Reliable Auto DB

2016 Hyundai Santa Fe reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe has 236 complaints with NHTSA after 11 years, or 9 per year. That is the fewest complaints per year among the 13 Santa Fe years on this site. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Brake control module, Latch, and Warning light.

2012 Hyundai Santa Fe
Photo by Elise240SX, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

236

Per year

9

Recalls

3

Years on the road

11

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (151 of 236), then Powertrain (21) and Electrical system (11). Those filings include 6 that report a crash, 2 that report a fire, and 5 that report an injury.

Next to 2015 and 2017

The 2015 Santa Fe has 254 complaints, 10 per year, and the 2017 has 966 complaints, 62 per year. The 2016 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2015. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017.

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 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (3)

Recall Brake control module 2022-02-03 · NHTSA campaign 22V056000
Summary 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 an engine compartment fire.
Remedy 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 were mailed May 31, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 218.
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 seat belts, front, warning light 2016-03-10 · NHTSA campaign 16V145000
Summary 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 adjuster mechanism, resulting in a failure to provide an audible warning when front seat occupants do not fasten their seat belts. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Remedy 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 27, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 141.

Complaints by component (236 total)

Engine
151
Powertrain
21
Electrical system
11
Air bags
9
Hydraulic brakes
9
Fuel and propulsion system
8
Seat belts
8
Service brakes
8
Structure
6
Speed control
5
Engine and engine cooling
4
Back-over prevention
3
Seats
3
Steering
3
Visibility and wipers
3
Wheels
3
Electronic stability control (ESC)
2
Exterior lighting
2
Suspension
2
Equipment
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Lane departure
1
Visibility
1
Show 15 more Show less
Crash-flagged

6

Fire-flagged

2

Injury reports

5

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

3201510201662017820181320191320202820213620225720234720248202572026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "1. Component/System Failure & Availability: The failed component is the engine's internal Camshaft Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) phaser backing bolt within the 3.3L V6 engine assembly. An internal factory bolt…"
    Powertrain, Engine · filed 2026-09-04
  • "WHAT FAILED: The engine — the 3.3L Lambda II GDI V6 (engine family GHYXV03.31XE per the federal emissions label) — failed catastrophically: a connecting rod penetrated the engine block. The failed engine IS available…"
    Engine · filed 2026-06-11
  • "I filed a complaint when the first engine seized. It's a miracle we got off the road safely that day. While it was at the dealership, the engine was replaced with a used engine and covered by my extended warranty from…"
    Engine · filed 2026-06-06
  • "Purchased a used Santa Fe in January 2026 with 129k mile and at 131k my vehicle's CEL came on and did not function properly while operating. While driving the vehicle failed to accelerate above 25 mph when I pushed the…"
    Engine · filed 2026-05-25
  • "Rod bearing failure while driving, engine made a clanking noise. Engine made a loud bang and shut off. It was difficult for the driver to get control of the vehicle and get it to the side of the road. Engine threw the…"
    Engine · filed 2026-04-21

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2016 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV AWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
2016 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV FWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

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.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Santa Fe all-wheel drive 3.3L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) All-wheel drive 18 24 20 MPG $3250
Santa Fe front-wheel drive 3.3L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 18 25 21 MPG $3100
Santa Fe Sport all-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) All-wheel drive 19 25 21 MPG $3100
Santa Fe Sport all-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) All-wheel drive 18 24 20 MPG $3250
Santa Fe Sport front-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 20 27 23 MPG $2800
Santa Fe Sport front-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 19 26 22 MPG $2950
Santa Fe Sport Ultimate front-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 19 26 22 MPG $2950
Santa Fe Ultimate all-wheel drive 3.3L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) All-wheel drive 17 22 19 MPG $3400
Santa Fe Ultimate front-wheel drive 3.3L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 17 23 20 MPG $3250

Specs and fitment

3rd generation (DM), 2012–2018
Body styles SUV
Oil 5W-20 or 5W-30 (2.4L and 3.3L V6 per manual) , 5 qt capacity
Tire size 235/60R18 to 235/55R19 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 5,000 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 17V358000. 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. If the hood is not securely closed or the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. 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.

Compare

Previous year 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Next year 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe See every Hyundai Santa Fe model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?

The 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe has 236 complaints with NHTSA after 11 years, or 9 per year. That is the fewest complaints per year among the 13 Santa Fe years on this site. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Brake control module, Latch, and Warning light.

What are common problems with a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (151 of 236), then Powertrain (21) and Electrical system (11). Those filings include 6 that report a crash, 2 that report a fire, and 5 that report an injury.

Is the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2015 Santa Fe has 254 complaints, 10 per year, and the 2017 has 966 complaints, 62 per year. The 2016 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2015. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017.

Has the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe been recalled?

The 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe has 3 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 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe?

Owners have filed 236 complaints about the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe is 20.9 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Santa Fe take?

5W-20 or 5W-30 (2.4L and 3.3L V6 per manual)

What does NHTSA recall 17V-358 cover on the Hyundai Santa Fe?

NHTSA campaign 17V358000.

What generation is the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe?

3rd generation (DM) (2012-2018).