The Lemon Index2017 Hyundai Santa Fe.
The 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe is one of the worst years by owner complaints: 298 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 212, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 7 recalls, and it gets 19 to 24 mpg combined. The best Hyundai Santa Fe year is 2016.
Lemon alert. 2.1× the average car's complaints.
Best year 2016
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
Fixes owners look up most.
From 100 YouTube videos about the 2013–2018 Hyundai Santa Fe, 21.9M views. The 2017 is the same generation.
- Gauges, lights & wiring1.1M views
How to Replace Headlight Bulbs - Hyundai Santa Fe (2013-2018)Virar Automotive · 354K views · 6 videos - Transmission & shifter501K views
How to change the transmission fluid on a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2WDVlad S · 281K views · 3 videos - Driveshaft, axles & 4x4480K views
2016 Hyundai Santa Fe 4x4 - Offroad Demo RunAutoXan · 480K views - Brakes & ABS397K views
Replace Brake Light Bulb - Hyundai Santa Fe (2013-2018)Virar Automotive · 196K views · 4 videos
Show 4 more
- Infotainment, battery & electrical190K views
![How to [EASILY] Replace the Battery - Hyundai Santa Fe (2013-2018)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bohu2M2cwkE/mqdefault.jpg)
How to [EASILY] Replace the Battery - Hyundai Santa Fe (2013-2018)Virar Automotive · 112K views · 2 videos - Windows, doors & mirrors157K views
REPAIRING broken lower door molding garnish 2014 hyundai santa fe 877222W000CALive Free · 157K views - Oil changes & service75K views
How to Change Engine Oil 2013-2018 Hyundai Santa FeTRQ · 75K views - Timing chain & engine75K views
![How to Check and Fill Fluids [COMPLETE GUIDE] - Hyundai Santa Fe (2013-2018)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/q0OkNUpu1gw/mqdefault.jpg)
How to Check and Fill Fluids [COMPLETE GUIDE] - Hyundai Santa Fe (2013-2018)Virar Automotive · 75K views
Before you buy, watch
Top 5 Problems Hyundai Santa Fe SUV 3rd Generation 2013-181A Auto: Repair Tips & Secrets Only Mechanics Know · 1.0M views
2016 Kia Sorento vs. Hyundai Santa Fe Mashup Drag Race ReviewThe Fast Lane Car · 1.2M views
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport AWD on & off-road ReviewThe Fast Lane Car · 612K viewsViews show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them.
How serious. Out of 1,326 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Hyundai Santa Fe year. 2017 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 4K to 80K miles on the car (424 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 10K–96K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 0K–20K miles
- fuel or ev drive system complaints mostly came at 6K–25K miles
Recalls 7
- brakes 2022
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.
- engine 2017
The crankshaft assemblies may have been produced with surface irregularities in the crankshaft pin, causing engine bearing wear.
- latches/locks/linkages 2017
In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch actuating cable may corrode and bind, causing the secondary hood latch to remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
Show all 7 recalls
- seat belts 2017
In the affected vehicles, the bolt for the driver's seat belt anchor might not have been sufficiently tightened during assembly.
- tires 2017
The affected vehicles have a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that may not have been set in the correct mode during vehicle assembly, and therefore will not provide an appropriate warning in the event of an underin…
- electrical 2016
The affected vehicles may be equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result, in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated.
- seat belts 2016
In the affected vehicles, the wires in the front seat belt buckle harnesses may be damaged by the seat's height adjuster mechanism, resulting in a failure to provide an audible warning when front seat occupants do not fa…
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 249 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- If you are servicing an applicable vehicle with a complaint of check engine light on and one…
- Before installing an automatic transmission, check the depth of the torque converter in the…
- If you are servicing a vehicle with a harsh and/or delayed shift, use the GDS as shown in the…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- OpenHyundai and kia abs module fires2023
- Closed3.3l engine loss of motive power (lomp)2024
- ClosedLoss of motive power2022–2023
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 AWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | not rated |
| Hyundai Santa Fe SUV FWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | not rated |
| Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $2700–3400 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.0L 4-cyl, 2.4L 4-cyl, 3.3L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
Hit pot hole after stop and stability control stops power to transmission...5-8 seconds of no accelaration has caused safety issue when merging into traffic. Appears to be a very common problem on user based forums.
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe owner · NHTSA complaint 10970592
More owner reports
The vehicle from time to time about once a week stalls while accelerating, it happened so far while doing a left turn on local streets. This is very dangerous and can cause an accident
NHTSA complaint 11079558
From stop, or near stop, engine cuts out (stumbles) during normal acceleration.
NHTSA complaint 10882414
Quick answers
Is the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
No, it is one of the worst by government complaints. It drew 2.1× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 212; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Hyundai Santa Fe year by this measure is 2016.
What are the most common 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (36%), engine (34%) and speed control (17%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe have?
7 safety recalls (latest: brakes). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe get?
19 to 24 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Is the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe safe?
NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
At what mileage do 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 4,600 and 80,000 miles. The middle report was at 24,900 miles, from 424 complaints.
Does the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 36% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe cost in fuel a year?
About $2700 to $3400 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe have?
2.0L 4-cyl, 2.4L 4-cyl, 3.3L 6-cyl.
What Hyundai Santa Fe year is better than the 2017?
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