2021 Hyundai Santa FE engine problems

36 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2021 Hyundai Santa FE — 22% of all complaints for this model year.

Engine complaints

22%

share of all complaints

—

median reported incident mileage

0 / 0

crash / fire reports

What owners report

“My check engine light came on, and my car was also feeling "sluggish" and slow to accelerate. I scheduled a service appointment at my local dealer 4 days later. At the appointment, the technician stated everything checked out okay and the check engine light was likely an "anomaly" or "outlier" but…”
filed Jun 24, 2026
“My 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe (VIN [XXX] ) is experiencing severe engine instability, including rough idling, hesitation upon acceleration, and intermittent stalling. These symptoms align with TSB 26-FL-001H regarding defective GDI fuel injectors. The vehicle has stalled in traffic, creating an…”
filed May 11, 2026

Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.

Some vehicles may exhibit difficulty starting in cold weather. This bulletin provides the procedure to perform an inspection on the starter magnetic switch for potential freezing and, if necessary, replace the starter…
26-EE-003H TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 18, 2026