2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Problems, Recalls & Reliability
377 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 25/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 88,000 miles.
Typical
Where 2016 sits among all Santa Fe years
What owners report
“I bought vehicle with 109,000 miles engine blew with 111,000 miles. It needs a new engine. This is the 3.3 v6 engine and it is out of warranty”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Santa Fe
“While driving on a smooth highway, the sunroof exploded out of the car. If the sunscreen had been open, my wife and i would have been cut to pieces by the flying glass.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Santa Fe
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 113 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 63,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 31,400 and 93,500 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in…
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters…
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles. 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…
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary latch cable, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owner's may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059.…
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured September 1, 2015 to February 12, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the wires in the front seat belt buckle harnesses may be damaged by the seat's height…
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and reroute the wires in the front seat belt buckle harnesses to their proper locations, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units…
Technical service bulletins
166 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2016 Santa Fe TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
The 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe drew 377 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 25/100, scored against the model's worst year (2017).
What are the most common 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe problems?
The top reported problems for the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe are engine (198 complaints), other (42), and transmission & drivetrain (23).
At what mileage do 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe problems show up?
Owners most often report 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe problems around 63,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 31,400 and 93,500 miles.
Does the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.