hyundai santa fe 2015 problems Page 9

The 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe (DM Series II) is generally a sturdy family hauler, but a few gremlins crop up as the odometer ticks over in Australia.

Most are niggles rather than engine-doom, yet they’re worth checking before you hand over your hard-earned.

• 2.2 CRDi: DPF clogging on lots of short trips; watch for frequent regens, rising oil level, or limp mode.
• Steering clunk: worn MDPS steering coupler causing play/knock; cheap part, annoying symptom.
• Auto transmission hesitation or harsh shifts; fluid changes help, software updates sometimes needed.
• Suspension bushings and rear shocks wear, leading to knocks and uneven tyre wear.
• Panoramic sunroof creaks/leaks and powered tailgate strut/actuator glitches on higher trims.
• Air-con evaporator or leaks, plus infotainment/Bluetooth quirks, including flaky reverse camera.

Look for full service history, clean DPF behaviour, tight steering, smooth shifting and even tyre wear; a pre-purchase inspection is money well spent.

If it passes those tests, it’s a solid buy—give it regular highway runs and it’ll reward you with quiet, frugal cruising.