Hyundai Santa Fe Complaints (2008)
541 consumer complaints on file.
- #10596654June 6, 2014AIR BAGS
THE 2008 HYUNDAI SANTE FE HAS A RECALL ON FAULTY AIRBAG CLOCKSPRINGS. COINCIDENTALLY MY 2008 SANTE FE CLOCK SPRING NOW NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE HYUNDAI SERVICE DEALERSHIP AND HYUNDAI CUSTOMER CARE TELLS ME THAT I AM NOT COVERED BECAUSE MY VIN IS NOT LISTED IN THE "RECALL CAMPAIGN" MY CONFUSION IS I OWN A 2008 THE RECALLS ARE FOR THE 2008....HOW DO I GET MY CAR INCLUDED IN THIS "RECALL CAMPAIGN"? PLEASE HELP. I WILL HAVE TO PAY $400 TO GET THIS FIXED WHEN IT SHOULD BE UNDER HYUNDAI FAULTY WARRANTY. PLEASE HELP THE LITTLE GUY/CONSUMER!! THANK YOU *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10596673June 6, 2014FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN THE CAR, I TOOK IT TO BE DIAGNOSED AND IT IS A FAILURE OF THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR. APPARENTLY HYUNDAI IS WELL AWARE OF THIS VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL. ADDITIONALLY, THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY IS ONLY SOLD TOGETHER, THEREFORE THIS IS A FIX THAT WILL COST AT LEAST $800 WHICH I CANNOT AFFORD. SO NOW I JUST HAVE TO DRIVE AROUND WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AT ALL TIMES, HAVING NO IDEA HOW MUCH FUEL I HAVE OR IF ANY OTHER ENGINE ISSUES HAVE COME UP. SHAME ON HYUNDAI. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10596018June 4, 2014FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
THE FUEL GAUGE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WORKING PROPERLY. WHEN I FILL UP THE TANK IT WORKS FINE BUT WHEN ITS ABOUT HALF A TANK, THE LOW FUEL LIGHT TURNS ON AND GAUGE READS EMPTY. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10596091June 4, 2014FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WHEN I GOT IT CHECKED IT WAS FOR FUEL LEVEL SENSOR. I ALSO NOTICED SHORTLY AFTER I FILLED UP WITH GAS THE GAUGE WOULD GO DOWN AND WHEN 1/2 OR LESS IT WOULD DROP AND GAS LIGHT WOULD COME ON. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP, WHILE I WAS PULLED INTO SERVICE CENTER, CAR STOPPED AND RUNNING, SERVICE TECH SAW GAS GAUGE GO DOWN AND LIGHT CAME ON EVEN THOUGH I HAD AT LEAST 3/4 GAS. NO LONGER COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND QUOTED ME $605 TO FIX. SHOULD BE A RECALL SINCE SO MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM!! *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10595947June 3, 2014FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FUEL GAUGE AND FUEL SENSOR NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE GAUGE REGISTERS LESS FUEL THAN IS IN THE TANK. THE GAUGE WILL INDICATE THAT THE TANK IS EMPTY WHEN THERE'S MORE THAN 1/2 A TANK LEFT, AND THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON. THE ISSUE OCCURS SPORADICALLY. IT WILL REGISTER A FALSE READING FOR SEVERAL CONSECUTIVE DAYS WITH THE WARNING LIGHT ON EVEN AFTER FILLING UP THE GAS TANK, AND THEN SOME DAYS IT WILL SELF CORRECT AND THE WARNING LIGHT WILL TURN OFF. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10595422June 1, 2014AIR BAGS
CLOCK SPRING CONTACT HAD TO BE REPLACED ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF MY HYUNDAI SANTE FE 2008 BUILT ON APRIL 03, 2008. THE NHTSA RECALL DID NOT GO FAR ENOUGH AND ENDED MARCH 20,2008. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG CONTINUOUSLY LIT UP INDICATING A PROBLEM. THE CLOCK SPRING CONTACT HAD TO BE REPLACED AND I WAS CHARGED FOR THE REPLACEMENT. THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED BEYOND MARCH 20,2008 SO THAT MY CAR IS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL SINCE THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED MULTIPLE DEATHS.. *TR .... UPDATED 06/30/15 *BF UPDATED 8/30/2017*CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10594931May 29, 2014FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE FUEL GAUGE IN MY 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. UPON FILLING UP IT GOES TO EMPTY WITH THE LOW FUEL LIGHT INDICATOR. AFTER DRIVING 40-60 MILE THE GAUGE MAY READ 1/4-3/4 TANK. OTHER TIMES IT DROPS TO EMPTY AND WILL NOT MOVE. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND THE MILEAGE IS 75,000. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10594040May 26, 2014FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
OK SO MY ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR MONTHS NOW DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL SENSOR. I WENT TO GET IT CHECKED OUT AND THEY QOUTED ME A PRICE OF 800 DOLLARS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT THIS IS NOT A RECALL CONSIDERING THAT SO MANY OF THERE CUSTOMERS ARE HAVING THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM. IT'S SAD THAT THEY WOULD MUCH RATHER WAIT TIL SOMEONE DIES OR CRASH TO RECALL THIS ISSUE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10592885May 20, 2014SERVICE BRAKES, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE 2008 SANTA FE TRAVELING BETWEEN 55& 60MPH ON DIVIDED HIGHWAY WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF ACCELERATOR. I APPLIED BRAKES BUT DIFFICULT TO MAKE VEHICLE STOP. I THINK I SLOWED IT DOWN A LOT BUT DID NOT OR WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STOP. IT WAS LIKE IDLE GOT STUCK ON HIGH! AFTER 20 SECONDS OR SO THE ACCELERATION RETURNED TO NORMAL & I PROCEEDED. IT WAS SCARY ! FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED. I JUST HAD IT IN FOR SERVICE TO REPLACE TO HEADLIGHTS & MISSING SCREW UNDER FRONT SEAT. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10592121May 17, 2014FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE
(2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE) THE VEHICLE GAS GAUGE IS STICKING ON EMPTY AFTER FILLING IT UP AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. AFTER 1/4 TANK OF GAS HAS BEEN CONSUMED THE GAS GAUGE WILL READ NORMAL. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL ALSO GO OFF. THERE HAS NOT BEEN A LOSS IN POWER TO THE ENGINE OR ANY OTHER INDICATORS THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. THIS ISSUE CAN BE REPRODUCED EVERY TIME AFTER FILL UP. THE TANK DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ON EMPTY TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SEEN TSB'S FOR THE 2007 MODEL BUT NOTHING YET FOR THE 2008. *JS
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10588945May 16, 2014FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL GAUGE HAS BECOME ERRATIC AND CAUSES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. INFORMED ENTIRE FUEL PUMP WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AS SENSOR IS A PART OF PUMP ASSEMBLY, TOTAL COST $950. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN, CANNOT TELL HOW MUCH FUEL IS IN CAR. RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED AS THE COMPLAINT SEEMS TO BE COMMON. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10588965May 16, 2014FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
AFTER FILLING THE GAS TANK I NOTICED THAT THE GAS GAUGE WAS NOT WORKING. LATER IT MOVED OFF EMPTY AND THE LOW FUEL LIGHT WENT OFF. NOW IT READS WHAT EVER IT WANTS TO. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10588543May 15, 2014FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FUEL GAUGE ON OUR 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HAS RECENTLY BECOME ERRATIC. IT FLUCTUATES WIDELY OVER THE COURSE OF A FEW MINUTES WITH THE CHECK ENGINE (ON/OFF) AND LOW FUEL INDICATORS ALSO LIGHTING PERIODICALLY. AFTER HAVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM INVESTIGATED, I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A FUEL SENSOR PROBLEM. APPARENTLY HIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE ON 2007 - 2009 SANTA FE'S WITH HYUNDAI AND DEALERSHIPS VIA HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2008/HYUNDAI/SANTA+FE/FUEL+SYSTEM SITUATION IS NOT SAFE IF THIS HAPPENS TO SOMEONE (NEW TO PROBLEM) WHEN THEIR FUEL MAY BE LOW, THEY MAY BE DRIVING ALONG AND STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY OR THEY MAY BE IN A REMOTE AREA. NHTSA SHOULD INVESTIGATE AND HAVE HYUNDAI ISSUE A RECALL! *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10588248May 14, 2014FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I HAVE A 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE THAT HAS BEEN GIVING A FALSE READING ON THE FUEL GAUGE. THE FUEL HAND SHOWS THAT THE TANK IS EMPTY EVEN THOUGH I JUST FILLED IT UP. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WILL SOMETIMES GO UP AND DOWN DEPENDING ON HOW MY VEHICLE IS SETTING AT THE TIME, BUT THEN GOES BELOW EMPTY. IT WILL NOT REGISTER A FULL TANK OF GAS, THE MOST IT WILL SHOW IS A 3/4 OF A TANK. AT FIRST THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND THEN GO OFF, NOW IT IS LIT ALL THE TIME. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL ON THIS MODEL BY HYUNDAI. . *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10588458May 14, 2014FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
WHEN DRIVING OUR 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE THE FUEL GAUGE SPORADICALLY MOVES DOWN TO EMPTY AND FLUCTUATES GIVING A FALSE READING AND CAUSING MAJOR CONFUSION. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. IT SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR ISSUE AMONG THE 2008 MODEL BECAUSE WHEN I CONTACTED A MECHANIC HE KNEW WHAT EXACTLY I WAS TALKING ABOUT. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10587084May 7, 2014FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE FUEL GAUGE IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE FUEL GAUGE GOES FROM READING HALF THEN JUMPS TO EMPTY. THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON THEN OFF AGAIN. I WENT TO A HYUNDAI DEALER A THEY DID A DIAGNOSTICS CHECK ON THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR A CIRCUIT WORKING INTERMITTENT. HYUNDAI IS WELL AWARE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, ALONG WITH MANY MECHANICS IN THE NEW YORK TRI-STATE AREA. I THINK THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL REPLACEMENT ITEM, BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. IF SOMEONE RUNS OUT OF FUEL UNKNOWINGLY WHEN DRIVING BECAUSE THE FUEL GAUGE IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY THEY WILL LOOSE POWER STEERING AND POWER BREAKS AND MOST LIKELY LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND THE RESULTS CAN BE FATAL. THE SAME RESULTS CAN OCCUR IF SOMEONE IS DRIVING IN A REMOTE AREA IN THE WINTER AND THEY RUN OUT OF FUEL. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10585381April 28, 2014ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE SANTA FE GAS GAUGE BEHAVES ERRATICALLY! AS YOU DRIVE, THE FUEL INDICATOR NEEDLE MOVES UP AND DOWN SO THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW ACCURATELY HOW MUCH FUEL REMAINS IN THE GAS TANK. THE NEEDLE MAY ALSO INDICATE A VERY LOW FUEL LEVEL BY ILLUMINATING THE "LOW FUEL" WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD AS WELL. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE GETTING WORSE AS DRIVE TIME GOES ON AS THE NEEDLE MOVEMENTS INCREASE THE LONGER TIME THE SUV IS DRIVEN AND THE VOLUME OF FUEL DECREASES IN THE FUEL TANK. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL ALSO ILLUMINATE TO WARN OF A VEHICLE ENGINE / DRIVE-TRAIN PROBLEM. IN MY CASE I HAVE RESET THE CHECK ENGINE MANUALLY AND AFTER A NUMBER OF TRIPS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL REAPPEAR. THIS LOW FUEL WARNING CYCLE HAS BEEN REPEATED NUMEROUS TIMES AND MAY CAUSE A DRIVER TO BE DISTRACTED TO SEE THE LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT, WHEN IN FACT THERE MAY BE SUFFICIENT FUEL IN THE GAS TANK. I FIND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS VERY DISCONCERTING AS YOU DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU MAY BE RUNNING OUT OF GASOLINE. *JS
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10584714April 24, 2014FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS, THE GAS GAUGE WILL SHOW EMPTY AND WARNING LIGHTS COME WHEN YOU JUST FILLED UP THE GAS TANK COMPLETELY FULL. AT OTHER TIMES, THE GAS GAUGE WILL GO FROM FULL TO 1/2 TANK. OTHER TIMES WHEN YOU START THE CAR, IT WILL SHOW EMPTY WHEN IT HAS 1/2 TANK. SO IN OTHER WORDS, THE GAS GAUGE IS NOT WORKING. I UNDERSTAND THAT MANY 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE CAR OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. TO FIX THE PROBLEM, HYUNDAI WANTS EITHER $400 OR $700 TO REPLACE EITHER ONE OR TWO FUEL SENSORS. OF ALL THE CARS I HAVE OWNED, I HAVE NEVER HAD A FUEL GAUGE GO BAD. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH HYUNDAI RIGHT NOW ! WITH AS MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL GAUGE REPORTED, THIS SHOULD BE FIXED BY THE HYUNDAI. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10583675April 19, 2014AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO PERFORM TWO RECALLS: (1) STOP LAMP SWITCH AND (2) PODS RECALIBRATION. I WAS INFORMED THE AIR BAG LIGHT IN THE DASHBOARD HAD COME ON AND STAYED ON AFTER THE RECALIBRATION OF THE PODS. I NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE PODS SYSTEM OR AN AIR WARNING LIGHT IN THE DASH PRIOR TO THE RECALL. I WAS TOLD HYUNDAI WOULD PAY TO EITHER REPLACE THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT TENSIONER OR THE ENTIRE SEAT. THEY DID NOT ALLOW ME TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY SAID IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND RENTED ME A CAR FOR 4 DAYS. REPLACING THE SEAT BELT TENSIONER FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT LESS THAN A YEAR LATER (4-15-14) THE AIR LIGHT HAS COME ON AND NOW THEY TELL ME THAT IT'S THE SCALE IN THE SEAT AND THE ENTIRE SEAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST TO ME OF $2400+. THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAGS WERE NOT AFFECTED -- ONLY THE PASSENGER'S AND I WOULD BE SAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR. THE SERVICE TECH QUICKLY RETURNED THE CAR AND WE DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY PAPERWORK RESULTING FROM THE INSPECTION. MY HUSBAND AND I DID NOT ELECT TO REPLACE THE SEAT AT THIS TIME WHILE WE RESEARCH THE ISSUE. HOWEVER, MY HUSBAND AND I DID NOTICE THAT THE PODS "OFF" LIGHT TURNS OFF WHEN A PASSENGER IS IN THE SEAT WHICH IS CONFUSING SINCE THE ADVISOR SAID THE SCALE ISN'T WORKING. NOW WE ARE LEFT WITH A 6-YEAR-OLD CAR THAT HAS AN EXPENSIVE SAFETY ISSUE. WE CAN'T SELL IT TO A PRIVATE PARTY BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUE AND THE TRADE-IN VALUE HAS DRAMATICALLY DECLINED. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10583034April 16, 2014VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I WAS MOVING MY CAR IN FRONT OF MY CARPORT. WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE BRAKES HAD NO EFFECT, THERE WAS ONLY A FEW SECONDS TO REACT. THE CAR WAS STOPPED BY THE POLL. IS IT SAFE TO DRIVE IT AGAIN? *TT
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0