2013 Hyundai Santa FE engine problems
273 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2013 Hyundai Santa FE — 45% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Burning oil fast has been confirmed. I always go get frequently oil changes and top off Because it burns a lot. I never get a warning lamp When I go toc get my oil service representative tells me my oil is completely gone.”
filed Jul 29, 2025
“While I acknowledge that my vehicle is no longer under warranty, I remain extremely concerned about the excessive oil consumption issue. My vehicle is equipped with the Theta II engine, which has been the subject of multiple class action lawsuits and recalls due to serious engine defects, including…”
filed Jun 30, 2025
“While driving to work the gas pedal suddenly would not make the vehicle Excellerate and i was barely able to get the car on the side of the road, when i stopped and turned it off it would not start again. I had it towed to the mechanic and they have let us know it was total engine failure, and they would be attempting…”
filed Jun 4, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
Certain Santa Fe / Santa Fe XL (NC) vehicles equipped with 3.3L Lambda II GDI engines may exhibit abnormal engine noise or damage. Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 26-EM-002H describes the procedure to inspect the…
26-EM-002H DCS · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Feb 11, 2026Certain Santa Fe / Santa Fe XL (NC) vehicles equipped with 3.3L Lambda II GDI engines may exhibit abnormal engine noise or damage. This bulletin describes the procedure to inspect the engine and perform the proper…
26-EM-002H TSB · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Feb 11, 2026Certain Santa Fe / Santa Fe XL (NC) vehicles equipped with 3.3L Lambda II GDI engines may exhibit abnormal engine noise or damage. This service procedure describes to inspect the engine and perform the proper repair…
26-EM-002H DN · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Feb 11, 2026
Engine problems in other Santa FE years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Santa FE | 1 | 3% |
| 2025 Santa FE | 12 | 10% |
| 2024 Santa FE | 11 | 8% |
| 2023 Santa FE | 35 | 17% |
| 2022 Santa FE | 52 | 27% |
| 2021 Santa FE | 36 | 22% |
| 2020 Santa FE | 70 | 35% |
| 2019 Santa FE | 66 | 34% |
| 2018 Santa FE | 53 | 49% |
| 2017 Santa FE | 631 | 67% |
| 2016 Santa FE | 150 | 64% |
| 2015 Santa FE | 160 | 63% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2013 Hyundai Santa FE
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.