a quart of oil in 1000 miles. This is not normal. It turns out that there are a lot of Hyundai owners with the exact same problem. It seems there are bad piston rings.”Owner report · Engine · Oct 2024
“Misfire code P0302 Injector failed open, flooded cylinder with fuel. Gas in the oil Possible cylinder failure Lack of compression”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Jul 2024
When filing, owners marked a crash in 9 of these complaints and injuries in 10 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 2 campaigns
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.
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.
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.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2015 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Santa FE by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2015 Hyundai Santa FE reliable?
NHTSA has 254 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns on record for the 2015 Hyundai Santa FE. The most complained-about area is engine (60% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2015 Hyundai Santa FE problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 67,430 miles or less.
Does the 2015 Hyundai Santa FE have open recalls?
2 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.