2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Transmission & Powertrain Problems
NHTSA lists 18 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, 6% of its 320 total complaints, with a median failure mileage of 700. One crash and two injuries are linked, but no related recalls are on file for this area.
- Transmission & Powertrain complaints
- 18
- 6% of 320
- Crashes reported
- 1
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 2
- Median mileage
- 700 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical transmission symptoms owners report
- Vehicle stalls or hesitates for a second or two when accelerating from a stop or turning into traffic, sometimes engaging with a jerk afterward.
- Engine loses power at highway speed, decelerating and refusing to accelerate past a reduced top speed while the check engine light comes on.
- Owners report excessive oil consumption between oil changes, with the engine running low or completely out of oil despite no warning light.
- Some owners describe connecting rod failure tied to the Theta engine, with the car stuttering and unable to rev past a low RPM before shutting off.
- Repeated engine shutoffs in moving traffic, including one report of the engine dying twice with a child in the car.
When 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport transmission complaints were filed
First complaint Feb 6, 2018, latest Aug 26, 2026.
Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Santa Fe Sport model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
- 201311 (6%)
- 201413 (8%)
- 20157 (9%)
- 20163 (4%)
- 201740 (11%)
- 201818 (6%)
Frequently asked questions
- How many transmission and powertrain complaints does the 2018 Santa Fe Sport have?
- NHTSA lists 18 complaints in this area for the 2018 model year, which is 6% of its 320 total complaints.
- Is there a recall for the 2018 Santa Fe Sport transmission or powertrain?
- No related recalls are listed for this problem area in the NHTSA data provided.
- At what mileage do these powertrain problems tend to show up?
- The median mileage at failure for these complaints is 700 miles, though some cases occurred much later, including one at 135,000 miles.
- Have these powertrain issues caused any crashes or injuries?
- Yes, NHTSA data links one crash and two injuries to this complaint area for the 2018 Santa Fe Sport.
- How does 2018 compare to other Santa Fe Sport years for this problem?
- The 2018 model's 18 complaints and 6% share are lower than the 2017 model year, which had 40 complaints and an 11% share.