The car began shuttering while driving down a main street (45-50mph). When we pulled over we smelled gasoline and burning. The car was towed to Hyundai service department. The service department informed my the fuel injectors were leaking causing a fire. The are replying the fuel injectors and told me it would be wise to have them replace all sparks plugs ($190) while they had the engine opened…
2018 Hyundai Santa Fe engine problems
moderate 41 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
41
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
2fires
When does it fail?
Of the 41 engine complaints filed for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Engine accounts for 38% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 7 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 41 engine complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
Engine problem
I bought my 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe 3.3L a year and a half ago with 58k miles from a dealer in Clarksville, MD. On October 18th 2022 with 70k miles my Hyundai Santa Fe starting making a loud noise in engine so I took it to a Hyundai dealer where I was told my engine would need to be replaced and was quoted 19.1k to replace it. I'm the second owner of the car so technically not under warranty.…
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that upon checking the engine oil dipstick, the dipstick was abnormally dry. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who performed an oil consumption test over 1,000 miles, and found that the engine was consuming 2 quarts of oil. The contact was informed that the excessive oil consumption could cause…
Was on my way home from work, and suddenly my engine threw a rod and now my engine is blown.
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while conducting a routine inspection on the vehicle, the contact noticed that the coolant was low in the coolant reservoir. The contact drove the vehicle to a local dealer where the vehicle was inspected. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer suggested that the vehicle remain at the dealer to…
Had engine trouble with your 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 41 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 16,000 and 142,000 miles, with the median around 27,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 16,000; a quarter make it past 142,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2018/Hyundai/Santa Fe.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.