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
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
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The 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport has 341 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport has 341 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is engine at 156 complaints, typically surfacing around 80,286 miles (~$3,100 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 Santa Fe Sport | 159 | 5 |
| 2015 Santa Fe Sport | 80 | 3 |
| 2016 Santa Fe Sport | 65 | 1 |
| 2017 Santa Fe Sport (this page) | 341 | 3 |
| 2018 Santa Fe Sport | 318 | 4 |
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: Optional
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUV AWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: steering is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 52,218 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 3 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 6.6/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →When owners report each system failing, in actual miles — so you can see what's likely behind you, what's due around now, and what to budget for next. Enter your mileage to mark where you are.
"Typical" = median owner-reported failure mileage from the NHTSA complaint record for this exact year and model. Not a maintenance schedule — a heads-up on where this model's failures cluster.
I have maintained my car regularly. I use LOFSYNBLEND oil at 7500 mile intervals per car and oil manufacturer. At 70000 mile oil change the tech showed me that less than a quart of oil came out of the crankcase during the oil change. There were no visible leaks, no visible…
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle began to stall as an abnormal, knocking sound began to emit from the engine without warning. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer where she…
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle began to jerk without warning as the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull off to the side of the road and had the vehicle towed to an independent…
My Engine malfunctioned while driving on the interstate at 70 mph. There were no lights that came on no notice just stopped excelerating. Thankfully after exiting the interstate I was able to get to a gas station safely and that is where the vehicle died altogether and would not…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
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.
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.
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. AQ23002 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.6 out of 10 based on 341 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
The 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 6.6/10 — around the segment average; 3 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the engine first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 156 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 80,286 miles. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 6.6 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 341 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is engine. Typical failure occurs around 80,286 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is engine, with 156 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 80,286 miles. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop.
The engine is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 80,286 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 341 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $3,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.