2015 Hyundai Santa FE engine problems
160 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2015 Hyundai Santa FE — 63% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“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…”
filed Jul 21, 2026
“I was driving down the road ( a busy Farm to market road) and my car lost power and died. Luckily i got off of the road. I tried to start the car again, but it kept dying. I had my son in law come help me move the car to a friends house so that I could get it to the dealership. It was after hours…”
filed Jun 12, 2026
“The engine failed due to complete and sudden oil loss. The vehicle is currently at Fremont Hyundai and available for inspection. Safety risk: the engine failed while driving on the highway with children in the vehicle. A check engine light appeared with no prior warning, the vehicle immediately lost power and stalled…”
filed May 17, 2026
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% |
| 2014 Santa FE | 274 | 56% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2015 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.