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#BS-2016-HYUSAN-39C52016 Hyundai Santa Fe
Based on reports from 282 owners and 3 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Think Twice
Based on 282 complaints, 7 crashes, 3 fires, and 3 recalls.
Top reported problems
engine failure
5 complaints • Severity 10/10
up down shifting with cruise engaged
2 complaints • Severity 9/10
sunroof exploded
2 complaints • Severity 10/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
148 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 62K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (25 reports) • Median: 62K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Engine (148 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2016 Hyundai Santa Fe: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 52% of all reports filed for the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe, with 148 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 62,300 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 62K-mile mark.
Drivetrain Issues
Drivetrain complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe, with 20 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Brakes Issues
Brakes complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe, with 17 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to brakes-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe, with 11 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe. Recent trend: decreasing.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (3 recalls)
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WARNING LIGHT/DEVICES
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 front seat occupants do not fasten their seat belts. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
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.
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.
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
The worst model year for the Hyundai Santa Fe is the 2012 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.
2016 Hyundai Santa Fe vs. Class Average (Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD)
This vehicle
282
Class avg
449
Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicles. A good sign.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 282 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 3 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Hyundai Santa Fe Model Years
2016 Hyundai Santa Fe: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Is the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
How much does it cost to fix 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe problems?
Does the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe have any recalls?
What mileage do Hyundai Santa Fe problems start?
What’s in the full report?
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
How is this different from Carfax?
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Get the Full 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 282 owner reports. Know before you buy.