2016 Hyundai Santa FE Recalls, Complaints & Specs
3 safety recalls list the 2016 Hyundai Santa FE, and owners have filed 236 complaints with NHTSA. At least one recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory. Check your own VIN below.
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3 safety recalls for the 2016 Hyundai Santa FE
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Service brakes, hydraulic: control unit/module Park outside
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Santa Fe, 2017-2018 Santa Fe Sport, 2019 Santa Fe XL, and 2014-2015 Tucson vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 31,…
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Latch (latches/locks/linkages)
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch actuating cable may corrode and bind, causing the secondary hood latch to remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary latch cable, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owner's may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for…
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Warning light/devices (seat belts)
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured September 1, 2015 to February 12, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the wires in the front seat belt buckle harnesses may be damaged by the seat's height adjuster mechanism, resulting in a failure to provide an audible warning when…
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and reroute the wires in the front seat belt buckle harnesses to their proper locations, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 27, 2016. Owners may…
236 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2016 Hyundai Santa FE have filed 236 complaints with NHTSA; 6 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 6 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 60,326 miles. Complaints peaked in 2023 with 57 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“1. Component/System Failure & Availability: The failed component is the engine's internal Camshaft Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) phaser backing bolt within the 3.3L V6 engine assembly. An internal fact”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 4, 2026 · Engine
“WHAT FAILED: The engine — the 3.3L Lambda II GDI V6 (engine family GHYXV03.31XE per the federal emissions label) — failed catastrophically: a connecting rod penetrated the engine block. The failed eng”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 11, 2026 · Engine
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe (Santa Fe AWD, Santa Fe FWD, Santa Fe Sport AWD, Santa Fe Sport FWD, …). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 19–23 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 17–20 / 22–27 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD |
| Engine | 4/6 cyl, 2/2.4/3.3 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S6) |
Compare Hyundai Santa FE model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Hyundai Santa FE model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 2016 Hyundai Santa FE
How do I know if my 2016 Hyundai Santa FE has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 2016 Hyundai Santa FE; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Hyundai dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 16V145000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Hyundai models
- Sonata16,085 complaints
- Elantra8,715 complaints
- Tucson6,287 complaints
- Palisade2,447 complaints
- Accent2,032 complaints
- Ioniq 51,339 complaints
- Veloster1,292 complaints
- Genesis1,244 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.