2017 Hyundai Santa Fe transmission and drivetrain problems
205 of the 1,319 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe name the transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA’s “Power Train” heading — the transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading). Filed under the same heading: 49 manufacturer bulletins. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA complaint database0 of the 205 reports a crash · 3 a fire · 1 injury. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 33 · 2017: 39 · 2018: 16 · 2019: 10 · 2020: 10 · 2021: 8 · 2022: 11 · 2023: 21 · 2024: 21 · 2025: 10 · 2026: 26
Half of the 94 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the transmission and drivetrain problem between 1,000 and 24,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
1,319 complaints in all about the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe, 26 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Power Train” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Hyundai Santa Fe transmission and drivetrain problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the transmission and drivetrain. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
I was pulling onto I75 at 6:00am when my car started shuttering, making a clicking/ knocking noise and slowing way down. Thankfully I was able to make it onto the shoulder before causing an accident. I was unable to accelerate enough to go anywhere so I called a tow truck. My car is burning oil at an extremely fast rate.
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.
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts.
The left rear differential completely failed at 25,000 miles. According to the repair shop (Connie & Dicks in Claremont, CA) there was something structurally wrong with the rear differential and it never should have failed like this on a 5 year old car with 25,000 miles.
Just got this car 2 weeks ago and it hesitates when turning or trying to get out into traffic. Very scary! Has happened 4 times at random under the same circumstance of turning or merging
What is on file about the transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications49 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P1326 P0705 P0420 P0880 P0010 P0021 P0087 P0346
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe
Source: the same files- engine problems 892 complaints
- brake problems 117 complaints
- electrical problems 82 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre transmission and drivetrain problems common on the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 205 owner complaints naming the transmission and drivetrain on this model year (16% of everything owners filed about it), and 49 manufacturer bulletins are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the transmission and drivetrain on the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 7 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do transmission and drivetrain problems show up on the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 8,500 miles; half of them between 1,000 and 24,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Power Train" heading cover?
The transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.