The 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe is a SUV that came with a choice of 2.0L 4-cyl, 2.4L 4-cyl and 3.3L 6-cyl engines. At 13 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD |
|---|---|
| Engines | 2.0L 4-cyl, 2.4L 4-cyl, 3.3L 6-cyl (turbocharged versions available) |
| Transmissions | Automatic 6-spd |
| Drive | Front-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 18–21 city / 24–29 highway / 20–24 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,800–$3,350 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 375–443 grams per mile |
| EPA fuel economy score | 5–6 out of 10 |
| EPA greenhouse gas score | 5–6 out of 10 |
| Curb weight (NHTSA test vehicle) | 3,733 lb |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 4,850 lb |
| Versions tested by EPA | 6 configurations: Santa Fe Sport 2WD, Santa Fe Sport 4WD, Santa Fe 2WD, Santa Fe 4WD |
| Age | 13 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data; weights from NHTSA crash-test records. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls covering the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
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 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak…
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. Brake fluid may leak inside the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) module, possibly resulting in an electrical short.
Risk: An electrical short in the ABS module can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. Brake fluid may leak inside the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) module, possibly resulting in an electrical short.
Risk: If the ABS module short circuits, there is an increased risk of an engine compartment fire.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Sonata and 2013-2014 Santa Fe Sport vehicles previously repaired under recall numbers 15V-568 and 17V-226. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned, or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure…
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
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.
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.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Sonata and Santa Fe Sport vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
Risk: Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Risk: A fractured front axle may result in a loss of power to the wheels. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked without the parking brake applied, it may roll away. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
Owners have filed 805 complaints about the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe with NHTSA. 15 reports involved a crash and 56 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 13 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe, by version tested.
| Version | Overall | Frontal crash | Side crash | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suv, AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 14.3% |
| Suv, FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 15.1% |
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP). Ratings from different model years or rating systems aren't directly comparable.
Manufacturers have filed 160 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
11 of them are warranty extensions. Warranty extensions mean the manufacturer agreed to cover a specific repair beyond the normal warranty. They rarely still apply to a car this age, but they point to known weak spots.
Certain Palisade (LX2) and Santa Fe (NC) vehicles equipped with Lambda II 6-cylinder engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin outlin
Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin outlines the combustion chamber cleaning pr
Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin provides the inspection and repair proce
Certain 2012 - 2017 model year Accent, 2012 - 2017 model year Azera, 2013 - 2018 model year Santa Fe Sport, 2013 - 2019 model year Santa Fe, and 2012 - 2017 model year Ve
Some vehicles listed below may exhibit an intermittent airbag warning light and DTC(s) B1763 (OCS ECU Defect), and/or B1764 (OCS Mat Defect) may be stored. Hyundai is ext
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 8 defect investigations covering the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe.
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by
Loss of Motive Power
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spa
Engine Fires
On March 29, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened two Preliminary Evaluations (PE19-003 on Hyundai and PE19-004 on Kia) to broadly investigate incidents of non-crash fires (regardless of origin or operational status of the vehicle) on various model year Hyundai and Kia vehicles. During the PE investig
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a petition letter dated October 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (ETC) system on certain Kia vehicles resulting in the opening of DP21-003. Accordi
Non-crash Vehicle Fires
During this Preliminary Evaluation (PE), the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) assessed the scope, frequency and potential safety-related consequences of non-crash vehicle fires caused by both engine failures and failures of other vehicle systems/components in model year (MY) 2011-2014 Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe v
Non-crash Vehicle Fires
In a letter dated June 11, 2018, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a safety defect investigation into non-collision related fires on model year (MY) 2011-2014 Kia Optima and Sorento, and Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe vehicles. In a letter da
Scope and Timeliness
NHTSA opened Recall Query (RQ) 17-004 to investigate the timeliness and scope of Hyundai?s Theta II GDI engine recalls (Recall Nos. 15V-568 and 17V-226), and Hyundai?s compliance with reporting requirements. On November 23, 2020, the Agency entered into a Consent Order with Hyundai to administratively resolve NHTSA?s a
Front Axle Shaft Failure
In a letter dated August 9, 2013, Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center, Inc. (Hyundai-Kia) submitted two Defect Information Reports (DIR) to NHTSA identifying a safety defect related to fracture of the right front axle shaft in MY 2013 front wheel drive Hyundai Santa Fe Sport vehicles built from July 13, 2012 through M
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It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. As a heavier vehicle, its scrap weight adds to the offer. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2013 Santa Fes that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 7 recalls for the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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