Most common 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport problems
Share of the 356 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Hyundai Santa Fe Sport complaints by model year
Best Santa Fe Sport years: 2016, 2015. Years to avoid: 2017, 2018. Compare all years →
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport recalls (3)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module
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.
Latches/locks/linkages › Hood › Latch
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.
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the bolt for the driver's seat belt anchor might not have been sufficiently tightened during assembly.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners and dealers will verify that the driver's seatbelt anchor is properly secured, free of charge. The recall began July 7, 2017. Owner's may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport:
Loss of Motive Power
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021.
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando.
What 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport owners say
Engine & cooling all 221 →
The contact owned a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle in stop-and-go traffic, a burning odor was suddenly present inside the cabin of the vehicle. After stopping the vehicle smoke and flames were coming from under the hood and the fire department was called to the scene to extinguish the flames. During the incident, the vehicle was destroyed. A police report was taken and the vehicle was towed away. The manufacturer was contacted regarding the incident and later retrieved the vehicle. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 162,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle decelerated and lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The check engine warning light, the malfunction indicator light and two other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart, but failed to respond upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine rod bearing failure. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced and submitted a claim to the manufacturer. The dealer later informed the contact that the manufacturer had denied the claim. …
Brakes all 55 →
The contact owned a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The stated while the vehicle was parked in the driveway of her residence, her husband attempted to start the vehicle using the key fob but the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that as her husband approached the vehicle, he noticed a significant amount of smoke and flames inside the vehicle. Additionally, the doors of the vehicle failed to unlock. The contact stated that her husband was able to open the doors and extinguished the fire with the assistance of the fire department. The contact stated that the front driver's side and passenger's side of the vehicle burned significantly. A fire department report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot where it was totaled. The contact later became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V056000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), which she related to the failure. …
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the ABS warning light was illuminated along with other unknown warning lights. The contact stated that she turned the vehicle off and on however, the light remained illuminated. The contact stated that she decided to drive the vehicle to see if the light would turn off however, the light remained illuminated. The contact stated that she went to an independent mechanic who advised her to contact the Hyundai dealer for assistance. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnosis. The contact stated that she had received a recall notice for over a month for NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V056000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the letter stated that a remedy was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 42 →
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle struggled while accelerating before there was an abnormal bang coming from the engine compartment. The contact was able to coast to the side of the roadway and received Roadside Assistance; however, the vehicle failed to restart. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, Roadside Assistance observed oil leaking from the engine and stopped the attempts to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that a piston had fractured, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 104,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated while depressing the accelerator pedal and attempting to overtake another vehicle, the vehicle failed to immediately respond, and the vehicle decelerated. Additionally, the vehicle suddenly lost automotive power while driving at various speeds and decelerated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who could not duplicate the failure or determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 10,000.
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 27 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 28 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 19 / 26 / 22 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 20 / 26 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport a good car?
Based on 356 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2017 Santa Fe Sport rates avoid: 4.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Santa Fe Sport at the same age. It is one of the Santa Fe Sport years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport?
The engine & cooling — 221 complaints, 62% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine › oil/lubrication. Next are the brakes (55) and transmission & drivetrain (42).
How many recalls does the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, the most recent from February 3, 2022 (control unit/module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Hyundai Santa Fe Sport?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2016 and 2015. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2017 and 2018. See the full Hyundai Santa Fe Sport years comparison.
At what mileage do 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 37,000 miles; 55% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.