Before the Hyundai Palisade came along, the 2012 to 2018 third-generation Santa Fe was Hyundai’s largest SUV, depending on the year and trim spec seating 5 or 7.

Here in Australia the Santa Fe has been available across primarily three variants although a handful of other limited models have made an appearance.

Engine-wise, the vast majority on the used market will feature a 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission however, a few 2.4-litre petrol models are out there, as are 3.3-litre petrol V6’s however they are rare.

Rarer still are Santa Fe’s with a manual transmission and although most on the used market are all-wheel drive, a few front-wheel drive examples are available, all powered by that rare V6.

The Santa Fe also received a couple of substantial updates during its life cycle, the first in 2014 and the second in 2015 with both revising the mechanical packages and improving the levels of tech and features all accompanied by some styling and interior trim updates.

Internationally, a number of markets have been treated to 5-seat variants, long and short wheelbases and a range of other engine options.

What goes wrong with a used Hyundai Santa Fe?

Exterior:

There are reports that the reversing cameras fail to show an image when reverse is selected, apparently the only way of fixing this is to replace the camera.

Santa Fe’s feature “Self-Healing” Paint, however there are reports that it’s more like “Self-Peeling” paint. Apparently the paint can flake off rather than covering up small scratches as Hyundai had advertised. In fact a Class-Action Lawsuit was filed against Hyundai for this problem in 2017.

Some of the Panoramic Sunroofs have shattered without any warning or indication. Initially Hyundai were reluctant to react to this issue, resulting in another Class-Action Lawsuit against them in 2015, Hyundai did eventually double the warranties of effected examples.

Hyundai have covered their wires in a sustainable and environmentally friendly soy based coating. This in turn attracts mice and other kinds of rodents, which then nibble on them as they find it more useful for their nests than in your engine bay. This resulted in another lawsuit filed against Hyundai for this in 2017.

Interior:

There are reports that speakers have been reported to come loose and this can result in the speakers being rattly, quiet or just failing altogether.

Mechanically:

In terms of the 2.2-litre 4-cylinder turbo diesel (D4HB), these engines can have complications with harmonic balancer issues.

Manual transmission examples can have failures of the crank thrust bearing.

Turbo failure and actuator issues have been reported.

Not huge reliability issue but we have seen reports of EGR valve and cooler issues Injector plus glow plug problems, however not really any more common than most other small diesels in this class.

The 2.4-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine (G4KJ) is the dreaded Theta 2 engine which is plagued with catastrophic engine failures usually caused by big end bearing failure which in turn is cause by either manufacturing defects or low oil from excessive oil consumption.

Aside from that they do occasionally have timing chain complications, clogged up inlets because direct injection and like the diesels, things like water pumps and thermostat housing do fail but again, not any worse than similar Japanese or South Korean vehicles.

The 3.3-litre petrol V6 (G6DF) is arguably the pick of the bunch in terms of reliability however, it is the least fuel efficient and available as a front-wheel drive only.

Overall it is a good engine but it’s not perfect. Engine failures are not unheard of, but statistically more reliable than the 2.4-litre.

Oil consumption is common complaint and the occasional timing chain complication.

Across the range there are a few recalls with the most serious relating to engine failures and an electrical fault in the ABS module that is claimed to be a fire hazard so it is critical these are seen to.

The transfer case in all-wheel drive models can fail resulting in the Santa Fe becoming front-wheel drive only. Many owners can be unaware if this until they require drive from the rear wheels. Many owners choose not to fix this issue so it is imperative to have the Santa Fe thoroughly inspected for a pre-purchase inspection before buying.

If you are seriously considering buying one, or already own one, it is imperative to check the oil every week and top it up. This won’t guarantee not having an engine failure but it will definitely improve your odds, and it might just save you a $10k engine replacement bill.

Recalls:

• August 2017 – Corrosion risk with HYUNDAI SANTA FE (2012-2016) secondary bonnet latch cable may lead to inadequate bonnet securing, posing hazards to vehicle occupants and other road users.
• October 2017 – Manufacturing defect in fuel feed hose assembly in Hyundai ix35 and Santa Fe (2011) models leads to fuel leakage, posing a fire hazard. 446 units affected.
• April 2018 – Steering wheel assembly and column separation in 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport (2,945 affected units). A manufacturing fault in the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport models may result in the separation of the steering wheel assembly and column.

• November 2018 – It was reported that certain Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles manufactured in 2018 were affected by a defect. The protrusion of the curtain airbag mounting bolt had the potential to interfere with the airbag fabric during deployment.
• May 2020 – It was discovered that certain HYUNDAI SANTA FE vehicles (9,417 units) had a manufacturing error in the Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) module. This defect caused the electronic control circuit board to short circuit when exposed to moisture, posing a fire risk in the engine compartment. The brake system remained unaffected.

Should you buy a used Hyundai Santa Fe?

Should you buy one? If you do, it is absolutely critical that the example you’re considering has a full and thorough service history and has been fastidiously maintained.

The engine dramas we hear about won’t impact every Santa Fe on the market, but they are happening regularly. The easiest way to hopefully mitigate any disaster is to be vigilant when looking after it.

Aside from that, the right Santa Fe is still an excellent SUV.

It is one of the key vehicles that helped turn Hyundai’s reputation around from being a manufacturer of cheap and dodgy runabouts to one of THE big players in the auto industry and even when used, you can see why.

However, even though the Santa Fe can be great, at least when they don’t break, a Toyota Kluger or Highlander is equally as good at all the important SUV things, and they have a nearly bulletproof reputation for reliability.