2017 Hyundai Santa Fe
Gas Compact SUV
The 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 10 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Santa Fe Sport FWD, is EPA-rated at 24 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 1307 complaints, most often about engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe Sport FWD | Gas | FWD | 2.4L 4-cyl | 21 | 27 | 24 | $2,600 |
| Santa Fe Sport FWD | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 20 | 28 | 23 | $2,700 |
| Santa Fe Sport Ultimate FWD | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 20 | 27 | 23 | $2,700 |
| Santa Fe Sport AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 19 | 26 | 22 | $2,850 |
| Santa Fe Sport AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.4L 4-cyl | 20 | 26 | 22 | $2,850 |
| Santa Fe FWD | Gas | FWD | 3.3L 6-cyl | 18 | 25 | 21 | $2,950 |
| Santa Fe Sport Ultimate AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 19 | 24 | 21 | $2,950 |
| Santa Fe AWD | Gas | AWD | 3.3L 6-cyl | 18 | 24 | 20 | $3,100 |
| Santa Fe Ultimate FWD | Gas | FWD | 3.3L 6-cyl | 17 | 23 | 20 | $3,100 |
| Santa Fe Ultimate AWD | Gas | AWD | 3.3L 6-cyl | 17 | 22 | 19 | $3,300 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
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The 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.
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Recalls (7)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
criticalProblem: 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.
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: 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 recall is 218.
Engine And Engine Cooling
highProblem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Santa Fe vehicles equipped with 3.3L engines. The crankshaft assemblies may have been produced with surface irregularities in the crankshaft pin, causing engine bearing wear.
Risk: The engine bearing wear may cause the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify all owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the engine, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 168.
Latches/Locks/Linkages
highProblem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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 Belts
highProblem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the bolt for the driver's seat belt anchor might not have been sufficiently tightened during assembly.
Risk: If the bolt was not sufficiently tightened, driver's seat belt may come unanchored in a collision, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners and dealers will verify that the driver's seatbelt anchor is properly secured, free of charge. The recall began July 7, 2017. Owner's may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for the recall is 165.
Tires
highProblem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The affected vehicles have a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that may not have been set in the correct mode during vehicle assembly, and therefore will not provide an appropriate warning in the event of an underinflated tire. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Risk: An underinflated inflated tire can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the TPMS sensors, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for the recall is 159.
Electrical System
highProblem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Tucson vehicles manufactured May 19, 2015, to November 14, 2016, and 2017 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured November 28, 2015, to November 14, 2016. The affected vehicles may be equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result, in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected accessory trailer hitch wiring harnesses, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 13, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 153.
Seat Belts
highProblem: 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 audible warning when front seat occupants do not fasten their seat belts. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
NHTSA investigations
Engine — 3.3L Engine Loss of Motive Power (LOMP) (closed)
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 lights. An analysis of the subject vehicle population was undertaken using complaints submitted to ODI along with manufacturer data. It was determined that the frequency of events is low for the subject population, while those that specifically rep
Opened Feb 8, 2024 · closed May 16, 2024 · action DP24001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module — Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires (open)
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 for the same or similar equipment supplied by Mando. Safety recalls included in this Audit Query (AQ) review include: Hyundai recalls 20V-520, 20V-543, 21V-161, 21V-160, 21V-303, 22V-056, 22V-810, and 23V-651. Kia recalls 16V-815, 20V-518, 20V-519, 21V
Opened Nov 17, 2023 · action AQ23002
Engine — Loss of Motive Power (closed)
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 experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are
Opened Sep 12, 2022 · closed Dec 12, 2023 · action DP22003
Owner complaints
1307 complaints filed
19 involved a crash, 30 a fire, 26 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2016: 47 · 2017: 99 · 2018: 58 · 2019: 56 · 2020: 38 · 2021: 59 · 2022: 222 · 2023: 270 · 2024: 196 · 2025: 145 · 2026: 117
Most-cited components
- Engine — 840
- Power Train — 199
- Unknown Or Other — 127
- Fuel/Propulsion System — 84
- Vehicle Speed Control — 79
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 14% |
| SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 15% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.
Other Santa Fe model years
2027 Santa Fe
0 recalls · 0 complaints
D2026 Santa Fe
4 recalls · 46 complaints
F2025 Santa Fe
5 recalls · 215 complaints
F2024 Santa Fe
7 recalls · 176 complaints
C2023 Santa Fe
2 recalls · 284 complaints
F2022 Santa Fe
8 recalls · 262 complaints
F2021 Santa Fe
8 recalls · 185 complaints
C2020 Santa Fe
2 recalls · 207 complaints
D2019 Santa Fe
3 recalls · 221 complaints
F2018 Santa Fe
5 recalls · 427 complaints
D2016 Santa Fe
3 recalls · 303 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 37243, 37217, 37218, 37219, 37244, 37228, 37220, 37230, 37229, 37231). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.