Hyundai Santa Fe Engine Problems

It really doesn’t matter how fast you’re driving when a timing chain or timing belt breaks. If the engine is an interference design, then this failure has possibly turned the rest of the engine to junk. That’s because the valves and pistons have tried to occupy the same space at the same time, and widespread internal damage is the usually outcome.

From what I can gather, the V6 engine in your car is indeed an interference design, so the damage is possibly terminal. You could remove the cylinder head(s) to check, but if the engine has locked up, there’s a fair chance you’ll need to either rebuild the engine or replace it with a different one. You may also find that the cost of these repairs will be greater than the market value of the vehicle itself. At that point, you need to decide whether to repair it or start again with a new vehicle.

I presume there are no warning lights showing on the dash to indicate a problem; nevertheless you need a mechanic to run a diagnostic check on it. It could be something related to the intercooler, but it could be a number of other things as well, and the only way to establish what is causing the problem is to check it.

You’re not doing many kilometres and only short trips, so would go for the petrol version.

Hi Nor, the Kia Sorento is generally reliable and robust, with only a few electrical problems being the main issues, but most should have been sorted out by now. As the Sorento is closely related to the Hyundai Santa Fe, the same would apply to that SUV too.

The 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine you mention was only available in the UM model from 2009 to 2011. After that a 3.5-litre V6 took over. Both engines are known to be robust and dependable. We'd go for the V6 because it does not have to work as hard as the 2.4L hauling such a big and heavy vehicle around. Note, though, that the V6 is thirsty. 

The diesel is the best choice out of all of the engines available, as it is strong and hard-wearing as well as much more economical. 

In our opinion, the Sorento is a better buy than the Santa Fe, since it has more glass area and so is easier to see out of. The interior is pleasant, comfortable and easy to use. And, from the XM model launched in 2015, it is a nicer and quieter car to drive.

Finally, the Kia has offered a seven-year warranty as opposed to the Hyundai's five-year warranty since October 1, 2014, meaning it is possible to buy an older Sorento and still be covered by the factory warranty. 

There is also a petrol-engined Santa Fe. The crossover point for getting the money back on diesel power is about 30,000km a year.

It's not possible to say absolutely that you will get another 90,000 km out of your car, that would take it to almost 300,000 km, which is a lot of kays by any measure. But as the car has given you no trouble to date, I would think you could reasonably expect it to keep on going for some time yet.

Sludge build-up is a turbocharger killer, but sludge won't build up if the car is regularly serviced and the oil is changed so it's always fresh. The problem is usually only with cars that haven't been serviced. Other seven-seaters you could look at are the Kia Sorrento, Hyundai Santa Fe, or Toyota Kluger.

Driving it more regularly is not the answer; there is a drain on the battery when the car is sitting that is causing it to go flat. The first thing to do is to check that there are lights, like courtesy lights, boot lights, glove box lights etc. that are staying on instead of switching off when they should. Computers can be a source of a drain if they don't go on to stand-by mode when the car is switched off. I would suggest you take it to another auto elec and have them thoroughly check it; they should be able to find the fault.

The petrol V6 has a timing belt and should be changed every 90,000 km. The diesel has a chain that doesn’t require replacement.

The Santa Fe may well have a fuel filter below the rear seat, but it’s almost certainly located on the outside of the car (as in, under the floor) rather than inside under the seat cushion. I’d be very surprised if any of the car’s fuel system or lines ran inside the passenger compartment.

Which means it’s still possible that some fuel was spilled under the car during the filter change or that there’s even a fuel leak as a result of the change. Either could lead to a smell inside the car, but it shouldn’t persist. If it does, there’s a problem. Take it back to the dealership and ask for the problem to be fixed. If the dealership somehow spilled petrol on the seat trim or allowed fuel to enter the cabin in some other way, they are responsible for fixing it. Driving around in a car with petrol fumes inside is an obvious health and safety issue.