2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Reliability
The 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe has 605 owner complaints and 3 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine and steering. Compared with other Santa Fe model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Santa Fe's typical year, while the 2011 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
605
NHTSA owner complaints
3
Recall campaigns
14
Complaints citing a crash
41
Complaints citing a fire
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 model year, filed between 2012 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 273 | 45% |
| Steering | 95 | 16% |
| Service brakes | 63 | 10% |
| Unknown or other | 56 | 9% |
| Electrical system | 53 | 9% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 52 | 9% |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 32 | 5% |
| Body structure | 23 | 4% |
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe recalls
3 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2013 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13V355000 | Aug 12, 2013 | Powertrain / transmission — axle assembly / axle shaft | Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2013 front wheel drive Santa Fe Sport vehicles manufactured July 13, 2012, through March 12, 2013; and equipped with 2.4 liter engines. Due to a manufacturing issue, the right front axle shaft may fracture. |
| 17V358000 | Jun 5, 2017 | 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… |
| 23V651000 | Sep 22, 2023 | Service brakes — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip / control unit/module | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013…NHTSA advisory: park outside until repaired. |
How the 2013 compares with nearby Santa Fe years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Santa Fe analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 181 | 3 | Engine | Solid |
| 2012 | 355 | 1 | Engine | Caution |
| 2013 (this page) | 605 | 3 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2014 | 494 | 3 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2015 | 255 | 2 | Engine | Solid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Steering: check for a steering warning light, heavy or notchy steering and clunks over bumps; power-steering faults show up at low speed.
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 3 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe reliability FAQ
Is the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
The 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe has 605 owner complaints and 3 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine and steering. Compared with other Santa Fe model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Santa Fe's typical year, while the 2011 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe are engine (273), steering (95), service brakes (63), unknown or other (56). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe have recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe, including 13V355000 (powertrain / transmission — axle assembly / axle shaft) and 17V358000 (latches, locks & linkages — hood / latch). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe compare with the 2012 and 2014 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2012 has 355 complaints and 1 recall (caution); the 2014 has 494 complaints and 3 recalls (avoid). The 2013 has 605 complaints and 3 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Hyundai Santa Fe research
Other Hyundai Santa Fe model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2013 Santa Fe, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.