The Lemon Index2011 Hyundai Santa Fe.
The 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe is better than average by owner complaints: 74 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 82, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about engine, it has 3 recalls, and it gets 21 to 23 mpg combined. The best Hyundai Santa Fe year is 2016.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 181 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Hyundai Santa Fe year. 2011 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 21K to 98K miles on the car (149 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- engine complaints mostly came at 23K–103K miles
- electrical complaints mostly came at 31K–116K miles
- speed control complaints mostly came at 15K–59K miles
Recalls 3
- lights 2013
Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe…
- equipment 2011
CURT MANUFACTURING IS RECALLING CERTAIN TOW PACKAGE WIRING HARNESSES, PART NUMBER 55538, THAT CONNECT TOW VEHICLE LIGHTING CIRCUITS TO TRAILER LIGHTING CIRCUITS SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 THROUGH 2011 HYUNDA…
- brakes 2010
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 SANTA FE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 28, 2010, THROUGH NOVEMBER 25, 2010.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Hyundai told dealers about
Hyundai sent dealers 111 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Check engine light on, transaxle held in third gear, and trouble codes stored
- See document search button for owner letter
- The shift lever on some 6-speed vehicles may intermittently not shift out of park
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- ClosedLoss of motive power2022–2023
- ClosedThrottle control system vulnerabilities2021–2023
- ClosedNon-crash vehicle fires2019–2021
- ClosedNon-crash vehicle fires2018–2019
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai Santa Fe SUV 4WD | not rated | not rated | not rated | ★★★★☆ |
| Hyundai Santa Fe SUV FWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | ★★★★☆ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $2800–3050 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.4L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
Vehicle stalled when leaving stop light lost speed would not accelerate have read other complaints on line some are afraid to drive vehicles I agree saftey is an issue dealer or manufacture cannot find solution to problem.
2011 Hyundai Santa Fe owner · NHTSA complaint 10661015
More owner reports
For the second time this summer the engine has just shut off while driving slowly down hill. This time I barely missed causing an accident and hitting a pedestrian.
NHTSA complaint 10535699
Quick answers
Is the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.2× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 82; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Hyundai Santa Fe year by this measure is 2016.
What are the most common 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are engine (39%), transmission & drivetrain (22%) and speed control (22%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe have?
3 safety recalls (latest: lights). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe get?
21 to 23 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 21,800 and 98,400 miles. The middle report was at 44,100 miles, from 149 complaints.
Does the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 22% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe cost in fuel a year?
About $2800 to $3050 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe have?
2.4L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl.
What Hyundai Santa Fe year is better than the 2011?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2016, 2015 and 2018.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works