2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 198 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport over 14 years — 0 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Santa Fe Sport years here — under the median of the other years, which is 2. NHTSA has 6 recalls on file, including Brake control module, Engine, and Latch.

Complaints

198

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (108 of 198), then Hydraulic brakes (32) and Electrical system (15). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 14 that report a fire.

Next to 2014

The 2014 Santa Fe Sport has 161 complaints, 0 per year. The 2013 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2014.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (6)

Recall Brake control module 2023-09-22 · NHTSA campaign 23V651000

Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Remedy Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.

Recall Brake control module 2021-04-28 · NHTSA campaign 21V303000

Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. Brake fluid may leak inside the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) module, possibly resulting in an electrical short.

Remedy Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse, and inspect and replace the ABS module, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 25, 2021. Note: This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under NHTSA recall number 20V-520. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 205.

Recall Brake control module 2020-08-27 · NHTSA campaign 20V520000

Remedy Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ABS module and replace it if necessary, free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. The recall began December 22, 2020. Note: This recall has been superseded by NHTSA Recall 21V-303 and all affected vehicles will now be repaired under 21V-303. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 194.

Recall Engine 2018-12-28 · NHTSA campaign 18V934000

Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Sonata and 2013-2014 Santa Fe Sport vehicles previously repaired under recall numbers 15V-568 and 17V-226. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned, or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, allowing fuel to leak from the pipe.

Remedy Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 1, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's recall number for this recall is 180.

Recall latches, locks, and linkages, hood, latch 2017-06-05 · NHTSA campaign 17V358000

Summary 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 when the hood is closed.

Remedy 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's number for the recall is 163.

Recall Engine 2017-03-31 · NHTSA campaign 17V226000

Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Sonata and Santa Fe Sport vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.

Remedy Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine, replacing the engine short block, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 162.

Complaints by component (198 total)

Engine

108

Hydraulic brakes

Electrical system

Engine and engine cooling

Powertrain

Fuel and propulsion system

Service brakes

Latches, locks, and linkages

Steering

Structure

Visibility and wipers

Air bags

Electronic stability control (ESC)

Seats

Speed control

Suspension

Air brakes

Back-over prevention

Exterior lighting

Fuel system, gasoline

Fuel system, other

Wheels

Show 14 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that the front driver’s side door failed to unlatch as intended using either the interior or exterior door handles or the locking mechanism. In…"
Latches, locks, and linkages · filed 2026-09-14
"In October/November of 2023, while Hyundai was actively initiating Safety Recall 251 (NHTSA Campaign 23V-651), my vehicle's ABS Control Unit suffered an internal fluid leak that resulted in an electrical short-circuit.…"
Electrical system, Unknown or other, Service brakes · filed 2026-08-17
"I was driving down a highway and was slowing down as motorcycle in front of me was turning. I than proceeded to drive, I heard a loud noise which everyone in the vehicle thought it was the motorcycle (it wasn't) we…"
Engine · filed 2026-08-14
"The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that after a routine oil change, while driving back to the residence, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The…"
Engine · filed 2026-08-10
"My 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport is subject to Hyundai Recall 162 / NHTSA Recall 17V-226, concerning premature connecting-rod-bearing wear that can cause engine knocking, engine failure, and loss of motive power. My…"
Engine · filed 2026-07-30

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUV AWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUV FWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Specs and fitment

DM generation, 2013–2018

Body styles SUV

Oil 5W-30/5W-40 (2.0L turbo); 5W-20/5W-30 (2.4L) , 5.1 qt capacity

Tire size 235/65R17, 235/60R18 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 20V-520 covers certain 2013-2015 Santa Fe Sport vehicles: brake fluid may leak inside the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) module, possibly resulting in an electrical short and an increased risk of an engine compartment fire. Dealers inspect the ABS module and replace it if necessary. Owners are advised to park outside until the repair is complete. Recall 21V-303 is a related ABS module campaign for certain 2013-2015 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. Recall 17V-358 covers certain 2013-2017 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles where the secondary hood latch cable may corrode and bind.

Compare

Next year 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport See every Hyundai Santa Fe Sport model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport reliable?

What are common problems with a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (108 of 198), then Hydraulic brakes (32) and Electrical system (15). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 14 that report a fire.

Is the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2014 Santa Fe Sport has 161 complaints, 0 per year. The 2013 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2014.

Has the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport been recalled?

The 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport has 6 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport?

Owners have filed 198 complaints about the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport with NHTSA.

What oil does a Hyundai Santa Fe Sport take?

Viscosity and capacity depend on engine and model year; use the generation specs here and confirm in the owner's manual.

What generation is the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport?

DM generation (2013-2018) for the US years this site tracks.

What tire sizes does a Hyundai Santa Fe Sport use?

Common US sizes include 235/65R17 and 235/60R18 depending on trim.