2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport fuel/propulsion system problems

“Bought this as a used vehicle with around 77k miles. The SUV was running fine for a little while until I drove onto the highway. It eventually began to bog down and there was hesitation and jumping instead of acceleration. This continued my entire trip home with the check engine light on. The car was only driven for about 300-400 miles in the time I had it. When I brought it to have an oil change, they found metal shavings in the oil. From what I’ve been reading, this has been a common problem for this vehicle. It has been sitting in a Hyundai service center for at least a month now with no real responses from Hyundai themselves. They told me they would not fix the problem due to lack of maintenance from prior owners and that they were marking my title (doesn’t make sense since I bought this with a clean title). According to what Hyundai told me, this issue was brought up by a previous owner in January 2026 with no repairs. How can you change the status of my title while refusing to repair a problem caused by a manufacturers defect?”

“2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. Purchased January 2026 took to Oxmoor Hyundai Service Center March 2026. February 2026 began using oil at a measured rate of 700 miles per tank of oil. Used 3 full tanks of oil within the month of February. Oil lights and engine lights on and off and flashing during this time. March 8, 2026, engine light flashed and then stayed on continuously. Engine shook and stuttered and made a loud noise. Engine stalled while I was driving at 35-40 miles per hour. I was able to continue driving to my home with the stuttering and stalling. The next morning I drove it to the Oxmoor Hyundai Service Center. I told relayed the timeline of all symptoms I had experienced over the 2 month lifetime of my ownership. They did not attempt to reproduce the issue. They only entered "shakes in reverse" as the customer provided issue on the intake information. Service Center performed diagnostic, found cylinder misfires on cylinder 2 and cylinder 4. Replaced spark plugs to resolve Cylinder 2. Cylinder 4 continued to misfire. Used Borescope and found broken valve. They did not address the scoring on the cylinder of the valve. Recommended engine replacement.…”

“TOOK CAR TO DEALER TO HAVE OIL CHANGED ON APRIL 29, 2026 AND WAS TOLD THEY HAD ALSO PREFORMED A SOFTWARE UPDATE, SERVICE CAMPAIGN 9C2. EVERYTIME SINCE THAT DAY AFTER THE CAR HAS SET FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND THE CAR IS RESTARTED DRIVEN IT STALLS AND SURGES REALLY BAD SEVERAL TIMES LASTING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. IT ALSO CAN DO THIS AT RANDOM AT ANYTIME BUT NOT CONSTANT LIKE IT DOES WHEN FIRST STARTED. THIS IS VERY DANGEREST FOR OBVIOUS RASONS AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED. ALTHOUGH THERE IS OTHERS REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEMS ON LINE AND A PERSON MAKING THE SAME COMPLAINT WHILE I WAS WATING AT THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SAY "THEY ARE UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND I WILL HAVE TO LEAVE MY CAR FOR UP TO THREE DAYS OR MORE TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT AND THEN THEY WILL LET ME KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE” AND WHAT THE COST WILL BE. I ONLY HAVE THE ONE VEHICLE AND THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE A LOANER VEHICLE SO NEEDING MY CAR EVERY DAY I CAN NOT DO WITHOUT IT. DUE TO THE FACT THAT HYUNDAI REFUSES TO ACKNOWLAGE THE PROBLEM. THERE REALLY NEEDS TO BE A RECALL TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED.”

“My 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport equipped with a Theta II GDI engine began exhibiting excessive oil consumption, engine knocking, and cylinder misfires consistent with the known Theta II engine defect covered under the Hyundai class action settlement. Prior to the failure, the check engine light illuminated and I experienced repeated misfires and audible engine knocking. The vehicle required frequent oil additions between oil changes due to excessive consumption. The vehicle was taken to an authorized Hyundai dealership where a diagnosis confirmed a burnt valve inside the cylinder head. The dealership recommends replacement of the cylinder head or complete engine replacement to correct the issue. The dealership performed a bearing failure test and attributed the burnt valve to carbon buildup. However, excessive oil consumption in a GDI engine directly accelerates carbon buildup on intake valves, as burning oil deposits carbon on valve surfaces preventing proper seating and causing overheating and valve failure. The carbon buildup is therefore a consequential result of the Theta II oil consumption defect, not an independent cause. The safety risk is significant as…”

“I bought a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe from a dealership in May of 2023. Ever since then I have paid around $8,000 in repairs for this car. These repairs have been so expensive and time consuming that last year I wasn’t able to drive it for 6 months because it was in the shop for most of the year. I had to fix the Fuel pump, the Battery, timing chain valve TWICE, O2 sensor , Catalytic Converter, Engine valve, cylinder 1 & 3 and NOW I have to fix cylinder 2 & 4 & that cost again around $2,000 to fix. I am constantly stressed out, crying and becoming broke because I have to keep on repairing this car. I use up all of my tows every year because my car always shuts off on me while I am driving. I am at the point where I want a refund on the car and I want to get rid of this vehicle. I do not feel safe driving on the highway or driving with my two kids and I am currently pregnant again and this car isn’t safe for a family. I am constantly feeling broken down and worthless because I can’t even keep this car a float.”

“Enterprise car sales sold me this vehicle when it had 3 open recalls on it. The vehicle itself was a problem from the beginning. When I took it in for it's first oil change the mechanic told me it had no oil in it. He said they sold me a car that is notorious for consuming oil and or seizing or blowing up. I had the engine replaced on this car already and I just took it in for it's first oil change and it was already consuming oil. I want a new car but enterprise is telling me this is my problem”