2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Owner Stunned: Entire Engine Replacement Needed for Repair

A driver of a 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport (with 115,000 miles on the odometer) visited AutoZone for a free diagnostic check after the engine warning light came on. However, the scan revealed an issue with the powertrain system—and the most likely fix turned out to be replacing the entire engine assembly. The owner posted about the experience on TikTok with the caption, “Should’ve been a cheap repair,” set to Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” which has since garnered over 18,000 views. Many commenters expressed they weren’t surprised, noting, “That was a common problem with Hyundais and Kias from that era.” In fact, this model was previously subject to a massive recall due to a fire risk associated with its ABS module—brake fluid leaks could cause electrical short circuits, potentially leading to spontaneous combustion while driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had already issued a recall affecting more than 150,000 units of the 2013–2015 Santa Fe Sport. Now, facing exorbitant repair costs, the owner finds themselves in a difficult situation.