YearToAvoid

2010 Hyundai Santa Fe Engine Problems

Engine problems account for 63 complaints on the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe, 24% of all 258 complaints filed for the year. NHTSA lists no related recalls for this component, and median mileage at failure is 51,000 miles.

Engine complaints
63
24% of 258
Crashes reported
3
Fires reported
3
Injuries reported
4
Median mileage
51,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report sudden engine surging or revving with the accelerator unresponsive, sometimes with cruise control unable to disengage.
  • Some describe the engine stalling or losing power while driving, in a few cases followed by smoke or flames from the wheel wells or air vents.
  • Several drivers report a jerk or kick sensation when the vehicle first starts moving or shifts into drive.
  • A pause or hesitation after pressing the gas pedal was reported, followed by a sudden burst of acceleration once the vehicle responds.
  • Intermittent low-speed lurching or hesitation during warm-up was reported by multiple owners, sometimes recurring over months.

When 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe engine complaints were filed

First complaint Jul 25, 2010, latest Aug 1, 2026.

2010 Hyundai Santa Fe engine complaints: complaints filed per quarter52010 Q32012 Q22014 Q22017 Q12020 Q12022 Q12025 Q2
63 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2014 Q2 (5).

Engine recalls for the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Santa Fe model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201063 (24%)
  2. 201187 (48%)
  3. 2012264 (75%)
  4. 2013293 (48%)
  5. 2014289 (59%)
  6. 2015163 (64%)
  7. 2016157 (67%)
  8. 2017701 (73%)
  9. 201859 (54%)
  10. 201980 (40%)
  11. 202088 (41%)
  12. 202142 (25%)
  13. 202264 (32%)
  14. 202348 (23%)
  15. 202420 (13%)
  16. 202520 (15%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are engine problems in the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe?
NHTSA lists 63 engine-related complaints for the 2010 Santa Fe, which is 24% of the 258 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe engine?
No. NHTSA shows no related recalls tied to this engine complaint category for the 2010 model year.
At what mileage do engine problems typically appear?
The median mileage at failure among reported engine complaints is 51,000 miles.
What kinds of engine failures do owners describe?
Owners describe sudden surging or revving, stalling with occasional smoke or fire, low-speed lurching, and hesitation followed by sudden acceleration.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.