A Feature In The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Engine Bay Causes Concern For Owner. Dealership Says It's By Design

Modern cars are packed with tech. This is especially true for hybrids, which pack significantly more components in the engine bay. It can be a tight fit in there, especially in modern hybrid vehicles that are more complex than all others. The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe is almost entirely a hybrid model and while the new design opens up plenty of space, one owner posted a thread on the Hyundai Forum, regarding what may or may not be a potential issue further down the line. 

“Hi everyone, 
 
I own a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe designed for the European market. Essentially, it has the same 1.6 HEV engine as the US model. I’ve noticed a minor dirt/mud leakage from the top of the fender/damper area located beneath the fuse box on the driver's side. It appears that not all junctions are adequately sealed, or they may not be sealed at all. 
 
This leakage could potentially cause problems since moisture and dirt are traveling down to the main ground cables and other equipment underneath. 
 
Has anyone else experienced a similar issue? Any insights or advice would be greatly appreciated! 
 
Here are the pictures showing the fuse box area, the leakage underneath, and the hard-to-see spot where the leakage starts, located in the slot between the body and the fuse box." 

The concerned 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe owner added another comment in order to clarify further. 

“I apologize for any confusion earlier. It's not the damper itself but the surrounding area that’s affected. I've updated my original post to reflect this. 
 
I understand that dirt accumulation over time is common—my older car, a 2007 RAV4 V6, experiences it too. However, this situation is different. From day one, there's been a trickle of water and dirt following the same path. 
 
I've already visited the dealer, but they insisted it's by design. This issue is isolated to one spot in the entire engine bay. It appears the designer attempted to seal the area, as there's sealant everywhere except for a 1-2 inch gap where the water and dirt enter in my case. 
 
I'd like to confirm if others with the same model have experienced this problem.” 

Dirt accumulation in the engine bay is, typically, a normal occurrence, but it's different for each car 

Hyundai, currently, offers one of the best value-for-money cars you can buy. While the brand is still somewhat plagued by the image of an “affordable carmaker”, Hyundai's Santa Fe competes with some of the best luxury SUVs you can buy from Asian carmakers.

Hyundai uild quality still isn't very consistent as many Hyundai owners report rattling interiors after just a few years. Whether the same is true for the Santa Fe, only time wll tell. Then again, that seems to be the case for many other carmakers too. Even Toyota has had build-quality issues in recent years, including melting mirrors on the Land Cruiser, Tacoma roof trims coming down, and others. 

Another member of the Hyundai forum explained that the engine bay isn't meant to be completely sealed off. 

“Although there is some sealing between the hood, fenders, radiator support and cowling, the engine compartment is not designed to be watertight. So, there will be water leakage into this area, from numerous areas, which will result in some dirt and corrosion of components in this space over time.” 

If the engine bay is completely sealed, the engine would not be able to “breathe”. This goes double for hybrids, which have additional battery packs and electric motors – all components that generate additional heat. Electronics don't like heat (or extreme cold). Even off-road vehicles feature snorkels that allow the engine to “inhale” air while wading through mud, water, or other challenging terrains.  

Is there a solution? 

Not really. I am somewhat against cleaning the engine bay, especially on a gasoline engine as it could interfere with its work. This goes double for hybrids, which feature a plethora of additional electric components, even if they are, supposedly, sealed. Engine bays are not meant to be waterproof and I really doubt most 2024 Santa Fe owners will be taking their cars on serious off-roading. 

Engine bays feature a variety of drainage openings so water and dirt can be directed to the ground instead of congregating in the engine bay. In this case, the water/dirt accumulation seems to be of migrating nature as it goes down.

The real concern for me is whether this is a flaw by design that simply lets a limited amount of dirt into the Hyundai Santa Fe’s engine bay or if it's poor build quality. Hyundai is no stranger to the latter and I can personally testify to that, even though I enjoy my Hyundai and would probably buy another. 

The best course of action, for now, would be to monitor and see is the water/dirt congregates near an important component and clean if necessary. Plenty of manufacturers do not seal these areas, likely due to cost-saving, which eventually leads to rust under the fenders. 

The fifth-generation Hyundai Santa Fe made its debut for the 2024 model year and it is still too early to talk about common issues. I will update as new details come out. If you have a similar problem feel free to share your experience in the comment section below. 

Dimitar Angelov's automotive interests made him an expert in a wide variety of vehicles. Japanese brands like Toyota are closest to his heart, although performance cars in general are his favorite segment, which is why he is constantly on the lookout for the best deals on the market. Dimitar Angelov's car passion and knack for the written word led him to complete a Master of Arts in Media and Communications, and classic car restoration. Dim is happy to get behind the wheel of any car and share his impressions. You can follow Dimitar on X, Linked-in, Instagram, and Facebook.

Image source: 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe