Over the course of its production run, the Hyundai Santa Fe crossover SUV has offered different choices of engines that have their own firing order.
A specific engine’s firing order is important to take note of when doing any sort of engine work such as putting back the spark plug wires in the correct order.
Thus, before you touch anything inside the Hyundai Santa Fe’s engine, we’ll help you go through the different firing orders depending on your specific model as well as explain how firing order actually works.
What is the firing order on a Hyundai Santa Fe?
Hyundai Santa Fe models with either a 2.7L 3.3L, or 3.5L V6 have a firing order of 1-2-3-4-5-6, while 2.4L I4 models have a firing order of 1-3-4-2. All of these engines make use of a distributorless ignition system.
The firing order of a Hyundai Santa Fe basically depends on the type of engine that it has, though many V6-powered Hyundai models commonly use a firing order of 1-2-3-4-5-6.
The 1-2-3-4-5-6 firing order is also used in some American-made V6 engines. In fact, it’s the same firing order used in the Dodge Charger 3.6 V6 that we’ve previously covered as well.
The 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe 3.3 V6 has a firing order of 1-2-3-4-5-6, so any 2nd-gen Santa Fe model (2007 to 2012) that has the same engine will also have the same firing order.
4-cylinder engines (Inline-4/I4), on the other hand, commonly use 1-3-4-2, which is the same as what 4-cylinder Hyundai Santa Fe models use.
Hyundai Santa Fe Cylinder Numbering
When it comes to how the engine’s cylinders are numbered, it can also vary depending on the specific engine of the Hyundai Santa Fe.
The cylinder numbering of Hyundai Santa Fe 2.7L V6, 3.3L V6, and 3.5L V6 models is as follows:
Rear Bank (Bank 1): 1, 3, 5Front Bank (Bank 2): 2, 4, 6
The 2.7, 3.3, and 3.5-liter V6 engines of the Hyundai Santa Fe have identical cylinder numbering. While facing the front of the vehicle, bank 1 will be located at the rear of the engine, and cylinder #1 will be the leftmost one.
Part of the reason why the Hyundai Santa Fe V6 engine’s banks and cylinders are numbered in this fashion is because the engine is transversely mounted.
A transverse engine layout means that the cylinders run side-to-side and the crankshaft is perpendicular to the driveshaft and the rest of the vehicle’s body.
As for Hyundai Santa Fe models that have 4-cylinder engines (e.g. 1.6, 1.8, 2.0, 2.4, 2.5), they will also have cylinder numbering that’ll be slightly different from their firing order of 1-3-4-2.
The cylinder numbering of Hyundai Santa Fe 1.6L, 1.8L, 2.0L, 2.4L, and 2.5L I4 engines is as follows:
Starting from Serpentine Belt Side (Left): 1, 2, 3, 4
4-cylinder engines on the Hyundai Santa Fe and other Hyundai models have a very simple cylinder numbering pattern that just depends on where the serpentine belt is located on the engine.
The serpentine belt is more commonly located on the left side of Hyundai 4-cylinder (I4) engines. Thus, cylinder #1 will be the leftmost cylinder followed by #2, #3, and #4 going towards the right side of the engine.
Now that you know what the firing order and the cylinder numbering of the Hyundai Santa Fe’s engines are, it’s time to actually give a visual representation of how they’re actually arranged according to each engine.
Hyundai Santa Fe 2.7/3.3/3.5 V6 Firing Order Diagram
The diagram above is a simple representation of how the cylinders are positioned and numbered on the banks of the Hyundai Santa Fe’s V6 engine.
This type of cylinder numbering and firing order applies to all Santa Fe models that have the 2.7-liter V6, 3.3-liter V6, or 3.5-liter V6 engine options.
As we’ve mentioned earlier, the Hyundai Santa Fe V6’s firing order (and even cylinder numbering) is identical to that of the Dodge Charger’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V6.
However, a big difference between the two engines is that the Hyundai Santa Fe’s V6 is mounted transversely, while the Dodge Charger’s V6 is mounted longitudinally.
This is the reason why we refer to the Hyundai V6’s cylinder banks as either the front bank or the rear bank in relation to the rest of the vehicle.
Hyundai Santa Fe 1.6/1.8/2.0/2.4/2.5 I4 Firing Order Diagram
As shown in the diagram above, the Hyundai Santa Fe’s 4-cylinder engines (also called Inline-4s or I4s) follow a simple cylinder numbering sequence of 1-2-3-4 starting from the side of the serpentine belt.
However, the firing order sequence starts off with cylinder #1 and actually jumps to cylinder #3. It then goes back to fire cylinder #2 before ending it with #4 and starting the cycle again.
1-3-4-2 is one of the most common firing orders used when designing an inline-4 engine, as it allows for a more even balance of load on the crankshaft, resulting in more engine stability and less vibration during the combustion process.
Hyundai Santa Fe Firing Order Per Generation
| Hyundai Santa Fe Generation | Engine | Firing Order |
1st Generation (SM)(2001 to 2006) | 2.4L I4 | 1-3-4-2 |
| 2.7L V6 | 1-2-3-4-5-6 | |
| 3.5L V6 | 1-2-3-4-5-6 | |
2nd Generation (CM)(2007 to 2012) | 2.4L I4 | 1-3-4-2 |
| 2.7L V6 | 1-2-3-4-5-6 | |
| 3.3L V6 | 1-2-3-4-5-6 | |
| 3.5L V6 | 1-2-3-4-5-6 | |
3rd Generation(2013 to 2018) | 2.0L I4 Turbo | 1-3-4-2 |
| 2.4L I4 | 1-2-3-4-5-6 | |
| 3.3L V6 | 1-2-3-4-5-6 | |
4th Generation (TM)(2019 to 2023/Present) | 1.6L I4 Turbo Hybrid | 1-3-4-2 |
| 2.0L I4 Turbo | 1-3-4-2 | |
| 2.4L I4 | 1-3-4-2 | |
| 2.5L I4 | 1-3-4-2 | |
| 2.5L I4 Turbo | 1-3-4-2 |
What is the meaning of the firing order of an engine?
The firing order of an engine refers to the sequence that the cylinders are ignited or “fired” by the spark plugs (gas engines). In diesel engines, this will be the order that the cylinders receive fuel for combustion.
Why is firing order important?
An engine’s firing order is an important consideration when designing an engine, as a proper firing order will be able to reduce vibrations and keep the engine as stable as possible.
Firing order also changes the sound characteristics of the engine as well as balances its power output.
What is cylinder numbering?
Cylinder numbering is the number that is designated for each cylinder in an engine, which can vary depending on each auto manufacturer’s engine design.
An engine’s cylinder numbering can also depend on whether it’s a straight/inline engine (e.g. I4, I6) or a V engine (e.g. V6, V8).
Cylinder numbering for straight or inline engines is simply done sequentially, which can start from the frontmost cylinder, the leftmost cylinder, or whichever side that the serpentine belt is located.
The example below demonstrates this sequence on an inline-6 engine, which has cylinder #1 at the front followed by the rest of the cylinders going towards the back in numerical order.
V-shaped engines, however, can have their cylinder numbering done either sequentially for each individual cylinder bank or according to each cylinder’s position on the crankshaft.
What is the difference between firing order and cylinder numbering?
Firing order is the sequence that an engine’s cylinders are ignited or “fired” by the spark plugs, while cylinder numbering is each cylinder’s designated number that varies depending on the manufacturer or engine design.
What is the firing order of a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe 3.3?
The firing order of a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe 3.3 V6 is 1-2-3-4-5-6. This also applies to every 2nd-gen model (2007 to 2012) that has the same engine.
What is the firing order of a Hyundai Santa Fe 2.7?
The firing order of a Hyundai Santa Fe 2.7 V6 is 1-2-3-4-5-6. This also applies to every Santa Fe model equipped with a V6 engine.
What is the firing order of a Hyundai Santa Fe 1.6?
The Hyundai Santa Fe 1.6 I4 has a firing order of 1-3-4-2. This is the same firing order used in all other 4-cylinder (Inline-4/I4) engines made for the Hyundai Santa Fe.
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