YearToAvoid

2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Engine Problems

Engine problems account for 88 complaints on the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe, or 41% of all 213 complaints filed for the model year. NHTSA lists no related recalls for this engine issue. Median mileage at failure is 43,000 miles, and reports include 4 fires and 3 crashes.

Engine complaints
88
41% of 213
Crashes reported
3
Fires reported
4
Injuries reported
2
Median mileage
43,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Sudden loss of engine power or stalling while driving, sometimes accompanied by warning lights and difficulty restarting.
  • Engine oil warning lights followed by loss of oil pressure, oil found on the ground or missing oil plugs, and the engine shutting down.
  • Smoke or flames emerging from the engine compartment, in some cases after a recent dealer repair such as a valve cover gasket replacement.
  • Unexpected high RPM revving or roaring noise when starting the vehicle while parked, before the driver releases the brake.
  • Transmission or engine hesitation where the vehicle will not rev past a low RPM ceiling, triggering error codes like P1326.
  • Engine overheating warnings appearing within days of purchase, with temperature gauges rising into the red zone.

When 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe engine complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 16, 2020, latest Sep 23, 2026.

2020 Hyundai Santa Fe engine complaints: complaints filed per month8Mar 2020Aug 2022Jun 2023Sep 2024Apr 2025Sep 2025Feb 2026Aug 2026
88 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2020 to Sep 2026; peak Dec 2025 (8).

Engine recalls for the 2020 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 many engine complaints does the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe have?
NHTSA lists 88 engine-related complaints for the 2020 Santa Fe, which is 41% of the 213 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2020 Santa Fe engine problems?
No. The data shows no related recalls tied to the engine complaints for the 2020 Santa Fe.
At what mileage do 2020 Santa Fe engine problems usually happen?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA is 43,000 miles.
Are the 2020 Santa Fe engine problems dangerous?
NHTSA complaint data for this issue includes 4 fires, 3 crashes, and 2 injuries reported by owners.
Is the engine complaint rate worse for 2020 than other Santa Fe years?
The 41% share for 2020 is lower than years like 2017 (73%) and 2012 (75%), but higher than 2021 (25%) and 2024 (13%).

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.