YearToAvoid

2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Engine Problems

Engine complaints make up 80 of 200 total complaints (40%) for the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe, the median failure mileage is 16,000 miles, and there are no related recalls listed for this engine issue.

Engine complaints
80
40% of 200
Crashes reported
4
Fires reported
6
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
16,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report sudden unintended acceleration while slowing or turning into parking spaces, with brakes failing to hold the vehicle before it strikes an object.
  • Several owners describe a burning or smoky odor coming from the rear of the vehicle, sometimes while driving uphill, followed by visible smoke entering the cabin.
  • Some complaints describe engine fires starting after the vehicle was parked and turned off, with smoke appearing from under the hood minutes later.
  • Owners report the engine skipping or hesitating on acceleration, especially going uphill, which dealers sometimes attributed to drive-mode settings rather than a mechanical fault.
  • One owner reported excessive oil consumption on the Theta II engine at higher mileage, requiring a multi-step dealer oil-consumption test.

When 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe engine complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 15, 2019, latest Sep 23, 2026.

2019 Hyundai Santa Fe engine complaints: complaints filed per month6Mar 2019Oct 2019Feb 2021Oct 2022Feb 2024Apr 2025Dec 2025Jul 2026
80 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2019 to Sep 2026; peak Jan 2026 (6).

Engine recalls for the 2019 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. 200559 (27%)
  2. 200626 (25%)
  3. 2007122 (18%)
  4. 2008115 (21%)
  5. 2009116 (32%)
  6. 201063 (24%)
  7. 201187 (48%)
  8. 2012264 (75%)
  9. 2013293 (48%)
  10. 2014289 (59%)
  11. 2015163 (64%)
  12. 2016157 (67%)
  13. 2017701 (73%)
  14. 201859 (54%)
  15. 201980 (40%)
  16. 202088 (41%)
  17. 202142 (25%)
  18. 202264 (32%)
  19. 202348 (23%)
  20. 202420 (13%)
  21. 202520 (15%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are engine complaints on the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Engine complaints account for 80 of 200 total complaints filed for the 2019 Santa Fe, or 40% of all complaints for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe engine?
NHTSA lists no related recalls tied to this engine complaint category for the 2019 Santa Fe.
At what mileage do 2019 Santa Fe engine problems typically appear?
The median mileage at failure among engine complaints is 16,000 miles.
Have engine problems on the 2019 Santa Fe caused crashes or fires?
NHTSA data shows 4 crashes and 6 fires associated with engine complaints for the 2019 Santa Fe, with 0 injuries reported.
Is the 2019 Santa Fe worse than other model years for engine complaints?
The 40% share of complaints tied to the engine in 2019 is lower than years like 2017 (73%) and 2012 (75%), based on NHTSA complaint data across model years.

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.