2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Recalls, Problems & MPG

NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 306 owner complaints for the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe. The EPA rates it 19 to 23 MPG combined, depending on engine and drivetrain.

Recalls
3
Owner complaints
306
Crashes / fires reported
10 / 13
EPA combined
19–23 MPG

2016 Hyundai Santa Fe recalls

  • Service Brakes, HydraulicFeb 3, 2022 · NHTSA 22V056000+

    Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

    Fix: 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, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 218.

    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.

  • Latches/Locks/LinkagesJun 5, 2017 · NHTSA 17V358000+

    Risk: If the hood is not securely closed or the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

    Fix: 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 the recall is 163.

    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.

  • Seat BeltsMar 10, 2016 · NHTSA 16V145000+

    Risk: Without a warning to remind the front seat occupants that their seat belts are not buckled, they may forget to buckle their seat belt, increasing their risk of injury in the event of a crash.

    Fix: 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 contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 141.

    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."

Recall repairs are free. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours still needs one.

Most reported 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe problems

Owner complaints to NHTSA by system. One complaint can name more than one system.

  • Engine194
  • Unknown or Other39
  • Power Train24
  • Service Brakes23
  • Electrical System18
  • Air Bags13
  • Hydraulic12
  • Fuel/Propulsion System12

2016 Hyundai Santa Fe gas mileage

EPA ratings for each version (city / highway / combined).

VersionEngineCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Santa Fe Sport FWD2.4 L 4 cyl, Automatic (S6)202723$2,800
Santa Fe Sport FWD2.0 L 4 cyl, Automatic (S6)192622$2,900
Santa Fe Sport Ultimate FWD2.0 L 4 cyl, Automatic (S6)192622$2,900
Santa Fe FWD3.3 L 6 cyl, Automatic (S6)182521$3,050
Santa Fe Sport AWD2.4 L 4 cyl, Automatic (S6)192521$3,050
Santa Fe AWD3.3 L 6 cyl, Automatic (S6)182420$3,200
Santa Fe Sport AWD2.0 L 4 cyl, Automatic (S6)182420$3,200
Santa Fe Ultimate FWD3.3 L 6 cyl, Automatic (S6)172320$3,200
Santa Fe Ultimate AWD3.3 L 6 cyl, Automatic (S6)172219$3,400

Real-world mileage depends on how and where you drive. Logbay compares your actual MPG with these EPA numbers.

Questions

Does the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe, most recently for the service brakes, hydraulic (Feb 3, 2022). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe problems?

Owners filed 306 complaints with NHTSA. The most reported areas are engine (194), unknown or other (39), power train (24).

What gas mileage does the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe get?

The EPA rates the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe at 19 to 23 MPG combined (best version: 20 city / 27 highway).

Sources: NHTSA recalls and owner complaints (api.nhtsa.gov), EPA fuel economy (fueleconomy.gov). Updated Oct 26, 2026. Complaint counts are unverified owner reports.